ZTE Axon 11 SE Smartphone Review with Key Features

On June 01, 2020, ZTE launched a new product - the ZTE Axon 11 SE smartphone. The mid-budget device resembles the fellow ZTE Axon 11, presented in March this year, with the exception of a number of characteristics. Why is the novelty good? How much does the device cost and what are its features? Let's consider the main characteristics, identify the pros and cons of the device.

Axon 11 SE Key Features

Appearance and dimensions

The new model is made in the form of a classic candy bar, seemingly harmonious and stylish. The frames are very thin, made of aluminum, almost invisible from the front. The dimensions of the device are as follows: height 162.7 mm, width 76.3 mm, body thickness 8.8 mm. The smartphone is heavy in the hand, its weight is 184 grams. The front camera is located in the upper left corner of the screen in the shape of the letter "O". The main camera is built into the back cover, in the upper left corner. The block is made in the form of a square, there are 4 lenses in it. A separate LED flash is built under the unit. Further in the central part of the lid is a fingerprint scanner. In the lower left part of the case, in the recumbent position, the corporate logo of the ZTE Axon line looks impressive, with the addition of 5G in the circle. On the left side there is a classic variant of the location of the volume control and power on / off buttons. On the right is a slot for installing SIM cards and memory cards. On the shelves, the smartphone will appear in two color options: Aurora Glamor Aurora Glamor and Aurora Glacier Glacier. Both colors are interesting, with iridescent tints. In a transparent case, the model will look impressive and stylish.
The declared cost of the model is about 250 euros.

Display

The screen size is 6.53 inches, the total used area is 104.7 cm2. The usable area in budget devices is increased by reducing the frame. The budget segment smartphone looks stylish and expensive.The use of a dense cover will help to protect the case from mechanical damage, protect it from water and dust, and make the device look solid and expensive. The ratio of the screen to the body of the phone is about 84.3%, the ratio of the height / width of the screen is universal for modern smartphones and is equal to 19.5: 9. The resolution of the capacitive touchscreen is 1080 x 2340 pixels, the pixel density per inch is 395 units. Inside there is a matrix of the LTPS IPS LCD type, reflecting 16 million shades. The matrix has a low cost with high quality and reliability, it is used to create inexpensive models of smartphones. IPS differs from the more expensive Oled, Amoled matrices in the response time of the sensor after touching, for IPS it is a little longer, but this is invisible to an ordinary person when using the device.

Among other matrix data, it should be noted:

• large range of brightness;
• no graininess;
• smoothness and evenness of images;
• natural shades in color reproduction;
• white color looks even, has no inclusions.

The disadvantage of the IPS-matrix is ​​that in direct sunlight the picture is illuminated and almost invisible. The advantage of the matrix is ​​excellent brightness: in the dark, even at the lowest settings, you can view photos, films and videos, read books, flip through Internet pages with maximum comfort for the eyes.

Interface and operating system

The device has an operating platform Android 10, with a proprietary shell MiFavor version 10.1. The firmware works with functional improvements, for example, applications are turned on at an accelerated launch. System icons have got new latest interesting versions. You can also set the option to dynamic wallpaper. A dark theme has been developed to save battery power. When working in the dark, the eyes will not get tired due to the black color. Menu navigation can be done using gestures - the firmware is adapted to this function. The visual notification system is triggered when a user watches a video or video in full screen mode. Windows of the keyboard and messengers are compact and are displayed on top of the application. The user will immediately respond to the message without stopping from watching the movie. The hint and recognition system will analyze the touch with two fingers and offer the function of searching or editing text based on the "seen" content. The new version has a voice control and navigation system.

Processor and memory

The Octa-core processor consists of eight cores with 4 Cortex-A76 + 4 Cortex-A55 architecture. All cores run at the same 2.0 GHz clock speed. Chipset MediaTek MT6873 with a dimension of 800 is designed for 5G networks, works on a 7 nm process. The GPU Mali-G57MP4 graphics accelerator is responsible for the speed of flipping through the pages of menus and applications, for the smoothness of images. The manufacturer claims one modification of the smartphone. The internal memory of the device will be 128 GB, 6 GB of RAM. There is a slot for installing microSDXC memory cards to expand the memory capacity. Files are saved on a medium according to the UFS 2.1 standard with a good speed of the device.

Technology

The device is designed for the main communication standards: four 2G GSM bands are designed for operation of one SIM card or two Nano SIM cards, with dual standby mode, for European countries. The CDMA format on 800/1900 and TD-SCDMA waves is considered the Chinese standard for 3rd generation networks and is designed for eastern customers. 3G HSPA bands operate on 4 waves, 4G format has 14 bands for LTE data transmission. Antennas for 5G bands are also installed (there are 6 of them). Data is transmitted at HSPA speed 42.2 * 5.76 Mbps.

Wireless and wired communications

The smartphone has wireless communications: dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, with Wi-Fi Direct and a password protected access point. You can connect at close distances via Bluetooth 5.0. A GPS navigator with A-GPS will help you on the road. This model is not suitable for fans of news, audiobooks and music on the road - there are no radio antennas. Wired connectors include USB version 2.0, Type C 1.0 reversible connector, USB with On-The-Go support. A 3.5 mm jack is provided for connecting wired headphones.

Cameras and their capabilities

The main camera is located in a square block on the back cover. In block 4 lenses:

• the first - at 48 MP, with an aperture of 1.8, the lens is wide, with PDAF auto focus;
• the second - at 8 MP, f / 2.2, super wide-angle;
• the third lens makes macro photography, its resolution is 2 MP, aperture 2.4;
• the fourth lens has a depth sensor, 2.4 aperture, 2 MP resolution.

Cameras features - LED flash, panorama mode, high-quality HDR shooting. Video output format 4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30fps.

The selfie camera on the screen is single, with a resolution of 16 MP, a wide lens and high-quality HDR shooting. It is possible to make video with this camera, the resulting size will be 1080 Pixels / 30 fps.

Sound

The smartphone has a loudspeaker and microphone. There is no information about the sound.

Additional functions

There is a fingerprint sensor on the back cover. There is an accelerometer for determining the angle of the smartphone relative to the horizon, there is a proximity sensor. Conclusion: the most necessary functions are present. The phone does not have a chip for fast payment for purchases without a bank card and there is no radio.

Battery

A non-removable Li-Ion battery with a large capacity of 4000 mAh sets the thickness of the gadget. The manufacturer added an old type IPS LCD to the battery, and the smartphone turned out to be heavy. In addition to the main charging, there is a fast charging function. According to the advertisement, it will charge the device by 50% in just half an hour.

ZTE Axon 11 vs Axon 11 SE comparison

The models have similar characteristics in terms of screen size, pixel density, and battery capacity. The previous model has a modern AMOLED screen with a built-in fingerprint scanner underneath. In the SE model, the IPS LCD matrix does not allow installing the scanner, the sensor is located on the back of the body. The 11th model is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor with Kryo cores and 1 + 1 + 6 architecture. The SE in question has an Octa-core processor with a MediaTek chipset and Cortex 4 + 4 cores. The processors are identical, the cores are based on Arm elements, but Qualcomm uses the latest modified developments, and MediaTek does not adapt Cortex for extra performance. In terms of memory, three Axon 11 modifications should be noted, with internal / operating sizes of 6/128 GB, 8/128 GB and 8/256 GB, respectively; one modification of Axon 11 SE 6/128 GB with additional expansion of the volume by installing a microSDXC memory card. In addition, the 11 SE is equipped with a 3.5 mm mini-jack for a wired headset. The number of cameras in both models is the same. In the new product of June, a weaker lens with a resolution of 48 MP is installed compared to the 64 MP lens in the previous version. Therefore, the Axon 11 SE is cheaper and available to ordinary users.

Advantages and disadvantages

• ergonomic dimensions;
• beautiful appearance;
• designed for the maximum number of communication standards;
• supports fifth generation networks;
• matrix with excellent brightness and high resolution;
• multifunctionality;
• productive processor;
• there is a mini-Jack 3.5 for a headset;
• there is fast charging;
• high resolution cameras;
• high-level battery.

• there is no radio;
• outdated matrix;
• large thickness;
• few additional features;
• there is no radio.

Conclusion

Axon 11 SE is designed for the budget buyer. At the same time, the smartphone has high-quality cameras, a fingerprint scanner, and a powerful battery. On it you can use multimedia features, take notes and business notes. The device is not designed for games. The novelty will be released at the end of June 2020 and will hit the shelves in July. When buying, you can be sure of the studied characteristics, evaluate the quality of communication and the operation of applications.