ZTE Blade A72 5G vs. iPhone 13 mini: A Detailed Showdown
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone 13 mini wins decisively. While the ZTE Blade A72 5G offers 5G connectivity at a lower price, the iPhone 13 mini's superior performance, camera quality, and iOS ecosystem make it the better overall choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE Blade A72 5G | Apple iPhone 13 mini |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2628, A2629, A2630 |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6/mmWave - A2628 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2629, A2630 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, June 10 | 2021, September 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, June 10 | Available. Released 2021, September 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 75.5 x 9.2 mm (6.46 x 2.97 x 0.36 in) | 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.7 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 211 g (7.44 oz) | 141 g (4.97 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 90Hz | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 11 | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm |
| Features | LED flash, HDR | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 5 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Triple | 13 MP, f/1.8, (wide), AF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | Yes | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | Unspecified | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Yes | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 2438 mAh (9.34 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue, Gray | Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, Green |
| Models | 7540N | A2628, A2481, A2626, A2629, A2630, iphone14,4 |
| Price | About 160 EUR | € 299.00 / $ 240.00 / £ 244.89 |
| SAR | - | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.19 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.97 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 75h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.9 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 772512 (v9) GeekBench: 4681 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE Blade A72 5G
- Affordable price
- 5G connectivity
- Decent battery life
- Lower performance
- Less impressive camera
- Basic design
- Slower charging
Apple iPhone 13 mini
- Excellent performance (A15 Bionic)
- Premium camera system
- Compact size
- iOS ecosystem
- Fast charging (PD, MagSafe, Qi2)
- High price
- Smaller screen size
- Limited storage options (base models)
Display Comparison
The iPhone 13 mini boasts a significantly brighter display (831 nits peak) with excellent contrast (infinite nominal). The Blade A72 5G's display is likely adequate but lacks the vibrancy and outdoor visibility of the iPhone. Color accuracy and overall viewing experience are also likely superior on the iPhone.
Camera Comparison
The iPhone 13 mini's camera system is renowned for its image quality, computational photography, and video recording capabilities. While the Blade A72 5G's camera is serviceable, it won't match the iPhone's detail, dynamic range, or low-light performance. The iPhone's video recording is also significantly better.
Performance
The A15 Bionic chip in the iPhone 13 mini is in a different league compared to the Dimensity 700. Expect noticeably faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the iPhone. The Blade A72 5G is sufficient for everyday tasks but will struggle with demanding applications.
Battery Life
Both phones have an endurance rating of 75h, suggesting comparable battery life in typical usage. However, the iPhone 13 mini benefits from faster charging options (PD2.0, MagSafe, Qi2) compared to the Blade A72 5G, which likely has slower charging.
Buying Guide
The ZTE Blade A72 5G is ideal for budget-conscious users who prioritize 5G connectivity and don't need top-tier performance. The iPhone 13 mini is perfect for those who want a premium, compact smartphone with excellent performance, a great camera, and the benefits of the Apple ecosystem, and are willing to pay a premium.