The smartphone market offers a dizzying array of choices, from ultra-budget options to premium flagships. Today, we're putting two very different devices head-to-head: the ZTE Blade A7P, a contender in the affordable segment, and the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G, a former flagship known for its performance and features. Let's see how they stack up.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G is the clear winner, offering significantly superior performance, camera quality, and features. While the ZTE Blade A7P provides basic functionality at a low price, the S20 FE 5G delivers a premium experience justifying its higher cost for most users.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | - | 2, 5, 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - USA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78 Sub6 - International |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2021, December | 2020, September 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December | Available. Released 2020, October 02 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165.2 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm (6.50 x 2.96 x 0.33 in) | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm (6.29 x 2.93 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 170 g (6.00 oz) | 190 g (6.70 oz) |
| | - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~407 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~82.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 101.0 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| | - | Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6762D Helio P22 (12 nm) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 3GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | 13 MP
2 MP | - |
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 5 MP | 2 MP |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | - | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | - | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 32-bit/384kHz audio
Tuned by AKG |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | - | HTTP / WAP 2.0 |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| | - | Virtual proximity sensing
Bixby natural language commands and dictation
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | Wired | 25W wired, PD3.0
15W wireless (Qi)
4.5W reverse wireless |
| Stand-by | - | Up to 300 h |
| Talk time | - | Up to 5 h |
| Type | Li-Ion 3200 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Blue | Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange |
| Models | Z6252CA | SM-G781B, SM-G781B/DS, SM-G781U, SM-G781U1, SM-G781W, SM-G7810, SM-G781N, SM-G781V |
| Price | About 110 EUR | $ 137.00 / C$ 531.23 / £ 169.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | - | 0.70 W/kg (head) 0.82 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.50 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing |
|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 361.99 |
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 589.97 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 769.99 |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 110h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-26.3 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 543986 (v8)
GeekBench: 3296 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 45fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE Blade A7P
- Extremely affordable
- Basic functionality
- Decent battery life (rated)
- Low performance
- Basic camera
- Outdated chipset
- No 5G
- Slow charging
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
- Powerful performance (Snapdragon 865)
- Excellent camera
- Bright and vibrant display
- 5G connectivity
- Fast charging (wired & wireless)
- Reverse wireless charging
- Higher price
- Older model (may lack latest software updates)
- Battery life could be better on some models
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G boasts a vibrant and bright display with a measured peak brightness of 822 nits and an infinite contrast ratio, offering exceptional viewing experience. The ZTE Blade A7P's display is likely less impressive, with lower brightness and contrast, typical of budget phones. Expect sharper images, better color accuracy, and overall a more immersive experience on the S20 FE 5G.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S20 FE 5G's camera system is far superior, offering better image quality, more features, and improved low-light performance. While the Blade A7P can take basic photos, the S20 FE 5G delivers a more versatile and capable camera experience with photo and video capabilities.
Performance
The Snapdragon 865 5G in the Galaxy S20 FE 5G provides a massive performance advantage over the Helio P22 in the Blade A7P. Expect significantly faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and the ability to handle demanding games with ease on the S20 FE 5G. The Blade A7P will struggle with more intensive tasks.
Battery Life
Both phones are rated for an endurance of 110 hours, suggesting comparable battery life under typical usage. However, the S20 FE 5G's more efficient chipset and potentially larger battery capacity (though not explicitly stated) could give it a slight edge in real-world usage. The S20 FE 5G also supports faster charging and wireless charging, features absent in the Blade A7P.
Buying Guide
The ZTE Blade A7P is ideal for users on a very tight budget who primarily need a phone for basic communication and light tasks. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G is perfect for those seeking a powerful, feature-rich phone with a great camera and 5G connectivity, even if it's a slightly older model.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the ZTE Blade A7P good for gaming?
No, the Blade A7P's chipset is not powerful enough for demanding games. It can handle very basic games, but expect low frame rates and lag.
❓ Does the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G still receive software updates?
Samsung typically provides several years of software updates for its flagship devices. While it may not receive the absolute latest Android versions, it should still receive security patches and feature updates for a reasonable period.
