Tracfone ZTE Zephyr Review, Specs and Features
This review covers the ZTE Zephyr from Tracfone (Z752C) and we will continue to update it as needed. This review was created by TracfoneReviewer. |
| ZTE Zephyr Tracfone Review |
For those who might not know, Tracfone is a prepaid wireless cell phone and service provider. They are somewhat unique in that they offer both wireless service and a variety of cell phones and smartphones. You can purchase from Tracfone airtime and a phone to use. Tracfone also has several other brands, including Net10 and StraighTalk, but you can't use a phone from one brand with service from another.
Tracfone has slowly released more and more Android powered smartphones to use with their low cost service, and the Zephry is one such device.
The ZTE (Z752C) Zephry is a 4" touchscreen smartphone with Android 4.4 and runs on CDMA networks (Verizon networks). It appears to be a mid level phone, with some good features.
Yet with the recent development of Tracfone allowing many different 4G LTE devices on their BYOP program consumers have a much broader selection of phones to choose from, including some high-end devices like the iPhone 6 (for more on bringing your own phone, and to see a list of devices, visit our Tracfone BYOP page).
But let's get into what the Zephyr has to offer before we start comparing options.
Tracfone ZTE Zephyr Features and Specs
The Zephyr also includes all the features you normally see with Tracfone like Voicemail, Caller ID, and no activation fee.ZTE Zephyr Features List:
- Android 4.4 KitKat
- 3G Connectivity on Verizon CDMA Network
- WiFi
- GPS
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 5MP Rear Camera with Autofocus and Flash, 0.3MP Front Facing Camera
- Hands Free Speaker
- Hearing Aid compatible
- MP3 Player
- Supports up to 32GB Micro SD Card
- Voice Dialing
- Triple Minutes for Life
- Access to over 1 Million apps on Google Play
- Size: 4.91" x 2.51" x 0.44"
- 4" Touchscreen (480x800) TFT
- 1.2 Ghz Dual Core Processor
- 1 GB RAM
- 4 GB Internal Memory
- Battery Life: 10 Days Standby, 10 hours Talk Time, 1650 mAh
We are excited to see this combination of features, however, there are several other options from Tracfone that appear to have better features at first glance. But let's get into our review of the Zephyr and then we'll compare it to other devices.
Tracfone ZTE Zephyr Review - Likes and Dislikes
We will share what we like about this phone, followed by some dislikes.What we Like about the Zephyr
The Zephyr comes with a nice combination of features including some we've already highlighted like the Screen and Memory. The Camera is also a positive aspect of the phone.
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| Google Maps on the Zephyr |
The Memory on the Zephyr is better than some of the older smartphone options from Tracfone. This phone comes with 1 GB of RAM (which allows you to have multiple apps open and running at once) and 4 GB of Internal memory (which allows you to store pictures, apps, and other information). You can also add up to 32 GB of additional storage through a Micro SD Card. 4 GB is not a lot of space these days, especially when almost half of that will be used up by the OS and other pre-installed features on the phone. However, this is better than older Tracfone devices that had something like 500 MB of internal Memory.
Finally, the Camera on the ZTE Zephyr is also good. It is 5 MP (2560x1920) with auto focus, LED flash, and touch focus. It can also do 30 FPS video at 800x480 resolution. The Zephyr comes with a 0.3 MP front facing camera for selfies and video chatting.
Overall, the Zephyr has good features, but let's get into a few things we don't like about this phone.
ZTE Zephyr Dislikes
There are a handful of dislikes, but mostly we just aren't overly inspired by this phone. We don't like the list price, it can only use Verizon cell towers, and no promo codes.
The list price on the Tracfone website for the Zephyr is $90 which seems a little steep when you look at the features on this phone. You can find devices with better features, like the LG Ultimate 2 and LG Power, for about the same price or a little more on retail sites like Amazon and eBay.
For a phone with the same version of Android (4.4) a slightly smaller screen (3.5") and a few other small downgrades, you can get the LG Optimus Fuel for just $28 on Amazon. We expect the Zephyr to have a lower price when it eventually becomes available on Amazon/eBay.
The Zephyr, along with all of Tracfone's current CDMA Android smartphones, uses Verizon cell towers for service. However, roaming is limited, and if you go outside of Verizon coverage, you won't have service. If you live in areas with poor or limited coverage, you might want to consider other options. We hope that Tracfone will offer GSM Smartphones in the near future.
All of Tracfone's Android devices come with Triple Minutes for Life, which triples any airtime card you add to the phone. Minutes are also split into separate 'pools' for Talk, Text and Data. However, Tracfone Promo Codes won't work on any smartphones, which is a downside to upgrading to these phones. Visit our blog post, How Minutes work on Tracfone Android Devices to learn more about the new system for minutes.
That covers the highlights of what we think of this phone. It is a device that is very middle-of-the-road in its features and specs. But now we will look at how it compares to other smartphones available from Tracfone.
ZTE Zephyr Compared to Other Tracfone Smartphones
Tracfone now offers more than 10 different Android powered smartphones to use with their prepaid service(not including the BYOP options). So how does this new addition to their lineup compare with other phones you can get?LG Ultimate 2 and LG Power vs ZTE Zephyr
The LG Ultimate 2 and LG Power were released within a few months of the Zephyr and, initially, at a little higher price.
The Ultimate 2 and Power each feature 4.5" touchscreens, 5 MP rear camera with autofocus and flash, and front facing cameras. The Ultimate 2 has a 1.2 Ghz dual core processor with 5 GB internal memory and running Android 4.4 while the Power has a 1.2 Ghz quad core processor with 8 GB internal memory and uses Android 5.0. Both phones can be found on Amazon and eBay for under $100.
As you can see, the Zephyr has either similar, or less desirable features at a similar price. Thus we would recommend you look into the Ultimate 2 or Power instead of the Zephyr if you don't mind the larger screen size.
LG Lucky and Samsung Galaxy Stardust vs ZTE Zephyr
The Lucky and Stardust are two phones also recently released by Tracfone that are more similar to the Zephyr. The LG Lucky runs Android 4.4, has 1 GB RAM, 1.2 Ghz processor and 3.8" screen. The Samsung Galaxy Stardust has Android 4.3 with 1 GB RAM, 1.2 Ghz processor and 4" screen. The phones all are at similar price points, generally under $100.
Each of these phones are fairly similar, and the winner might come down to where you can find the best price, and a personal preference on a certain feature.
Conclusion and Where to Find the ZTE Zephyr
The Zephyr is a nice phone with a good mix of features and specs, but it isn't going to top our list of the Best Tracfone Cell Phones.If you can find a good deal on the Zephyr, it might work out great for you. We do want to mention, however, that the ZTE Valet, which was released in 2013 with Tracfone, had issues with very low WiFi signal strength. Hopefully this has been fixed in the Zephyr.
The Zephyr is available on the Tracfone website, although it may go out of stock soon. We haven't seen it on Amazon or eBay yet, but expect to in the near future.
There are plenty of accessories for this phone online. View Zephyr Cases and Covers on Amazon to shop for them yourself.
You can check out an Interactive Tutorial for the Zephyr to get a better idea of how it works.
Be sure to check the comments below to see what other readers are sharing about this phone, ad leave your own questions or thoughts.
Check out our Android Tracfone List if you would like to see all of the Android phones from Tracfone in once place and compare what they each have to offer.
You might also be interested in our List of the Best Android Apps. There are almost 50 different apps that can do a huge variety of cool things. Don't miss out!
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