AT&T Z998 Review

Introduction

The name isn't new in the US, but generally speaking, Chinese manufacturer ZTE is having a tough time trying to make a dent in the US market, which is already saturated with a mix of phones spanning from the low to high end. Rather than attacking the lucrative high end segment, it seems oh-so fitting for them to try and make strides in the lower end, or in this particular case, the prepaid market. Armed with some modest specs and a price point of $220 outright, the AT&T Z998 no doubt has its appeal to a certain audience, so let's dive in to see what it has to offer.

The package contains:

• microUSB cable
• Bluetooth headset
• Wall Charger
• User Manual
• Warranty Card

Design

Frankly, most of the stuff we're normally accustomed to seeing from ZTE are known to downright cheap – toyish at times to tell you the truth. However, the AT&T Z998 bucks the trend by becoming one of the more appealing devices from the Chinese manufacturer, as it boasts a clean design that might look a bit too conventional at first glance, but nevertheless packs some pleasant qualities. Constructed out of some sturdy plastic materials, of which the rear cover has a soft touch matte finish, we'll say that the combination of all of its materials and weighty feel gives it a solid feel in the hand.

With its power button and volume control, they're sufficiently raised and have responsive feedback when pressed – plus, they're situated in places we're typical to find them. As expected, it features the usual trio of capacitive Android buttons beneath its display, a 3.5mm headset jack, a microUSB port for charging/data connectivity, light/proximity sensors, and various microphones.

Around the back, there sits an ample sized 5-megapixel camera that features an LED flash and 720p video recording. Oh yeah, it's also armed with a front-facing camera! Towards the bottom edge, a small cutout hides away its internal speaker. Closely looking at the rear casing, there's a small slit towards the bottom right corner that grants us access to its 2070 mAh battery, SIM slot, and ever-so-useful microSD card slot.

Display

We shouldn't be too critical, right? Sporting a 4.5-inch qHD 540 x 960 TFT display, it's not the most magnificent thing our eyes have feasted on, but nevertheless, we can't complain too greatly about it. For starters, its detail is adequate enough for most things without having our eyes squint when viewing things in the browser. Furthermore, its color reproduction is punchy in tone – and without being too saturated. Viewing angles are okay, with minimal distortion at wide angles, but its brightness output could be a smidgen more potent to make it easier to view outdoors.