Note: We may earn commissions (at no cost to you) if you buy through links on our site. Learn more.
ZTE Blade V8 Pro
ZTE Blade V8 Pro
ZTE Blade V8 Pro
ZTE Blade V8 Pro
...


7.1/10
Informr score
The ZTE Blade V8 Pro currently has an Informr score of 7.1 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 10 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • All-day battery life
  • QuickCharge 2.0 support
  • Bright screen
  • Solid build quality
  • NFC support
  • Snappy performance
  • microSD support

What's bad

  • Older Android version--Marshmallow 6.0
  • Bulky, heavy design
  • Weak low-light camera performance
  • Back panel is a dirt and crumb magnet

Depending on where you’re from, ZTE might not be a household name. However, they’re expanding outside of their home market in China and establishing themselves as a household name around the world. Their latest mid-tier phablet—the Blade V8 Pro—looks impressive on paper.

But how does it fare in daily use? We’ve dug through reviews from around the world to see what they’re saying!

Making a budget-friendly phone often means making a few design sacrifices. The phone’s chassis is metal but the rear is a textured plastic. While none of the reviews were critical of the design or build quality, none praised it either.

Android Central said, “The Blade V8 Pro is not diminutive — it's big, even by big phone standards.” So if you’re a fan of using your phone with one hand, this one might not be for you.

Phone Arena was more specific and their opinions reflected the thoughts of many other reviewers. They noted, “The Blade V8 Pro is put together quite nicely, and looks reasonably attractive. The phone's just a little large, and doesn't go quite far enough in terms of premium-feeling materials.”

Flip the phone over and reviews get better. The phone’s 5.5-inch 1080p display was a hit with most reviewers. ChipChick said, “[The] colors are a bit muted and the contrast ratio is somewhat limited, but the viewing angles are decent and it’s bright enough to read in direct sunlight.” CNet agreed, saying, “When I watched videos and swiped through my photos, images were bright and clear.”

You’ll also find a fingerprint scanner integrated into the home button. A few reviewers complained of accuracy issues. But, most had no problems and thought the ability to assign features to different fingers was a useful touch.

Powering the phone, you’ll find a 2Ghz Snapdragon 625 processor paired with 3GB of RAM. Reviews show the eight-core processor has no trouble keeping up with daily tasks or playing games.

For software, reviewers weren’t as pleased. The phone ships with an older version of Android—6.0 Marshmallow. There’s no confirmation from ZTE that it will receive updates to the latest version. However, reviewers praised ZTE for keeping the interface close to stock—something that many other Chinese manufacturers don’t do.

With 32GB of internal storage, there is plenty of room for your favorite apps and games. But if you want to keep your media on your device, you’ll want to use the microSD port. This means giving up the dual SIM feature on the phone.

One of the most hyped features on the Blade V8 Pro is its dual rear cameras. Pairing both a color and monochrome 13MP sensor, ZTE claims their camera offers improved depth of field and better detail. Reviews found this true in good lighting. Unfortunately, all reviewers agreed that as lights dimmed, so did camera performance.

Android Central summed up opinions well when they said, “Nighttime scenes, once focus is fixed, are muddled and grainy but usable in a pinch; daylight scenes, on the other hand, are remarkably good for a phone of this price.”

Battery life once again saw opinions swing upward. None of the reviewers had any trouble pulling a full day of use out of the 3,140mAh battery. Add the QuickCharge 2.0 support for full charges in just over an hour and you should have little worry about hunting electrical outlets throughout your day.

Reviewers loved many aspects of the Blade V8 Pro. The biggest concerns for most were about the size of the phone and weak low-light camera performance. Despite this, all reviewers agreed that the phone offers exceptional value and keeps up with similarly priced competitors.


No
OS
OS
No
2 GHz
Processor
Processor
2 GHz
5.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.5"
13+ MP
Camera
Camera
13+ MP
3140 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


TechRadar
TechRadar

The ZTE Blade V8 Pro is proof that cheap phones don’t have to suck.

- Lewis Leong, TechRadar
Talk Android
Talk Android

When it comes down to it, the ZTE Blade V8 Pro isn’t a bad phone. There’s not too much that makes it stand out from the rest of the crowd, except for the price. On Amazon, you can get all of this for a meager $230 — that’s easily the most impressive part of the phone. For the...

- Brad Ward, Talk Android
Android Community
Android Community

The ZTE Blade V8 Pro is better than it has any reason to be.

- Daniel Bader, Android Community
Chip Chick
Chip Chick

If you’re looking for an affordable, competent, and feature-rich handset, there’s no doubt the Blade V8 Pro delivers. But with the Honor 6X playing in the same league, it’s a much tougher game. The Blade wins on paper, but there’s more to making a solid handset than a nice sp...

- Myriam Joire, Chip Chick
Neowin
Neowin

The Blade V8 Pro is a phone that has a lot of potential. On paper, it offers the perfect package of price and specifications. But, like many things that look good on paper, the Blade V8 Pro just doesn't live up to expectations.

- Timi Cantisano, Neowin


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the ZTE Blade V8 Pro user manual here.


ZTE backs up the Blade V8 Pro with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Blade V8 Pro has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact ZTE support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find ZTE's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



Ask the Community


No questions for the moment.


Resources


Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed

Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.


Quick view

Screen Size
5.5"

The ZTE Blade V8 Pro's screen size is 5.5 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
2 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa core 2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS
No

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
13+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 13+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 8+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
32 GB

Internal memory is 32 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3140mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 3140 mAh battery. ZTE's performance ratings are 23 days standby time, 1440 minutes, 728 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Blade V8 Pro Specs

Overview
Release Date January 25, 2017
Regions Available USA
Operating System No
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa core 2 GHz
Internal Storage 32 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.48 W/kg
Body: 0.92 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included Data Cable, Manual, USB Power Adapter
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
13+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, Multi-shot, Night mode, Panorama, Self-timer, Dual camera feature (13 MP 2nd camera), HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density 401 pixels
Size 5.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 3140 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 728 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1440 minutes
Standby Time Up to 23 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Black Diamond
Dimensions [H x W x D] 15.6 x 7.7 x 0.9 cm (6.1 x 3 x 0.4 in)
Weight 185 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): ZTE Z978
Related Links Manual (PDF)
ZTE Blade V8 Pro Reviews
Where to buy ZTE Blade V8 Pro
Suggest a correction