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03 Nov 2011
A basic Android Gingerbread device with a large screen and reasonable specifications, the Skate is designed for buyers on a budget but is not really suited to heavy duty use
Pros:
Big screen, unmodified Android Gingerbread, reasonable price
Cons:
Susceptible to lag, poor battery life, bland design
Price: Free from £20 per month on Orange or £215 SIM-free
Manufacturer: ZTE
Smartphones such as the Apple iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II dominate the high-end market, but there is plenty to play for when it comes to mid-tier devices, and ZTE is an emerging Chinese manufacturer looking to make a name for itself.
The ZTE Skate, also known as the Orange Monte Carlo, is a mid-range smartphone aimed at buyers on a budget. The device retails SIM-free at the £200 mark or is available from Orange for free starting at £20.50 per month. We found that the Skate comes with more than reasonable specifications to entice those who want a well rounded handset.
Big but lightweight
The Skate is by no means ugly, but the design is rather uninspiring. The black plastic case looks and feels cheap compared to the high-grade coating on the Samsung Galaxy S II. The glossy nature of the back also makes it quite slippery to hold, so those with butter fingers had better be careful.
The Skate is noticeably larger than other mid-tier devices with its 126x 68x10mm chassis, but it weighs just 120g, an impressive feat.
The 4.3in display is in your face and will be the feature that is most likely to attract potential buyers. It's a behemoth and the quality is not too bad either. Of course, it is never going to compete with the Retina display on the iPhone 4S or the Super Amoled on the Galaxy S II, but the 480x800 resolution on the Skate is more than decent.
The poor brightness lets the Skate down and we're not too keen on the three hard buttons just below the screen. These come in the form of 'home', 'menu' and 'back' and we're not convinced of their durability.
Android 2.3 Gingerbread
4.3in display (480x800)
800MHz processor
512MB RAM
135MB internal storage
Micro-SD card support up to 32GB
5-megapixel camera with LED Flash
1400mAh battery
125.9x67.8x10.4mm
120g
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Do you agree?
Skate excellent value
The Skate responds with adequate speed although not quite as fast as its much more expensive competitors. With regard to brightness, I suspect that the reviewer has it in its standard auto setting. This is OK for 90% of the time and is designed to maximise battery life. If you switch to manual, its brightness is a match for any smartphone on the market. It's not quite as good as the AMOLED screen on its little brother, the Blade (San Francisco) but its resolution is excellent. This is reflected in photos of text taken with the 5Mp camera. At £150 from Orange plus £20 to unlock it from Orange, it is far better value than phones 2-3 times its price, many of which have only 2.2 Android. Its only real limitation is it can't do posh games because it can't handle flash. But why would anyone want to play these on a phone anyway?
Posted by: Wally Walters 16 Nov 2011
poor review
i have had the zte skate since its launch in uk i use it quite a lot in the daytime and at home i use the commy .my son has the iphone 4 and he has it constantly on charge at home and work.and my daughters partner has the galaxy 2 and he is the same.i have had no problems with hanging for the price i think its a bargin.also it won't run flash due to the cpu only 800mhz qualcom not 1g snapdragon.
Posted by: ron johnson 07 Nov 2011