ZTE Racer review
By Richard Lai 
posted August 11th 2010 7:32AM
posted August 11th 2010 7:32AM
This is where Three UK's ZTE Racer comes in: priced at just £99.99 ($158) or for free on various contracts, this Android 2.1 handset has quite rightly stolen the paper crown from the 845. But don't let that price tag fool you -- this 14.5mm-thick device still comes with a fairly modern 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset (as featured on the Aria and X10 Mini / Mini Pro), garnished with a 3.2 megapixel camera (sans flash), HSDPA 7.2Mbps connectivity, 2GB microSD card, FM radio, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and a Skype app for free Skype calls within the UK. There is just one caveat: you'll have to live with a 2.8-inch QVGA resistive touchscreen. So, is this an immediate deal-breaker? Can the other features make up for this flaw? Read on to find out.
Hardware
As a budget smartphone, the Racer's actually a pretty decent-looking device from afar (although you may disagree here), and then that silver band somehow reminds us of racing stripes (hence the name, perhaps). The lightly rubberized battery cover seals well to the body and also rounds off pretty nicely for the comfort of our hands, but we can't help noticing the green robot printed slightly off-center on our particular unit -- even Andy Rubin would probably shed a tear over this little boo boo. That said, this is nowhere as hysterical as seeing the 1,100mAh battery flying off almost every time we pull open the back cover, and even if you leave the cover on, you can still hear the loose battery rattling inside if you gently shake the phone.
Disappointingly, the least aesthetically-pleasing part of the phone is actually the glossy front side, where you can see the plastic overlay warping all over the place. We have mixed feelings for the back-lit call buttons below the screen -- the pick up button's great for prompting the dialer at any instance, but considering our smartphone usage is shifting towards more web time and less call time, a virtual button on the home screen (as implemented in the vanilla Froyo build) would probably be more ideal. Similarly, the end-call button serves no purpose other than to just end a call; users migrating from other mobile platforms may have a tough time realizing it doesn't end apps. The other physical features on the phone are less confusing -- you get the usual home, menu and back touch keys just above the call buttons (not back-lit, sadly); on the right-hand side you have the volume rocker and micro-USB port; on the top side you get a 3.5mm headphone jack, a petite power button (which isn't as hard to use as it appears), and a loudspeaker. There's obviously the camera on the back that ZTE's thoughtfully slapped a "3.2 MEGAPIXELS" label right above it, but we'll come back to that later.
The actual display underneath won't win any extra points for the phone, either -- QVGA resolution at 2.8 inches, bad vertical viewing angle, and inaccurate colors aren't exactly great features. By this stage, we started wondering if it's really worth going through such torment just to potentially save £100 ($160), but on the other hand, we should keep an open mind about this budget device -- after all, its target audience probably isn't as fussy as we are, and most importantly, it does work as a phone. By that we mean the call quality is good through the earpiece, handsfree kit (but not the noise isolation bud type) and loudspeaker, although it only performed averagely in our usual noise test.
Software
As you'd expect from the small price tag, the Racer's OS doesn't come with many additional goodies -- no fancy skin or social networking integration, although you do get a few notable freebies. First, we have the Skype for Three app (much like the Verizon flavor we played with back in March) that provides free Skype-to-Skype voice calls -- even over 3G -- within the UK. Next on the list is the Windows Live Messenger app that's rather self-explanatory, but man, it's got more bugs than a wild shrub in Madagascar -- for example, the search box gets stuck in the middle of the screen when you hide the keyboard, and in general the app's just not very responsive. Moving on to the third app: we have a basic version of Documents To Go for viewing Word, Excel, PowerPoint plus PDF files, and you can pay for an upgrade to unlock various functionalities like zooming and editing. Well, not that you'd want to do much editing work on this resistive touchscreen, mind you, plus we were put off by the slightly larger text rendered in our test files. As for the other apps (like, Alarms, Gallery, Maps, Music Player, etc.), they're just the same as what you'd get on any vanilla Android build, but with the exception of 720p+ videos not playable in Gallery.
But of course, what really matters is the actual performance. Clocking at a maximum of just 600MHz, users accustomed to 1GHz Snapdragon devices will definitely notice the difference in, say, website and app loading times on the Racer. But like we said before, potential Racer owners probably won't mind this slight performance reduction, plus they'd benefit from better battery life -- we managed to squeeze out about ten hours of usage from our usual test (involving plenty of music playback, some web browsing, some twittering, the occasional camera usage, and auto-update switched on for Twitter and Google apps). See? There's always a brighter side of things.
Camera
You can probably live with the aforementioned problems on the Racer's still camera, but its camcorder mode is guaranteed to be an instant turn-off for most. How so? Just look at the video resolution: 352 x 288. And yes, video quality is just as low -- turn away now unless you're seeking for some diet aid.
Wrap-up
We've tried really, really hard to like the ZTE Racer, but at the end of the day, we simply couldn't cope with using it as our everyday phone -- typing's horribly inaccurate on the resistive touchscreen, and that subpar camcorder quality just doesn't do it for us. But for this price point, the Racer's exceeded our expectation in other ways -- decent appearance (despite the glossy screen), good still camera quality, great battery life, and the full wireless package (WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, HSDPA 7.2Mbps, and even FM radio). Now, ZTE's representatives have told us they know of no current plans for a Froyo upgrade, but we can imagine the hacking community getting all giddy at the thought of stuffing WiFi hotspot functionality into the Racer -- this would totally make the phone worth considering.
If ZTE's offering is a total no-go for you, there's always the T-Mobile Pulse Mini that's also conveniently priced at £99, or you can add another £50 for the Pulse with capacitive touchscreen (both phones shipped with 2.1); otherwise, you'll have to fork out at least £200 for the other "budget" off-contract Android handsets.
Am I right in thinking this is the only stock Android device to be released lately? That should definitely be in the pro list.
@fais You're so right. This is like a low-budget Nexus One.
WE WANT MORE STOCK ANDROID PHONES
@Znupi
Hear hear!!
@fais
4/10
Why? Seems like a great and snappy device in that price point. Engadget, why?
@huzzlehoff
Engadget only compares devices to premium expectations, instead of the competitors at this price point. It gets on my nerves, too, and totally ignores that for some, this device will likely register as a 7 or 8/10, especially those that don't have high paying jobs as uberbloggers.
Wake up, Engadget, and start serving the global mobile consumer, and not just the rich ones that can afford $300+ devices.
I'm a supposed Nokia fanboy, and I'm digging this for the Indian, Chinese, and Brazilian markets. Why can't you see this is a homerun from ZTE?? Who else is doing better at this price, you elitist smug suckas?? (jk)
@christexaport
Seeing thing only through your only eyes tells a story you shouldn't be a reviewer, whose words are expected to be objective
too chunky
@dgoulston: huh?! of all the possible criticisms, this is by far the least legitimate. this phone is smaller than just about any Android phone i have seen in the past six months. maybe the X10 Mini could give it a run for its money but that's it.
@tonicboy
its not about the size of the phone, from my opinion, its screen to phone ratio. the screen is small on the phone.. lots of wasted space....
D
@dgoulston: Then use the right word; say that the there is too much wasted space or too much bezel or something, but that has absolutely nothing to do with "chunky". By the way, what the hell do you expect from a budget phone? If they gave it a nice big screen that took up the whole phone then they wouldn't be able to sell it so cheaply, would they?
@tonicboy
lol sorry for not using your correct terms.
It was just the first thing that popped into my head when I looked at it.
I still think it looks chunky.
@tonicboy who are you? the opinion police? let the man say what he feels like saying. 14mm??!! I think it's chunky too. in fact, it's fat with an 'f'. now what are you going to do about THAT???
LOL
@vqro
this is typical at this price point. Thin cost money, and alot more than this. Do you have any alternative devices at this price point?
Was that photo taken in Vauxhall?
@vanglorious Yep!
Aahh.. I wish if it was from Acer.
Acer Racer.
I think you're missing the point of this phone. The question isn't if it's worth saving £100 over a premium smartphone, but rather if it's worth spending £100 more as compared to a dumbphone.
@Pies
No, they've got the point. This runs a smartphone OS, meaning you'll be paying smartphone data plans, meaning it's competing with other smartphones, not dumbphones.
@Spaceshipped But this isn't the kind of Android phone you'd upgrade to from another smartphone. I think it's supposed to be an upsell from a dumbphone.
@Spaceshipped
no, buddy. People with less incomes than most of us reading this also use smartphones. So far, they're usually Nokias. this is the first decent one I've seen not running symbian.
Get out of your rich boy mentality cave and realize global is big business, and even poor people want smartphones. And not all smartphones will have data plans, by the way. They're also the most computer you can get at this price. Are all PC with data? I didn't think so.
Minor niggle, you've reviewed a handset for a UK network, taken photos at a UK railway station and yet you then quote the price in the scorecard in US dollars!
Oh well :)
@Silver
He said free. Oh..sorry..he meant THRee, like the network.
At least you get free buttons along the bottom. ;-)
I really want a cheapie Android phone as a backup to my Evo. It would also be used for hiking, biking, and other activities that I would be nervous to have my Evo near. Please bring this (or something like it) to the US!
...and this is exactly why Symbian still walks all over Android on the low/mid-end smartphone segment in the majority of the world. Read this comparison (Nokia 5230 vs. ZTE Racer) to see why:
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/Battle_of_the_Budget_Smartphones_Hardware.php
@chainxor I have a 5230 next to me and the thing is a piece of junk. It would have been decent 2 years ago, but it is sorely out of date now, even in the budget category. The only thing it has going for it at all is the Nokia maps with free turn by turn navigation that doesn't require a data connectionl
@chainxor
Yeah, because so many Android phone makers are focusing on the low end of the phone spectrum - which is precisely why you only get junky Chinese stuff - it's what they are good at. On the high end, Android is eating everybody's lunch.
@chainxor
Please, please, please don't use the jokers over at All About Symbian as any reference. As a N95 and N96 owner I would frequent that site regularly. They are completely incapable of seeing the flaws in Symbian/S60. They would do these comparisons on asinine features and NEVER mention usability unless comparing a pretty bad S60 phone to a better one. When I upgraded to an HTC Desire and was convinced I had stepped up in the world it was hilarious to see them do a comparison with the iPhone and some Symbian phones and watch as they continually put Symbian top. I loved my Symbian phones but this is a shockingly bad site.
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/Symbian_flagships_vs_the_Apple_iPhone_4.php
@Tes
Its really not a bad site. Like me, they are not convinced of the benefit of 100k apps, or flashy transitions. Their arguments concerning screen resolution, usability of OS on a resistive screen, battery life, and build quality are all valid. I think the 52xx range is better than the ZTE racer.
@JFH
They frequently invalidate any credibility they have when they pull stuff like what I posted. When reminded in the comments section that the Nokia shouldn't get an extra point for getting it's update OTA when in fact the HTC Desire also, Steve Litchfield jumps in to say categorically that is untrue...that HTC phones do NOT get OTA updates.
I mean I can't continue to read a site where the writers are that clueless.
@Min : Aaah ok then. So it is crap because the camera is vastly better, the video-recording light-years better and the screen far better both in terms of resistive sensitivity and resolution (640x360). And the 5230 also has quite a decent app catalog on the Ovi Store now. Hell, you can even use Skype on it (ssshhh, don't tell the paranoid american operators about it though...).
...oh and superior battery life.
@Tes
Perhaps, I am not familiar with that Article, this is the case, but the articles I have read on there, are usually fairly balanced imho. They are not running around shouting Symbian is the best OS of all times, and they frequently discuss its shortcomings. However, they really make some decent points, and the comparison of the ZTE to the 52XX is a good example. Outside of the "benefit" of Android vs Symbian, the Nokia device is the clear cut superior device. I would not recommend the ZTE device to anyone, that would be able to purchase the Nokia device for the same amount of money.
Leaving AAS for what it is, do you really think this ZTE device is better than the Nokia?
Think I'll wait for the Wildfire to come down in price which will hopefully happen in the new year, or faiing that, I'll be having a serious look at something a little more expensive like the new webos phone or the windows phone when they get released
Reminds me off the Kin 2 in someways
Does anyone know if this phone, or one close to it, will ever hit Canada? My wife isn't a power-user when it comes to smartphones, but she loves having one. She also loves resistive touch over capacitive(always has long nails and finds the accurate harder press easier). Currently she is still using an Omnia first gen and still loves it but is curious about using Android on her next device.
The price of the phone is so secondary to the cost of service, that is it even worth going with a phone like this??
I mean saving ~$200 over the course of 2 years is not that much when you consider that you'll be spending $1500-2000 in service (at here in the US with our overpriced cell service). Now I see that this is a pay-as-you-go phone, but with Android propensity to suck down bandwidth, I am very curious how that might really save you money.
@Hazdaz
if i were to buy a phone like this (which i'm not), i'd likely not get a data plan - just use wifi for any data
Like the OS like the phone. both crap to the second.
Ever since the first Capacitative screen showed up on a certain phone we should not name, Engadget forgot how to use a resistive screen.
You need to rotate your finger 90 degrees and use the tip of your nail. Now I know this is not very nice for typing on a virtual keyboard(Hard to rotate thumbs 90 degrees while holding the phone) but one handed typing with the index is probably totally manageable.
That being said, I do have a hard time adjusting to resistive now that I used capacitative screen for over 6 months...But I am sure I would adapt in a few days.
better payg phone in u.k is the LG GT540. android 2.1, 3" HVGA resistive screen. £99.99 + £10 topup from carphonewarehouse. plus it's unlocked.
If i have to buy a cheap Android phone,i would go for the LG Optimus Gt 540 its only 128€ here its a prepaid phone.
Its a nice phone for the money and has 3g ,WiFi ,bluetooth and even the same proc as in the Htc Ledgend .
Just a quick thing but X10i Mini and Mini pro are both £179.99 on O2 P&G.
@pinkllama - Good shout GT540 on O2 is £129.99 as well
both better looking features wise than this racer as well I'd say.
@pkpsycho
Sorry about the shitty grammar, basically I like Optimus/Swift and X10 mini better than the Racer.
If it had a keyboard, I think this would be a fantastic little phone. (Softkeys are terrible on resistives.) I think they're on to something with the low cost PAYG Android phones though, and I hope manufacturers continue to compete in this regard.
even that things has an Skype app ?! wtf, i want my Desire to have a skype app ,too !
@michbeck
This is the first thing that came to mind. Where the hell do you get the Skype App for Android?!?! WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFfff
@Plazmic Flame If you are on 3 then you can make free Skype-Skype calls. Very handy. I'm guessing it's their custom software.
@Plazmic Flame the only app i know of which has skype ability is Nimbuzz
@Plazmic Flame : What? You can't download Skype for Android? Are you sure?
@chainxor pretty sure, its not in the market app, and if i go to their website and give them my phone number i receive a sms which says its not available for my device ...
p.s.: i am in germany, not sure this has something to do with it.