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Sprint Vital review: a decent mid-range phone that faces tough competition
A year or two ago, mid-range devices were nothing to gush about at neighborhood barbeques. Fast-forward to 2013, however, and smartphones listed at those middling price points are much more desirable. After all, a large number of them would have been considered high-end flagships -- had they launched last summer. The ZTE-made Sprint Vital may well have been one of those phones, given its specs: the handset features a 5-inch 720p display, dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset, 13MP camera and solid battery. In short, the Vital is very much a 2012 phone trying to find its way in 2013. Sprint's strategy, therefore, is to sell the device for the standard mid-range price ($100 for existing customers on-contract), and see if people are willing to spend the next two years of their lives with this curious piece of workmanship. Throughout this review, we'll see for ourselves if it's worth our time, energy and focus, especially as it goes head-to-head against headlining phones from LG and Samsung. Head beyond the break for those answers and more.%Gallery-192084%
Sprint Vital coming June 14th for $100: 5-inch 720p display, 13MP camera, 1.2GHz dual-core processor
The Sprint Vital is now more than just a phone featured in a simple leaked video -- it's a reality. The Now Network has publicly unveiled the ZTE-made device, confirming it's on course for a June 14th release for $100 with a two-year commitment. The specs are all there as well: as expected, the device will boast a 5-inch 720p IPS panel, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a 13MP rear camera paired with a 1MP front-facing cam, 2,460mAh battery, NFC, 8GB internal storage and microSD support for up to 64GB. On paper, it's not too bad for a solid mid-range device, but how will the final product turn out? We imagine we'll find out soon enough.
ZTE phone for Sprint clears FCC, shows signs it's the Vital
We're starting to get a pretty clear picture of the smartphones that Sprint has in its pipeline, which include an LG Optimus F3, a new Windows Phone from HTC, the Moto X, the Kyocera Hydro Edge and the Sprint-branded Vital. In a buildup to the debut of the latter, a ZTE-manufactured handset has made its way through the FCC that carries plenty of telltale signs it's the Vital. First and foremost, this one's easy to peg as a Sprint smartphone, since it includes requisite CDMA support and compatibility with LTE Band 25. What's more, while it's difficult to nail down the handset's exact dimensions, it's clear that this one will be in excess of 60mm wide and over 130mm tall -- a likely candidate for a 5-inch smartphone. An encouraging sign for Sprint-lovers, if this does indeed turn out to be the Vital, it'll have a removable battery (and a very healthy 2,500mAh one at that). Sadly, FCC documents also reveal that the handset won't offer connectivity to GSM / WCDMA networks, which means it'll be unsuitable for use as a world phone. Nonetheless, the Vital might very well give stock Android fans a reason to cheer, and this FCC approval seemingly brings it one step closer to fruition.
Sprint Vital leaks out: 5-inch HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 13MP camera, Android 4.1 (video)
Looks like Sprint really is prepping a 5-inch Android flagship of its own: the Vital. Thanks to an anonymous source, Engadget's received a motherlode of details on the upcoming, white-labeled device, giving us a glimpse at everything from renders to a slickly produced promo video. Based on the information at hand, the ZTE-made Vital should rep an HD display (resolution unspecified) of the 5-inch variety, an unnamed dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and paired with 1GB RAM, 13-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), NFC and a healthy 2,500mAh battery. As you can see from the image above, the Vital will also be running what appears to be an unskinned version of Android Jelly Bean -- version 4.1, according to the documents -- and will run on Sprint's 4G LTE network. We're not so sure the Vital's going to sway consumer interest away from its more bold-faced rivals (i.e., HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4). But competition's always a good thing and if Sprint can price this one right, it might even have a fighting chance. Hit the break for the promo video. %Gallery-190357%
