Design and Build Quality
The Blade A75 5G comes in a sleek Diamond Black finish that gives it a more premium look than its price tag might suggest. The 6.6-inch display dominates the front, with a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera that follows current smartphone design trends. At this price point, I wasn't expecting premium materials, and indeed the phone features a plastic back and frame that feels somewhat lightweight in the hand.
What's noteworthy is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which doubles as the power button – a practical design choice that works reliably in day-to-day use. The phone's dimensions make it comfortable to hold, though at times it can feel a bit slippery without a case.
Display: Smooth Scrolling, but Resolution Compromises
One of the first things you'll notice about the Blade A75 5G is its impressive 120Hz refresh rate, which delivers butter-smooth scrolling and an overall responsive feel to the interface. This high refresh rate is a pleasant surprise at this price point and makes the phone feel more premium than it is when navigating through apps and menus.
However, the trade-off becomes apparent when you look at the resolution. The 6.6-inch display is only HD+ rather than Full HD, resulting in a noticeable lack of sharpness when viewing high-resolution photos or watching videos. Text isn't quite as crisp as you'd find on higher-end devices, and if you're coming from a phone with a 1080p or higher resolution, the downgrade will be immediately apparent.
The "Live Island" feature (ZTE's take on Dynamic Island functionality) tries to add some premium flair to notifications and system alerts, but it feels more like a gimmick than a genuinely useful addition.
Performance: Surprisingly Capable
Under the hood, the Blade A75 5G packs a Unisoc T760 octa-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz. Paired with 8GB of RAM (4GB physical + 4GB virtual), the phone handles everyday tasks with surprising competence. App switching is fluid, and the Android T (Android 13) experience remains smooth for most applications.
The UFS 3.1 storage standard for the 128GB internal memory is a pleasant surprise at this price point, offering faster app loading times and file transfers than the eMMC storage often found in budget devices.
For casual gaming, the phone performs adequately, though more demanding titles require reduced graphics settings to maintain playable frame rates. The performance is respectable for the price, but don't expect flagship-level speed or multitasking capabilities.
Camera: Impressive on Paper, Mixed in Practice
The headline feature of the ZTE Blade A75 5G is undoubtedly its 50MP main camera. In good lighting conditions, it captures surprisingly detailed photos with decent dynamic range and color reproduction. The AI enhancement features make an attempt to optimize scenes automatically, though results can sometimes look overprocessed.
The secondary 2MP depth sensor assists with portrait mode shots, creating acceptable background blur, though edge detection can struggle with complex subjects. The 8MP front-facing camera delivers serviceable selfies in good lighting but suffers noticeably in low-light environments.
What's genuinely impressive is the phone's ability to record 4K video despite its modest price point. This capability stands in stark contrast to the HD+ display—you can shoot ultra-high-definition footage that you can't fully appreciate on the device itself. The video quality is decent in good lighting, though stabilization is limited, resulting in shaky footage when moving.
Night photography is where the limitations of the budget hardware become most apparent. Photos taken in low light show significant noise and loss of detail, despite the AI algorithms' best efforts to salvage what they can from these challenging conditions.
Battery Life: All-Day Endurance
The 5000mAh battery is a definite high point for the Blade A75 5G. Even with heavy use, the phone comfortably lasts through a full day and can stretch to a day and a half with more conservative usage patterns. The combination of a lower-resolution display and an efficient processor helps maximize battery life.
Charging, however, is where the budget compromises show themselves again. The 10W charging speed is painfully slow by today's standards, taking over two hours to fully charge the large battery from empty. In an era where even budget phones are beginning to offer 18W or faster charging, this feels like a significant oversight.
Audio: The Achilles' Heel
If there's one area where the ZTE Blade A75 5G thoroughly disappoints, it's the speaker system. Despite the DTS audio branding, the single downward-firing speaker produces thin, tinny sound that distorts at higher volumes. Bass is virtually non-existent, and the maximum volume level isn't particularly impressive either.
For a device that can capture 4K video, the subpar audio experience feels especially jarring. You'll definitely want to use headphones (yes, it has a 3.5mm jack) for any serious media consumption or gaming sessions.
Connectivity and Features
As its name suggests, 5G connectivity is the Blade A75's major selling point, providing access to next-generation network speeds at an entry-level price point. The dual SIM functionality comes with some quirks, however. While both SIM slots support data, calls, and SMS, there's a peculiar limitation: calls and SMS to networks other than Smart/TNT will only work if there's a Smart/TNT SIM inserted in the first slot. This carrier-specific restriction might be frustrating for users who prefer flexibility with their mobile carriers.
On the wireless front, the phone supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, and even includes NFC functionality (though this appears to be optional on some variants). The inclusion of VoLTE support is welcome for improved call quality over 4G networks.
The side-mounted fingerprint sensor deserves praise for its reliability and speed, consistently unlocking the device without fuss. Face unlock is also available but is less secure and struggles in low light.
Software Experience
The ZTE Blade A75 5G runs Android 13 (Android T) with ZTE's custom interface layered on top. The skin is relatively light compared to some of the more heavily modified Android experiences, which helps maintain decent performance despite the mid-range processor.
Bloatware is present but not overwhelming, with a handful of pre-installed apps that can be disabled but not fully uninstalled. The 120Hz display makes the interface feel responsive, though occasional stutters appear when multiple apps are running in the background.
ZTE's update commitment for budget devices has historically been spotty, so don't expect long-term Android version updates or extended security patch support. This is unfortunately common in this price segment but worth considering for those who plan to keep their phones for several years.
Value Proposition and Bundled Extras
The ZTE Blade A75 5G comes with a surprisingly generous bundle of freebies that enhance its value proposition. In the Philippines market, the device includes two prepaid SIM cards (Smart and TNT), which aligns with the phone's carrier-specific optimization. More impressively, activation and registration of the Smart Prepaid SIM entitles users to a one-year Viu Premium subscription – a significant value-add for streaming enthusiasts.
The inclusion of the "Smart Dumpling Bag" is a quirky but practical bonus that provides basic protection for the device right out of the box. These extras help offset some of the phone's limitations and make the overall package more appealing to budget-conscious buyers.
Conclusion: Compromises in the Right Places?
The ZTE Blade A75 5G represents a series of carefully considered compromises to deliver 5G connectivity at an aggressive price point. Some of these trade-offs make sense: the plastic build is perfectly acceptable, and the HD+ resolution, while not ideal, is a reasonable sacrifice to achieve better battery life and performance.
Other compromises are harder to justify. The abysmal speaker quality is a significant letdown in a device that otherwise punches above its weight class. The slow charging speed feels outdated in 2025, and the carrier-specific limitations on the dual SIM functionality may be restricting for some users.
For Smart/TNT subscribers in the Philippines looking for an affordable entry into 5G with some attractive bundled benefits, the Blade A75 5G presents a compelling option. The capable main camera, smooth 120Hz display, and generous storage make it a decent daily driver for non-demanding users.
However, if audio quality is important to you, or if you need a more flexible dual SIM implementation, you might want to look elsewhere in the increasingly competitive budget 5G smartphone market. The ZTE Blade A75 5G isn't trying to be all things to all people – it's a focused attempt to deliver next-generation connectivity and decent core smartphone experiences at a price point accessible to many more consumers.
Rating: 3.5/5
Pros:
- Affordable 5G connectivity
- Smooth 120Hz display
- Capable 50MP main camera with 4K video
- Excellent battery life
- UFS 3.1 storage is faster than typical at this price
- Generous bundle of freebies
Cons:
- Poor speaker quality despite DTS branding
- HD+ resolution feels limiting
- Slow 10W charging
- Carrier-specific restrictions on dual SIM usage
- Uncertain software update future