After escaping from the brink of bankruptcy, embattled Chinese smartphone maker ZTE made a pleasantly surprising return to the market with the high-end Axon 9 Pro. But stateside, the company made far less noise with the release of the unlocked mid-range Blade Max 2s and Blade Max View.
Interestingly, the selection of devices you can purchase straight from Visible remains rather limited, including a bunch of different iPhone models, Samsung’s high-end Galaxy S9 and S9+, and now the entry-level ZTE-designed Visible R2.
You obviously can’t expect much from a $99 phone in terms of raw power, camera capabilities, or trendy design elements, but as long as you keep your expectations low, you might be pleasantly surprised by the Visible R2.
A few technical details are unfortunately too vague to analyze, like the unnamed 1.4 GHz quad-core processor and completely unspecified RAM count, but the 5.45-inch HD+ screen does sport a modern 2:1 aspect ratio, while the 3,100 mAh battery is purportedly capable of keeping the lights on for “up to 24 hours” of typical usage.
The 13MP rear-facing camera with HDR, panorama, collage and timelapse flash capabilities and 5MP selfie shooter with screen flash don’t sound all that bad either, with the back of the device also carrying an... interesting pattern that could help the Visible R2 stand out in the ultra-affordable market segment.
There aren’t a lot of good phones available for around 100 bucks nowadays, either unlocked or sold directly by carriers. For instance, the $95 Moto E5 Play you can get with a Verizon Prepaid plan comes with an outdated design, unimpressive screen, and relatively small battery. View Full Bio
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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