ZTE Axon 7 Max is official, boasting a bigger battery and display

Not even a day has passed since the ZTE Axon 7 Max leaked in a nice detailed render, and the phone is now available to pre-order from MyZTE in China. The phone costs 2,999 Yuan ($443) and won’t ship out to consumers until November 2nd, but the page contains an almost full rundown of the handset’s tech specs and features.

Given the Max branding you might expect that this new handset builds on the top-notch hardware found inside the Axon 7, but sadly this isn’t the case. Processor, camera, and display hardware have all been paired back to some degree, despite retaining virtual the same price point as the original Axon 7. Instead, the Max features a larger display with 3D technology and a bigger battery. Here’s the hardware breakdown for the Axon 7 Max according to the promotional images:

• 6-inch FullHD (1920×1080) “Naked 3D” display
• 2.0GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor
• 4GB RAM
• 64GB flash memory with microSD card slot
• 13 megapixel dual rear camera with laser autofocus
• 4,100mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0
• AK4962 audio codec, USB Type-C, fingerprint scanner

While the raw specifications may be a little disappointing to those who loved the Axon 7’s bang for buck, the 7 Max does feature a couple of interesting new features. The “Naked 3D display” apparently allows for the viewing of 3D content on the handset’s display without the need for polarized glasses. ZTE is offering 360 Yuan worth of 3D content for free with every purchase to make the most of the new display.

The handset also boasts some useful audio based features, including a real time voice translator, voice activated camera commands for multi-shot and timers, and a voice assistant. However, the Axon 7 Max appears to have done away with the stereo speaker setup. This new audio functionality also sees ZTE remove the dedicated AK4490EN DAC for a AK4962 codec with an integrated voice DSP, which fortunately still seems to be a reasonable performer for headphone playback. On paper SNR increases from 120dB to 125dB, while THD+N falls from -112dB to -106dB, although real world use won’t quite match up.

The handset is available to pre-order in China right now and should begin shipping out to consumers in early November. There’s no word on if or when this phone will go on sale in markets outside of China, so we’ll keep an eye out for an official announcement. Still, would you buy the ZTE Axon 7 Max, or do you prefer the original model?