Hands on with the ZTE Blade V8 Lite and the Blade V8 Mini

ZTE is going all in with the Blade V8 Moniker. Following the launch of the Blade V8 Pro back at CES and the regular V8 a few days later, the company has just taken the wraps off of the Mini and Lite versions of the device. As the names suggest, these devices fall at lower-end of the specifications spectrum, but do continue to offer some unique features like their more powerful siblings. We go hand on and give you a quick look at the ZTE Blade V8 Mini and the Blade V8 Lite!

ZTE Blade V8 Mini

The Blade V8 Mini features a design language that is largely similar to the Blade V8, with a metal unibody construction. A touch of style can be seen at the top on the rear in the section that houses the camera, with a sharp color contrast to be found. With a 5-inch display, the device is relatively compact and also lightweight, allowing for a comfortable handling experience.

As mentioned, the specs do fall towards the lower-end, with the V8 Mini coming with a 720p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board storage, microSD card support, and a 2,800mAh battery. There is also a fingerprint scanner on the back for an added layer of security. The V8 Mini will run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, which is great to see happen in the affordable smartphone segment.

Like its larger and more powerful siblings, the standout feature of the Blade V8 Mini is its camera setup. The devices comes with a 13 MP and 2 MP dual rear camera system, which will allow for some nice bokeh effects, along with the ability to re-focus a shot after the fact. There is also a 3D shooting mode, that will let you take photos from different angles and combine them to create a 3D image that can be enjoyed using a VR headset. The phone also comes with a 5 MP front-facing shooter.

The pricing information and when it will be available is still unknown, but the Blade V8 Mini is slated for release soon in various European and Asian markets, and is a great option for those looking for a budget-friendly device with a unique camera setup and features.

ZTE Blade V8 Lite

The ZTE Blade V8 Lite features the exact same design as the V8 Mini, with it also featuring a metal body. The only real difference between the two, apart from the specifications, is the fact that the V8 Lite only comes with a single rear camera. It has kept the same design though, so it may look like a dual camera setup at first glance, but the extended black bar at the top of the V8 Lite is essentially just to maintain a uniform aesthetic.

On the specs side of things, you get a 5-inch display with a 720p resolution, an octa-core MediaTek MT 6750 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board storage, microSD card support, an 8 MP rear camera, and a 5 MP front-facing unit. There is a fingerprint sensor on the back for extra security, and the V8 Lite is also going to be running Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

Once again, the pricing and availability of the V8 Lite is unknown, but considering the specs, we can certainly expect it to fall in the ultra-affordable segment. The Blade V8 Lite will soon be released in various European and Asian markets as well.

So, there you have it for this quick look at the ZTE Blade V8 Mini and V8 Lite. Stay tuned with Android Authority as we continue to bring you more great coverage from MWC 2017!