Got the M!

[Sinabu]

So I bit the bullet and picked up the Axon M! It's my second day with it. If you guys have any questions I'd be happy to answer if I can. I'm still getting used to it and learning everything. I am coming from a Galaxy S7E in which I dropped and broke the screen on :'(

Figured I would try something different.

So Far my first experience is this phone is very uncomfortable to hold as a regular phone. The sharp edge nature of it kind of digs into my ear when talking. I ordered the Official ZTE case and waiting for that to come in as well so we can see if that will help or make a difference in hand feel.

Also if your the type that holds the phone between your ear and your neck to talk. Don't this thing will slip right out without the case. A headset or hopefully this case will be the only way to comfortably talk on the phone

I'll get some pics and more soon

 

[Sinabu]

Here is a quick screen cap from today. Took it off the charger around 7:00 this morning and it's about 8:30PM now. Today was mostly phone calls. Probably a couple hours in total of calls. Some Screen on time, Checking e-mail, txt etc. Nothing too media intsenive

 

[Sinabu]

Got the official ZTE Case. I have to save this is a must have item for the Axon M. Without it the phone feels like it would be too easy to slip out of your hand. This provides just enough grip and makes it easier to flip open the 2nd screen as well.

 

[Sinabu]

One small annoyance i found is that if you are on the phone talking the data speeds really suffer. Say your talking and trying to browse the web, app store etc. It is very slow.

That does seem to make sense since this phone just doesn't have the available bands like my Samsung has but it kind of reminds me of the days when this was a carrier issue. Even connected to Wifi still yields the same results. Once your off hte phone call the data stream returns to normal cell or wifi.

 

[Nubwy]

So what made you go to the Axon M and not an S8/S8+?

 

[audri5]

I love mine. I think it feels great in the hand. Nice and solid to hold. Not as susceptible to slide out of your hand as the note 8 which I gave up for this. I'm just so excited to see something different for a change. I love surfing the web and watching TV now on my phone. Haven't touched my computer or tablet since I got it. Love it!!! Oh and the glass screen protectors were a bust. Made the phone look awful and the case didn't really work with them. Took them off and now I love the case and the phone!

 

[OhAlfie]

I like finding/using unique gadgets and had this not ben locked to AT&T and if the price was right (unlocked) I'd consider it.

One thing I learned though when going with an "off brand" or one of a kind type gadget like this one is that it's a given that it won't be worth any money in a few short months if you decide to trade in or sell online. It's just a nature of the beast. Happened when I went with (at the time) the very nice Asus Zenfone 2, it was worth nothing within a year. Same is happening with my Axon 7, prices for it are dropping quick.

I'm all for being different but I go into it knowing I will never get my money back, or if I do, it's pennies on the dollar.

 

[Sinabu]

So what made you go to the Axon M and not an S8/S8+?

Mainly just wanted to try something new. I also remote (VNC) into machines and having the double screen on the go seemed nice. It does work pretty good for what I need and the line doesnt really bother me too much.

At the end of the day I probably wouldn't go this route again. The few bugs and small issues I found kind of make it more annoying than useful.

 

[Sinabu]

I like finding/using unique gadgets and had this not ben locked to AT&T and if the price was right (unlocked) I'd consider it.

One thing I learned though when going with an "off brand" or one of a kind type gadget like this one is that it's a given that it won't be worth any money in a few short months if you decide to trade in or sell online. It's just a nature of the beast. Happened when I went with (at the time) the very nice Asus Zenfone 2, it was worth nothing within a year. Same is happening with my Axon 7, prices for it are dropping quick.

I'm all for being different but I go into it knowing I will never get my money back, or if I do, it's pennies on the dollar.

Yup I agree. Wanted to try something new and different and get so many comments on it when I show people it's trick. A lot of issues I'm having though could likely be software. The Fingerprint scanner is sorry and doesn't work 75% of the time. I've registered multiple fingers over and over again with the same results though. And you don't want this for it's camera. If your not perfectly still and its bright out you can forget getting good pictures

 

[Sinabu]

So just a few general thoughts now that I have had a chance to use it for a few weeks.

Good

*Love the dual screen and use it frequently Use it for things like VNC to Desktop machines etc, Watching Videos on one screen while chatting is nice.
*Battery life is fantastic on this thing. I can easily get a day + and have some left over when using the phone a good bit in day to day use. Phone, Chat some video etc. Dual screen use obviously wipes it out quicker though.
*Easy to hold but the case is a must. The smaller screen really attributes to this but its slippery unless you have the leather case.

Minor Gripes

*Software needs a little work. Phone contacts doesn't obey rules (Show only Google Contacts for example, will still show all connected account contacts) I reported this to ZTE over twitter and they seemed responsive to look into it though.
*Use of Android Auto will lock the phone up and force a restart once it's unplugged
*Takes several seconds for the 2nd display to turn on
*Camera / Selfie mode flipping gets old fast. Would love to have an option to default to selfie but it always goes to Regular picture mode first

The Bad
*The Camera is bad. Even in well lit areas you have to hold the phone perfectly still. If you manage to get a good picture it works but it takes trial and error and I have to take pics multiple times sometimes to get a non-blurred shot. Night shots or low lit shots you can forget about.
*The finger print scanner is about useless. Setup all 5 fingers multiple times and it barely recognizes and usually I just have to end up using the pattern after 3 tries to get into my phone. When it does get the print its slow.

I'm on edge about keeping it. I think I might pick up a pixel 2 XL but not sure yet. The ZTE does work and it does most things decent but it doesn't really master any one thing. The dual screen is nice and I like having that feature. I rarely use my tablet anymore so it does have it's merits. The phone is pretty quick moving around and I haven't had any issues running apps other than android auto. Its worth a look if you are interested in the 2nd screen but I would probably skip this version and wait for either a software update or the next version if there is one.

 

[carlton collins]

I own an M. At the time of writing, I have no complaints after getting used to it This device is a work horse and the battery is surprisingly efficient. It lasts me a day with wise usage. I am not a gamer, and I don't use wifi are data whilst at work. I like the design, and ability to switch to tablet mode. Personally the hinge is a design choice I have learned to accept. Its definitely not a deal breaker. The speakers are clean, and the volume is acceptable.. Finally with the price drop which makes it available at a good price on EBay, I chose it over the high priced, gimmick laden phones. I made a practical choice and I am not disappointed. Good job Zte. Here's hoping that future upgrades will improve the product.