ZTE Axon 30 5G

While the ZTE Axon 30 5G offers the best under-display camera around, its other features don't stand out so much. If you want more than just a hi-tech party trick, get the Galaxy A52 or Pixel 5a instead.

The ZTE Axon 30 5G is a competitively priced mid-range smartphone with premium features, including a gorgeous 6.92in AMOLED display and second-gen under-display camera tech that blows the UDC competition out of the water - even if it's still not quite enough to take on traditional selfie cameras just yet.

This is honestly a good portrayal of the Axon 30 as a whole: It has some major positives like the performance and software but ultimately hurts itself at the same time in really obvious ways negating those advantages. It may run smoothly and trick you into thinking it was made by the more prestigious company for a second, but as an overall package, it doesn’t impress.

At its $499 price point for the 8GB/128GB base model, and $599 for the 12GB/256GB version, the Axon 30 is not exactly swimming with sharks when it comes to the competition. The main ones are the OnePlus 9, which is also suited for T-Mobile, but starts at $729 with faster processor and longer battery life.

The ZTE Axon 30 provides a near flagship-like experience at nearly half the cost. The beautiful full-screen display, impressive under-display camera coupled, and impressive performance make a solid argument for the phone. Still, the middling camera performance, lack of IP rating and wireless charging, and meager software upgrade promise hold it back from greatness.

The ZTE Axon 30 5G is a decent phablet, but the under-screen selfie camera is poor and you can get more powerful phones with longer battery life at the same price.