ZTE has really been trying hard to step up its game with the high-end Axon series, employing powerful hardware and premium materials and built quality into the handsets. The device family already has quite a few offers in its ranks, like the core Axon model and modifications like the Axon Elite, Axon Lux and Axon Pro, all with a display size of 5.5 inches, as well as anAxon mini at 5.2 inches.
Now the lineup has grown bigger in every sense of the word with the announcement of the Axon MAX, with its huge 6.0-inch FHD AMOLED display. Like the rest of its Axon siblings, the Axon MAX is designed with premium looks in mind and boasts a thin and slick body, measuring 160 x 80 x 7.5mm and made from aircraft-grade aluminum-titanium alloy.
It is powered by Qualcomm's new mid-range octa-core offer – the Snapdragon 617, paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, expendable through a microSD slot, housed within the second SIM tray of the dual-SIM device. The camera setup looks quite impressive with a 16MP shooter on the back with phase detection autofocus and a 13MP selfies shooter.
The Axon MAX is powered by a quite large 4140 mAh battery, which also supports Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0 standard and promises a snappy top-up from zero to 60% in only 30 minutes. Other interesting specs highlights include a USB type-C port, dedicated AK4961 24-bit ADC for superior audio and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader.
The Axon MAX is already up for order in China for CNY 2,799 (about $431). Color options are currently limited to Gold and sales on the local market should begin later this month, with no word on international availability yet.
Along with the new handset, ZTE also announced its “Global VIP Passport” post-sales service. It is aimed at high-profile business users and offers an interesting mix of secure data-backup, protection and restore services, handset repair and replacement, as well as preferential ZTE rates on flights worldwide.
