ZTE's Axon 7 is a $400 champ that easily competes with Samsung

ZTE first made a splash with the Axon name last year by sending out mysterious press invites teasing what eventually became the Axon Pro. 

The Axon Pro was a respectable first attempt at a flagship-caliber, budget-friendly smartphone. But it ultimately had issues with overheating and wound up being forgettable.

After using the Axon 7 for a week, it’s apparent ZTE took the lessons learned from the Axon Pro and applied them here. For a $399 unlocked phone, the Axon 7 punches way above its weight class and easily competes with phones that cost almost twice as much.