Skip to main content

ZTE Tempo X smartphone rolls out today on Boost Mobile, costs just $80

ZTE Tempo X
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Ultra-low-cost smartphones can be a bit hit-or-miss in terms of their build quality and overall usefulness, but ZTE is attempting to change that with the new ZTE Tempo X, a phone that ships with Android Nougat out of the box and costs a quite reasonable $80.

You might not expect to get much for $80, but as it turns out, the Tempo X isn’t all that bad for the price. The phone also comes with 8GB of storage, which is expandable by up to 32GB using the built-in MicroSD card slot. You’ll also get 1GB of RAM, coupled with a Snapdragon 210 processor.

The 5-inch display on this phone comes in at 854 x 480 pixels, and the battery has a capacity of 2,200mAh. The rear-facing camera is 5 megapixels and is complemented by a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone also features, an FM radio, a headphone jack, and more.

With those specs, it’s easy to see that this isn’t an ultra-powerful phone — but it’s not built to be. It’s built for people who need something to make calls and send texts, browse social media, and occasionally use Google Chrome. It’ll be able to run apps, but don’t expect to take advantage of the latest Android-based games.

So where will you be able to get the device? It’s launching on Boost Mobile, where it’ll face some serious competition. For starters, the Samsung Galaxy J3 Emerge is also available through Boost, and it’s currently on sale for $70 — $60 off the original price. The Galaxy J3 is better than the Tempo X in almost every aspect — offering a more powerful processor, larger battery, twice the amount of storage, and a little more RAM. Even the display resolution is better, coming in at 1,280 x 720.

Still, some might prefer to stick with the ZTE brand or have another reason to go with the new phone over the Galaxy J3. If that’s you, you’ll be able to get the phone for yourself from the Boost website starting today or you can head to the ZTE website to learn more about the device.

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
AT&T just made it a lot easier to upgrade your phone
AT&T Storefront with logo.

Do you want to upgrade your phone more than once a year? What about three times a year? Are you on AT&T? If you answered yes to those questions, then AT&T’s new “Next Up Anytime” early upgrade program is made for you. With this add-on, you’ll be able to upgrade your phone three times a year for just $10 extra every month. It will be available starting July 16.

Currently, AT&T has its “Next Up” add-on, which has been available for the past several years. This program costs $6 extra per month and lets you upgrade by trading in your existing phone after at least half of it is paid off. But the new Next Up Anytime option gives you some more flexibility.

Read more
Motorola is selling unlocked smartphones for just $150 today
Someone holding the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024).

Have you been looking for phone deals but don’t want to spend a ton of money on flagship devices from Apple and Samsung? Have you ever considered investing in an unlocked Motorola? For a limited time, the company is offering a $100 markdown on the Motorola Moto G 5G. It can be yours for just $150, and your days and nights of phone-shopping will finally be over!

Why you should buy the Motorola Moto G 5G
Powered by the Snapdragon 480+ 5G CPU and 4GB of RAM, the Moto G delivers exceptional performance across the board. From UI navigation to apps, games, and camera functions, you can expect fast load times, next to no buffering, and smooth animations. You’ll also get up to 128GB of internal storage that you’ll be able to use for photos, videos, music, and any other mobile content you can store locally. 

Read more
The Nokia 3210 is the worst phone I’ve used in 2024
A person holding the Nokia 3210, showing the screen.

Where do I even start with the Nokia 3210? Not the original, which was one of the coolest phones to own back in a time when Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace wasn’t even a thing, but the latest 2024 reissue that has come along to save us all from digital overload, the horror of social media, and the endless distraction that is the modern smartphone.

Except behind this facade of marketing-friendly do-goodery hides a weapon of torture, a device so foul that I’d rather sit through multiple showings of Jar Jar Binks and the gang hopelessly trying to bring back the magic of A New Hope than use it.
The Nokia 3210 really is that bad

Read more