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Using the Acer Jade Liquid Z for a week was quite an odd affair. Mostly, it was an experience of ups and downs. While there were some things I liked about the design and the performance, there were others that I distinctly disliked.
So is the Acer Liquid Jade Z worth its asking price of £150?
We Liked
The size and the weight of this phone make it a nice proposition for one-handed use, even for those with smaller hands. General performance, despite the 1GB of RAM, was quite good. Jumping in and out of apps and games was a pleasantly quick experience.
With a 720p 'zero-gap' panel, the Liquid Jade Z is a pleasure to watch TV and play games on, with great contrast and readability. It is one of the best performers in its price class.
And with dual-SIM capabilities, along with 4G, the Liquid Jade Z is a very solid communications device that will no doubt appeal to many users around the globe, as well as in the business community.
We Disliked
Despite Acer's claims to the contrary, the camera on the Liquid Jade Z is quite a sorry affair. Although all of the hardware elements are there to make for a pleasant shooting experience, photos are mostly quite ugly, although likely 'good enough' for uploading to social media.
The 2300 mAh battery is enough to see you through most of a working day, however this performance can vary enormously. Tasks, such as listening to music, can drain it very quickly and without warning.
Though it has a nice shape and weight, the choice of materials on the Liquid Jade Z lend it a very toy-like feel, giving it a cheap overall appearance, something that could have been averted with a few different design decisions.
Verdict
The Acer Liquid Jade Z is an odd little beast. Though on the one hand it boasts good performance and is mostly acceptable in day-to-day use, on other fronts it fails entirely. And with the competition really heating up at the budget end of the market, with the likes of the Honor Holly and the Moto G 2014 helping to set the bar, it doesn't quite do enough to compete.
With a price drop, this would be an easy device to recommend for a teenager as their first smartphone, or as a back-up, yet for £150, there are better options available.
Despite this, the Liquid Jade Z is a likeable little phone. With a good selfie snapper, comfortable design, great screen and good internet performance, this ought to suffice for many users.
