Sprint has launched a new Android tablet, but rather than convince you to hand over hundreds of dollars (in one go, at least), it has slapped a $30 price tag on it when you sign-up for a new two-year contract. The tablet isn’t a Samsung or a Sony though, it’s the ZTE Optik 2. Sprint has a long-standing relationship with ZTE’s Optik tablets, having sold the original Optik back in 2012.
Back to the Optik 2. It’s yet another 7-inch tablet to consider, but sadly it comes with a very basic 1024 x 600 pixel resolution, meaning it can’t quite match the higher-end Galaxy slates or the Nexus 7, but does keep up with the basic Galaxy Tab 3 and Tab 3 Lite. Powering it is a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor with 1GB of RAM, plus 8GB of storage space with a MicroSD card slot to add another 32GB.
If you’re holding out to hear if it runs Android 4.4 KitKat, prepare for some disappointment, as the Optik 2 has Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean installed. Android fans will know this isn’t even close to being current, but the one consolation is from the screenshots, it appears to be a relatively clean, fuss-free installation. The spec list continues with a 5-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front cam, Bluetooth 4.0, a 4000mAh battery, and 3G connectivity.
Wondering how much the Optik 2 will cost you in the long run? According to Sprint’s press release, the best current contract deal is a limited time tablet-only plan, where 2GB of data will cost $15 per month. If you want to use the tablet as a hotspot, you’ll need to add another $20 to that price.
The ZTE Optik 2 is available to buy through Sprint’s online store now.
