ZTE Grand S vs. Galaxy S3 vs. iPhone 5: Spec showdown

By Simon Hill Published January 8, 2013

The latest smartphone manufacturer to shrug off the budget tag is ZTE. The Chinese company just showed off the flagship ZTE Grand S – a powerful quad-core Android beast with a stunning, full HD display and an impressive camera. We decided to take a look at how it measures up against the two best-selling smartphones on the market right now, the Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 5. If ZTE wants to make headway these are the phones to beat.

	ZTE Grand S	Galaxy S3 Image used with permission by copyright holder	iPhone 5 Image used with permission by copyright holder
Size	142 x 69 x 6.9 (mm)	136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 (mm)	123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 (mm)
Weight	110g	133g	112g
Screen	5-inch	4.8-inch Super AMOLED	4.0-inch LCD
Resolution	1920×1080 pixels	1280×720 pixels	1136×640 pixels
OS	Android 4.1	Android 4.0 with TouchWiz UI	iOS 6.0.1
Storage	16GB	16/32GB	16/32/64GB
SD Card Slot	Yes	Yes	No
Processor	Quad-core 1.7 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro	Dual-core Snapdragon S4 (US)	Dual-core A6X
RAM	2GB	2GB	1GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, 4G LTE	Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+	Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+
Camera	Front 2MP, Rear 13MP	Front 1.9MP, Rear 8MP	Front 1.2MP, Rear 8MP
Bluetooth	Yes, version 4.0	Yes, version 4.0	Yes, version 4.0
Battery	1780mAh	2100mAh	1440mAh
Charger	Micro USB	Micro USB	Lightning connector
Marketplace	Google Play Store	Google Play Store	Apple App Store
Price	TBA	$200+	$200+
Availability	TBA	AT&T, Sprint, T-Mob, Verizon	AT&T, Sprint, Verizon

Recommended Videos

As you can see the ZTE Grand S measures up well, although that battery is a concern, especially with a 5-inch display to power. It is an attractive, minimalist design and it comes in a range of seven colors. It looks good next to the current leaders, but we know that the next Galaxy S will probably be along soon and the recently announced Sony Xperia Z and the Huawei Ascend D2 have similar specs to the Grand S. The competition will be tough, but one thing’s for sure, ZTE is serious about shaking up the smartphone market.

It will launch in China in the first quarter of 2013, but we’re not sure when, or even if, it will touch down stateside, what the price tag will be, or which carrier might pick it up. These details will undoubtedly have a big impact on its potential success, so we’ll keep you posted.

Former Associate Mobile Editor

Simon Hill is an experienced technology journalist and editor who loves all things tech. He is currently the Associate Mobile…

Topics

Phones

How to restore deleted or missing contacts on your iPhone

Lost your iPhone contacts? Here's how to get them back in minutes!

iPhone in hand showing restore contacts page

At some point, we all stopped memorizing phone numbers. It happened gradually, and now most of us can barely recall two or three phone numbers off the top of our heads. So when your iPhone contacts vanish, whether after a software update or an accidental delete, it can feel like a minor crisis.

Thankfully, if you act fast, you can easily restore deleted contacts on your iPhone. So, before you start texting people asking for their numbers again, try these methods to get your contacts back. These methods will work on all latest iPhone models.

Wearables

The best Google Pixel deals of 2026: big savings on Google’s AI phones

The home screen on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Google's Pixel 10 lineup has been out for a bit, and if you've been on the fence about switching to Android's gold standard, current discounts across Amazon make this the best time to buy. We're seeing up to 26% off across the entire Pixel family, including phones and accessories.

Why buy a Pixel right now?
Google has always built the Pixel line around one idea: the smartest possible Android experience. With the Pixel 10 series, that philosophy gets a significant upgrade thanks to deep Gemini AI integration: Google's most capable AI assistant to date. It handles everything from real-time call screening and live translation to on-device photo editing and natural-language search, and it does so more seamlessly than any other Android on the market.
Add in Google's reputation for exceptional cameras, clean software, and the longest OS update commitments of any Android manufacturer, and the Pixel 10 lineup makes a compelling case for itself even at full price. At these discounted prices, it's a genuinely hard argument to beat.
Quick comparison

Computing

The best tutoring apps and websites

Screenshot of student studying

Whether you're thinking of learning a new language, looking for homework help, need a hand with your research paper, or could use a quick review for your upcoming SATs, a skilled tutor can help with all of the above. No longer limited to office hours or library meet-ups, online tutoring services are evolving and improving. In 2025, AI-powered study tools, mobile-first platforms, and expanded access to tutors around the world, students are able to get expert help anytime, anywhere.

Today's learners expect more than just flexibility. They want tutoring that's fast, focused, and delivers results. This shift has led to a new generation of tutoring platforms that combine on-demand help with real-time trackable progress.