Acer Liquid Z6 Plus Review: Key Features Tested and the Complete Specs

Acer arrived at IFA 2016 with a clear pitch: a bigger, better-equipped Liquid phone that did not ask for flagship money. The result was a 5.5-inch handset with a Full HD screen, a large battery and a fingerprint reader, three things that were far from guaranteed at its price in 2016. This Liquid Z6 Plus review looks at the key features one by one, checks them against the published specification sheet, and ends with the complete specs, so a reader in 2026 can judge the phone on facts rather than nostalgia.

The phone was announced in August 2016 and reached shops in Europe in December 2016 at about 250 euros. That timing matters, because it explains the software it shipped with and the hardware choices inside it. It was Acer’s more ambitious Liquid phone of that season, launched beside the Iconia Talk S phablet, and the two devices shared the same event and the same target buyer: someone who wanted a large screen and long battery life without paying for a flagship badge. Readers who want the same treatment for the phablet from that launch can read the Acer Iconia Talk S Review: Battery Life, Storage and Everyday Use next to it.

What follows is a feature-by-feature look at the display, the MediaTek chip, the cameras and the battery, plus a full specification table, a head-to-head comparison with the smaller Liquid Z6, and an honest list of strengths and limits. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus full specifications and features are covered in the table further down, so readers who only need numbers can jump straight there.

Acer Liquid Z6 Plus at a Glance: What the 2016 Mid-Ranger Offered

The Plus badge meant something concrete here. Compared with the regular Liquid Z6, this model moved up in every area that affects daily use: a larger and sharper screen, three times the memory, four times the storage, a better camera pair and double the battery. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus vs Acer Liquid Z6 differences are listed in the comparison table later in this article, and they explain why the Plus cost roughly twice as much at launch. At its heart it is still a mid-range Acer phone from 2016, with the limits that come with that, but the Plus version was the one Acer positioned as its main Liquid phone that winter.

Where the Plus Sits in the Acer Liquid Range

The Liquid range was Acer’s value line, and the Z6 Plus sat at its top in late 2016. It kept the practical priorities of the range, a fair price, a clean version of Android and a useful set of extras, and added the two things buyers asked for most: a sharper screen and a battery that lasted the day. The phone was not trying to beat flagships on speed or on camera tricks. It was trying to be the phone a buyer could live with for two years without feeling short-changed, and on the specification sheet it made a fair case for that.

Release Timing and Launch Price

Announced in August 2016, released in December 2016, and now listed as discontinued, the phone had a short commercial life. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus price in Europe at launch was about 250 euros, which put it against a crowded field of mid-range rivals. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus discontinued status and software updates picture is simple: no new Android version arrived, and the phone stayed on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, so modern apps and security expectations have moved well past it. That does not make the hardware useless, but it does set the terms for any second-hand purchase today.

Acer Liquid Z6 Plus 5.5 Inch Full HD Display and Metal Design

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus 5.5 inch Full HD display review starts with the numbers: a 5.5-inch IPS LCD panel with an Acer Liquid Z6 Plus screen resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels, about 401 pixels per inch, and a 16:9 shape. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus screen to body ratio 71.7 percent figure shows the bezels of its era, wide by modern standards, with room for the front fingerprint reader below the screen. Text stays sharp at normal reading distance, and the IPS panel keeps colours steady when the phone is tilted, which helps when sharing a photo or a map with someone beside you. The Liquid Z6 Plus display is the part of this phone that has aged best, because Full HD at this size is still comfortable for reading, video and maps, and the 5.5-inch Full HD display remains the first thing a new owner notices.

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus dimensions weight and metal design story is a mix of solid and heavy. It measures 153.8 x 75.6 x 8.5 mm and weighs 169 g, with a metal back cover that gives it a firmer feel than the plastic body of the smaller Z6. The Liquid Z6 Plus dimensions make it a two-handed phone for most people, and the Liquid Z6 Plus weight is noticeable in a jacket pocket, though the rounded edges spread it well. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus black and white colour options were the only two finishes, and both kept the same metal back and the same front-mounted reader. The Liquid Z6 Plus design is plain rather than flashy, and that plainness works in its favour: there is little here to look dated beyond the bezels themselves.

Screen Quality in Daily Use

In bright rooms the panel is easy to read, and the 2.5D glass over the front gives swipes a smooth edge. The glass curves slightly at the sides, which was a selling point in 2016 and still feels pleasant under the thumb. There is no high refresh rate and no always-on mode, and nobody should expect them from a 2016 mid-ranger. What the screen does well is the ordinary work: long articles, messaging threads, video and navigation, all at a resolution that keeps small text legible without zooming.

Metal Back, Fingerprint Reader and Handling

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus fingerprint sensor front mounted below the display doubles as the home key area, and it is the phone’s most convenient feature: one touch wakes and unlocks the phone without reaching around the back. The Liquid Z6 Plus fingerprint reader is a simple capacitive sensor, quick for its time, and it pairs with the metal back to make the phone feel more expensive than its launch price suggested. The power key and volume keys sit on the right edge within thumb reach, and the 3.5mm jack stays on the top edge where it does not fight a charging cable. The front-mounted fingerprint sensor is the detail owners mention first when they describe living with the phone.

Dimensions and Weight in Hand

At 153.8 mm tall and 75.6 mm wide, the phone fills a hand without overflowing it, and the 8.5 mm thickness leaves room for the large battery inside. One-handed use is possible for short tasks, but typing a long message or reaching the top corners is easier with two hands. A slim case adds little bulk, and the metal back grips better than glossy glass, so the phone is less likely to slide off a table.

MediaTek MT6753 Performance, RAM and Storage

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus MediaTek MT6753 processor performance is best described as steady rather than fast. The chip is an octa-core design with eight Cortex-A53 cores at 1.3 GHz, built on a 28 nm process, with Mali-T720MP3 graphics. The Liquid Z6 Plus chipset was a common mid-range choice in 2016, and it handles calls, messaging, maps, music and light apps without drama. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus 3GB RAM and 32GB storage combination is the real story here: 3 GB of memory keeps several apps in memory at once, and 32 GB of internal space leaves room for apps and photos before the card slot is needed. Liquid Z6 Plus RAM of 3 GB was generous for the price in 2016, and the Liquid Z6 Plus storage of 32 GB is four times what the smaller Z6 offered. The MediaTek MT6753 chip is modest by any later standard, yet it matches the rest of the hardware honestly.

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus Android 6.0 Marshmallow software experience is frozen in time. It shipped with Android 6.0, with per-app permissions and Doze battery saving, and it stayed there. Modern apps may refuse to install or run, and that is the single biggest practical limit today. On the plus side, the software is close to plain Android, without a heavy skin, so menus and settings are easy to follow. The Liquid Z6 Plus Android version also means no modern gesture navigation and no current security patches, which matters more for banking and work apps than for a spare media phone.

Everyday Speed and Multitasking With 3GB RAM

Switching between a browser, a messaging app and a music player is smooth enough, and the phone rarely forces a reload when moving between two or three apps. Heavier work, such as editing a large document or keeping a dozen browser tabs open, will show the age of the chip. The honest way to use this phone in 2026 is as a second device, a media player, or a simple daily phone for calls, messages and maps, where its speed is adequate and its battery does the heavy lifting.

Gaming on the Mali-T720MP3

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus Mali T720MP3 graphics for casual games are adequate: puzzle games, card games and older arcade titles run well, and the Full HD screen makes them look good. Demanding 3D titles from recent years will struggle, with lower frame rates and longer loading times, and the question of an Acer Liquid Z6 Plus heating issue during long gaming sessions comes up because the 28 nm chip works hard under a sustained load. Keeping sessions short and brightness moderate is the practical answer, and the large battery means a gaming break does not have to end the day early. The Liquid Z6 Plus performance in games is a fair reflection of its class: fine for casual play, not a gaming phone.

Storage Space and the Shared microSD Slot

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus microSD card expansion shared SIM slot uses the second SIM tray for a microSDXC card, so a dual-SIM user has to choose between a second line and extra space. The Liquid Z6 Plus microSD option is still worth using for photos and music, and the Liquid Z6 Plus SIM setup supports a single Micro-SIM or a hybrid dual-SIM arrangement. When the Acer Liquid Z6 Plus storage full what to delete first question comes up, start with cached data from video apps, then old downloads, then photos already backed up elsewhere, because 32 GB fills faster than the number suggests once apps and their caches grow.

13MP Rear Camera and 5MP Front Camera

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus 13MP rear camera photo quality is decent in good light. The single 13 MP rear camera has autofocus, an LED flash, HDR and panorama modes, and it records video at 1080p. The Liquid Z6 Plus camera is at its best outdoors or in a bright room, where colours look natural and detail holds up for social sharing and small prints. In dim light the small sensor shows its limits, with softer detail and more noise, and the flash helps only at close range. The Liquid Z6 Plus video recording is covered below, and the short version is that it is fine for clips of family and travel, not for serious filming.

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus front camera 5MP selfie quality is modest but usable. The 5 MP front camera handles video calls and quick selfies in good light, and the Liquid Z6 Plus selfie results are best when the light falls on the face rather than from behind. There is no front flash and no portrait mode, so expectations should stay in line with the hardware. The Liquid Z6 Plus video side also includes the front camera for calls, which is where most owners will actually use it.

Rear Camera in Daylight and Low Light

Daylight shots benefit from HDR, which lifts shadows without washing out the sky, and autofocus locks on quickly for still subjects. Moving subjects, such as children or pets, are harder, and a half-second of patience helps. At night, holding the phone steady against a wall or a table improves results more than any setting, and the LED flash is best kept for close subjects within a couple of metres.

Selfies and Video Recording

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus video recording 1080p at 30fps is the ceiling for this phone, and it is a sensible one: footage is stable enough for handheld clips, and files stay manageable on 32 GB of storage. Panning slowly avoids the judder that fast movement brings, and recording in good light keeps noise down. For calls, the front camera is adequate, and the loudspeaker is loud enough for hands-free calls in a quiet room.

4080mAh Battery Life and Charging

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus battery life with 4080mAh battery capacity is the phone’s strongest card. The cell is a non-removable Li-Po unit rated at 4080 mAh, which was large for a 5.5-inch phone in 2016 and still looks respectable today. The Liquid Z6 Plus battery easily outlasts the 2000 mAh cell in the smaller Z6, and the efficient screen and modest chip help it stretch further. How long does Acer Liquid Z6 Plus battery last in practice? That depends on the screen, the network and the apps, but a light day of calls, messages and some browsing should end with charge to spare, and even a busy day is unlikely to need a top-up before evening for a fresh cell. Older batteries will hold less, so a second-hand buyer should treat battery health as the first thing to check. The 4080mAh battery is the reason this model is still talked about at all.

Charging runs through a microUSB 2.0 port, and the Liquid Z6 Plus USB port takes a cable that only fits one way round. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus microUSB 2.0 port and charging speed are plain, and the question does Acer Liquid Z6 Plus support fast charging has a plain answer too: the published specification sheet lists no fast-charging standard, so expect ordinary charging speeds and plan an overnight charge or a long top-up rather than a quick ten-minute boost. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus FM radio and 3.5mm headphone jack pairing is a useful bonus for long days: radio and wired headphones cost almost no battery compared with streaming, and the headphone jack means no adapter is needed. Readers comparing big-battery devices with a larger screen may also want to look at a tablet option, and the How Good Is the Acer Iconia Tab 10 A3-A40? Full Review and Specifications is worth a look for media and reading at home.

How Far the Battery Goes on a Normal Day

A day of messaging, an hour of maps, some music and a few photos is well within reach, and the phone’s Doze mode trims background drain overnight. Video streaming is the biggest drain, as it is on any phone, and an hour of video at moderate brightness will take a visible but not alarming slice of the charge. For a spare phone or a travel phone, the battery is the reason to keep this model rather than a smaller one.

Charging Through microUSB 2.0

Charging is unhurried, which suits an overnight routine and a desk charger during work. A full charge from empty takes a few hours rather than one, so topping up during the day is worth doing before a long evening out. The cable is a standard microUSB lead, cheap to replace, and the port is on the bottom edge where it sits naturally on a desk.

Full Specifications

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus full specifications and features are set out below, taken from the published specification sheet. The Liquid Z6 Plus specs in this table are the figures a buyer should check against any second-hand listing, because a listing that disagrees with them on memory, battery or camera is a warning sign. Note the two details that surprise people most: there is no NFC, and the microSD card shares the second SIM slot.

Complete Specification Table

Display and Body Details

The display and body numbers repay a second look. The 5.5-inch panel covers about 83.4 square centimetres, the 2.5D glass softens the edge, and the metal back cover is the part of the design that still feels current. The Liquid Z6 Plus dimensions and the 169 g weight put it at the heavy end of its size class in 2016, and the Liquid Z6 Plus colors were limited to black and white, so there is little variation between units beyond condition and wear.

Camera and Video Details

The camera numbers are simple: one rear lens, one front lens, and video capped at 1080p at 30 frames per second. The LED flash, HDR and panorama modes cover the common situations, and the 5 MP front camera is enough for calls. The Liquid Z6 Plus video quality is best in daylight, and the same is true of stills, so the camera section of any buying checklist should focus on daylight samples rather than night shots.

Connectivity, Sensors and Software

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus 4G LTE connectivity and dual SIM setup covers GSM, HSPA and LTE, with LTE Cat4 speeds of up to 150 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up, and HSPA at 42.2/5.76 Mbps. The Liquid Z6 Plus 4G connection is fine for browsing, maps and standard video, and the Liquid Z6 Plus WiFi radio supports 802.11 b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct, while the Liquid Z6 Plus Bluetooth connection is version 4.0 with A2DP for wireless headphones. The Liquid Z6 Plus GPS receiver handles navigation, and the Acer Liquid Z6 Plus GPS navigation accuracy for everyday driving is adequate for turn-by-turn directions on main roads, though an older receiver can be slower to lock on under tree cover or between tall buildings. The Liquid Z6 Plus sensors are a front-mounted fingerprint reader, an accelerometer and a proximity sensor. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus speaker loudness for calls and media is adequate in a quiet room, and the single loudspeaker stays clear for hands-free calls.

Acer Liquid Z6 Plus vs Acer Liquid Z6: What the Plus Adds

The most useful comparison for this phone is with its own smaller brother, because the two shared a launch event and a name. The Acer Liquid Z6 After a Week of Use: Review, Display and Full Specs covers the smaller phone in depth, and the table below puts the two side by side. The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus vs Acer Liquid Z6 differences are not subtle: the Plus is bigger, sharper, faster, roomier and far longer-lasting, and it cost about twice as much. The smaller phone is easier to hold and to carry, and it is the better pick for someone who wants the smallest possible phone, but on value per feature the Plus was the stronger of the two at launch.

The Differences That Matter Most

Battery and memory are the differences that change daily life. Doubling the battery and tripling the memory remove the two frustrations that defined the smaller phone, and the sharper screen and better cameras are visible every time the phone is used. The fingerprint reader is the fourth real difference, because it changes unlocking from a chore into a touch. The Liquid Z6 Plus performance lead is clear on paper and in use, and the extra size is the only trade-off, along with the higher launch price.

Which of the Two Makes More Sense Now

In 2026 neither phone is a sensible main phone for someone who needs current apps, but as a second device the Plus is the better buy, and the smaller Z6 only wins for buyers who need the smallest, lightest phone possible. The Liquid Z6 family also grew beyond these two: later models such as the one in the A Closer Look at the Acer Acerone Liquid S162E4: Review, Specs and Real-World Use show where the Liquid name went next, with newer software and different hardware, and a buyer comparing generations should weigh software age as heavily as the specification sheet. For most people the choice is between the Plus and a newer budget phone, not between the two 2016 models.

Pros and Cons: Who Should Still Consider the Liquid Z6 Plus

No 2016 mid-ranger is a balanced choice in 2026, and this one is no exception. Its strengths are real and specific, and its weaknesses are equally specific, so the decision comes down to what the phone will actually be used for.

Strengths

• Large 4080 mAh battery that outlasts most phones of its year and still covers a full day of light use.
• Sharp 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display that stays comfortable for reading, video and maps.
• Front-mounted fingerprint reader and metal back cover that make the phone feel more expensive than its launch price.
• 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, with a microSD slot for photos and music.
• 13 MP rear camera with HDR and panorama, decent in daylight for everyday shots.
• 3.5mm headphone jack and FM radio, both useful on long days away from a charger.

Weaknesses

• Android 6.0 Marshmallow with no updates, so many modern apps will not install or run.
• MediaTek MT6753 chip that struggles with recent games and heavy apps.
• No NFC, so contactless payment and quick pairing are not available.
• No fast charging, and charging runs through the older microUSB 2.0 port.
• 169 g weight and wide bezels that make the phone feel large and heavy today.
• Shared SIM slot, so a second SIM line and a microSD card cannot be used together.
• Modest 5 MP front camera with no front flash and no portrait mode.

Who It Suits Best

The phone suits a buyer who needs a cheap second phone for calls, messages, maps and music, a media device for video and radio, or a spare for travel where a lost phone would not be a disaster. It also suits a collector of Acer phones or a tinkerer who wants a 2016 mid-ranger to explore. It does not suit someone who needs banking apps, work apps or recent games, and it does not suit a buyer who wants a camera for night photography. Readers whose main need is a bigger screen for reading, study or video may find a tablet a better fit, and the Acer Chromebook Tab 10 Review: Design, Software and Storage is a useful next read for that kind of use, because it covers a larger display and a different software approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Acer Liquid Z6 Plus still worth buying in 2026?

Only for a narrow set of uses. As a second phone, a media player, a travel spare or a collector’s piece, it can still earn a low price, because the battery and the Full HD screen remain useful. As a main phone it is hard to recommend, because Android 6.0 blocks many current apps and there are no security updates. Pay little, check the battery first, and buy it for what it still does well.

How long does Acer Liquid Z6 Plus battery last?

A fresh 4080 mAh cell should cover a light day of calls, messages and browsing with charge to spare, and a busy day should still reach the evening without a top-up. Video streaming and weak signal drain it faster, and a battery that is ten years old will hold noticeably less than a new one. Any second-hand listing should be judged on the health of its battery before anything else.

Does Acer Liquid Z6 Plus support fast charging?

No. The published specification sheet lists no fast-charging standard, and the phone charges through a microUSB 2.0 port at ordinary speeds. A full charge from empty takes a few hours, so overnight charging or a long top-up during the day is the practical routine, and a quick ten-minute charge will only add a small amount.

What should I check before buying a second-hand Acer Liquid Z6 Plus?

The Acer Liquid Z6 Plus second hand price and buying checklist starts with the battery, then the screen, the fingerprint reader, the SIM and microSD tray, both cameras and the charging port. Prices vary by condition and by seller, so compare several listings rather than trusting one, and treat a price far below the rest as a warning. Confirm that the apps you need still run on Android 6.0 before paying, because that limit cannot be fixed with a setting.

Final Verdict on the Liquid Z6 Plus

The Liquid Z6 Plus was Acer’s best Liquid phone of 2016 for a simple reason: it paired the largest battery and the sharpest screen in the range with enough memory to make the phone pleasant to use. The fingerprint reader and the metal back made it feel like a more expensive phone, and the camera and the radio covered the everyday needs of its buyers. Its limits were clear even at launch, a mid-range chip and a modest camera, and time has added the biggest one, software that stopped at Android 6.0.

For a buyer in 2026, the sensible move is to treat it as a specialist second device: check the battery, confirm the apps needed still run on Android 6.0, and pay a price that reflects a discontinued phone with no updates. Done that way, the large battery and the Full HD screen still earn their keep. The Liquid Z6 Plus review verdict, in one line, is that it was a good mid-ranger in its year and a useful spare today, as long as it is bought for what it still does well rather than for what it can no longer do.