Ever since the Huawei ban, which got here into impact in 2020, the international smartphone scene hasn’t been the identical.
With Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo taking some time to launch their telephones globally (if in any respect), Apple, Samsung, and Google’s hegemony has solely been rising stronger and stronger.
OnePlus, Nothing and Motorola started to problem the large canines with just a few respectable provides in the previous 12 months or so, however the smartphone scene has nonetheless been lacking an previous-college Chinese flagship-killer accessible for everybody to purchase. However, the wait is now over thanks to at least one of the most spectacular smartphone provides I’ve come throughout in a really lengthy whereas.
Apple, Samsung, and Google’s largest challenger comes from a most unlikely supply (ZTE), and it’s known as the Nubia Z60 Ultra. And whereas it boasts an unbelievable bundle for the worth, arguably the best “feature” it has could be fast international availability, which is just about unheard of in terms of flagship-killer telephones from China.
The Nubia Z60 Ultra is up for pre-order by way of Nubia’s web site and can begin transport on December 29. As talked about, the Nubia Z60 Ultra’s superpower is that the phone will likely be accessible in North America, Europe, the UK, and Mexico – from day one. Not two, not 4, not six months later ( you, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo…).
ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra costs:
- 8/256GB – $599 / €679 / £679
- 12/256GB – $649 / €749 / £749
- 16/512GB – $779 / €899 / £899
Nubia is operating early hen provides in the US, UK, and Europe. You get $30 in the US; €80 and €120 off for the 12/256GB and 16/512GB fashions in Europe, and £80 and £120 off for the 12/256GB and 16/512GB fashions in the UK (provides finish December 29).
But can ZTE/Nubia be the one to shake up the smartphone market in the US, UK, and Europe?
ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra: Available in the US, UK, and Europe, ZTE’s new flagship phone is a Galaxy S24 Ultra at half the worth – below-show digital camera; quickest chip, insane battery, and a flagship digital camera at $600
Show me a extra spectacular spec sheet than that of the Nubia Z60 Ultra for $600. Or $800. Or $1,000.
So, advantageous… good costs for an Ultra-branded flagship phone, and international availability… But is there something particular about the Nubia Z60 Ultra? Well, to my shock, sure…
While related “flagship-killer” provides from the likes of Nothing and OnePlus have a tendency to chop some corners in an effort to make the phone extra inexpensive and nonetheless earn a revenue, I’m unsure if ZTE will likely be making a lot/any cash right here. And that’s as a result of the {hardware} we’re speaking about is really flagship-grade with just one notable exception – wi-fi charging.
The ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra is the first globally-accessible phone with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. On high of that, Nubia is beneficiant sufficient to offer you 256GB of storage with the base $600 mannequin. Come on now…
- While again in the summer time of 2023, Nothing determined to equip the $600 Nothing Phone 2 with final 12 months’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, ZTE goes all in with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the identical $600 beginning worth, which is fairly unbelievable
- ZTE has given the $600 Nubia Z60 Ultra a severely spectacular digital camera system with a professional-grade twist – a 35mm prime lens with a extra life like focal size; a 64MP, 3.3x periscope zoom digital camera, and the largest extremely-huge digital camera sensor in any flagship (1/1.55-inches), with the largest aperture (f/1.8); the Nubia Z60 Ultra can be the first phone capable of document 120fps movies with all of its three rear cameras
To assist you to perceive how spectacular the digital camera {hardware} on the Nubia Z60 Ultra is, needless to say the $1,000 Galaxy S24+ is predicted to make use of a 50MP 1/1.56-inch sensor with an f/1.8 aperture for its main digital camera. Meanwhile, Nubia’s $600 flagship is bringing an an identical 50MP sensor to its extremely-huge digital camera. My guess is that Nubia desires the UWA snapper to be pretty much as good as doable and act as an alternative choice to the main lens, which is mounted at 35mm (an equal of 1.5x zoom in comparison with conventional huge cameras).
At 6,000 mAh, the Nubia Z60 Ultra has the largest battery of any flagship phone in 2023-2024. You can cost it to full in nearly 40 minutes.
- But perhaps you’re not impressed but? How about the largest battery in any flagship phone at 6,000 mAh, and 80W of quick charging? For reference, the new Galaxy S24 Ultra is predicted to launch with the identical 5,000 mAh cell as the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 8 Pro, and none of then come even near the charging speeds of the Nubia Z60 Ultra, which might get from 0-100% in about 40 minutes (regardless of the humongous 6,000 mAh battery)
- In a really stunning flip of occasions, ZTE has even gone out and splurged to offer the Nubia Z60 Ultra an IP68 ranking for mud and water resistance – one thing different $600 flagship-killers can’t provide you with (granted, you get this characteristic on cheaper telephones from Samsung, Apple, and Google however they lower a number of corners to get there)
- The ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra is the solely globally accessible flagship phone with a 100% uninterrupted show, because of a 12MP below-show digital camera, which is actually invisible to the eye; ZTE is a pioneer in UDC tech, and that is the 4th gen UDC they ship
- Being a ZTE phone (ZTE makes wonderful gaming telephones), the Nubia Z60 Ultra additionally brings some gaming-centric enhancement like an aerospace-grade thermal plate, a big vapor chamber with superconducting nanocarbon fiber, and a devoted Game Space with options like Super body stabilization for smoother gaming
While I’m not a giant gamer, I like the concept of going the further mile to ensure a flagship phone has a adequate cooling system to maintain the SoC cool below heavy masses. Pixel customers would know what I’m speaking about.
The ZTE Nubia Z60 has all of it other than wi-fi charging however: Not “perfect” however good for the worth
ZTE’s questionable software program help observe document is the largest pink flag about the Nubia Z60 Ultra. Is ZTE prepared to vow dependable software program help sooner or later?
Now, like each different phone, the Nubia Z60 Ultra isn’t going to be “perfect”, and there are some issues you need to be conscious of:
- ZTE (like many different Chinese manufacturers) has a questionable software program help observe document, which means the Nubia Z60 Ultra gained’t be getting software program upgrades as quick as a Pixel/Galaxy, and sure not for as lengthy
- The extremely properly hidden below-show selfie digital camera in the Z60 Ultra is an superior engineering feat however sacrificing high quality over having a tiny gap in your show won’t be everybody’s cup of tea in the age of TikTookay
- As talked about earlier, the most evident {hardware} omission from the Nubia Z60 Ultra is wi-fi charging – once more, not a giant deal for everybody, particularly contemplating the tremendous-quick wired charging ZTE is providing; typically, I’d take quick charging over wi-fi charging any day however I really feel like making the phone $10-20 costlier so as to add wi-fi charging would’ve been the proper transfer
- Much like the Galaxy S23 Ultra (236g) and the upcoming Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Nubia Z60 Ultra is a giant, boxy, and heavy phone (246g), which gained’t be the best match for folks with small arms; if I used to be on the marketplace for an incredible deal, this could be the largest dealbreaker for me but it surely simply so occurs that nearly everyone at this time likes giant telephones, so I assume I’m a minority
I haven’t talked about the design of the Nubia Z60 Ultra since this one’s somewhat subjective, however I really like the proven fact that ZTE goes for one thing… completely different. Sure, I’m not a giant fan of the boxy form and sharp corners (similar to I don’t like them on Samsung’s Ultra flagship), however the aesthetic is on level right here – particularly with the SIlver colour.
Is the ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra an actual contender in a world dominated by Samsung and Apple flagships, and may it make a reputation for itself?
At half the worth, the Nubia Z60 Ultra seems to be no less than 90% pretty much as good as the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the upcoming Galaxy S24 Ultra. If not even higher?
I’m unsure what ZTE was considering, but it surely’s fairly protected to say that the “ZTE Nubia Z60 Ultra” is the unsuitable title for a phone that’s attempting to make a reputation for itself. Let’s go along with one thing shorter subsequent time?
At the identical time, different $600 telephones like the Nothing Phone 2 don’t come near the {hardware} supplied by the Z60 Ultra. Nothing’s supposed flagship-killer has an SoC that’s two generations older now; an inferior digital camera system with out a zoom lens; a much smaller battery; no IP68 ranking; and it begins at simply 128GB of storage.
Of course, we have now to evaluation the Nubia Z60 Ultra to search out out precisely how good of a phone it’s. However, on paper, ZTE is giving us what could be the most spectacular flagship bundle I’ve seen in a really, very very long time.
Now, does all of this mechanically make the Nubia Z60 Ultra an precise contender? Well, given Nubia’s roughly non-existent popularity in the US, UK, and Europe and the proven fact that mainstream flagships like the iPhone 15, Galaxy S23, and Pixel 8 provide much less “bang for the buck” however a larger model promise… I’m afraid ZTE goes to wrestle to make an impression. But I suppose the key phrase right here is “bang for the buck”.
If you need the most spectacular (actually globally accessible!) flagship $600 should purchase, nothing comes even near the Nubia Z60 Ultra, and this could be the case for the total 2024. I’d be shocked to see every other phone-maker launch a extra spectacular phone for simply $600.
So… what’s ZTE attempting to realize right here? Is this an official declaration of conflict in opposition to Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and Apple, or only a one-off? I actually hope it’s the former. What do you suppose?