The Nubia Z70 Ultra emerges as a standout flagship smartphone, targeting users who prioritize top-tier camera functionality without compromising on performance. Boasting cutting-edge specifications, this device aims to deliver an impressive balance of photography excellence and robust hardware capabilities.
With its advanced camera system, the Nubia Z70 Ultra appeals to photography enthusiasts by offering features tailored for capturing stunning images and videos in various conditions. The sleek and modern design complements its premium positioning, making it a visually appealing choice among competitors. Moreover, the device houses powerful internals, ensuring smooth performance across demanding tasks, from multitasking to high-end gaming.
Positioned against other elite smartphones in the market, the Nubia Z70 Ultra distinguishes itself with its focus on camera innovation and polished user experience. It’s an excellent option for those seeking a high-performance device that excels in both aesthetics and functionality.
Design and Build Quality
The Nubia Z70 Ultra showcases a distinctive design, with a Star Night variant that sports a 3D matte finish. While the back design might seem too intricate for minimalists, it undoubtedly appeals to those who want a phone with a striking aesthetic. The metal frame is solid, squared-off, and feels premium in hand. Textured buttons, including a dedicated camera button, add to its functionality, making it easy to distinguish controls.
The build quality is commendable, with a robust frame housing dual speakers, antenna lines, and a dual nano-SIM tray. The 8.6mm thickness and 228g weight strike a balance between sturdiness and portability.
Display Performance
The Z70 Ultra features a 6.85-inch Full HD+ AMOLED flat display with a resolution of 1216 x 2688 pixels. The 144Hz refresh rate ensures buttery-smooth scrolling and gaming. Bezels are impressively slim, and the under-display camera remains unobtrusive, making the screen immersive and clean.
Direct sunlight visibility is excellent, thanks to the panel’s brightness and deep blacks characteristic of AMOLED technology. The absence of pre-installed bloatware adds to a clean user experience, enhancing the screen’s usability.
Camera Innovations
The camera setup is the star attraction of this device, featuring:
- 50MP Main Camera (35mm, variable aperture) with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
- 50MP Ultra-Wide Lens
- 64MP Telephoto Lens (70mm, with OIS)
The dedicated camera button, with a dual-stage design for focusing and capturing, sets this device apart from competitors. Portraits captured with the 35mm focal length exhibit excellent background blur and detail. However, optimization issues occasionally lead to over-saturated or noisy images in challenging conditions.
Camera Performance Insights
- Daylight Photography: The Nubia Z70 Ultra delivers excellent daytime shots with the main camera, capturing vibrant colors and sharp details. However, the ultra-wide lens shows some limitations, struggling with color accuracy in bright sunlight, which may affect consistency across photos taken in the same scene.
- Low-Light Photography: Night photography is a strong suit for the Z70 Ultra’s main camera, producing detailed and well-lit images even in challenging conditions. The zoom lens, while functional, tends to introduce noticeable noise and artifacts in low-light environments, which could detract from the overall quality.
- Selfies: The under-display front camera offers a sleek design advantage but falls short of traditional front-facing cameras in terms of sharpness and detail. This is particularly evident in lower-light conditions, where selfies may appear softer and less defined.
- Video: Video capabilities are robust, with the main camera supporting up to 4K at 120fps, offering stabilized and high-quality footage. However, the under-display camera lacks electronic stabilization, leading to noticeably shakier videos when recorded from the front.
In summary, the Nubia Z70 Ultra shines in several areas of photography and videography but has some room for improvement, particularly with the ultra-wide lens, zoom performance in low light, and the under-display camera’s functionality
Performance and Gaming
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and paired with ultra-fast UFS 4.0 storage, the Nubia Z70 Ultra delivers exceptional performance across tasks. Benchmark scores surpass 2 million on AnTuTu, confirming its flagship status.
The phone’s gaming capabilities shine, with titles like Genshin Impact running seamlessly at high settings. Nubia’s game mode optimizations ensure smooth gameplay, though the phone does heat up, with frame temperatures reaching up to 54°C during prolonged sessions.
Battery Life and Charging
The 6,150mAh battery ensures excellent longevity, often lasting up to two days with moderate usage. Even with demanding tasks, the battery impresses with approximately 9 hours of screen-on time. The 80W fast charger replenishes the battery from 16% to 100% in just 35 minutes, making it one of the fastest-charging phones in its category.
Software and Connectivity
Running Nubia’s custom UI on top of Android, the software experience on the Nubia Z70 Ultra feels refined and highly responsive. The user interface is well-optimized, offering smooth navigation and efficient performance. One of its standout advantages is the minimal bloatware, ensuring a cleaner experience for users right out of the box. However, the lack of HDR support for Netflix at launch may be a slight letdown for streaming enthusiasts seeking the best viewing experience.
On the connectivity front, the Nubia Z70 Ultra shines with a versatile set of features, including video output support for external displays, dual SIM functionality for enhanced flexibility, and an infrared blaster for controlling devices like TVs and air conditioners. These features make the device suitable for tech-savvy users who value functionality.
That said, the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack might disappoint traditional audiophiles who still prefer wired audio solutions. While the phone offers several advanced features, this omission highlights the ongoing trend of flagships moving away from legacy ports, which may not sit well with all users.
Audio Quality
The dual speakers on the Nubia Z70 Ultra provide loud and clear audio, making them suitable for casual media consumption and hands-free calls. However, they fall short in delivering the depth and bass quality often expected in a flagship device at this price point. While the speakers perform adequately for most users, audiophiles or those seeking a richer audio experience may find the sound profile lacking in vibrancy and detail.
For users who prioritize superior audio, exploring alternatives with enhanced sound capabilities or investing in external speakers or high-quality headphones could be worthwhile. This would ensure a more immersive listening experience, especially for music and cinematic content where audio depth plays a crucial role.
Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Innovative camera features with variable aperture | Under-display camera quality could be improved |
| Large, vibrant AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate | Heating issues during intensive tasks |
| Impressive battery life with ultra-fast charging | Audio output lacks richness |
| Solid gaming and overall performance | Limited Netflix HDR support at launch |
| Minimal software bloat |
Verdict
The Nubia Z70 Ultra stands out by delivering a distinctive blend of advanced camera capabilities, powerful performance, and a premium design. Its innovative approach to photography makes it a strong contender for enthusiasts who value exceptional imaging features, while its robust hardware ensures smooth performance, catering to gamers and power users alike.
Though it’s not without minor drawbacks, such as the absence of a headphone jack and certain audio limitations, the device offers a compelling flagship experience that competes well in an increasingly competitive market. The sleek design and thoughtful connectivity options further enhance its appeal, making it a well-rounded choice for users seeking both style and substance.
With the promise of future software updates, the Nubia Z70 Ultra has the potential to become even more polished, addressing initial shortcomings and adding value to its already impressive feature set. For those prioritizing innovation, reliability, and a focus on camera technology, this smartphone represents a strong and dependable option.
