introduce
This Ultra is different, aiming to provide an alternative to mainstream camera phones, with a setup that breaks the mold. It’s unusual in a few other ways, too, and its base price is very reasonable. Let’s see if the nubia Z60 Ultra is worth the wait.
ZTE, the phone’s parent company, is no stranger to odd camera choices, and we’ve seen a few models with 35mm-equivalent main units under the Axon and nubia brands. However, this is probably the most advanced configuration of the lot, with large sensors all around and a well-chosen focal length that will make the 35mm module stand out without making you feel like something is missing.
Another standout thing about the Z60 Ultra is that it’s also one of the largest smartphones that doesn’t bend. 246 grams may sound like a lot, but at least it has a 6,000mAh battery, which is the largest capacity on a phone that’s not a power bank first and a phone second. Charging speeds with its 80W adapter should also be fast enough, although we admit the lack of wireless charging did let us down a bit.
The Z60 Ultra’s front-facing camera is also a bit unusual. Being an under-screen type, it’s mainly for people who don’t use a front-facing camera – it won’t give you great images, but at least it won’t get in the way.
Going back to mainstream components, this Ultra has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 inside – so it’s powerful and as powerful as the next generation of high-end phones in 2024. Stereo speakers are also included, as is an under-display fingerprint reader – something an OLED display could accommodate. Speaking of which, the 6.8-inch panel might be a little behind on some metrics, but we know we can’t have it all.
Nubia Z60 Ultra specifications at a glance:
- Body: 164.0×76.4×8.8mm, 246g; IP68 dust/waterproof (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes).
- exhibit: 6.80-inch AMOLED, 1B color, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak), 1116×2480 pixel resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 400ppi.
- chipset: Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3×3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.3 GHz Cortex-A520); Adrenal Su 750.
- memory: 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM, 1TB 24GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
- Operating system/software: Android 14, MyOS 14.
- rear camera: Standard (Major): 50 MP, f/1.6, 35mm, 1/1.49″, 1.0μm, PDAF, laser AF, OIS; Extra wide: 50 MP, f/1.8, 18mm, 100°, 1/1.55″, PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 64 MP, f/3.3, 85mm, 1/2.0″, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom (vs. 26mm cam).
- Front camera: Wide (main):12 MP, showing.
- Video excerpt: rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video; Front camera:1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 6000 mAh; 80W wired, PD3.0, QC4.
- Connectivity: 5G; Dual SIM card; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, aptX HD, aptX adaptive; Near Field Communication; Infrared port.
- Miscellaneous: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers.
Nubia Z60 Ultra unboxing
The nubia Z60 Ultra comes in a regular-sized dark cardboard box with some red accents for added color. The theme continues inside, with a red USB-C cable with a black connector and a black charger with (you guessed it) a red USB-C connector.
Also included is a clear plastic snap-on back cover, which also offers limited coverage for extreme corners. It won’t save the Ultra from most falls, but it does add a bit of protection without affecting looks too much.