Nubia Z60 Ultra review: The spiritual successor to the OnePlus 7 Pro

The final Nubia cellphone that I used with any quantity of regularity was the Redmagic 6 Pro, and whereas the gaming cellphone had loads to supply on the {hardware} aspect of issues, the software program was one of many worst I’d used. It was buggy, vulnerable to distinction crashes, and stuffed with translation errors. Thankfully, Nubia made lots of adjustments within the final three years, and the Z60 Ultra provides a clear Android interface with none overt customization or bloatware — a refreshing change of tempo.That’s a great start line, and the excellent news retains on coming. The Z60 Ultra has an all-screen design with none seen cutout because of an under-display digital camera, making it invisible. More than anything, this differentiates the cellphone from each different system out there, and it instantly brings again recollections of the OnePlus 7 Pro.You additionally get the newest Qualcomm silicon, a big 6000mAh battery, first rate cameras, and a stellar worth. But do you have to purchase the cellphone in lieu of extra established units? Let’s have a look.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Pricing and launch date(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Nubia launched the Z60 Ultra on the finish of December, and the cellphone is now out there globally. There are three variants out there: a base mannequin with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $599, a 12GB/256GB model that prices $649, and a 16GB/512GB mannequin that is out there for $779.The Z60 Ultra is bought in silver and black variations, however the base mannequin is not out there within the silver variant.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Design(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The Z60 Ultra is a large slab of a cellphone, and it dwarfs each different system on this space. It is taller and thicker than even the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and coming in at 246g, it’s 14g heavier than Samsung’s flagship. And whereas Samsung went with a design that makes the S24 Ultra slightly simpler to make use of, Nubia made no such concerns — the Z60 Ultra has flat sides that do not present a lot in the best way of grip.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)But the principle spotlight of the system is that it has an under-display digital camera on the entrance, so you do not have a cutout of any sort. That means you get an all-screen design that appears unimaginable, and whereas you may make out the cutout for those who’re viewing the display screen at an off-axis angle, it is not noticeable in every day use.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Another key speaking level with the design is the digital camera island on the again; the Z60 Ultra has a large rectangular housing that someway overshadows the likes of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Find X7 Ultra, two units which have larger digital camera modules. The housing takes up a 3rd of the again, and it has a two-tone design that highlights the principle digital camera slightly higher.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Not that it wants any extra consideration; the sensor itself is encircled by a big ring with a purple accent, and the zoom lens equally has an oblong design overlaying it. Like the very best Samsung telephones, the Z60 Ultra will get IP68 mud and water resistance, and it does a fantastic job weathering the weather.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The glass again has a silky texture that feels nice, and it would not choose up any smudges. The metallic sides would have benefitted from a matte end as that might have made utilizing the cellphone a smidgen simpler, however that is not the case. You get the ability and quantity buttons on the appropriate, and there is a slider under the ability button — much like the alert slider on OnePlus units — that permits you to management sound modes, launch the digital camera, flashlight, or gaming mode.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The slider is a nifty inclusion, however I might have appreciated the power to customise the toggle actions; proper now, you simply have a set of six actions. Regardless, it’s an effective way to launch the digital camera, and the one quibble I’ve with it’s that it’s situated too far down on the aspect — placing it on the left would have been significantly better.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Although there are lots of buttons to the appropriate, the ability button has a textured end that makes it simple to determine, and it has a purple accent. The general design could be summed up as blocky, and this is not a tool constructed with usability in thoughts. In the week I used the cellphone as my every day driver, I discovered myself getting pissed off with the flat sides and the sheer dimension and heft of the system.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)On that be aware, the black colour variant is fairly boring, and if you’d like a tool that stands out a bit extra, you will must get the silver mannequin. I’m aggravated that the Starry Night version is proscribed to China; that mannequin appears to be like beautiful, and Nubia actually ought to have launched it globally.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Display(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The largest speaking level on the Z60 Ultra is the 6.8-inch AMOLED panel. The display screen has 120Hz refresh and goes as much as a most of 1500 nits, and whereas that is not as excessive because the likes of the OnePlus 12 or Honor’s Magic 6 Pro, it’s nonetheless greater than ample in every day use. You miss out on among the extras that you simply get with different units, however the upside is that there isn’t a cutout.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Nubia makes use of an under-display digital camera, and it’s invisible until you view it in vibrant daylight. This results in an all-display design that simply appears to be like cleaner, and instantly takes me again to the OnePlus 7 Pro and Redmi Okay20 Pro. Yes, the cutout on most fashionable telephones is small and never very noticeable, however not having one in any respect makes a giant distinction, and it results in a way more immersive expertise in nearly any state of affairs.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The show has good colour vibrancy and distinction, and it’s simply enjoyable to make use of. Obviously, an under-display digital camera is not going to be nearly as good as a regular selfie lens, however for what it is value, Nubia did a good job on this space, and the digital camera holds its personal throughout video calls and face unlock. It would not take selfies which can be wherever nearly as good as common telephones, so if that is a consideration, you will have to think about one other system.But for those who miss the times of all-screen designs and wish one thing that emulates that to a fantastic extent, the Z60 Ultra is the apparent alternative in 2024.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Hardware(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Nubia hasn’t put a foot mistaken on the subject of the {hardware}, and the Z60 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 — similar to all of the telephones I reviewed not too long ago. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage within the base model, and also you get 12GB/256GB and 16GB/512GB variants as properly, with all fashions utilizing UFS 4.0 storage.The cellphone is extremely fluid more often than not, and it once more jogs my memory of legacy variations of OxygenOS. But this is not the case all through, and there have been instances once I encountered a definite lag, nearly like a jerky movement, when doing mundane issues like scrolling in Chrome or switching between apps. It is not wherever as pronounced because the jelly scrolling impact, however it’s noticeable in day-to-day use.A restart types out the problem, and the UI goes again to being clean, so it might simply be a difficulty of optimization. It’s solely evident as a result of the UI is in any other case fluid, and to Nubia’s credit score, the model rolled out a software program replace on the day of publishing this evaluate that addresses system stability points, and I did not see any lag within the new construct (14.0.10MR2).Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryOnePlus 12Nubia Z60 UltraHonor Magic 6 ProPCMark Work 3.0 (Overall)125422053017314PCMark Work 3.0 (Web Browsing)101572040215748PCMark Work 3.0 (Video Editing)605786287707PCMark Work 3.0 (Writing)169452558421271PCMark Work 3.0 (Photo Editing)235864980736257Geekbench 6 (single-core)93521401908Geekbench 6 (multi-core)4729662268163DMark Wild Life Extreme (rating)4062505051213DMark Wild Life Extreme (FPS)24.32530.2430.673DMark Solar Bay (rating)7826853986233DMark Solar Bay (FPS)29.7632.4732.79Aside from that, I did not see any points in every day use or gaming, and the Z60 Ultra delivers steady framerates in demanding titles, and there is little to no throttling. If something, the cellphone might use with a bit extra optimization on this situation, as a result of the ability limits of the Qualcomm silicon are unrestricted right here. I do not assume I’ve used every other system apart from Qualcomm’s reference fashions that do that, and the result’s that the Z60 Ultra will get scorching. Very scorching. So scorching you can’t use it.In the 3DMark Solar Bay stress check, the cellphone hit a stability of 86% — one of many highest scores but — nevertheless it additionally went to up an insane 60 levels, considerably increased than every other system I examined. To offer you some context, most 2024 telephones I examined did not go previous 45 levels Celsius, and the Z60 Ultra did not simply get scorching — it was on the level the place I could not even choose it up. I needed to depart the cellphone apart for 10 minutes earlier than I might return to utilizing it.That’s one thing Nubia clearly must work on, and whereas the Z60 Ultra delivers blistering energy, you’ll be able to’t use it throughout prolonged gaming periods due to the dearth of thermal administration. Switching to connectivity, the cellphone has all the newest modems: you get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, dual-band GPS, NFC, AptX Lossless audio codec, and USB-C 3.1.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Battery life(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The Z60 Ultra has the biggest battery of any cellphone I examined in 2024, and it places it good use. The 6000mAh unit lasts two days between fees, and even with heavy use, you’ll be able to stand up to a day and a half earlier than you will must cost the system.Battery anxiousness simply is not a difficulty with this system, and when it’s essential cost the cellphone, there’s 80W charging tech that makes use of the usual USB PD 3.0 protocol, so any normal GaN charger that goes as much as 100W will suffice. Nubia bundles a charger within the field, and you should utilize it to cost different units. The cellphone misses out on wi-fi charging, however actually, it is not that huge of an omission contemplating the sheer dimension of the battery and the way lengthy it lasts.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Cameras(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The Z60 Ultra has loads to supply on the imaging entrance, with the system that includes a 50MP f/1.6 principal digital camera with OIS, 50MP f/1.8 wide-angle lens with OIS, and a 64MP f/3.3 telephoto lens that goes as much as 3.3x — and sure, this digital camera has OIS as properly. The digital camera situated on the entrance is a 16MP lens.Nubia’s digital camera interface is in want of a little bit of polish, nevertheless it has most taking pictures modes and ordinary settings simply accessible. Interestingly, the digital camera interface makes use of focal lengths to toggle between the three sensors on the again — 35mm for the principle digital camera, 18mm for the ultra-wide, and 85mm to change to the zoom module.There is a Pro mode out there that provides you granular management over images, and the Milky Way Night mode is attention-grabbing because it helps you to take images of night time skies. Coming to video, the cellphone helps you to shoot 4K video at 60fps from all of the lenses, and also you even get 4K at 120fps from the principle digital camera — a pleasant addition.Image 1 of 8(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)The digital camera takes nice images in daylight, providing a great dynamic vary and good colour stability. Foliage is rendered accurately, you aren’t getting overly saturated colours, and there is not any seen noise. The cellphone does a great job with autofocus as properly, and it’s first rate at taking images of transferring objects — albeit not on the identical degree because the Pixel 8 sequence.The wide-angle and zoom lenses additionally maintain their very own in well-lit circumstances, and whereas the picture high quality at 3.3x is not on par with what you get on the likes of the Galaxy S24 Ultra and even the OnePlus 12, it’s serviceable. Portrait pictures come out with loads of element and vibrancy, and that is an space the place the Z60 Ultra excels.The cellphone takes good pictures in low-light eventualities as properly, nevertheless it takes a second to save lots of the images to the gallery. Again, the resultant high quality is not on par with different flagships, nevertheless it is not a nasty digital camera by any measure. That nearly sums up the digital camera of the Z60 Ultra — it is not fairly on par with the very best Android telephones, however you get usable pictures in any situation from all of the cameras, and that is adequate.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Software(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)To say that I used to be shocked by the software program on the Z60 Ultra can be an understatement. The cellphone runs Nubia’s MyOS 14 primarily based on Android 14 out of the field, and in distinction to all different Chinese producers, you get a clear software program with out overt customization and little to no bloatware.The software program has lots of parallels to OxygenOS 9.5; it has loads of customizability do you have to want it, however you need not tinker with the settings to get the system set as much as your tastes. You can simply us it as is out of the field and nonetheless be happy with what the interface has to supply, and that simply is not attainable with every other Chinese pores and skin in the present day.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Yes, there are points with optimization, however these are prone to be ironed out, and there’s a lot to love with the software program as a complete. Nubia embraced the Material You aesthetic wholeheartedly, and the result’s in depth UI customizability that is above and past what most units supply.The solely challenge with the software program is the aggressive reminiscence administration; it’s extra restrictive than different manufacturers, and I would not even get textual content messages if I did not have the SMS consumer operating. I’ve had points with getting push notifications for Gmail and Instagram, and they might solely present up as soon as I woke the display screen. While Nubia provides a setting to disable battery administration, doing so made no tangible distinction.This is one thing that may be addressed with a software program replace, however because it stands, the reminiscence administration makes utilizing the Z60 Ultra annoying at instances. On that be aware, the cellphone is not prone to choose up software program updates concurrently its speedy rivals.Nubia Z60 Ultra: The alternate options(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The apparent different to think about on this class is the OnePlus 12R. The system additionally has a terrific worth, and whereas you aren’t getting absolutely the newest {hardware}, it holds up extremely properly in every day use in addition to gaming. The cameras are additionally nice this time round, and so they’re higher than what you get on the Nubia. The software program is not as clear, nevertheless it has lots of customizability, and it’s fluid.The common OnePlus 12 is a good better option. Coming in at $799, it is among the greatest telephones you may get for the time being, providing cameras that may rival the would possibly of the Pixel 8 Pro, together with a stunning design that is considerably simpler to carry and use than the Z60 Ultra, standout battery life, and ultra-fast charging tech.Nubia Z60 Ultra: Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)You should purchase this if:You need a gaming cellphone on a price rangeYou want the newest {hardware} and a vibrant 120Hz panelYou need nice battery lifeYou want a clear software program with out a lot bloatwareYou should not purchase this if:You need a cellphone that is not heavyYou want long-term updatesThe Z60 Ultra misses out on design refinement, however the upside is that that is essentially the most reasonably priced strategy to get your fingers on Qualcomm’s newest silicon. What the cellphone lacks in polish it greater than makes up for by means of highly effective {hardware} and a large battery. That mentioned, it’s heavy and unwieldy to make use of, to the purpose the place it makes the S24 Ultra look small.The {hardware} completely holds up in every day use, and the cellphone is a good alternative for those who’re seeking to play video games. The cameras are nice as properly, and the battery lasts two days between fees. I just like the software program fairly a bit as properly, and it isn’t typically you come throughout a clear UI on this section.Of course, a giant differentiator is the invisible entrance digital camera, and this makes the Z60 Ultra stand out significantly. There is loads to love right here, and whereas the software program is clear and devoid of bloatware, Nubia must reign within the battery administration; because it stands, it is irksome to make use of the system due to these limitations.Software updates are additionally an unknown, and the Z60 Ultra is not prone to choose up main updates wherever as early as its rivals. If you do not actually care about all of that and simply need a system that has the very best {hardware} on this section, then sure, you will love what the Z60 Ultra has to supply. It embodies the ethos — if not the design — of the OnePlus 7 Pro, and it’s a nice alternative for those who’re seeking to improve.