Since I reviewed the nubia Z60 Ultra, I have been using it as my main mobile phone and it is one of the ones I have liked the most in recent years. There is nothing better on the market for quality and price.Seven months after its launch, the brand brings us an update of this mobile phone whose main novelty is the processor, which is an improved version of the one it already had.
This processor is called Flagship version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3which explains the name of this new smartphone. Apart from that, it incorporates new AI capabilities and changes its main camera sensor from 50 MP (the Sony IMX800) to another 50 MP (the Sony IMX906). Are these enough improvements to justify a new version? We analyzed it.
nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version: Overclocked Snapdragon processor for enhanced photography and AI features
We have been testing the new nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version for a few weeks now and it is definitely an improved but quite similar version of the phone we already knew. The improvements come mainly from the AI parta section where the original Z60 Ultra was not up to par with the top flagships on the market.
nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version Specs
Characteristics |
Nubia Z60 Ultra Leader Version |
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Dimensions and weight | 163.98 x 76.35 x 8.78 millimeters. 246 grams. |
Screen | 6.8″ Full HD+ display (2480 x 1116 pixels) with panel AMOLEDrefresh rate of 120 Hz1200Hz touch sampling, DCI-P3, 2160Hz PWM dimming, and up to 1500 nits brightness. |
Processor | Qualcomm Flagship version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with Adreno 750 graphics (1 GHz). |
RAM | 8 GB / 12 GB / 16 GB in LPDDR5X format. |
Storage | 256 GB / 512 GB / 1TB in UFS 4.0 format. |
Rear camera | Triple: 50 MP main (Sony IMX906) with f/1.59, PDAF, Laser AF and OIS. 50MP Ultra Wide Angle (OV50E) with f/1.8, 100º view, PDAF and OIS. 64MP Telephoto Lens (OV64B) with f/3.3, 3.3x optical zoom, PDAF and OIS. Dual LED flash and recording in 8K @ 30 FPS or 4K @ 120 FPS. |
Front camera | 12 MP hidden under the screen. |
Connectivity and extras | USB-C, Wi-Fi 7, Dual SIM 5GBluetooth 5.4, GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NFCstereo speakers with 24-Bit Hi-Res sound, optical fingerprint reader, Alert slider and IP68 protection. |
Battery | 6000 mAh with 80W fast charging. |
Operating system | Android 14 under MyOS 14. |
Elegant design and almost 7″ screen that looks great even in the sun
The build quality and design of the nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version is exactly the same as the original Z60 Ultra. It mimics the sleek design of Samsung’s Galaxy S Ultra series, with a Rectangular display, flat edges, minimal bezels, hidden front camera under the panel and a premium feel. It also has a robust body with IP68 dust and water resistance. However, it is not very ergonomic and can be uncomfortable to hold with one hand.
Luckily, it includes a Clear hard case that solves some ergonomic problems while also making the phone more durable. However, it also makes it a bit heavier, which may not be a good thing considering the phone itself already weighs 249 grams.
Although we tested the black color variant, I can’t overlook the beautiful design of the back cover that has its silver color variant that gives him a very cool marbled touchThis finish is not available on the original Z60 Ultra, so it’s something to consider if you value aesthetics.
As for the screen, it maintains the 6.8″ AMOLED panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate and brightness of up to 1500 nits. It looks great; smooth and crisp, with all types of content.. Plus, it’s completely readable in sunlight. By the way, it has an optical fingerprint reader under the display that responds well once you get used to using it.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Leading Version and AI are the real justification for this new model
Let’s face it, 7 months is not enough time to implement improvements in a mobile phone, so it is understandable that the nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version is very similar to the Z60 Ultra. Now, nubia left a pending task with the Z60 Ultra and it was the AI sectionwhich they didn’t pay much attention to at the time. With the Z60 Ultra Leading Version they have done their homework and it is largely thanks to their new processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Leading Version.
This is an overclocked version of the world’s most powerful SoC: it’s basically the best of the best that a mobile phone can aspire to today in terms of performanceIt has a Cortex-X4 core at 3.4 GHz, while the Adreno 750 graphics card is 1 GHz, instead of 900 MHz. This in theory allows for better performance in games.
Coming from using the Z60 Ultra, I didn’t notice much improvement when playing games or using apps. It’s still A super fluid mobile that doesn’t fall short with anythingBut now it has built-in AI features that add an extra boost to the experience.
Is capable of running AI models locallywhich is especially noticeable in photography (we’ll go into more detail on this later). It also adds AI Magic Eraser functions to remove unwanted objects from photos, AI Sky to change the sky to the look of your choice and AI Blur to blur the background of photos with a single tap. In addition, the brand claims that, thanks to AI optimizations, battery capacity has been improved by 20%.
It’s crazy how much their cameras have improved with AI post-processing
The nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version has only changed one thing about the camera hardware from the Z60 Ultra and that is the main sensor. Instead of having the 50 MP Sony IMX800, it uses a Sony IMX906 also of 50 MP, but with better performance despite being smallerThe rest of the sensors are the same, which does not prevent the notable improvement in the photographic section.
I especially highlight the 12 MP front camera, which offers a quality far superior to that of the original Z60 Ultra. Despite having the same cameras, it produces better quality results thanks to its AI-based post-processing capabilities.and this is also very noticeable when zooming in to take a photo. Specifically, all this is possible thanks to the algorithms of the new NeoVision AI Photography System 2.0 engine. Here are some photos taken with the Z60 Ultra Leading Version so you can check it out for yourself:
Good battery life, 80W fast charging and… wireless charging?
It has a fairly large 6000mAh battery and supports 80W fast charging (it comes with the 80W charger in the box). Its autonomy is approximately one and a half days. and it takes about 40 minutes to charge to 100%. I am more than satisfied with this duration.
What seems to me to be a missed opportunity is the fact that not having added wireless charging in this Leading VersionA very useful feature that I think all high-end phones should have. Hopefully in a future generation Nubia can implement it.
Final verdict of the nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version: a necessary renovation to be on par with the big names
Currently, the nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version is the cheapest mobile phone with the most powerful processor in the world (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Leading Version). And It doesn’t seem like another mobile phone will be able to match its quality-price ratio in the near future.. We are facing a mobile phone that starts from the 729 € and that offers you the best of the best in each of the sections.
It has a huge 6.8″ AMOLED display that looks good even in the sun, a large 6000 mAh battery that takes less than an hour to charge to 100%, a High-quality AI-powered camera, sophisticated and elegant design with hidden cameraand high-end performance for playing the most demanding games and doing all kinds of tasks.
I would recommend it to anyone who wants to Make the jump to a premium mobile without spending a lot of money. It has practically nothing to envy of the best mobile phones from Samsung, Google or Xiaomi! If you are interested, you can use the coupon ULTRA30 to buy it with a €30 discount:
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