Sorry, Samsung, Apple! This $600 phone is everything Galaxy S23 Ultra, iPhone 14 Pro will never be
This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
Nobody knows the right recipe for making an amazing smartphone mostly because different users value a different set of features. The general consensus, however, is that a great phone must have a great display, great cameras, great performance, a long-lasting battery, and last but certainly not least, an attractive design looking like a million dollars...
While mid-range phones like the Pixel 6a, Galaxy A54, and iPhone SE manage to challenge expensive flagships with top-notch performance (iPhone SE), amazing endurance (Galaxy A54), and even exceptional photography (Pixel 6a), in order to truly push the boundaries, a “flagship-killer” must try a little harder and cost a little more.
If you’ve ever looked at a flagship phone like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and asked yourself whether making such a beast of a phone for half the price was possible, then this new Android challenger might catch your attention! It’s called the ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra, and despite the somewhat uninspiring name, it might be my favorite non-foldable phone on the market that you “can’t buy” right now. Except you can.
ZTE is one of the pioneers of under-display selfie cameras, which might be why the 4th gen under-display selfie shooter here is literally impossible to see - take notes, Galaxy Z Fold 4. Of course, all under-display cameras have one downside in common, which is the barely passable image quality, so forget about the Nubia Z50 Ultra if you are a vlogger or an influencer.
That being said, the completely uninterrupted display of the Nubia Z50 Ultra isn’t where the design marvels end. Just take a look at the back of the phone! I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen such a unique-looking rear look in a while. I’m a fan of the silver finish in particular, which makes the camera housing and red buttons stand out.
The impossible feat ZTE pulled off doesn’t end with the design. The Nubia Z50 Ultra also pushes the envelope when it comes to cameras, delivering one of the most unique camera systems I can think of. Again, at half the price of mainstream flagships...
All rear camera sensors found on the Nubia Z50 Ultra are very large with the zoom and ultra-wide sensors being noticeably larger than the ones found in mainstream flagship phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max. But the even more fascinating part is what ZTE has decided to do with the focal lengths of those cameras.
The primary shooter defaults to 35mm, which gives it a much tighter look, closer to what the human eye actually sees. This is done to eliminate that familiar problem where you’re trying to take a photo of something with your primary camera but it looks somewhat distorted and “unprofessional”, or in other words not exactly like what you're seeing with your own eyes (perspective wise).
The photo and video samples I’ve examined appear very natural and certainly flagship-grade. Especially when it comes to photo quality, the Nubia Z50 Ultra seems to hold its own against phones like the iPhone 14 Pro Max, with the latter costing twice as much. Again, bear in mind that I haven’t shot these photos myself. Take a look at this Gizmochina video, which includes camera samples from the Nubia Z50 Ultra.
The rest of the hardware of the Nubia Z50 Ultra also matches the most expensive Android phones on the market, which makes it hard to believe how ZTE managed to pull that off and whether the company is making any money at all here (that's rather unlikely)…
Pricing for the ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra is as follows…
Of course if you know anything about some of the most impressive Android phones on the planet, you already know what the “catch” is… The ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra likely won’t be leaving China. However, the good news is that for a $100 markup one could easily import the phone. The Nubia Z50 Ultra supports Google apps and services, so “the Huawei factor” shouldn’t hold you back.
Now, I’ll be absolutely honest with you… I probably wouldn’t import/buy the Nubia Z50 Ultra but that’s because I already have plenty of great flagship phones to use and play with. I’ve also decided to stop buying brand new phones altogether (but that’s a different topic). Another reason to skip this one is the questionable software support, which might leave you with just 1-2 major OS updates (judging by ZTE's current record).
And despite that, the tech enthusiast in me is itching to get his hands on this stunning-looking phone, which isn’t even that expensive (all things considered). I mean, my iPhone 14 Pro (6.1-inch) is the equivalent of $1,500 where I live, and I like the design of the Nubia Z50 Ultra way more - Nubia’s flagships also packs (arguably) more impressive hardware at half the price - even when it comes to cameras.
So... I guess, the question I’ll leave everyone with is: "What would happen if ZTE decided to launch the Nubia Z50 Ultra outside of China?". Something is telling me the likes of Samsung, Apple, and Google would get a little bit nervous. I know it’s a hypothetical, but just imagine this one launched in your country at the equivalent of $700 (as much as the OnePlus 11). It’s certainly one of the best-looking $700 phones I’ve ever seen, and competition is always good for the consumer!
If you’ve ever looked at a flagship phone like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and asked yourself whether making such a beast of a phone for half the price was possible, then this new Android challenger might catch your attention! It’s called the ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra, and despite the somewhat uninspiring name, it might be my favorite non-foldable phone on the market that you “can’t buy” right now. Except you can.
Here’s what makes the ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra more attractive than the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro combined, and why this surprising flagship contender might be the real flagship-killer...
This Android phone is $600 but it would’ve cost $1,200 if it came with a Samsung/Apple logo; brings breathtaking design with edge-to-edge display and invisible selfie camera
ZTE managed to make a worthy Galaxy S23 Ultra competitor, but the Chinese company also made what’s arguably the most visually striking phone on the market right now. All of this for the equivalent of $600-700…
Right out the gate, I believe it’s pretty clear to see what’s so visually striking about the Nubia Z50 Ultra. I know the term “bezel-less, edge-to-edge display” is being thrown around quite loosely nowadays, but not here!
That being said, the completely uninterrupted display of the Nubia Z50 Ultra isn’t where the design marvels end. Just take a look at the back of the phone! I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen such a unique-looking rear look in a while. I’m a fan of the silver finish in particular, which makes the camera housing and red buttons stand out.
If this already stunning design wasn’t enough, ZTE also made a version of the Nubia Z50 Ultra that pays homage to one of the most recognizable paintings in Western art. The Starry Night version of the phone basically lets you carry the Vincent van Gogh painting of the same name in your pocket, and it’s seriously breathtaking…
ZTE’s camera system focused on professional lenses shows Apple and Samsung what can be done with some imagination; flagship-grade specs match Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro at half the price
The impossible feat ZTE pulled off doesn’t end with the design. The Nubia Z50 Ultra also pushes the envelope when it comes to cameras, delivering one of the most unique camera systems I can think of. Again, at half the price of mainstream flagships...
- 64 MP, f/1.6, 35mm (standard), 1/1.3", 1.0µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
- 64 MP, f/3.3, 85mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2", PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom (vs. 26mm cam)
- 50 MP, f/2.X, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), PDAF
All rear camera sensors found on the Nubia Z50 Ultra are very large with the zoom and ultra-wide sensors being noticeably larger than the ones found in mainstream flagship phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max. But the even more fascinating part is what ZTE has decided to do with the focal lengths of those cameras.
The primary shooter defaults to 35mm, which gives it a much tighter look, closer to what the human eye actually sees. This is done to eliminate that familiar problem where you’re trying to take a photo of something with your primary camera but it looks somewhat distorted and “unprofessional”, or in other words not exactly like what you're seeing with your own eyes (perspective wise).
ZTE is taking inspiration from “real cameras” and the most popular lenses attached to them, which is why the zoom lens is set to 85mm. The ultra-wide-angle camera has a 14mm FoV, which is… ultra-wide.
The rest of the hardware of the Nubia Z50 Ultra also matches the most expensive Android phones on the market, which makes it hard to believe how ZTE managed to pull that off and whether the company is making any money at all here (that's rather unlikely)…
- 6.8-inch, edge-to-edge, 120Hz OLED display, which doesn’t even make the phone that heavy (228g) compared to other phones with large displays Galaxy S23 Ultra (234g) and iPhone 14 Pro Max (240g)
- You get the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for one of the lowest prices out there; ZTE also matches the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s storage speeds (UFS 4.0), Bluetooth standard, etc.
- The Nubia Z50 Ultra gives you 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM for the cheapest, base model (the top-tier version is 1TB/16GB)
- ZTE’s Ultra flagships packs a large 5,000 mAh battery with 80W fast charging (nearly 50% faster than the Galaxy S23 Ultra and twice as fast as the iPhone 14 Pro Max)
On top of all the seriously amazing hardware, the ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra launches with the latest Android 13, while ZTE promises a “bloatware-free Android experience”. That being said, software updates are a different story, and possibly ZTE’s Achilles’ heel, given the company’s poor track record.
Attention, OnePlus! The ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra is the real flagship-killer (but only if it launches in leaves China, and focuses on delivering extended software support)
Pricing for the ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra is as follows…
- 8 GB & 256 GB: CNY 3,999 (~US$580)
- 12 GB & 256 GB: CNY 4,299 (~US$625)
- 12 GB & 512 GB: CNY 4,699 (~US$670)
- 12 GB & 512 GB: CNY 4,999 (~US$730) Starry Night Edition
- 16 GB & 1TB: CNY 5,999 (~US$880)
Of course if you know anything about some of the most impressive Android phones on the planet, you already know what the “catch” is… The ZTE Nubia Z50 Ultra likely won’t be leaving China. However, the good news is that for a $100 markup one could easily import the phone. The Nubia Z50 Ultra supports Google apps and services, so “the Huawei factor” shouldn’t hold you back.
And despite that, the tech enthusiast in me is itching to get his hands on this stunning-looking phone, which isn’t even that expensive (all things considered). I mean, my iPhone 14 Pro (6.1-inch) is the equivalent of $1,500 where I live, and I like the design of the Nubia Z50 Ultra way more - Nubia’s flagships also packs (arguably) more impressive hardware at half the price - even when it comes to cameras.
So... I guess, the question I’ll leave everyone with is: "What would happen if ZTE decided to launch the Nubia Z50 Ultra outside of China?". Something is telling me the likes of Samsung, Apple, and Google would get a little bit nervous. I know it’s a hypothetical, but just imagine this one launched in your country at the equivalent of $700 (as much as the OnePlus 11). It’s certainly one of the best-looking $700 phones I’ve ever seen, and competition is always good for the consumer!
So, congratulations, ZTE! That’s how you make a real flagship-killer. Now, let us buy it without having to jump through hoops, and give us at least three years of major software updates. Deal?
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