Inside minutes of setting it up, I spotted one thing: this telephone doesn’t need to select between being a camera-first flagship or a gaming powerhouse. It’s making an attempt to be each. And, to my shock, it virtually pulls it off.
Show: The Sky Full Display screen Feels Nearly Unreal
Let’s speak display first, as a result of it’s laborious to not. Nubia calls it the Sky Full Display screen, and actually, that’s not advertising and marketing fluff. This 6.85-inch AMOLED panel stretches edge to edge, with no punch holes, no notches — simply pure, unbroken pixels. The under-display digicam is so well-hidden now that even underneath harsh daylight I needed to tilt the telephone at odd angles to catch a glimpse of it.
The show runs at 144Hz, with a 1.5K decision and a few proprietary co-tuning with Qualcomm. In day-to-day use, that partnership reveals. Scrolling feels fluid, animations are buttery, and colours are vivid with out being oversaturated. It’s the type of display that makes you need to rewatch outdated motion pictures, simply to see what you’ve been lacking.
What stunned me most wasn’t the specs, although — it was the consolation. Nubia claims SGS-certified low blue mild safety, and after a number of nights studying on Kindle or watching YouTube, I seen much less eye fatigue than normal. Possibly it’s psychological, however I feel there’s one thing to it.
Design: Extra Artwork Than Object
The Black Version has a really totally different persona in comparison with Nubia’s flashier variants. It’s stealthy — understated in the easiest way. The matte end feels clean however not slippery, and it diffuses mild with a delicate, virtually velvet-like sheen. It’s elegant with out being loud, and it hides fingerprints much better than any shiny flagship I’ve dealt with this yr.
There’s a tactile high quality to it that I really like. It’s not slippery, it doesn’t gather fingerprints like loopy, and the pink digicam ring provides a pointy accent that feels distinctly Nubia. Even the body carries a microscopic “star observe” engraving — fully pointless, however totally charming when you discover it.
At 228 grams, it’s a hefty telephone, sure. You’re feeling it in your pocket. But it surely’s well-balanced, and that weight offers it a reassuring solidity. It’s one of many few telephones this yr that feels premium in a non-generic means.
Digital camera: The 35mm Magic (and the Occasional Miss)
Right here’s the place issues get actually fascinating. The Z80 Extremely doesn’t use the same old 23mm “important” lens that almost each flagship adopts. As a substitute, it goes for a customized 35mm optical lens, and this small change makes a giant distinction.
When you’ve ever used an actual digicam, you recognize that 35mm is the candy spot — it’s extensive sufficient to inform a narrative, however tight sufficient to focus in your topic. And that’s precisely how this telephone behaves. Portraits look extra pure, with much less of that exaggerated wide-angle distortion. Buildings hold their strains straight, faces keep flattering.
Photographs come out crisp and detailed, with heat tones that remind me extra of Fujifilm’s colour science than the rest. Shadows are deep, typically too deep, however I’d moderately have that than the washed-out HDR look so many telephones chase lately.
The bodily shutter button is a small however good contact. Half-press to focus, full-press to seize — identical to an actual digicam. I discovered myself utilizing it consistently, particularly throughout road images walks. It turns fast, spontaneous moments into precise recollections moderately than missed alternatives.
That mentioned, not all the pieces is ideal. The ultra-wide 18mm lens, whereas sharp, typically introduces slight colour mismatches in comparison with the primary digicam. And the 64MP periscope telephoto—spectacular on paper—can sometimes oversharpen distant textures. It’s nothing deal-breaking, nevertheless it reminds you that is nonetheless a telephone digicam, not a mirrorless system.
Nonetheless, total, the digicam setup feels distinctive in a market the place all the pieces has began to blur collectively.
Efficiency: Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Doesn’t Flinch
As a result of this isn’t only a Nubia telephone. It borrows the gaming DNA of RedMagic, Nubia’s sister model. The consequence? You get the identical stage of thermal administration and sport optimization that hardcore cell avid gamers swear by.
In “Honor of Kings,” I performed a number of matches at max settings. The telephone stayed cool — round 36°C on the again, which is spectacular contemplating the framerate by no means dropped under 120fps. “PUBG Cell”? Easy as silk, and the shoulder triggers made aiming really feel virtually unfairly exact.
Even after half-hour of play, there was no throttling, no scorching spots. I believe Nubia’s new multi-layer vapor cooling system deserves the credit score.
Battery and Charging: Sensible Energy
The 7200mAh silicon-carbon battery is likely to be probably the most underrated a part of this telephone. I didn’t consider the numbers at first. But after a full day of testing, I persistently ended every evening with round 25–30% left — and that’s after digicam use, searching, and some gaming periods.
Charging is equally spectacular. 90W wired, 80W wi-fi, and even reverse wi-fi charging if you’ll want to high up earbuds or a smartwatch. From empty to 100%, wired charging takes roughly 35 minutes. That’s quick sufficient that I by no means anxious about forgetting to cost it in a single day.
Even in colder situations (I examined it briefly outdoor in November climate), the battery held up remarkably properly — no sudden drain, no bizarre voltage drops.
Audio and Multimedia: Immersive Sufficient to Neglect
The stereo audio system caught me off guard. I anticipated good sound, not nice sound. However the readability right here is phenomenal, particularly for a telephone with out a big resonance chamber. Films and video games have weight. There’s spatial element. You’ll be able to really inform the place sounds are coming from, which reinforces immersion — significantly when gaming with the full-screen show.
No headphone jack, after all, however I’ve made my peace with that. Bluetooth audio is steady and helps the same old hi-res codecs.
Every day Use: Balanced, However Daring
Residing with the Nubia Z80 Extremely for 2 weeks, I discovered myself appreciating its small particulars greater than its specs. The haptics, for example — crisp and tactile. The fingerprint reader — virtually on the spot. Even the vibration when taking pictures feels tuned, deliberate.
Nonetheless, there are moments when the telephone feels an excessive amount of. Too bold, possibly. It tries to be a gaming beast, a professional digicam, and an artwork piece unexpectedly. And whereas it succeeds in most areas, it sometimes feels prefer it’s juggling greater than it ought to.
There’s additionally the software program — clear, sure, however with occasional translation quirks and redundant menus. Nubia’s group has improved loads since earlier generations, nevertheless it’s not as polished as, say, Samsung’s One UI or Google’s Pixel OS.
Closing Verdict: A Telephone That Dares
So the place does that go away the Nubia Z80 Extremely? I feel it’s for individuals like me — individuals who admire {hardware} that feels alive, that dares to be totally different even when it stumbles sometimes.
It’s not probably the most sensible flagship. But it surely’s one of the memorable. Between its good display, versatile 35mm digicam, rock-solid gaming efficiency, and battery endurance, it seems like a tool constructed for creators and energy customers alike.
Would I like to recommend it? Sure — with a small asterisk. When you worth character and efficiency over software program perfection, it is a gem. However in order for you seamless integration, long-term updates, and international help, possibly look elsewhere.
Nonetheless, I can’t deny it: this is likely one of the few telephones I’ll hold CLOSE to me.
My high 5 key factors
- True Full-Display screen Expertise – The 6.85-inch AMOLED “Sky Full Display screen” affords a totally notch-free show with excellent colour accuracy, 144Hz refresh charge, and wonderful eye consolation.
- Distinctive 35mm Fundamental Digital camera – The customized 35mm lens produces extra natural-looking portraits and storytelling photographs, setting it aside from most flagships utilizing 23mm lenses.
- Prime-Tier Efficiency – Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage, it delivers flagship-level velocity and steady gaming efficiency with out overheating.
- Large Battery and Quick Charging – The 7200mAh battery with 90W wired and 80W wi-fi charging simply lasts a full day, even underneath heavy use.
- Elegant Black Design with Character – The matte black end feels premium, hides fingerprints properly, and combines delicate aesthetics with strong construct high quality and exact haptics.
