The nubia Z80 Ultra is like a elegant tuxedo that hides the raw muscles of a professional athlete.
If you’re looking for a device that offers pure vision and relentless performance, this first look review suggests you’ve found a serious contender.
Design: Premium IP69 Build and Retro Styling
Ergonomics and Dimensions
Let’s not pretend this phone is tiny. At 164.5mm x 77.2mm and weighing 227g, it has a powerful core, but that weight immediately tells you where the power is hiding (that monster battery, naturally).
The thickness of 8.6mm feels substantial, but it’s a trade-off I’m willing to make for the endurance it promises. If thinness is a priority for you, the nubia Air is 5.9mm thin.
You can get the nubia Z80 Ultra in four colors: Black, White, Starry Night, and Luo Tian Yi.
I’m obsessed with the retro styling options. The Retro Kit 2.0 is more than just a case; it turns the phone into a nostalgic piece of camera gear with a premium leather grip and a classic lens hood.
Advanced Durability and Control
I genuinely appreciate nubia’s commitment to real-world durability. I’m talking IP68 & IP69 Water and Dust Resistance, which means full immersion is fine, and even high-pressure sprays won’t faze it. That’s pure peace of mind.
And some real buttons! The Dual-Stage Physical Button is a total win, giving you instant, tactile access to your camera or gaming functions. It’s a small detail, but it makes the phone feel like a precision tool, not just a slab of glass.
Display and Audio: Pure Vision and Immersion
The Seamless Under-Display Experience
Look, the UDC screen is the main event here. The 8th generation UDC Full Screen Display is truly glorious. No notch, no punch-hole, just pure canvas. This is the Pure Vision experience we’ve been waiting for, filling an impressive 89.5% of the body.
The viewing experience is delivered on a generous 6.85-inch UDC AMOLED Full Screen with a crystal-clear 1.5K (2688×1216) resolution. The 144Hz Silky Fresh Rate makes scrolling feel buttery smooth, and the 2000 nits Peak Brightness means you can actually see what you’re doing outside. Plus, the SGS Low Blue Light Certification makes your eyes happy during late-night gaming sessions.
Immersive Audio System
The audio stack seriously backs up the visual experience. It features an Immersive DTS Duo Box Speaker System and Dual Speakers with DTS:X Ultra. This combination promises rich, booming sound that totally elevates movie watching or gaming. And for comms, the inclusion of 5 Microphones means your voice should come through loud and clear every time.
Performance: Elite Gaming and Cryo-Cooling
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Engine
What’s running the show? At the heart of the nubia Z80 Ultra is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, built on the 3nm process. It’s engineered for lightning-fast response times and perfectly stable frame rates in any game you can throw at it. The raw graphical power is delivered by the Adreno 840 GPU.
The memory configurations are just what you’d expect from a powerhouse: LPDDR5X High-Speed RAM and UFS 4.1 Ultra-Fast Storage. You can spec this thing up to a massive 16GB RAM with 1TB storage. With this kind of speed, you’ll never see a stutter, whether you’re swapping apps or loading huge files.
REDMAGIC-Inspired Power and Cooling
But their dedication to elite performance doesn’t stop at the chip. nubia integrated the legendary REDMAGIC-inspired Gaming Engine and a dedicated Gamespace, this isn’t just a flagship, it’s a stealth gaming phone. It’s built to give you a serious competitive edge.
For ultimate precision, you can connect the Game Pad 2 to the Z80 Ultra and transform your phone into a true gaming console.
To keep this beast from sweating, the cooling solution is high-end: a composite Liquid Metal Craftsmanship structure is paired with an oversized 3D Cryo-Steel VC (Vapor Chamber). This setup is all about maximum efficiency, keeping everything running cool and powerful during those extended gaming marathons.
Camera: The Legendary Dual-Primary System
Legendary 35mm Optics and Triple Rear Camera Specs
What I love about the camera system on the nubia Z80 Ultra is its unique philosophy, focusing on a legendary dual-primary camera system. For me, the focus on the 5th generation 35mm Customized Optics is the most exciting part-that’s the classic street photography focal length, built for compelling, natural images.
The full triple rear camera array is a beast:
- 50MP Main Camera (35mm focal length, 1/1.3″ sensor, OIS, f/1.7)
- 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera (1/1.55″ sensor, f/1.8, AF, Macro 5.5cm)
- 64MP Telephoto Camera (OIS, f/2.48)
The hardware is backed by the Light & Shadow Master 990 Sensor. This combination promises stunning clarity even at night. They even included a dedicated Flicker + Laser Sensor that’s a serious pro touch that helps nail consistent focus and light control.
Pro 8K Video Recording
And for video? This thing is a powerhouse, recording up to cinema-grade 8K at 30fps and offering super-smooth slow-motion options with 4K at 30/60/120fps. That capability proves this isn’t just a photography tool; it’s a serious video machine.
16MP Front Camera
The UDC magic means the front camera is perfectly hidden-a worthy trade-off for the full-screen view. This is a capable 16MP front sensor (f/2.0), ensuring your video calls and portraits are sharp without breaking the full-screen immersion.
Battery & Charging: Power That Endures
The Unstoppable 7200mAh Monster
If you’re anything like me, you worry about one thing: battery life. The colossal 7200mAh battery here is a monster. This capacity is designed to crush battery anxiety, keeping me powered through gaming, streaming, and everything else from sunrise to well past midnight.
Fast Wired and Wireless Charging
When I do finally need to plug in, the Z80 Ultra supports 80W Wired Super Fast Charging and, impressively, 80W Wireless Charging. That high-speed, cable-free convenience fits perfectly into a busy day. Just remember: To hit that full 80W speed, you absolutely need the official nubia charger.
Connectivity & Quality of Life
The Nebula AIOS Experience
The nubia Z80 Ultra runs on MyOS, centered around the intelligent Nebula AIOS core. It’s built to be a productivity partner. That Gemini integration for Circle to Search with Google isn’t just a gimmick, it’s a genuinely fast way to get information.
Plus, the Gemini AI Voice Assistant and AI-Powered Text Assistant in Gmail promise to be real time-savers.
Connectivity, I/O, and Control
For physical controls, the Customizable Slide Key is a stroke of genius, giving you an instant shortcut to silent mode or flashlight.
The phone includes a precise X-axis Linear Motor for great haptic feedback, a fast Type-C 3.2 (Gen1) port, Bluetooth 6.0, and NFC.
Security and Network
For access and security, the 3D Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor provides reliable authentication.
The Z80 Ultra fully supports 5G connectivity and offers a practical Dual SIM setup, covering all you network needs.
In the Box
Like most smartphones, the charger is not in the box, and you will need to buy your own charger (or grab the official nubia 80W one to hit those peak speeds). In the box, you get the nubia Z80 Ultra itself, a Screen Protector, a Phone Case, a Type-C to Type-C Cable, a SIM Tray Ejector, and Warranty Card & Quick Start Guide.
Conclusion: My first look at the nubia Z80 Ultra
Few phones blend the classic photography tool (the legendary 35mm dual-primary camera, complete with a tactile physical shutter) with the dedicated gaming beast (the integrated REDMAGIC engine) so effectively. The nubia Z80 Ultra is equally at home capturing a street scene as it is dominating a high-frame-rate battleground.
