Competition
The Z80 Ultra starts at an almost bargain-level €650 for the base version (12GB/256GB), with another €150 if you want to get more RAM and storage (16GB/512GB), and goes all the way up to €900 for the somewhat excessive 16GB/1TB version. It’s quite the wide spread, but perhaps it’s the €800 middle option that is going to be on most people’s radars.
We’re thinking a Xiaomi 15T Pro could be a potential rival for the nubia, itself a more than decent cameraphone for the price. The Z80 Ultra wins for battery life and outright performance, but we’d very much prefer the Xiaomi’s software.
You could pick up a vivo X200 FE for X80 Ultra money – an easy choice if you’re after a compact handset, though the FE may not be as versatile a cameraphone. The nubia will also comfortably outlast it in an endurance race (will also win a benchmark contest). More capable cameraphone vivos are more expensive (X300, for example), or harder to find (X200 Pro).
You could also look at the Galaxy S25+, by now discounted to around €800, give or take. It’s a generation behind on the Elite scale, doesn’t last as long as the nubia on a single charge, and is a fairly basic cameraphone. But it’s a Samsung.
With a similar mindset you could end up at the Pixel 10. It’s an okay cameraphone with nice software from a big name, plus it’s big on pocketability. The Z80 Pro scores points for battery life and screen estate.
Xiaomi 15T Pro • vivo X200 FE • Samsung Galaxy S25+ • Google Pixel 10
Verdict
We’re never really sure what to make of the nubia Ultras. They make bold claims for camera greatness, but deliver only partially, and we wouldn’t say we’ve been seeing a whole lot of groundbreaking improvements in that area.
That said, this time we’re getting nicer-than-usual video and the tri-set of rear cameras has no major flaws (well, other than the regular nubia camera UI oddities), now that the ultrawide is back on the right track. We know not to expect a lot from the underdisplay selfie camera, sure, but that doesn’t negate the fact that the Z80 Ultra is no good for selfies – do keep that in mind.
The Z80 Ultra does bring some tangible non-camera-related improvements, like the brighter (if not quite HDR-friendly) display, excellent battery life, and the expected performance bump. Staples of the lineup include a lot of physical controls and gaming-oriented capabilities, making the Ultra an uncommon blend for a somewhat specific type of user.
Overall, the nubia Z80 Ultra is a capable package that brings plenty of value – just don’t approach it expecting it to rival the true photo-enthusiast Ultras out there.
Pros
- Standout design, IP68/IP69 rating.
- Plenty of physical controls – a slider and a camera button.
- Large and cutout-free OLED display with a 144Hz maximum refresh rate.
- Excellent battery life, fast charging.
- No-frills general UI, wide-ranging gaming capabilities.
- Unusually good videos from the rear cameras.
Cons
- Default telephoto zoom level in the camera app isn’t the native one.
- Selfies from the under-display camera aren’t as good as what you’d get from a conventional one.
- Display is lacking in HDR support and streaming capabilities.
- No eSIM support.