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By the end of 2024, Nubia took us by surprise with the Z70 Ultra, a smartphone boasting a bold retro design, robust performance, and surprisingly adept photographic capabilities. Just a few months later, the Z70s Ultra has arrived: an iteration that promises refined aesthetics, enhanced photography, and better performance, all for just an additional 20 euros. This was enough reason for us to put it through the paces in our rigorous tests.
Nubia Z70s Ultra Technical Specifications
| Model | Nubia Z70s Ultra |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 77.1 mm x 164.3 mm x 8.6 mm |
| User Interface | Nebula AIOS |
| Screen Size | 6.85 inches |
| Resolution | 2688 x 1216 pixels |
| Pixel Density | 430 ppi |
| Display Technology | AMOLED |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno 830 |
| Internal Storage | 256, 512 GB |
| Rear Camera | Sensor 1: 50 MP Sensor 2: 50 MP Sensor 3: 64 MP |
| Front Camera | 16 MP |
| Video Recording Resolution | 8K@30fps |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 (be) |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 |
| 5G | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Under the screen |
| Connector Type | USB Type-C |
| Battery Capacity | 6600 mAh |
| Weight | 228 g |
| Colors | Black, Brown |
| Product Sheet |
Nubia Z70s Ultra Design
The Z70s Ultra almost identically replicates the design of its predecessor. It features a black monolithic structure with sharp lines reminiscent of the Xperia models from the 2010s. Its bold, assertive style is especially pronounced with its retro look on the back. This is further accentuated by the addition of a faux leather coating, reminiscent of vintage cameras.
Measuring 164.3 x 77.1 x 8.6 mm and weighing 228 grams, this is not a device for those with small hands. However, the design is well proportioned, and the 6.85-inch screen occupies nearly 90% of the front thanks to its thin and balanced edges. There’s no notch to be seen: the selfie camera is concealed under the screen, just like on the Z70 Ultra.
The back is where the style really asserts itself. Nubia brings back the retro design that had charmed us: the lower two-thirds are flat, while the upper third houses the camera block, highlighted by a red ring around the main sensor. This time, the brand goes further with a black faux leather coating, a nod to the film cameras of the 60s and 70s. The result is a successful aesthetic, and a back that is much less prone to fingerprint marks than the previous model.
However, the main camera block is aesthetically pleasing yet thick, which creates instability when the phone is laid flat, especially when interacting with the left side of the screen. Nonetheless, the area occupied by the virtual keyboard remains usable without too much instability.
The flat metal edges follow the current trend. On the right side, you’ll find the volume and power buttons, the latter marked with a subtle yet stylish red. A customizable switch is also present, handy for quickly activating silent mode or launching the camera.
The build is solid, with no notable weaknesses. The protective glass is not Gorilla Glass, but Longxi Glass Gen 2. Less known in our markets, but reported to be just as resilient. And in terms of durability, Nubia checks the right boxes: IP68 and IP69 certifications, making it dust, splash, and even immersion resistant.
The Z70S Ultra is an elegant, well-finished smartphone with a confidently retro look that clearly stands out. And it does so with flair.
For those who are truly addicted to the retro camera style: Nubia offers a kit (119 euros) that adds a handle to the front for better grip and allows the addition of physical buttons like on a real film camera.
Nubia Z70s UltraScreen
The Nubia Z70S Ultra features the exact same OLED panel as its predecessor. It displays in 2688 x 1216 pixels, equivalent to a pixel density of 430 ppi. The output is sharp, precise, and pleasant to the eye. The refresh rate is dynamic, varying between 60 and 144 Hz, with intermediate steps at 90 Hz and 120 Hz.
Three display modes are available: Colorful, Normal, or Soft. After measurements with our probe and the Calman Ultimate software from Portrait Displays, it’s the Soft mode that offers the best average delta E with 2.65 measured against a reference value of 3. Nubia has improved its calibration compared to the Z70 Ultra.
In terms of color temperature, the panel displays a value of 6403 K, very close to the reference value of 6500 K. For comparison, the Z70 Ultra displayed 6322 K. The color space is also slightly wider than on the previous model: 140% of sRGB, 94% of DCI-P3, 64% of BT.2020. This translates to a natural and richly nuanced output.
In SDR brightness, we measured a peak at 1516 nits, which allows for good readability in almost all lighting conditions. In HDR, the screen climbs to 1795 nits, allowing you to enjoy your HDR content in normal ambient light conditions. In a dim environment, the output will be even more accurate.
Nubia Z70s UltraPerformance
The Z70S Ultra is equipped with the same SoC as the Z70 Ultra, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite whose performance is very similar both on paper and in action. In the category of smartphones between 700 and 800 euros, we are looking at the most powerful, just before the Poco F7 Ultra. The product is available in a 12 GB + 256 GB version and a 16 GB + 512 GB version, with RAM in LPDDR5X and storage in UFS 4.0.
On a daily basis, we have a powerhouse at our disposal. Whether it’s navigating Android, launching 4K video conversions, or even indulging in multitasking, we’ve never encountered any slowdowns.
In terms of gaming, the Adreno 830 GPU that supports the Snapdragon 8 Elite does the job perfectly. In Fortnite, we activated the 120 Hz mode in Epic graphic quality and the output is impeccable. The framerate may slightly drop when there is a lot of action on the screen. The most competitive will lower the graphic level for more stability.
In Genshin Impact, the same observation: 60 fps in maximum graphic quality is just a formality, even when the screen displays a lot of action.
Call of Duty, in 120 fps mode and Medium visual quality, as well as in 60 fps with Ultra quality, shows very good stability in both situations.
In intensive use, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is throttled by Nubia to avoid overheating. Good point, if the throttling can reach 77% of maximum performance, this only occurs about 50% of the time over an hour of testing.
The temperature remains acceptable during a good hour of play, but then exceeds 42°C, which can start to affect comfort.
Nubia Z70s UltraSoftware
The Nubia Z70 Ultra runs on Android 15, with the Nebula AIOS 1.5 overlay. The interface is clear and uncluttered. It offers many customization options. It’s not as rich as ColorOS, but there is already enough to personalize your experience.
We also have a smart bar for quick access to applications and some AI features, mainly automatic translation, including during calls. We also have photo editing tools and a smart sidebar that adapts to your usage.
Be sure to explore the Settings to configure the mechanical switch. Gamers will also appreciate the Game Bar, which groups multiple settings: performance management, Wi-Fi optimization, framerate display, and other practical tools.
The only downside: the update policy. Nubia promises 3 years of system support, far from the 7 years offered by Google or Samsung, or even the 8 years of the Fairphone 6.
Nubia Z70s UltraPhoto
The camera setup of the Z70S Ultra is very solid, featuring:
- A 50 MP wide-angle sensor with an f/1.7 aperture
- A 50 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with an f/2.0 aperture
- A 64 MP telephoto lens with an f/2.48 aperture
The main evolution compared to the Z70 Ultra is the switch from a Sony IMX9 sensor with variable aperture f/1.56 – f/4.0, to a 50 MP neo Master sensor with an f/1.7 aperture. The selfie sensor remains the same: a 16 MP sensor.
Wide Angle
The Z70S Ultra delivers excellent performance with its main sensor. We have a beautifully sharp image, nicely defined elements, but we note a bit too much smoothing on the micro-details, which, depending on the level of brightness, can affect the texture rendering.
The colorimetry is natural, a bit more saturated than it should be, but it remains light. Contrasts are finely managed, which slightly reduces the negative impact of micro-detail smoothing. Brightness is perfectly managed, overexposure is really the exception.
At night, we get very good results with quite precise details. Sure, the smoothing is complemented by a slight grain, especially in less lit environments, but it remains acceptable.
The Z70S Ultra knows how to capture light, which allows for very readable shots. However, it doesn’t try to show “too much”: we get images very close to what our eyes perceive.
While the colorimetry is a bit flattering, it’s nothing excessive. The management of bright areas is quite fine, with a very controlled flare effect around streetlights, for instance. It’s not yet at the level of a Pixel 9 Pro, but this phone is also significantly less expensive. Overall, this sensor doesn’t bring many changes compared to the one equipped in the Z70 Ultra, except perhaps a bit more finesse on certain details.
Portrait
The portrait mode delivers precise cutouts. Only the tousled hair of the tester’s daughter posed a bit more of a challenge for the Z70s Ultra. The bokeh effect, on the other hand, is progressive and well-dosed.
The colorimetry is very natural, with a generally accurate rendering of skin tones. Micro-details undergo slight smoothing, but this does not really affect the texture rendering, nor the beard stubble. However, we note a bit more marked smoothing on some slightly reflective areas, like the collar of the tester’s jacket.
Ultra Wide Angle
With its 50 MP, the ultra-wide-angle sensor manages to capture beautiful details. However, the digital processing is a bit too aggressive and tends to reduce the level of precision as soon as one moves away from the foreground.
The device also struggles to maintain colorimetry consistent with that of the main sensor. The shots thus appear paler than they should be, and when aiming at a very bright area, a slight risk of overexposure appears.
The contrasts are a bit less well managed than on the main module, but remain above average. However, distortion is well controlled: it remains discreet and not bothersome. This 50 MP sensor therefore has potential, but it is curtailed by a bit too aggressive digital processing.
At night, the Z70S Ultra does quite well with the ultra-wide angle. The colorimetry holds up well, a bit richer than it should be, but without falling into excess.
We remain somewhat disappointed by the aggressiveness of the smoothing, which erases part of the details and affects the precision. However, the result remains well above the market average.
Light capture is convincing. In a well-lit urban environment, the sensor is comfortable. And in more complex conditions, it performs honorably, with shots that are less precise but authentically reproduce the real atmosphere of the scene.
Zoom
The 64 MP telephoto lens offers a 2.4x optical zoom that does a very good job. It manages to maintain an excellent level of detail; if there is a loss, it remains hardly noticeable to the naked eye.
We particularly appreciate that the management of colorimetry, contrast, and brightness remains at the same level as that of the main sensor.
The 5x zoom retains these qualities, but it is at the level of detail rendering that differences appear. The smoothing becomes more pronounced, especially on micro-details.
However, one really has to nitpick: at first glance, the drop in precision goes unnoticed.
At 10x, the rendering remains very pleasant and perfectly usable. Micro-details are a bit blurred, and some contours lack sharpness in complex areas. Yet, the overall sharpness remains good and the text remains legible, without any flattening effects.
Pushing up to 30x zoom, the rendering remains clean. However, the drop in precision begins to be noticeable.
In good lighting conditions, the 50x zoom proves impressive. It allows capturing distant details while maintaining a certain image consistency. However, reliefs become less and less perceptible, and details suffer from marked digital noise. Despite this, at this price level, the result remains remarkable.
At night, the 2.4x zoom is a real success. The loss of detail remains slight, digital noise is contained, and
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Maya Singh is a senior editor covering tablets and hybrid devices. Her work explores how these tools reshape digital productivity and learning. She also contributes to feature editorials on emerging tech.