nubia Z80 Ultra

♡

43th best phone of 2025 (~$649)

GSMCritic Take: With its high-speed Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and large OLED display, this phone delivers smooth gaming and immersive media experiences, while its substantial weight and thickness make it less comfortable for everyday handling.

6.85-inch

227g

8.6mm

80W

waterproof

Click to open full specs on GSMArena.com:

* Screen covers 89.5% of body.

Reviews

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Last update: 2026-03-13

Pros

Camera

Strong Rear Camera System: The triple rear camera setup including a praised 35mm main camera and a better-than-most ultrawide camera produces excellent photos in most situations and very good video in both daytime and nighttime conditions.

Performance

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor delivers extremely rapid, lightning-fast performance and smooth responsiveness across demanding tasks.

Excellent Gaming Capability: Gaming performance is consistently described as excellent thanks to the powerful chipset combined with the high refresh rate display.

Design

Durable IP68/IP69 Build: The device features a distinctive design with robust protection through both IP68 and IP69 certification.

Dedicated Hardware Controls: The phone includes tactile hardware inputs such as a physical slider and a separate camera button, providing direct controls beyond the touchscreen.

Display

Uninterrupted OLED Display: The OLED screen has no notch or punch-hole, creating a completely uninterrupted full-screen viewing experience.

144Hz Refresh Rate: The display supports a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, delivering very fluid motion during navigation, gaming, and content playback.

Battery

Fast 80W Wired and Wireless Charging: The phone supports fast 80W charging through both wired and wireless methods.

Very Large Battery with Outstanding Endurance: The large battery capacity delivers phenomenal, epic battery life and long-lasting operation.

Software

Simple Minimalistic Android Interface: The stripped-back Android interface is straightforward, easy to navigate, and follows a clean no-frills design.

Connectivity

Advanced Connectivity Features: The device supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, a USB-C 3.2 port, and also includes an infrared blaster.

Cons

Camera

Telephoto Camera Issues: The telephoto camera shows unusual rendering of fine detail and the default zoom level in the camera app relies on a digital crop instead of the lens’s native zoom.

Inconsistent Camera Software: Image processing can be inconsistent, autofocus can sometimes be unreliable, and video recording may suffer from stability issues.

Limited Lock Screen Camera Functions: Restrictions when launching the camera from the lock screen limit some camera functionality.

Poor Under-Display Selfie Camera: The front camera sits beneath the display and produces poor quality selfies with visible quality loss.

Design

Thick and Heavy Body: The chassis is thicker and heavier than many competing flagship phones, making the device feel bulky and somewhat clumsy in daily handling.

Display

No LTPO Display Technology: The OLED panel lacks LTPO technology, placing it behind competing displays in terms of panel capabilities.

Limited Streaming Video Support: Popular streaming platforms do not provide true high-resolution or HDR video playback on the device.

Software

Feature-Light Software: The minimalistic Android interface lacks many features compared with competing software platforms.

Short Software Support: The device is promised only three years of software updates.

Audio

Weak Speaker Performance: The speakers are unimpressive and can easily become muffled when the phone is held in landscape orientation.

Connectivity

No eSIM Support: The phone does not support eSIM functionality, limiting digital SIM flexibility.

Rankings

The Best Phone Of 2025: #43

The Highest Optical Zoom Of 2025: #34

The Largest Screen Size Of 2025: #12

The Smallest Screen Size Of 2025: #52

The Lightest Phone Of 2025: #58

The Thinnest Phone Of 2025: #46

The Fastest Charging Speed Of 2025: #25

The Highest Screen To Body Ratio Of 2025: #36

The Cheapest Phone Of 2025: #25