However, it lacks the extra refinement and polish necessary to excel in the non-gaming phone space.
However, the Nubia Z60 Ultra represents something slightly different.
Theres no getting away from the fact that the Nubia Z60 Ultras brash looks will put many off.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Not to mention, its big and unusually heavy, while its industrial design language feels somewhat clumsy.
Again, this is something thats less forgivable in a regular smartphone.
Thankfully, the rest of the cameras are pretty decent for the money.
General performance is unimpeachable, with aSnapdragon 8 Gen 3tackling intensive tasks such as games with consummate ease.
A strong cooling provision means that the Z60 Ultra can sustain its performance over extended periods, too.
Perhaps the Nubia Z60 Ultras defining feature is its huge 6,000mAh battery.
True, its what gives the phone its unusual weight, but it also ensures full two-day usage potential.
While 80W charging is pretty decent, however, its a shame that theres no wireless charging.
Another slight drawback is Nubias take in an Android user experience: myOS.
All in all, the Nubia Z60 Ultra feels slightly less than the sum of its parts.
However, it doesnt quite feel like an entirely cohesive or complete product.
With a little more refinement, however, Nubia could be onto something with the Z60 Ultras successors.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
However, US buyers can snap up that baseline 8GB RAM variant right now too, for less.
It does have wireless charging, though.
Its incredibly heavy, even relative to other larger flagships.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Weight aside, I suspect that the back of the phone will prove the most divisive element here.
The whole triple array sits on a square slab thats slightly raised above the body of the phone.
The periscope camera gets its own rectangular slab of a module.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Its all a bit of a mish mash.
It doesnt quite work.
The front of the Z60 Ultra is much more subtle.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Its far from a given, even at this price.
Its another 2480 x 1116 resolution, 120Hz panel, with a stated peak brightness of 1,500nits.
Youll notice the same lack of a front camera notch as on the brand’s Red Magic phones.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Sure enough, the color output is nice and natural, at least on the Normal setting.
Nubia supplies reasonably flexible system for tweaking the tone to your liking, too.
Night shots can be reasonably crisp, too, when they come out properly.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
While its not flagship-standard, however, the results are reasonably sharp and certainly usable.
One thing that barely deserves the usable tag is the Z60 Ultras 12MP selfie camera.
This can be deactivated in the camera tweaks menu, but it really shouldnt even be there.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
The Geekbench 6 benchmark scores are certainly competitive with such a lofty performer.
GPU benchmarks are similarly up there near the top, reflecting the phones top-level gaming performance.
But then, thats a benchmark custom made to make even the most capable of phones puff and pant.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Its all there in the toggle-filled notification pane and in configs menus that lack a cohesive visual style.
As before, Nubia has preinstalledGoogleKeep, which will always gain props from me.
The phones 6,000mAh cell is another holdover from Nubias work in the gaming phone space.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Thankfully, it partly balances this out with strong stamina.
Elsewhere you’re free to count on rapid 80W wired charging.
But thats still not bad going.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Sadly, Nubia has opted to omit wireless charging from the Z60 Ultra.
Should you buy the Nubia Z60 Ultra?
You prefer your Android stockNubias custom UI isnt terrible, but its a fair way from Googles stock ideal.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
You take a lot of selfiesThe Nubia Z60 Ultras 12MP front camera takes some of the worst selfies around.
OnePlus 12RThe OnePlus 12R offers a broadly flagship-level experience for a similar price to the Nubia Z60 Ultra.
Google Pixel 8The Pixel 8 is another almost-flagship selling for a similar price.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
Its much smaller than the Z60 Ultra, however, and its performance isnt as good.
For at least a week of that time, the Z60 Ultra was my everyday phone.
Im a freelance journalist who got his start writing about mobile games in the pre-smartphone era.
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
I now write about consumer tech, games, and culture for a number of top websites.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed February 2024
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
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Game Space is loaded with useful tools for gamers.
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(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
(Image credit: Future | Jon Mundy)
