Nubia Z70S Ultra Phone Design
- Muhammad Rehman
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Z70S Ultra is the new Z-series nubia because it's been six months since the last one. In addition to the company's signature 35mm lens, this new camera features a larger sensor, additional battery capacity, and yet another fresh redesign. For this latest edition, the nubia gets a 1/1.3" sensor for its main camera - the one with the 35mm lens.
That is comparable to the vivo X200 Ultra in some ways, and it speaks volumes about the Z70S Ultra's potential, at least in theory. The previous generation had a smaller sensor (1/1.56"), but also an f/1.6-f/4.0 variable aperture lens.
The aperture is now fixed at f/1.7 on this S model. The ultrawide and telephoto lenses have not changed, but the selfie camera below the display is now slightly better at capturing light. Our review unit of the nubia Z70S Ultra arrived without a charger, a reality that customers in the EU should be familiar with by now. A cable in the usual red color was included. Also included is a clear snap-on protective case, with particularly tacky shiny edges.
The nubia Z smartphones have had the design part largely dialed in for a few generations now, iterating on the same concept with minor adjustments in camera placement, materials, and color. We are not implying that it is a bad thing; rather, we are stating that it is a welcome combination of personality and continuity. Sure enough, the Z70S Ultra changes things up on the back compared to the Z70 Ultra (non-S).
From a distance, the rear panel appears to be typical faux leather, but if you poke it with a knife, it doesn't really scratch. When you look closer, you start to see reflections, which indicate that the panel is still glass even though it was etched and finished to look like leather. Which is good, because we were just about to point out that it's not really soft to the touch like you'd expect from leather. But since it's glass, we'd praise it for how not like glass it feels - it offers a lot of grip and it doesn't pick up fingerprints, so not a whole lot of downsides to it.
The elimination of the variable aperture mechanism may have evened things out, as the larger main camera sensor has not resulted in a noticeable increase. The other cameras have been left unchanged, so there has been no rearrangement like the one we got from the Z60 Ultra to the Z70 Ultra.
In a similar vein, the Z70S Ultra's physical controls have not changed, and they remain abundant. In addition to the usual power button and volume rocker there's a two-stage shutter release button on the right, while the left side holds a slider that can be used to launch the camera (or flashlight, or gaming utility).
The fingerprint reader also remains where it was - and that's pretty much right where it should be in terms of height, so your fingers fall naturally on it. It's an optical model that opens easily in most situations, but if your hands are frequently wet, you probably prefer an ultrasonic model. On the other hand, the flat rectangular display appears to be made for glass screen protectors, so this optical variety will work well with them. One of the lineup's most striking features is, well, the absence of a camera punch hole - the display appears to be one solid OLED rectangle.
Naturally, there is a selfie camera hidden beneath the display, which has pixels that alternate with those of the panel and is largely unnoticeable when the display is illuminated. The slim uniform bezels are also a welcome sight.
Similar to the Z70 Ultra, the second-generation Longxi Glass safeguards the display. The frame of the handset, meanwhile, is aluminum and has a fine satin finish - it's more slippery than the back, that's for sure. The phone is still protected by IP68 and IP69, so it should survive being submerged in water and being sprayed with high-temperature water jets.
The Z70S Ultra's styling is meant to evoke retro camera vibes, and if you're not quite getting those from the phone itself, nubia also has an accessory kit to drive the point home. It adds a few dials, a rocker, an extra-large shutter release button, and a cold shoe mount, making the phone look and operate like an old-fashioned rangefinder. The kit will set you back €120, which is not entirely unreasonable on the face of it, though we haven't seen it in person to comment on its practical usefulness.
Comments