After a series of leaks and speculations, the ZTE Nubia Z17 is finally here. The phone is a monster in terms of hardware, shipping with some jaw-breaking performance specs as well as cameras yet priced way cheaper than the likes of Samsung Galaxy S8, LG G6 or even the older Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones.
There are several standout features on the ZTE Nubia Z17 flagship, but nothing beats the staggering 8GB RAM used on the phone. With this module, the Nubia Z17 becomes the second ever smartphone to ship with 8GB RAM, after ASUS did the same with the Tango and Daydream-based ZenFone AR. But this is not all that there’s about the Z17 flagship.
Being a flagship phone, the Nubia Z17 has a premium design that directly matches with what it carries under the hood. In order to bring the price lower, the company went for a 5.5-inch Full HD display screen, but the bezels are almost not there (sides). As for the top and bottom ends, you can see bezels, similar to what other phones have.
Under the hood, ZTE went for the best in the market – the Snapdragon 835 processor. This is the most powerful chipset from Qualcomm at the moment and it’s the same as the one used in some variants of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, HTC U11, Sony Xperia XZ Premium and Xiaomi Mi 6. However, ZTE takes the RAM madness to the next level with a massive 8GB module, although you’ll also come across some models with 6GB RAM.
Where the high-end 8GB RAM variant is paired with a massive 128GB of internal storage, the 6GB RAM variant has either 64GB or 128GB of storage on board. These two will match the OnePlus 3T in terms of storage and RAM, but the 3T has an older Snapdragon 821 SoC on board, same as the ZenFone AR. Still, the madness doesn’t end here.
The Chinese OEM, just like other companies from the country, is obsessed with cameras. The ZTE Nubia Z17 has, on paper, the best cameras you can expect to find in a smartphone right now. The back has an impressive 23MP+12MP camera setup with an aperture of f/1.8 as well as 2x zoom and an impressive 10x dynamic zoom. There’s the full pixel dual-core focus that is meant to enhance the focusing speed alongside LED flash to aid in low-light conditions.
On the front panel, the Nubia Z17 has a cool 16MP lens for selfies. You can expect some top-notch performance in low-light thanks to the large f/2.0 aperture, which should be a plus for selfie lovers. There are also some software-based tweaks thanks to Portrait Mode 2.0 and NeoVision 7.0. To keep the Z17 alive is a 3200mAh battery unit that should benefit a lot from the reduced power consumption of the Snapdragon 835 as well as Full HD resolution used on the screen. To make sure you don’t wait for ages while charging the phone, there’s Quick Charge 4.0 for you.
If you feel like the battery capacity is too small, the ZTE Nubia Z17 has NeoPower 3.0 battery saving mode that should work hand in hand with Doze mode to provide a longer battery life. The device has Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box, which is based on the company’s Nubia 5.0 skin. The edges of the phone can also be swiped to access certain functions thanks to what the company calls FiT 3.0 or rather Frame Interactive Technology.
In terms of pricing, the ZTE Nubia Z17 is one of them most affordable feature-packed devices in the market right now. The base model is priced at CNY 2799, which is about $412 while the midrange version, which has 6GB RAM and 128GB storage will set you back CNY 3399 or an equivalent of $500. To grab the 8GB RAM and 128GB package, you’ll have to shell out CNY 3999, which equates to about $588.
At the moment, the ZTE Nubia Z17 is only available in China. Details of availability in other markets are still unclear.