nubia has performed a bit of facelift on the Z60 Extremely, treating us to a brand new ‘Main Model’ of the high-end mannequin. This new nubia Z60 Extremely Main comes with solely minor adjustments within the specsheet and we anticipate it to finally exchange the ‘common’ nubia Z60 Extremely in the marketplace as quickly as inventory of the latter runs out. We figured we would do one thing like a comparability between the 2 fashions and see what’s modified – type of an replace to the unique mannequin’s evaluation, if you’ll.

Desk of Contents:

You can begin by evaluating the entire specs sheets or you may simply head down for our commentary within the following paragraphs.

Measurement comparability

Bodily, the 2 telephones are very related – the formulation stays unchanged and also you get a big blocky slab that is flat on the entrance and flat on the perimeters and weighs greater than a lot of the present large-screen foldables. That is not essentially a draw back, after all, as a result of massive dimension on this case very a lot means a big show, and there is additionally a large battery to go together with it.

There are just a few stylistic touches that set the brand new mannequin aside from the earlier variant. Our Main Model evaluation unit is within the significantly interesting Silver colorway that has a marble impact and displays lights in all types of flashy methods – it might not be essentially the most incognito choice, however it does look fairly putting.

There may be one other, extra subdued different for the Main model – Black, which has a vertical striped sample on the again and a black body rather than the silver one on the Silver colorway. Thoughts you, this black isn’t the identical black because the shimmery black on the common Z60 Extremely. In any case, the again panel is made from glass, and each variations are IP68-rated for mud and water resistance.

There’s not a whole lot of subtlety in terms of the digital camera cluster, although it isn’t trying like nubia was going for it both – it is extra just like the centerpiece of the Z60 Extremely’s again, Main or common model alike. The relocation of the emblem and the reshaping of the ultrawide digital camera encompass barely depend as variations.

Show comparability

The shows are the identical on the 2 Ultras – huge 6.8-inch OLEDs with minimal bezels and almost invisible under-display cameras. nubia did not go all out becoming 1440p panels and the decision is 1116x2480px in a 20:9 side ratio. There is a 120Hz most refresh fee and 2160Hz PWM is used for dimming.

We measured the brightness ranges on each telephones, and bought basically the identical outcomes – a bit of over 1000nits in adaptive brightness mode and round 600nits when maxing out the slider by hand.

The refresh fee dealing with is not essentially the most superior, with the adaptive adjustment solely bringing it right down to 60Hz, when the telephone is idling – each within the 120Hz mode, and in Auto mode. On a optimistic be aware, excessive body fee gaming is feasible, with each 2D arcade titles and 3D video games triggering the 120Hz refresh fee mode and in addition rendering above 60fps (as reported by the in-house gaming utility).

One factor that is value stating is that the Main model does have Widevine L1 and Netflix will serve you FullHD content material. Technically, the plain mannequin additionally has L1 (as per {hardware} scanning apps), however for no matter purpose, Netflix solely reads it as L3 and limits the decision. Both means, there is no HDR in Netflix, although there’s HDR assist in YouTube (on each telephones).

Battery life

The nubia Z60 Extremely Main will get the identical battery because the common model and, at 6,000mAh, it is one of many largest energy packs round. As a part of testing the brand new mannequin, we additionally re-tested the unique one aspect by aspect, and it bought a little bit of a downward adjustment from check scores we bought when reviewing the telephone, however it’s a reasonably minor one. The Main model is, in flip, a bit of bit behind, however we’re not ones to scoff at a 14+-hour Lively Use Rating.

Charging velocity

In the case of charging, each telephones ship with the identical 80W adapter and cost at basically the identical velocity – 50 minutes for filling up that 6,000mAh energy pack from (nearly) flat is not too shabby. Thoughts you, the older mannequin was even faster after we initially reviewed it (40 minutes to full, 50% in quarter-hour), however because it stands proper now, issues are barely completely different.

Speaker check

The 2 nubias function equivalent speaker setups with a high unit that doubles as an earpiece and fires ahead and a backside speaker that performs by means of a grille within the body. Each telephones earned a ‘Very Good’ score for loudness in our testing and sound kind of the identical in follow.

Efficiency

One of many adjustments from the unique Z60 Extremely to the Z60 Extremely Main Model is the swap from the common Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, to the marginally overclocked SM8650-AC model of the Qualcomm chip, that comes with a touch greater CPU frequency ceiling and a nudge in GPU clocks too. This model’s identify is translated as ‘Main’ fronm Chinese language, so therefore the telephone’s identify.

Z60 Extremely Main Model comes with an enormous choice of reminiscence configurations for each fashions, starting from an 8GB/256GB base variant to 16GB/512GB for the common and 16GB/1TB for the Main model (in China there’s additionally a 24GB/1TB model of both mannequin).

Benchmark efficiency

The distinction in benchmark scores wasn’t essentially in favor of the Main model in our testing, with each the Antutu and GeekBench numbers being barely decrease than what we bought out of the common telephone. The Main model did have a bonus within the GPU exams, although it was solely on the primary runs, whereas subsequent runs introduced the numbers down a bit of bit faster than on the vanilla mannequin. Each telephones have been vulnerable to overheating and comparatively heavy throttling.

Digital camera comparability

Considered one of highlights of the unique nubia Z60 Extremely was its important digital camera; the 50MP important digital camera used a 35mm-equivalent focal size lens amongst opponents which might be sometimes across the 23-24mm ballpark.

The Main model is not any completely different on this respect however notably swaps out the IMX 800 sensor for an IMX 906, which is kind of the identical in terms of the fundamental properties – the 1/1.56″ sensor optical format is similar, the pixel dimension continues to be 1.0µm, and the usable decision stays 50MP. (The outdated sensor is technically a 1/1.49″ 54MP one and has a extra uncommon side ratio, however the Z60 Extremely makes use of a 50MP 4:3 crop from it.)

The remainder of the imaging {hardware} is unchanged. That features the 64MP telephoto digital camera (1/2.0″, 85mm) and the 50MP ultrawide (not all that extremely, at 18mm, however with a pleasant massive 1/1.56″ sensor).

Not a whole lot of good issues will be mentioned in regards to the selfie digital camera, apart from the truth that you may barely see it behind the show – it isn’t the worst of trade-offs, however if you happen to’re into selfies, maybe you must keep away from both Z60 Extremely.

Picture high quality

Picture high quality from the primary cameras stays just about unchanged regardless of the brand new {hardware}. Element could be very a lot the identical and the processing would not look any completely different, and neither does the noise efficiency. There is a extra notable distinction in coloration, particularly within the blue channel, that makes skies extra pure on the Main model.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main daylight samples, important digital camera (35mm)

nubia Z60 Extremely daylight samples, important digital camera (35mm)

When evaluating images from the ultrawide cameras, there is not even that one distinction to level out – we would as effectively be images from the identical unit.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main daylight samples, ultrawide digital camera (18mm)

nubia Z60 Extremely daylight samples, ultrawide digital camera (18mm)

Inspecting the outcomes from the telephotos, we would say issues are very related, although the brand new mannequin’s images have a little bit of an added crispiness.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main daylight samples, telephoto digital camera (85mm)

nubia Z60 Extremely daylight samples, telephoto digital camera (85mm)

In low mild, the change of important digital camera sensor as soon as once more would not have an effect on picture high quality in any significant means. There’s nonetheless nice distinction and large dynamic vary and white steadiness stays reliable. There is a smidge of additional sharpness on the brand new mannequin in sure scenes, however it’s not a dramatic (or common) enchancment.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main low-light samples, important digital camera (35mm)

nubia Z60 Extremely low-light samples, important digital camera (35mm)

The ultrawide cameras produce basically the identical images, with solely the occasional faint distinction in publicity or white steadiness.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main low-light samples, ultrawide digital camera (18mm)

nubia Z60 Extremely low-light samples, ultrawide digital camera (18mm)

There’s considerably of a extra readily observable edge in sharpness on the telephoto digital camera of the Z60 Extremely Main, although it is nonetheless not one thing that may be thought of a real benefit.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main low-light samples, telephoto digital camera (85mm)

nubia Z60 Extremely low-light samples, telephoto digital camera (85mm)

Here is a few selfies from each telephones – only for completeness’ sake, not as a result of we contemplate them value exhibiting.

Selfie samples: Z60 Extremely Main • Z60 Extremely

Video high quality

Considerably unexpectedly, the Z60 Extremely Main model produces fairly in another way trying movies in comparison with these we bought out of the common Z60 Extremely. nubia has upped the sharpening significantly and the brand new mannequin’s footage has a really synthetic rendition subsequent to the fairly fairly processed output of the earlier mannequin. That applies to all three cameras, however it’s not as pronounced on the telephoto as it’s on the opposite two cameras. We would say the outdated mannequin has barely extra interesting colours too.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main daylight video samples: 18mm • 35mm • 85mm

nubia Z60 Extremely daylight video samples: 18mm • 35mm • 85mm

At the hours of darkness, the Main model can also be trailing the unique mannequin in video high quality, with output that is usually noisier with none advantages to make up for it.

nubia Z60 Extremely Main low-light video samples: 18mm • 35mm • 85mm

nubia Z60 Extremely low-light video samples: 18mm • 35mm • 85mm

Verdict

Meant much less as a bit that can assist you decide one or the opposite, this nubia Z60 Extremely comparability was coined reasonably to look at the evolution of the mannequin. Whereas nubia’s web site retains itemizing each variants on the market, we’re inclined to imagine that the brand new Main model will grow to be the one choice as time passes and inventory of the earlier model depletes.

It isn’t essentially higher than the mannequin it is trying to exchange although. Video high quality has taken a success, reasonably surprisingly. The chipset’s minor superiority on paper would not translate into any actual advantages both, and battery life, whereas certainly wonderful, continues to be not so good as on the unique model. A case may very well be made for the brand new mannequin’s extra attention-grabbing again panel choices, however that is hardly a deciding issue, is it?

In any case, there aren’t an entire lot of variations so if you happen to’ve been eyeing up a Z60 Extremely, the Main model ought to maintain you cheerful. Battery life to spare, quick charging, massive and uninterrupted show, and a digital camera system in contrast to some other with fairly nice photograph high quality throughout the board (minus selfies, that’s) – the Main version retains the robust factors of the OG mannequin.