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nubia Z17 is the company’s new flagship with monster specs
The nubia Z17 is one of the first smartphones to bring 8GB of RAM along with Snapdragon 835 and a 23MP + 12MP dual-lens camera.
Although nubia is a relatively unknown brand, the Chinese electronics company has been slowly expanding into European and US markets with its midrange and flagship smartphones. Last year’s flagship device, the Zubia Z11 offered a solid design and top-notch specs for slightly cheaper than the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7 or the LG G5. This year, the company is back with the nubia Z17.
Apart from the fact that nubia’s new flagship is now water-resistant, the general design language seems unchanged for the most part. On the front, we have the same 5.5-inch FHD display with minimal bezels to the sides as well as the familiar capacitive home button. However, the front-facing camera has been upgraded from an 8-megapixel sensor to a 16-megapixel one, which features f/2.0 aperture and 80-degree wide angle capabilities.
The back is where it gets more interesting: not only does it offer a significantly more refined design thanks to its single-slit antenna design, but the rear-facing camera now consists of two lenses. The 23MP + 12MP combination offers 2x optical zoom and DSLR-esque depth-of-field effects (à la Portrait Mode). Low-light shots should also see some improvements, given the camera’s improved f/1.8 aperture and larger 1.4um pixel size.
The back offers a significantly more refined design thanks to its single-slit antenna design and an improved rear-facing dual-lens camera.
Perhaps what’s more important is what’s powering the nubia Z17. The device is one of the first Android smartphones to bring Snapdragon 835 with a whopping 8GB of RAM. Combine that with a less power-hungry 1080p screen and a sufficiently large 3,200 mAh battery, you are bound to get all the speed you need without having to carry around a charger everywhere.
Unfortunately, the nubia Z17 comes with its own imperfections: what we have come to cherish the most (rather comically) – yes, the conventional 3.5mm headphone jack – is no longer there, and nor does it support microSD expansion. So if you’re looking to pick one up, you’d better get the 128GB variant and a pair of Bluetooth headphones with it.
The 6GB + 64GB variant will be available for 2799 Yuan or around $410. The 6GB + 128GB will retail for 3399 Yuan or around $500. And the maxed-out version – 8GB + 128GB – will set you back 3999 Yuan, approximately $590. All variants will go on sale starting June 6 although there is no word on whether/when it’ll launch outside China.
What do you think about the nubia Z17? Would you get one if it was available in your market? Let us know in the comments below!