ZTE nubia Flip Review

Foldable phones are becoming more popular and diverse, as different manufacturers experiment with various designs and features. One of the latest entrants in this category is the ZTE nubia Flip, a clamshell-style foldable that aims to offer a premium experience at a budget-friendly price. The nubia Flip was unveiled at MWC 2024 in Barcelona, and it is expected to launch in several markets across Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The ZTE nubia Flip is one of the few competitors to the Motorola Razr in terms of pricing, but it also boasts some unique features that set it apart from other clamshell foldables. It has a 6.9-inch foldable display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a circular 1.43-inch cover display that can act as a camera viewfinder, and a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor. In this review, we will take a closer look at the nubia Flip and see how it performs in various aspects.

The ZTE nubia Flip has a thick and chunky design that may not appeal to everyone. It measures 7.3mm when unfolded and 15.5mm when folded, making it one of the thickest foldables around. It also weighs 214g, which is heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 (183g) and the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra (190g). The phone feels solid and sturdy, but it is not very comfortable to hold or carry in a pocket.

The phone has a hinge mechanism that allows it to fold in half, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. The hinge feels smooth and durable, but it is a bit hard to open with one hand. The phone does not have a crease on the foldable display, which is a plus. The phone also has a magnetic clasp that keeps it securely closed when not in use.

The ZTE nubia Flip has a large circular camera bump on the back, which houses the cover display and the rear cameras. The cover display is a 1.43-inch OLED screen with a 466 x 466 resolution. It can show various widgets for weather, calendar, camera, and more. It can also be used as a viewfinder for taking selfies or video calls with the rear cameras. The cover display is an interesting feature, but it is not very practical or useful. It is too small to show much information, and it is not very responsive or customizable.

The rear cameras consist of a 50MP main camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The front camera is a 16MP shooter that is located at the top of the foldable display. On the right side, there is a volume rocker and power button that also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. On the left side, there is a SIM tray that can hold two nano-SIM cards. On the bottom, there is a USB-C port that supports 33W fast charging, along with a speaker grille. The phone also has another speaker under the earpiece, which enhances the audio quality and volume. The phone does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, which means you have to use wireless headphones or a dongle. The phone also does not have a microSD card slot, which means the storage is not expandable.

The ZTE nubia Flip has a 6.9-inch foldable display with a 1188 x 2790 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display uses a flexible OLED panel that can bend without breaking. The display quality is decent, but not outstanding. The colors are vibrant and contrasty, but the brightness is not very high. The viewing angles are also limited, and the display can look washed out or distorted from certain angles.

The display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes the animations and scrolling smoother and more fluid. However, the phone does not have an adaptive refresh rate feature, which means it always runs at 120Hz regardless of the content. This can drain the battery faster and cause overheating issues. The display also has a noticeable bezel around the edges, which reduces the screen-to-body ratio and makes the phone look dated.

The display has a punch-hole cutout for the front camera, which is located on the top. The display also has a pre-installed screen protector, which is prone to scratches and bubbles.

The ZTE nubia Flip has a triple-camera setup, with two cameras on the back and one on the front. The rear cameras are a 50MP main camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The front camera is a 16MP shooter that is located at the top of the foldable display.

The main camera can take decent photos in good lighting conditions, with good details and colors. However, the camera struggles in low-light situations, producing noisy and blurry images. The camera also has a tendency to overexpose or underexpose the scenes, resulting in washed-out or dark photos. The camera app has various modes and features, such as HDR, night mode, portrait mode, panorama, pro mode, and more. However, the camera app is not very user-friendly or intuitive, and some of the modes are not very effective or reliable.

The depth sensor is used for creating a bokeh effect in portrait mode, which blurs the background and highlights the subject. The portrait mode works well in most cases, creating a natural and realistic bokeh effect. However, the portrait mode fail to detect the edges of the subject, resulting in some parts being blurred or cut off. The portrait mode also does not work well with objects or animals, as it only recognizes human faces.

The front camera can take selfies and video calls, but the quality is not very good. It also has a fixed focus, which means it cannot adjust to different distances or angles. The front camera also has a limited dynamic range, which can make the images look overexposed or underexposed.

The phone does not have a telephoto camera, which means it cannot zoom in optically or digitally. The phone does not have a wide-angle camera, which means it cannot capture more of the scene. The phone also does not have a macro camera, which means it cannot take close-up shots of small objects.

The ZTE nubia Flip is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor, which is a mid-range chipset that can handle most tasks and games. The phone also has 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. The phone does not have a microSD card slot, which means the storage is not expandable.

The phone can run most apps and games smoothly and without lag, thanks to the 120Hz display and the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor. However, the phone can also get hot and drain the battery quickly, especially when running intensive tasks or games. The phone also does not have a dedicated cooling system, which can affect the performance and longevity of the phone.

The phone has a dual-SIM slot, which supports 5G and 4G networks. The phone also has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, and USB-C connectivity. The phone does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, which means you have to use wireless headphones or a dongle. The phone also does not have wireless charging or reverse wireless charging, which are common features for premium phones.

The ZTE nubia Flip runs on Android 13, which is the latest version of the operating system. The phone also has a custom skin called Nubia UI, which adds some features and tweaks to the stock Android experience. The Nubia UI is not very intrusive or bloatware-heavy, but it is not very polished or consistent either. The UI has some bugs and glitches, such as icons disappearing, notifications not showing, or settings not working. The UI also has some useful design choices, such as the circular icons, the dark mode, or the gesture navigation.

The phone also has some features that are specific to the foldable display, such as the flex mode, the split-screen mode, or the cover display. The flex mode allows you to use the phone in a half-folded position, which can be useful for watching videos, taking selfies, or video calls. The split-screen mode allows you to run two apps simultaneously on the foldable display, which can be useful for multitasking or productivity. The cover display allows you to access some widgets and functions without opening the phone, such as the weather, the camera, or the music player.

The ZTE nubia Flip has a 4,310mAh battery, which is average for a foldable phone. The phone also supports 33W fast charging, which can charge the phone from 0% to 50% in about 40 minutes. The phone does not support wireless charging or reverse wireless charging, which are common features for premium phones.

The battery life of the nubia Flip is not very good, as it can drain quickly and unpredictably. The phone can last for about 8 hours of mixed usage, which includes browsing, streaming, gaming, and calling. However, the battery life can vary depending on the usage patterns, settings, and network conditions. The phone can also lose battery power when idle or closed, which can be frustrating.

The main factors that affect the battery life of the nubia Flip are the 120Hz display and the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor. The 120Hz display consumes more power than a 60Hz display, as it refreshes the screen twice as fast. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor is not very power-efficient, as it can generate more heat and consume more power than other processors. The phone also does not have an adaptive refresh rate feature, which can adjust the refresh rate according to the content and save battery.

The ZTE nubia Flip is a clamshell foldable phone that offers some unique features, such as the 120Hz display, the cover display, and the stereo speakers. The phone also has a decent performance, a solid build quality, and a smooth hinge mechanism. However, the phone also has some drawbacks, such as the poor battery life, the overheating issues, the mediocre camera quality, and the buggy software. The phone also has a thick and heavy design, which may not appeal to everyone.

The ZTE nubia Flip is a good option for those who want to try a foldable phone without breaking the bank, but it is not a very competitive or compelling phone in the market. The phone does not offer a very premium or consistent experience, and it does not have many advantages over other clamshell foldables. The phone also faces stiff competition from other foldables, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, or the Tecno Phantom V Flip, which offer better features, performance, and design.

The ZTE nubia Flip is a decent foldable phone, but it is not a great foldable phone. It is a phone that tries to do many things, but does not excel at any of them. It is a phone that has some potential, but also has some problems. It is a phone that is worth considering, but not worth buying.

Pros:

• 120Hz foldable display
• Cover display
• Stereo speakers
• Solid build quality
• Smooth hinge mechanism

Cons:

• Poor battery life
• Overheating issues
• Mediocre camera quality
• Buggy software
• Thick and heavy design