ZTE nubia Z20 vs. Google Pixel 4 XL: A Battery Life and Camera Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing longevity, the ZTE nubia Z20 is the clear winner. Its 100-hour endurance rating significantly outpaces the Pixel 4 XL’s 73 hours. However, if camera quality and a refined software experience are paramount, the Pixel 4 XL remains a compelling choice, especially at its current price point.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z20 | Google Pixel 4 XL |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - EU/Asia | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66, 71 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - NA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, August. Released 2019, August | 2019, October 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, October 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 75.3 x 9 mm (6.24 x 2.96 x 0.35 in) | 160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2 mm (6.31 x 2.96 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 186 g (6.56 oz) | 193 g (6.81 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~537 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.42 inches, 101.2 cm2 (~84.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.3 inches, 98.0 cm2 (~81.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, HDR10, 600 nits (typ) | P-OLED, 90Hz, HDR |
| Always-on display Secondary display (on the back): AMOLED, 5.1 inches, 720 x 1520 pixels, 330 nits (typ) | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Adreno 640 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), Nubia UI | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, second soft flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 3x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, AF | - |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@1920fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1.22µm, no AF TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Triple | Uses main cameras | - |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@1920fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Dual fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 27W wired, PD2.0 | 18W wired, PD2.0 Wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 3700 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Twilight Blue, Diamond Black | Clearly White, Just Black, Oh So Orange |
| Models | NX627J | G020P, G020, GA01181-US, GA01182-US, GA01180-US |
| Price | About 550 EUR | About 180 EUR |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 364.52 |
| 64GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 274.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 149.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -93.9 / Crosstalk -94.1 |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 100h | Endurance rating 73h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 71dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 74dB | Voice 80dB / Noise 78dB / Ring 88dB |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 371150 (v7), 355478 (v8) GeekBench: 10101 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 323305 (v7), 403267 (v8) GeekBench: 10171 (v4.4), 2267 (v5.1) GFXBench: 21fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Z20
- Exceptional 100-hour battery life
- Faster 27W wired charging
- Unique dual-screen functionality
- Camera specifications are unknown
- Lacks wireless charging
Google Pixel 4 XL
- Excellent camera performance (based on reputation)
- Refined Android software experience
- Wireless charging support
- Significantly shorter battery life (73 hours)
- Slower 18W wired charging
Display Comparison
The nubia Z20’s display achieves a measured peak brightness of 615 nits, a respectable figure, but the Pixel 4 XL’s panel specifications are not provided. Both devices feature an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks. The lack of refresh rate data for either device means neither can be considered a gaming-focused display. The nubia Z20’s dual-screen setup is a unique differentiator, offering increased screen real estate for multitasking, though at the cost of added bulk.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are absent. The Pixel 4 XL is renowned for its computational photography, leveraging Google’s software algorithms to produce excellent image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. Without sensor size or aperture data for the nubia Z20, it’s difficult to assess its camera performance relative to the Pixel 4 XL. The Pixel 4 XL’s strength lies in its image processing, while the nubia Z20’s camera remains an unknown quantity based on the provided data.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset, fabricated on a 7nm process. However, the nubia Z20’s CPU configuration (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) has a slightly higher peak clock speed compared to the Pixel 4 XL’s (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485). While the difference is marginal, it could translate to slightly faster performance in CPU-intensive tasks. Both devices share 6GB of RAM, but the Pixel 4 XL is available with 128GB storage for $364.52 or 64GB for $274.99, offering more storage options.
Battery Life
The nubia Z20’s 100-hour endurance rating is a significant advantage over the Pixel 4 XL’s 73-hour rating. This translates to considerably longer usage between charges. Both devices support 27W (nubia Z20) and 18W (Pixel 4 XL) wired charging with PD2.0, but the nubia Z20’s faster charging speed will result in quicker top-ups. The Pixel 4 XL also offers wireless charging, a feature absent on the nubia Z20.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z20 if you need exceptional battery life, are intrigued by the dual-screen functionality, and prioritize value. It’s ideal for power users, travelers, or anyone who frequently finds themselves away from a charger. Buy the Google Pixel 4 XL if you prefer a streamlined Android experience, prioritize camera performance, and value Google’s software features like Call Screen and Now Playing, even if it means sacrificing battery life.