ZTE nubia Z30 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a polished experience, a top-tier camera, and long-term software support, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the better choice. However, the nubia Z30 Pro’s incredibly fast 120W charging and competitive performance make it a compelling option for power users on a tighter budget.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z30 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G |
| 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, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA 800 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, May 20 | 2022, February 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, May 25 | Available. Released 2022, February 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.8 x 73 x 8.5 mm (6.37 x 2.87 x 0.33 in) | 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 198 g (6.98 oz) | 228 g / 229 g (mmWave) (8.04 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) - EuropeOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) - ROW |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW |
| OS | Android 11, nubia UI 9 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/1.9, 35mm (standard), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/3.4, 123mm (periscope telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 64 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm | 108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Single | 16 MP | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, 100% in 15 min | 45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, Black, Black/Gold | Phantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple |
| Models | NX667J | SM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS |
| Price | About 640 EUR | € 397.07 / $ 269.98 / £ 304.99 / ₹ 63,899 |
| SAR | - | 1.18 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.05 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 108h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.3 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Z30 Pro
- Incredibly fast 120W charging
- Competitive Snapdragon 888 performance
- Potentially lower price point
- Solid battery endurance
- Less refined software experience
- Camera system lacks the versatility of the S22 Ultra
- Display brightness likely lower than S22 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
- Stunning and bright Dynamic AMOLED 2X display
- Versatile and high-quality camera system
- Powerful Exynos 2200 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset
- S Pen functionality and Samsung ecosystem
- Slower 45W charging
- Higher price point
- Potential for Exynos chip throttling (Europe)
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1266 nits, compared to an unstated peak brightness for the nubia Z30 Pro. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both displays feature an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, the S22 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel is widely regarded for its color accuracy and viewing angles. The S22 Ultra’s adaptive refresh rate (LTPO) likely offers more granular control and power efficiency, though the nubia Z30 Pro’s display quality is still respectable for its price point.
Camera Comparison
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra excels in camera versatility, offering a comprehensive system with multiple lenses and advanced image processing. While both phones are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the S22 Ultra’s larger sensors and sophisticated algorithms deliver consistently high-quality results across various conditions. The nubia Z30 Pro’s camera specifications are less detailed, and the inclusion of a 2MP macro camera suggests a focus on quantity over quality. The S22 Ultra’s superior optical image stabilization (OIS) and video recording capabilities are likely to provide a smoother and more professional-looking output.
Performance
The Galaxy S22 Ultra’s chipset varies by region, utilizing either the Exynos 2200 (Europe) or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (ROW), both fabricated on a 4nm process. This contrasts with the nubia Z30 Pro’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm). While the Snapdragon 888 is still a capable performer, the newer 4nm chips in the S22 Ultra offer improved thermal efficiency and sustained performance, particularly in demanding tasks. The S22 Ultra’s CPU, featuring a Cortex-X2 core clocked up to 3.0 GHz (ROW), provides a slight edge over the Z30 Pro’s 2.84 GHz Cortex-X1. The S22 Ultra also benefits from potentially faster LPDDR5X RAM, further enhancing multitasking and responsiveness.
Battery Life
Both devices share an endurance rating of 108 hours, suggesting comparable battery life under typical usage. However, the nubia Z30 Pro’s 120W wired charging is a game-changer, achieving a full charge in just 15 minutes. The S22 Ultra’s 45W charging, while supporting PD3.0, is significantly slower. The S22 Ultra does offer 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the nubia Z30 Pro. The faster charging of the Z30 Pro mitigates any potential concerns about its potentially smaller battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z30 Pro if you need the absolute fastest charging speeds available, prioritize raw performance for gaming, and are comfortable with a less refined software experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra if you prefer a stunning display, a versatile and consistently excellent camera system, S Pen functionality, and Samsung’s robust software and support ecosystem.