ZTE nubia Z40 Pro vs. vivo X80 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and exceptionally fast charging, the vivo X80 Pro emerges as the winner. Its 80W wired and 50W wireless charging, coupled with a measured 1014 nits peak brightness, provide a more polished and convenient experience, despite the nubia Z40 Pro’s aggressive pricing.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z40 Pro | vivo X80 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 4, 12, 17, 20, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA 800 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 66, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, February 25 | 2022, April 25 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, March 02 | Available. Released 2022, April 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Schott Xensation Up), glass back or ceramic back or eco leather back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.9 x 72.9 x 8.4 mm (6.37 x 2.87 x 0.33 in) | 164.6 x 75.3 x 9.1 mm (6.48 x 2.96 x 0.36 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 215 g / 219 g (7.58 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Schott Xensation Up |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~517 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 111.4 cm2 (~89.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits | LTPO3 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x3.05 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)Mediatek Dimensity 9000 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730Mali-G710 MC10 |
| OS | Android 12, MyOS 12 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14, Funtouch 14 (Global), OriginOS Ocean (China) |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Pixel Shift, dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 50 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/1.3", PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, (periscope telephoto), 1/4.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.9, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, 2x optical zoom, gimbal OIS 48 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", AF |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.7, 35mm (standard), 1/1.7", PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | Yes | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | Yes | 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/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2 (Snapdragon)/ 5.3 (Dimensity), A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 (Global)/ 3.2 (China), 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired; 15W magnetic wireless (gravity version) 80W wired (regular version) | 80W wired, 100% in 38 min 50W wireless, 100% in 50 min Reverse wired |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 5000 mAh (regular version)· Li-Po 4600 mAh (gravity version) | 4700 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Interstellar Black, Star Black, Silver | Cosmic Black, Blue, Orange |
| Models | NX701J | V2185A, V2145 |
| Price | About 500 EUR | About 850 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 79h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.1 LUFS (Very good) |
ZTE nubia Z40 Pro
- Potentially lower price point
- 80W wired charging (gravity version)
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 performance
- Slower 15W wireless charging
- Display brightness data unavailable
- Camera details are limited
vivo X80 Pro
- 80W wired and 50W wireless charging
- Brighter 1014 nit display
- Dimensity 9000 option for better thermal management
- Higher price
- Camera processing may not appeal to all users
- No detailed camera specs provided
Display Comparison
The vivo X80 Pro boasts a notably brighter display, reaching a measured 1014 nits, which translates to superior visibility under direct sunlight compared to the nubia Z40 Pro (brightness data unavailable). While both likely utilize high refresh rate panels, the X80 Pro’s higher peak brightness is a tangible advantage for outdoor use. Contrast ratio is listed as infinite for the X80 Pro, suggesting excellent black levels. The nubia Z40 Pro’s display characteristics remain less defined, making a direct comparison challenging without further testing.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. The X80 Pro’s camera is described as ‘Photo / Video’ without specifics, while the nubia Z40 Pro’s details are also absent. The X80 Pro’s image processing is likely tuned for vibrant, consumer-friendly results, while nubia often leans towards a more natural, accurate color profile. Without knowing sensor sizes, apertures, and OIS implementation, a definitive camera comparison is impossible. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on either device is unlikely to significantly impact overall image quality.
Performance
Both phones are available with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm), featuring the same CPU core configuration: 1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510. However, the vivo X80 Pro offers a Dimensity 9000 (4nm) alternative, with a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (3.05 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-A710). While the CPU difference is marginal, the Dimensity 9000 is known for its superior thermal efficiency, potentially leading to less throttling during sustained workloads. Both phones likely utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but specific speeds are not provided. The X80 Pro’s thermal management system, coupled with the Dimensity 9000 option, could provide a smoother gaming experience.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 79 hours, suggesting similar overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for either device). However, the charging capabilities are where they diverge dramatically. The vivo X80 Pro supports 80W wired charging (0-100% in 38 minutes) and 50W wireless charging (0-100% in 50 minutes), alongside reverse wired charging. The nubia Z40 Pro offers 66W wired charging (regular version) or 80W (gravity version) and a slower 15W magnetic wireless charging option. The X80 Pro’s faster wireless charging and reverse charging capabilities provide greater convenience and flexibility.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z40 Pro if you need a powerful phone at a significantly lower price point and are willing to compromise on wireless charging speed and potentially camera consistency. Buy the vivo X80 Pro if you prefer a more refined experience with faster, more versatile charging options, a brighter display, and a potentially more reliable camera system, even if it comes at a premium.