ZTE nubia Z40S Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22+: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the ZTE nubia Z40S Pro offers a compelling value proposition. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset delivers comparable performance to the Galaxy S22+'s Exynos 2200 (or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in some regions), coupled with significantly faster charging speeds. While Samsung’s software and camera processing have their strengths, the nubia Z40S Pro’s raw power and price advantage make it the winner.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z40S Pro | Samsung Galaxy S22+ 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, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 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, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78 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 |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 20 | 2022, February 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 26 | Available. Released 2022, February 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.3 x 74 x 8.1 mm (6.35 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) | 157.4 x 75.8 x 7.6 mm (6.20 x 2.98 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 205 g (7.23 oz) | 195 g / 196 g (mmWave) (6.88 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | 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 SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 13, MyOS 13 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 18GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.6, 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), AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 8K, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | Yes | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 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, OTG | 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 | 80W wired (regular version) 120W wired; 15W magnetic wireless (120W version) | 45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 5000 mAh (regular version)· Li-Po 4600 mAh (120W version) | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Interstellar Black, Star Black, Silver | Phantom Black, White, Pink Gold, Green, Graphite, Sky Blue, Violet, Cream, Bora Purple |
| Models | NX702J | SM-S906B, SM-S906B/DS, SM-S906U, SM-S906U1, SM-S906W, SM-S906N, SM-S9060, SM-S906E, SM-S906E/DS, SM-S906L |
| Price | About 490 EUR | € 236.99 / $ 194.37 / £ 349.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.57 W/kg (head) 1.40 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 97h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.0 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 722495 (v8), 886916 (v9) GeekBench: 3528 (v5.1) GFXBench: 68fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Z40S Pro
- Significantly faster charging (80W/120W)
- Potentially better sustained performance with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Generally lower price point
- Less refined software experience compared to Samsung
- Camera performance details are limited
Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G
- Polished and feature-rich One UI software
- Excellent display with high peak brightness
- Versatile camera system with refined image processing
- Slower charging speeds (45W)
- Exynos 2200 can suffer from thermal throttling (Europe)
- Higher price
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S22+ boasts a peak brightness of 1214 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the nubia Z40S Pro’s display specs aren’t explicitly stated, nubia typically utilizes high-quality AMOLED panels. The S22+'s 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of AMOLED technology, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The S22+'s display is likely to have a variable refresh rate (LTPO) for power efficiency, a feature not confirmed for the Z40S Pro. The S22+'s smaller size (6.6 inches vs. potentially larger on the Z40S Pro) may appeal to users preferring a more manageable device.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but details beyond 'Photo / Video' are limited for the nubia Z40S Pro. The Galaxy S22+ is known for its versatile camera setup and Samsung’s image processing, which prioritizes vibrant colors and detail. The S22+'s OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is crucial for stable videos and low-light photography. Without specific sensor size or aperture information for the nubia Z40S Pro, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison. The S22+'s image processing is generally more refined, offering consistent results across different shooting scenarios. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on the S22+ is largely a marketing feature with limited practical benefit.
Performance
The nubia Z40S Pro’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) chipset offers a clear advantage in efficiency and sustained performance over the Exynos 2200 (4nm) found in European S22+ models. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1’s architecture, with its Cortex-X2 prime core clocked at 3.19 GHz, is optimized for demanding tasks. The S22+’s Exynos 2200, while powerful, has been known to exhibit thermal throttling under sustained load. The ROW S22+ with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 narrows the gap, but the 8+ Gen 1 still holds an edge. Both devices utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the nubia Z40S Pro’s superior thermal management allows it to maintain peak performance for longer durations, benefiting gamers and video editors.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S22+ achieves an endurance rating of 97 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the nubia Z40S Pro’s charging capabilities are a game-changer. The regular version offers 80W wired charging, while the 120W version can fully charge the battery in a fraction of the time. This drastically reduces downtime compared to the S22+'s 45W wired and 15W wireless charging. While the S22+ supports reverse wireless charging (4.5W), the nubia Z40S Pro offers 15W magnetic wireless charging. The faster charging of the nubia Z40S Pro effectively mitigates any potential disadvantage from a slightly smaller battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z40S Pro if you prioritize raw performance, incredibly fast charging, and value for money. It’s ideal for gamers, power users, and those who frequently transfer large files. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G if you prefer a polished software experience, a more compact form factor, and a well-integrated ecosystem of Samsung services, and are willing to pay a premium for it.