ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra vs Google Pixel 7 Pro: A Deep Dive into Performance and Photography

The ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra and Google Pixel 7 Pro represent distinct philosophies in the flagship Android space. The nubia prioritizes raw performance and gaming features, while the Pixel 7 Pro focuses on computational photography and a refined software experience. This comparison dissects their key differences to help you choose the right device.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For users prioritizing raw power, faster charging, and gaming capabilities, the ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra is the clear winner. However, the Google Pixel 7 Pro excels in computational photography and offers a more polished, integrated software experience, making it ideal for everyday users and photography enthusiasts.

PHONES
Phone Names ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra Google Pixel 7 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bandsLTE1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GE2AE
5G bandsSA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GE2AE
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1x 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GP4BC
Launch
Announced2023, March 072022, October 06
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, March 14Available. Released 2022, October 13
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions163.9 x 76.3 x 8.3 mm (6.45 x 3.00 x 0.33 in)162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight228 g (8.04 oz)212 g (7.48 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio)6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak)LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)Google Tensor G2 (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 740Mali-G710 MP7
OSAndroid 13, MyOS 13Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 4.0UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, Ring-LED, dual-tone flash, panorama, HDRLaser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm
Triple64 MP, f/1.6, 35mm (standard), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/3.3, 85mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom (vs. 26mm cam) 50 MP, f/2.X, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), PDAF50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm, AF
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio-
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1+L2+L5), GALILEO, BDSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging80W wired, PD3.0, QC423W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Silver, Starry SkyObsidian, Snow, Hazel
ModelsNX712JGP4BC, GE2AE, GFE4J
PriceAbout 540 EUR€ 248.84 / $ 204.00 / £ 259.99 / ₹ 36,999
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 83h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -24.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 796369 (v9) GeekBench: 3187 (v5.1) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra

  • Significantly faster 80W charging
  • More powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
  • Potential for gaming-focused features (triggers)

  • Software experience may not be as refined as Pixel
  • Camera image processing is less proven than Pixel

Google Pixel 7 Pro

  • Exceptional computational photography
  • Seamless Google software experience
  • Wireless and reverse wireless charging

  • Slower 23W wired charging
  • Less powerful Tensor G2 chipset
  • May throttle under sustained heavy load

Display Comparison

The Pixel 7 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 1090 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the nubia Z50 Ultra’s display specs aren’t provided, nubia typically employs high-quality panels. The Pixel 7 Pro’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio ensures deep blacks and vibrant colors. Both support PD3.0, but the nubia’s potential for a higher refresh rate (based on nubia’s history) could offer smoother scrolling, though this isn’t confirmed in the provided data. The Pixel 7 Pro’s display is a known quantity, delivering a consistently excellent viewing experience.

Camera Comparison

Both devices are marketed as having strong photo/video capabilities, but their approaches differ. The nubia Z50 Ultra’s potential for a higher megapixel count (a common nubia feature) suggests a focus on detail and cropping flexibility. The Pixel 7 Pro leverages Google’s renowned computational photography algorithms for exceptional dynamic range and image processing. While sensor sizes and apertures aren’t specified, the Pixel 7 Pro’s image processing excels in challenging lighting conditions. The nubia’s hardware advantage *could* translate to better low-light performance if paired with effective software, but the Pixel’s software is a proven winner.

Performance

The nubia Z50 Ultra’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) chipset represents a significant leap in performance and efficiency over the Pixel 7 Pro’s Google Tensor G2 (5nm). The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 prime core, clocked at 3.2 GHz, outpaces the Pixel’s Cortex-X1 cores (2.85 GHz). The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 offers superior thermal efficiency, reducing throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. The Pixel 7 Pro’s Tensor G2 prioritizes AI and machine learning tasks, but falls behind in raw CPU and GPU power. The nubia’s LPDDR5x RAM (assumed, based on flagship specs) further enhances performance.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 83 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite the nubia Z50 Ultra’s unspecified mAh capacity. However, the nubia’s 80W wired charging is a game-changer, offering significantly faster charging speeds than the Pixel 7 Pro’s 23W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes). The nubia also supports PD3.0 and QC4, while the Pixel 7 Pro adds 23W wireless and reverse wireless charging. The nubia’s faster charging mitigates any potential battery capacity disadvantage.

Buying Guide

Buy the ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra if you need uncompromising performance for demanding games, require incredibly fast 80W charging, and appreciate features like dedicated gaming triggers. Buy the Google Pixel 7 Pro if you prefer a seamless software experience, prioritize exceptional camera image processing, and value long-term software support and Google’s AI features.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Google Tensor G2 chip overheat during extended gaming sessions?
The Tensor G2 is known to generate more heat than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, potentially leading to thermal throttling during prolonged gaming. While Google has implemented thermal management solutions, the nubia Z50 Ultra’s more efficient chipset is likely to maintain higher sustained performance.
❓ How does the 80W charging on the nubia Z50 Ultra compare to the Pixel 7 Pro's 23W charging in real-world use?
The nubia Z50 Ultra’s 80W charging can fully charge the device much faster than the Pixel 7 Pro’s 23W charging. While the Pixel 7 Pro claims 50% charge in 30 minutes, the nubia Z50 Ultra is likely to achieve a full charge in a similar timeframe, offering significant convenience.
❓ Are the gaming triggers on the nubia Z50 Ultra customizable?
Nubia’s gaming triggers are typically highly customizable, allowing users to map them to specific on-screen actions for improved control in games. This provides a competitive edge in fast-paced gaming scenarios.
❓ How does the Pixel 7 Pro's camera perform in low-light conditions compared to the nubia Z50 Ultra?
The Pixel 7 Pro excels in low-light photography due to Google’s Night Sight algorithm, which combines multiple exposures to create bright, detailed images. While the nubia Z50 Ultra may have hardware advantages, the Pixel’s software processing is a significant strength.