ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra vs Xiaomi 13 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Android Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi 13 Pro emerges as the slightly more compelling option. Its 120W wired and 50W wireless charging, coupled with a measured 10:55h active use battery score, provide a superior convenience factor. While the nubia Z50 Ultra offers a competitive package, the Xiaomi’s charging ecosystem and refined software experience give it a slight edge.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra | Xiaomi 13 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 | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, March 07 | 2022, December 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, March 14 | Available. Released 2022, December 14 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back or silicone polymer back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.9 x 76.3 x 8.3 mm (6.45 x 3.00 x 0.33 in) | 162.9 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm or 8.7 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 228 g (8.04 oz) | 210 g or 229 g (7.41 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 13, MyOS 13 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOS |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 | UFS 3.1 - 128GB UFS 4.0 - 256/512GB | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Ring-LED, dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lens, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display | - |
| Triple | 64 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), PDAF | 50.3 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 75mm (telephoto), PDAF (10cm - ∞), 3.2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 115˚ (ultrawide), AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video | 8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@24/30/60fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit LOG), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 1080p@1920fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display | 32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 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 | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.3, A2DP, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1+L2+L5), GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, 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, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, QC4 | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 19 min 50W wireless, 100% in 36 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Po 4820 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Silver, Starry Sky | Ceramic White, Ceramic Black, Ceramic Flora Green, Mountain Blue |
| Models | NX712J | 2210132G, 2210132C |
| Price | About 540 EUR | About 750 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 115h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1281666 (v9) GeekBench: 5087 (v5.1), 5323 (v6) GFXBench: 64fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra
- Potentially unique design language
- Competitive Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 performance
- 80W wired charging offers reasonable speeds
- Slower charging compared to Xiaomi 13 Pro
- Limited battery life information
- Lack of wireless charging
Xiaomi 13 Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W wired charging (19 minutes)
- 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless
- Excellent battery life (10:55h active use)
- May command a higher price point
- Software experience may not appeal to all users
- Potential for software bloat
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize high-end displays, but key differences exist. The Xiaomi 13 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 1253 nits, suggesting a more visible screen in direct sunlight. While the nubia Z50 Ultra’s display specifications are not provided, Xiaomi’s panel benefits from an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, enhancing visual depth. The absence of PWM frequency data for the nubia Z50 Ultra leaves questions regarding potential screen flicker, a concern for users sensitive to such effects.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. Both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities. The nubia Z50 Ultra’s potential camera strengths are unknown without sensor size and aperture details. The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s camera system, while not detailed here, is known for its excellent image processing and low-light performance in reviews. The lack of information on the nubia Z50 Ultra’s camera prevents a meaningful comparison beyond acknowledging both devices are equipped for photography and videography.
Performance
Both the ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra and the Xiaomi 13 Pro are equipped with the Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) chipset, featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration. This ensures comparable raw processing power for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. However, thermal management – not specified for either device – will be crucial in sustaining peak performance during extended use. The 4nm fabrication process of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inherently offers improved thermal efficiency compared to older nodes, mitigating throttling risks.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 13 Pro significantly outpaces the nubia Z50 Ultra in charging speed. With 120W wired charging, it achieves a full charge in just 19 minutes, a substantial advantage over the nubia Z50 Ultra’s 80W charging. Furthermore, the Xiaomi 13 Pro offers 50W wireless charging (36 minutes to full) and 10W reverse wireless charging, features absent in the nubia Z50 Ultra’s specifications. While the nubia Z50 Ultra’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the Xiaomi 13 Pro delivers an impressive 10:55h of active use and an endurance rating of 115h, indicating strong battery life.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z50 Ultra if you prioritize a potentially more unique design and are comfortable with a slightly slower charging experience. It’s ideal for users who value a robust feature set and aren’t heavily invested in the Xiaomi ecosystem. Buy the Xiaomi 13 Pro if you demand the fastest possible charging – both wired and wireless – and appreciate a polished, well-integrated software experience. It’s the better choice for power users and those who frequently find themselves needing a quick battery top-up.