ZTE nubia Z60 Ultra vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro: A Deep Dive into Performance, Camera, and Battery Life
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing sustained performance and rapid charging, the ZTE nubia Z60 Ultra emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 80W charging offer a tangible advantage. However, the Pixel 8 Pro’s superior display brightness and AI capabilities make it a compelling choice for photography enthusiasts and those deeply integrated into the Google ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Z60 Ultra | Google Pixel 8 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, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - G1MNW |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G1MNW |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, December 19 | 2023, October 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, December 29 | Available. Released 2023, October 12 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 246 g (8.68 oz) | 213 g (7.51 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.7 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10, 1500 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) | Nona-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Immortalis-G715s MC10 |
| OS | Android 14, MyOS 14 | Android 14, upgradable to Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM, 1TB 24GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Ring-LED, dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | Multi-zone Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take, Zoom Enhance |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.6, 35mm (standard), 1/1.49", 1.0µm, 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/1.8, 18mm, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.55", PDAF, OIS | 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.0, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, under display - International model 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display - China model | 10.5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm, PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature) |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, QC4 | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless Bypass charging |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Ion 5050 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Silver, Photographer Edition | Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint |
| Models | NX721J | GC3VE, G1MNW |
| Price | $ 459.00 | € 362.00 / $ 289.97 / £ 329.95 / ₹ 54,999 |
ZTE nubia Z60 Ultra
- Superior CPU performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Significantly faster 80W wired charging
- Longer active use battery life
- Lower peak display brightness
- Less emphasis on AI-powered camera features
Google Pixel 8 Pro
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Exceptional camera with AI-powered features
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Slower charging speeds
- Less powerful CPU for demanding tasks
Display Comparison
The Pixel 8 Pro’s display significantly outshines the nubia Z60 Ultra in peak brightness, reaching 1600 nits compared to the nubia’s 1018 nits. This translates to superior visibility outdoors. While both utilize a 4nm process, the display tech differences are stark. The Pixel 8 Pro likely employs LTPO technology for variable refresh rates, enhancing power efficiency, a feature not explicitly stated for the nubia. The nubia’s display, while still excellent, will struggle in direct sunlight compared to the Pixel 8 Pro.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 8 Pro’s camera system is a core strength, leveraging Google’s computational photography prowess. While specific sensor details are missing for both, the Pixel 8 Pro’s emphasis on photo and video processing suggests a more refined image pipeline. The nubia Z60 Ultra’s camera capabilities are less emphasized in the provided data, implying a more hardware-focused approach. The Pixel 8 Pro’s AI-powered features, like Magic Eraser and Best Take, offer unique post-processing capabilities unavailable on the nubia. The absence of details on the nubia’s OIS and lens apertures makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Pixel 8 Pro’s reputation in this area is well-established.
Performance
The nubia Z60 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) boasts a more aggressive CPU core configuration – a 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 – compared to the Pixel 8 Pro’s Tensor G3 (4nm) with its 3.0 GHz Cortex-X3. This suggests a performance edge in CPU-intensive tasks for the nubia. However, the Tensor G3’s nona-core setup and focus on AI processing provide advantages in machine learning tasks and Google’s exclusive features. The nubia’s LPDDR5x RAM, while fast, isn’t explicitly detailed for the Pixel 8 Pro, but is expected to be comparable. Thermal management will be crucial; the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is known to generate heat, and the nubia’s cooling solution will be critical to avoid throttling during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The nubia Z60 Ultra delivers a significantly longer active use battery score (14:57h) than the Pixel 8 Pro (11:14h). This suggests better overall battery efficiency despite a similar process node. However, the Pixel 8 Pro compensates with faster charging – 30W wired, plus 23W wireless and reverse wireless charging – and features like bypass charging. The nubia’s 80W wired charging is substantially faster, allowing for quicker top-ups. The Pixel 8 Pro’s older endurance rating of 90h is less relevant than the active use score, as real-world usage varies greatly.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Z60 Ultra if you need uncompromising gaming performance, exceptionally fast charging, and a focus on raw power. This phone is ideal for power users and mobile gamers. Buy the Google Pixel 8 Pro if you prefer a best-in-class camera experience, seamless integration with Google services, and a brighter, more visible display in direct sunlight. It’s the perfect choice for photography lovers and those valuing software features.