Fantastic cameras and flagship performance

The Nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version is the company’s latest flagship smartphone, replacing the Nubia Z60 Ultra we reviewed at the beginning of 2024. The only significant change is the switch to an overclocked version of the Snapdragon chipset, which solves our biggest problem with the previous model.

Nubia tends to remove its phones from the market shortly after a newer model is available, so you don’t need to worry about which model is best for you. However, even though the Z60 Ultra Leading Version is $50 more than its predecessor, I think this is one the most worthwhile upgrades we’ve seen from Nubia in years.

Price, availability, and connectivity

The Z60 Ultra Leading Version is available in four models. The cheapest option costs $650 and has 8GB RAM and 256G storage. The most expensive is $880, with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. Strangely, the cheapest and most expensive models are only available in black. If you want the stylish silver marbling effect seen in our review, you’ll need to plump for the 12 + 256GB ($699) or 16 + 512GB model ($779)

I reviewed the phone in central England, an area not renowned for its connectivity. Nevertheless, I could stream music, make calls, and receive timely notifications without issues. US users should note that the Z60 Ultra Leading Version does not support all major US bands, so your experience may vary.

What I like about the Nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version

The AI upgrades are genuinely useful

It’s hard to describe what I like about the Nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version design without lifting words directly from my Z60 Ultra review. The phone’s design is mostly unchanged, which I have mixed feelings about. While an eye-catcher, the camera bump is still too big, making the phone a nightmare for snap-in gaming controllers and providing a haven for dust to collect. Nevertheless, the new silver effect looks fantastic, doing much to soften the brutalist effect of the Z60 Ultra. While the silver marble effect on the Z60 Ultra LV came with its own caveats (which I’ll touch on later), it looks much better than its predecessor.

I won’t waste time repeating everything I said about the Z60 Ultra. Instead, I want to discuss the only major improvement: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Leading Version chipset. This chipset comes with various AI tools, which Nubia claimed would alleviate the problems I had with the Z60 Ultra’s cameras, namely that the phone’s post-processing algorithms resulted in blurry, oversaturated photos.

Thankfully, the change is noticeable. Below are pictures taken with the Z60 Ultra and Z60 Ultra LV at 1x and 30x, respectively. The Z60 Ultra LV, despite having the same cameras, produces better quality results thanks to its post-processing capabilities, which is especially noticeable when you zoom in to take a picture. The last picture is at 50x zoom on the Z60 Ultra LV, which looks to result in pictures roughly the same quality as the Z60 Ultra’s 30x zoom.

The improvements to the post-processing don’t stop at the telescopic zoom. Overall, the Z60 Ultra LV produced images that avoided the oversharpened and oversaturation problems that plagued its predecessor. If you’re looking for a phone to take on a photography trip, the Z60 Ultra LV is the perfect choice. Not only will it take photos you will be proud of, but the 6,000mAh battery will last you all day and more. In my testing, I was able to go two full days using the phone without needing to top it up, even when uploading photos over my data connection.

What I didn’t like about the Nubia Z60 Ultra Leading Version

MyOS is still frustrating to use

If you buy a Z60 Ultra Leading Version, I recommend installing a third-party launcher from the Play Store. All of these are better than the MyOS launcher on the Z60 Ultra LV, which is great at first impressions but soon becomes a frustrating experience.

Undoubtedly, MyOS14 has more customization options than any other Android software layer. I’ve been using MyOS on and off since I reviewed the Z60 Ultra in January 2024, and the more I use it, the less impressed I am. UI elements feel inconsistent, customization options prioritize flashy effects over usability, and the default browser is borderline unusable. There are also frustrating features like the watermark with Nubia branding applied by default to all your photos and inaccurate English translations. None of these points are dealbreakers in and of themselves, but the result is a frustrating mess compounded by the bugs and a measly two years of software support.

Despite the AI improvements, the Z60 LV still lacks the ease of use we like to see in a smartphone camera. If you’re patient and spend time adjusting the camera settings for each shot, you will produce fantastic photos. However, for quick snaps, I found many of my pictures didn’t turn out the way I liked. Beginner photographers may also be overwhelmed by the number of camera options the Z60 Ultra LV throws at you; it’s entirely unnecessary for holiday snaps or selfies for Instagram.

On the hardware side, while the silver marble effect is eye-catching, its premium look falls apart when touched. It has the same texture as linoleum; rubbing your fingers against it produces a similar squeaky sound. This is subtly unpleasant, and while I would recommend a case anyway for a phone that’s this easy to drop, it’s still disappointing when the Redmagic phones, like the 9S Pro , come with a sleek glass back. A similar effect would have gone a long way here.

Should you buy it?

While I’m happy to report that Nubia has ironed out the camera issues that plagued the Z60 Ultra, the phone’s frustrating software makes it hard to recommend it over other midrange Android phones. For example, the Pixel 8 is just $50 more and offers five more years of software support for an OS that’s much more enjoyable to use. Plus, Google’s stellar post-processing means you’ll capture better pictures anyway, even if it doesn’t have a telescopic lens.

If you value processing power and high-quality photos over your user experience, the Z60 Ultra is an excellent phone. You get a lot for your money here, but don’t expect a smooth ride.