The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra Review - Something Surprisingly Different
by Andrei Frumusanu on July 30, 2021 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Mobile
- Smartphones
- ZTE
- Axon 30 Ultra
System Performance - Extremely Snappy
Featuring a Snapdragon 888 as well as a 144Hz screen extremely fast touch response, we expect the Axon 30 Ultra to perform admirably, and that’s generally indeed what you should see on the phone.
In the PCMark Web browsing test, the Axon 30 Ultra is actually amongst the most aggressive devices on the market right now, certainly amongst S888 phones.
The writing sub-test which is most representative of general UI responsiveness, we see the Axon 30 Ultra fare well in the charts although it’s not the most aggressive.
In the photo editing and data manipulation tests it’s also quite middle of the line, but still featuring great performance.
The end score lands the phone in the middle of the pack amongst other Snapdragon 888 phones which is still great.
Also, I’d like to mention that while testing the phone I unfortunately discovered that ZTE is cheating in PCMark; the OS detects the application and pegs the CPU frequencies to maximum, which naturally in results in absurdly high scores that are unrealistic. This is more of a classic case of a more blatant benchmark cheating which tends to be common with the more misguided vendors. The scores publish here bypass the detection and are representative of general application performance.
Web Browser Performance
In the web browser performance tests, the Axon 30 Ultra performs excellently and is amongst the fastest Snapdragon 888 devices out there.
Overall, the performance of the Axon 30 Ultra is excellent and is amongst one of the best in the current market. The software stack seems to work as well as any other good implementation, and the phone’s hardware in terms of a high refresh rate screen and low input touch response result in very fluid and responsive experiences.
I’d like to note here that in regards to the phone 144Hz refresh rate mode isn’t exactly much of an advantage over the 120Hz mode, beyond the increased power consumption, it’s actually quite hard to tell the difference to 120Hz so I can’t claim that it’s of any practical advantage to the phone beyond going that extra inch in terms of marketing features.
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s.yu - Saturday, July 31, 2021 - link
The processing isn't very consistent across modules, and, perhaps surprisingly, the main looks worse than the UWA zoomed in. At default mag. though the main looks competitive.ottonis - Sunday, August 1, 2021 - link
Once again I have to express my admiration for Andre's terrific Smartphone reviews. They may not cover each and every aspect of the phone but when they address certain aspects they do it with unprecedented depth, precision and technical expertise that easily surpasses the vast majority of smartphone reviews on the internet.Thanks for the terrific work, reading your reviews is pure joy!!
Skiprudder - Thursday, August 5, 2021 - link
I'm not sure you should be recommending any ZTE devices for US consumers right now. The US government has banned all government employees and contractors from using ZTE phones because of concerns about Chinese government involvement and investment in the company and the potential for spyware (software and hardware.) The US government has also moved to ban any ZTE equipment from installation in cellular and other networks for the same reason.This means that over 9 million US consumers are directly barred from using this phone by their employer. If Anandtech wanted to explore some of these security concerns in more detail, that would be very cool, but I think you have to warn folks when reviewing a device like this.
https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-fcc-votes-la...
https://insidedefense.com/insider/dod-releases-int...
DuranArturoLucio - Thursday, August 26, 2021 - link
Today, we’re taking a closer look at a somewhat particular device, the new ZTE A: and surprisingly enough I mean that in every sense of the word. Normally when you hear “ZTE” or “Ultra Review” your eyes cross and all hope is lost; but this time there is something curiously unique about the phone that has me hooked before I even picked it up to take for a spin. The title gives it away: it has an ultra-bright screen. We can always discuss them on https://spyphoneapp.net/ my website. It's really easy. This interesting detail could be part of what draws so many people in but by far my favorite feature is its special keyboard with built-in Android Functions keys (peevee - Saturday, September 11, 2021 - link
Top-of-the-line chipset.Rubber body (so no extra case would be required).
Removable/replaceable high-capacity battery.
3.5mm jack.
Energy-efficient screen.
Security updates for 4 years+.
Is it really that much to ask?