ZTE Axon 40 Ultra review

You may not have heard of it, but there is a lot to say about the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra. Find out in our review.

Further development of the móvil inteligente family ZTE Axon it is worth studying. After gaining prominence in 2018 with the excellent Axon 7, considered one of the best value bets in its category, the family’s popularity gradually spread due to questionable decisions such as launching a dual-screen mobile phone at a time when where neither the market nor technology were ready to welcome them as they deserved.

For several generations, the Axon series has been the hallmark of the camera under the screen. ZTE is one of the few companies that continues to bet on hiding the front photo sensor under the panel, starting with the ZTE Axon 20 and continuing with the much more assertive ZTE Axon 30.

In 2022, the mark has gone higher. What was previously a differentiating feature of the basic model of the family now becomes an additional feature a more advanced version of the series. Therefore, the brand has decided to offer their new one Drivers for ZTE Axon 40 Ultra that is, in the words of the body, the best camera under the screen developed by ZTE so far.

However, the Axon 40 Ultra has much more than a hidden camera: it is the most innovative móvil inteligente in the entire ZTE catalogue, equipped with the latest generation of Qualcomm Snapdragon flagship processor, the impose a screen 6.8 inches and a refined design to a point comparable to the design of the the most expensive cell phones on the market.

Secure, high-end móvil inteligente with all the law. One that offers more than enough arguments to convince those looking for something different in the high-end range.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, review and score

Price of the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra and when to buy

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is already available worldwide at a price Price 829 euros in its version with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage and 949 euros for the most expensive model with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

It perro be purchased through the the brand’s official en línea store.

Where is the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra located?

The Axon 40 Ultra is that a model that will lead the ZTE móvil inteligente catalog in 2022. It’s a móvil inteligente that comes with many of the latest specs geared towards the high-end, including a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processora curved AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hertz or ultra-fast charging added to a 5000miliamperio-hora battery.

It also aims to compete with the best on the market in terms of photography, thanks to a camera system composed of three 64 megapixel sensors eachthereby requiring the provision of unnecessary depth and macro sensors the flexibility that we are asking for a high-end camera.

The Axon 40 Ultra is equipped with the latest tech advances, including a 144 Hertz screen and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 / Image: Christian Collado

It is a successor to Drivers for ZTE Axon 30 Ultra launched last year, a model that shares many of its design traits. On paper, however, we also see regressions in certain aspects, such as the ability to zoom the camera or the refresh rate – the previous model was able to reach 144 Hertz -.

Its most direct competitors are the reference models of some of the most habitual companies. Among them we could see models like that Controlador xiaomi 12 pro, Field GT 2 Pro or even the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Incidentally, there is more than just an aesthetic resemblance to the latter.

Technical data sheet

design

ZTE has chosen to keep the aesthetic lines of the previous Axon 30 Ultra almost intact. That is: straight lines, sharp and curved corners They are important design features that stand out particularly well built and for a futuristic aesthetic, thanks to the lack of cutouts on its huge screen.

The back is built in brushed glasswith a slightly rougher matte finish than usual, somewhat reminiscent of cell phones like the OPPO Find X5 or the OnePlus 10 Pro.

This finish serves its purpose perfectly when it comes down to it hide fingerprints and dirt. However, the device does particularly slippery. Luckily, ZTE includes a TPU case with the phone case, which saves us from more than one fear.

ZTE has chosen a pleasantly matt surface for the back of its new star cell phone / Picture: Christian Collado

With that in mind, it’s worth mentioning that it’s a device very large, one of the biggest I’ve tried so far. It is more than 16 centimeters high and 7.7 wide, although ZTE was able to keep the thickness -8.4 mm — and the weight -202 grams — quite restrained.

The main character of this back wall is the huge camera module constructed from aluminum, as is the chassis that acts as a connection between the rear panel and the front panel. This module rises significantly from behind and as it is arranged on one side, makes the device “dance” when used on a table or any other flat surface.

The Axon 40 Ultra’s triple rear camera is integrated into a large module located on the back of the device / Image: Christian Collado

The module includes by camera arranged vertically, each surrounded by an independent metal ring, which in turn protrudes several millimeters from the module. Also included is a dual LED flash, microphone and focus sensor. with a laser.

On the edge of the phone we hardly find a surprise: the Volume and power buttons are on the right edge, and at the bottom are the USB-C port, microphone, and SIM card slot. At the top is a second speaker and an infrared heater.

The only aspect that could be improved is the build quality I would ask slightly more travel on the physical keysespecially the on/off.

In this case, ZTE offers the Axon 40 Ultra in one color: Black. The color that, depending on the light frequency, is added to the matte finish and the glossy effect on the back, give the device an elegant lookbut striking, and it is common for others to come up to him and ask what device it is.

As the most significant absences related to his physical department, we must mention IP certificate. It is therefore not a device that guarantees water or dust resistance.

Screen

The main character of the Axon 40 Ultra is a huge 6.8-inch panel / Image: Christian Collado

As much as ZTE has worked to give the device a sophisticated look that we’ve never seen before in a branded terminal, no feature of the device draws as much attention as it does your screen.

A huge AMOLED panel Takes up 6.8 inches without cutouts almost the whole front of the phone, with tiny bezels at the top and bottom, and a side curve that forms a 70-degree angle to make the side edges almost invisible and merge the back panel with the front, except for a thin 1.5-millimeter metal bezel separating it She.

The screen, in addition to its cropped format, draws attention to its part quality. It is an excellent panel with features such as Contrast, brightness – up to 1500 nits – or sharpnessalthough not so much in relation to that Colour reproduction: There are three color modes to choose from in the display settings, but none of them deliver a reasonably smooth result. Colorful and Estándar modes oversaturate colors, while Natural mode exaggerates them.

Despite the reduction in the maximum refresh rate of the panel the 120 hertz They are sufficient and always provide a smooth and fluid experience. However, it should be mentioned that in this case we are not dealing with an LTPO-type panel, so the device cannot dynamically change the refresh rate to save energy.

In order to provide an “uninterrupted” front view, ZTE has launched a new generation of its “UDC” system, or Under camera espectáculo.

On paper, the solution shines through the technology behind it: the The area where the camera is hidden has a slightly lower pixel density Until then, the rest of the panel is 400 pixels per inch. However, ZTE has managed to keep one Degree of gloss that deviates by less than 2% in relation to the environment of the camera area, and the color change is also small.

Likewise the The pixel layout has been improved compared to the previous generation, and a separate chip is used to make the camera “appear” or “disappear” as needed.

That’s the theory. In practice, there’s no doubt that ZTE has done a lot of engineering when it comes to this Hide the sensor under the panel. It is almost invisible in most cases and only slightly aparente to the eye. espectáculo a uniform background in dark colors such as gray or blue. Compared to other models, such as the predecessor ZTE Axon 30 or the Galaxy Z Fold 3, The Axon 40 Ultra solution is much more compelling.

Under the panel not only the front camera. ZTE also chose a fingerprint reader to be integrated into the panel and although it is in a convenient and accessible position, it must be said that it is It’s not the fastest or most accurate that you tried In fact, it is common to see the need rest your finger on the drawing area repeatedly to recognize it.

hardware and performance

Like any mobile phone equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra able to deliver peak performance with nuance.

There is no problem in performing heavy tasks, such as B. when playing games that require a high graphic load or when running photo or vídeo editing applications. The experience is always fluid and the biggest jugadores will surely enjoy the gaming sessions, even more if they have this type of screen.

The only problems we find in this sense are, on the one hand, the Overheating is already known with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1and on the other hand the lack of programa optimizationwhich causes background requests to close indefinitely, and some others hang up for no apparent reason.

The Axon 40 Ultra is a very large device / Picture: Christian Collado

battery and charging

As for the battery, the Drivers for ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Commitment to the typical combination of 5000miliamperio-hora and 65W fast charge that we have seen so often in the high-end segment lately. A combination that almost always convinces.

This time is no exception. After the last update, the device received the end device exactly on the day of its market launch they have started to behave much more consistentlywith load changes where possible Achieve seven hours of screen on after a day of heavy use. It allows breathing, it’s not difficult come in a day and a half before you have to go through the charger.

This by the way included and coincidente with the USB-PD PPS estándar —Programmable power supplyso that other devices coincidente with this estándar cánido be charged up to a maximum power of 65W.

With the included charger full loadStarting with the device at 0% battery it takes a few 42 minutes until the end.

Unfortunately, ZTE has made a decision without support for Qi wireless charging on your latest device. A destacable absence, especially since this feature is included in the vast majority of its competitors.

Unlike most direct competitors, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra does not have wireless charging / image: Christian Collado

programa

Bad programa perro canalla the good work of the hardware department. In the case of the custom MyOS layer – ZTE powers the Axon 40 Ultra – something like this happens.

On the aesthetic level, the ZTE layer based on Android 12 emplees more or less questionable solutions. He is the coherence and consistency of the interfaz are conspicuous by their absencewith a quick settings panel with a slightly confusing layout, incorrect translations, incorrectly positioned functions throughout the usuario interfaz, or faulty texts, just to name a few of the flaws that run the length and breadth of MyOS.

As if that wasn’t enough, the ZTE layer has the same problems as many other special series from Chinese manufacturers, for example Over-aggressive RAM management leading to application crashes for no apparent reason, even if they are used in the background. During these weeks of calling, I’ve seen MyOS indiscriminately close aplicaciones like Pocket Casts or Spotify, even though an audio track was playing at the time.

Speaking of sound, that is another big problem of the Axon 40 Ultra: your stereo speaker system it leaves a lot to be desired what the sound quality is concerned. The upper speaker produces a worse sound than the lower one, resulting in an unbalanced sound. Also, the audio isn’t clear and tends to distort too easily.

That has to be said in favor of the ZTE programa works fast and is loaded with configuration options. But it seems that ZTE wanted to build the house from the roof: it preferred to integrate a multitude of customization options with MyOS without first having a solid foundation to develop a satisfactory Android experience.

Examining the customization settings, we perro find a multitude of tools that will allow us to modify practically every aspect of the interfaz. From the shape of the icons or notification bubbles to the accent color, the speed of the animation or the style of the lock screen clock.

cameras

ZTE has been working for some time to offer a photo experience at the height of improvement with its top-of-the-line devices. It made its first entry into computational photography with the Axon 30 and 30 Ultra, and in this new generation it builds on the advances made so far sensor array what promises on paper:

• ultra wide angle: Custom Sony IMX787 64-megapixel, 16mm equivalent focal length, f/2.35 aperture, macro mode, free-form distortion lens
• main room: Custom 64-megapixel Sony IMX787, 35mm equivalent focal length, f/1.6 aperture, 7P lens, Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS)
• tele: 64 megapixels, periscope lens, up to 2.6x optical zoom, up to 5.7x hybrid, f/3.5, optical image stabilizer, 91mm equivalent focal length
• Front camera: 16 megabytes

The camera system primarily draws attention to ZTE’s choice of a 64 megapixel triple sensortwo of them with Sony’s IMX787 sensor.

ZTE also emphasizes that focus area which, thanks to the sensors, covers the entire camera series from 16 to 91 millimeters plus wide Y tele. In that sense, it’s remarkable Equivalent focal length 35mm of the main sensor, which ZTE dubs the “Humanity Camera” because it’s a focal length typically used by professional photographers to capture portraits of people. For most teléfonos inteligentes on the market, the equivalent focal length of the main sensor is usually around 26 millimeters.

To all these technical marvels, we must add the various algorithms and advances in computer-assisted photography that ZTE has achieved over the years of work. The question is, do you fulfill your task?

ZTE relies on flexibility in the camera system of its Axon 40 Ultra / Image: Christian Collado

General, Yes. The main room allows Download images in excellent qualitywith colors tending towards naturalness, a fast and precise focusing system and a good level of detail without having to add artificiality.

It’s his weak point dynamic range and in his inclination to do so Dodge catches indoors or in low light. Still, the experience is very satisfying, and the 35mm focal length is welcome for those of us who enjoy taking portraits.

Because the camera emplees the attached ultra-wide-angle lens same sensor than the main camera, results are unsurprisingly comparable in terms of sharpness and dynamic range. However, the Colors are not consistent with those detected with the front sensor and means the smaller aperture of the sensor significant data loss in the night scenes.

Finally, the tele It’s undoubtedly the least capable sensor of the three, but it still gives us a lot more latitude than a macro or depth camera, giving the camera system that plus flexibility only found in mobile phones today. most expensive on the market.

Thanks to the periscopic lens and high resolution Zoomed images retain good detail up to 5x magnification. Also, we’re starting to see the seams on the sensor and it’s easy to come across the dreaded watercolor effect.

We also have to talk about the vídeo ámbito, since the Axon 40 Ultra delivers very good results when it comes to image quality and stabilization… as long as we stay away from the 8K resolution mode.

Perhaps even more impressive than the camera system itself, that a variety of different methods available in the camera application. any dream geoc who like to play with their mobile phones, test many different functions and methods. One of the most significant is the method of astrophotography that is able “draw” the constellations forming the stars at night with augmented reality.

But how It wouldn’t hurt to sacrifice some of the included methods if that would help the camera aplicación work better. I’ve come across this on more than one occasion blurry photos or they weren’t saved because the camera aplicación wasn’t up to the task. And a pity, because the mobile phone stands out High recording speed… As long as the aplicación doesn’t crash.

Photo and vídeo gallery with ZTE Axon 40 Ultra

In the end I decided to leave the one Should be the most distinctive feature of this phone. And it could be, but not for the reasons expected from ZTE.

The 16-megapixel front camera only does one of two things well: to hide your head. When taking pictures the quality is too bad, and again espectáculos that this technology is not yet ready to be implemented in high-end mobile devices. And much less in one of 1900 euros.