Smartphone ZTE Nubia Z17 6 / 64GB and 8 / 64GB - advantages and disadvantages

Not so long ago, a new smartphone Nubia Z17 was released from the well-known popular company ZTE. The novelty meets modern fashion requirements, both in terms of design, and in terms of "filling" and technical characteristics. The device has a popular frameless screen today and is equipped with one of the best types of processor - Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. It should be noted that the "filling" of the smartphone is top-end, and will not become outdated for about two more years.

The device is available in two versions, differing from each other only in the amount of RAM: 6 GB and 8 GB. It is worth saying that Z17 is a very fast smartphone with instant response, it quickly switches between applications, quickly responds to any command, without any delays. One of the interesting features of the device is the ability to launch any application in two windows at once, placing them at the top and bottom of the screen. But first things first.

General specifications

• operating system version - Android 7.1;
• body type - classic, waterproof;
• body material - metal, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, scratch-resistant;
• support for two nano-SIM cards with alternating operation;
• dimensions - 72.38 × 152.6 × 7.6 mm, weight - 173 g.

Processor and memory

• processor - eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 MSM8998, 2450 GHz;
• video processor Adreno 540;
• built-in memory - 64 GB;
• the amount of RAM - 6 GB and 8 GB.

Nutrition

• battery capacity - non-removable, volume 3200 mAh;
• type of connector for charging USB Type-C;
• Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.

Display

• screen type - color, with IPS-matrix, multi-touch, capacitive;
• diagonal - 5.5 inches;
• image size -1920 × 1080;
• the number of pixels per inch (PPI) - 401;
• aspect ratio - 16: 9;
• light indication of events.

Camera

• rear camera - dual 12/23 MP, rear flash, LED, with autofocus, support for macro mode, optical Zoom 2x;
• Max. video resolution - 3840 × 2160, with a maximum frame rate of 60 frames / s;
• front camera - 16 megapixels;
• audio format support - MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, FM radio.

Communication

• support GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, LTE-A Cat. 6, VoLTE;
• interfaces - Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, USB, NFC;
• satellite navigation GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou.

Additional functions

• Speakerphone;
• voice control;
• A2DP profile;
• light sensors, proximity;
• gyroscope;
• compass;
• fingerprint scanner;
• Lantern;
• usb-host.

Equipment

• adapter;
• a needle for a SIM card slot;
• usb-c cord;
• adapter 3.5 mm.

Performance, operating system

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, one of the best to date, speaks for itself - it is the most productive and powerful. Thanks to this, the smartphone does not know delays and brakes, the device works at a very high speed, instantly responds at startup, when working with applications.

The operating system here is "special" - Google Android 7.1.1 in combination with the Nubia UI 5.0 shell. Externally, this is reflected in small changes to the interface - a swipe from top to bottom opens the notification panel, and moving from bottom to top gives access to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.The second feature of the OS is the ability to split the screen into two parts, in other words, launch two applications at the same time. The advantage of this "feature" is that it becomes possible, for example, to watch a movie and communicate in any messenger at the same time, without switching between applications. Multitasking is becoming more and more comfortable.

Smartphone settings are replete with all sorts of interesting and useful options, especially those related to gesture control.

• powerful processor;
• good performance;
• a large number of interesting settings;
• Dual-Sim support;
• the case does not heat up even when running heavy games or applications;
• well thought out and developed system of gesture control.

• due to the congestion of gesture settings, there is a possibility of accidentally clicking or launching the application;
• poor optimization of the operating system.

Memory

The Nubia Z17 comes in two versions - models with 6GB and 8GB of RAM and 64 built-in. In this case, the speed of the RAM is 6000 MB per second. The speed of the built-in memory is not very high (812 MB / s - reading, 222 MB / s - writing), but these indicators are quite enough for performing everyday simple tasks, Internet surfing.

• a good amount of memory, which is enough for standard tasks and stable operation of applications;
• high-speed performance, active games are easily launched;
• multitasking and smooth operation of the device at a high level (especially with a split screen).

• there is no memory card slot.

Battery

The device is equipped with a non-removable Li-Pol (lithium polymer) battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh. Watching video in HD format at maximum screen brightness drains the battery in 8 hours, active 3D games - in 5 hours, so the autonomy is average.

The Nubia Z17 has Quick Charge, which charges the battery up to 50% in 20 minutes, while it takes about an hour to fully charge the battery.

System performance is at a good level, thanks to a high-quality processor and a decent amount of RAM (6 or 8 GB).

• Quick Charge function.

• average operating time due to insufficient battery capacity.

Design, appearance, dimensions

This model has a harmonious classic design, made in soothing colors, and the appearance of the device as a whole looks familiar, not standing out in anything unusual. The aspect ratio of the screen - 16: 9 - in combination with thin side frames (2 mm each), accommodates more text, while the display is not stretched up. The smartphone fits comfortably in the hand, has a low weight and thickness, which provides comfortable control.

The body of the device is made of metal and glass, it is protected from moisture, but not so serious that the device can be immersed in water. The back of the case is matte, so there are practically no fingerprints on its surface. The front side is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which is highly resistant to scratches and external damage. This glass is of excellent quality, with an oleophobic coating (it has grease-repellent properties). The materials and workmanship are of high quality, so the device is durable and reliable.

The front of the Nubia Z17 is equipped with a camera as well as light, proximity and speaker sensors. Below, under the screen, there is an event indicator (a proprietary "ring" that also displays the battery charge level), and two buttons, the purpose of which can be changed in the smartphone settings. The brightness of the event indicator can also be adjusted according to preference.

Control buttons - power and volume control - are located on the right side of the device. On the left side is the nano SIM card slot. It should be noted that this model of the smartphone does not have support for microSD memory cards, but despite this, the built-in memory (64 GB) is quite enough both for performing everyday tasks, and for storing information, installing games and applications.

Nubia Z17 is equipped with an IR transmitter, which is located on the top of the smartphone. The presence of IR can turn the device into a remote control, and it should be noted that there are not many smartphones on the market equipped with such a transmitter.

On the back is a responsive, lag-free fingerprint scanner, as well as a dual main camera and dual flash.

This model is available in several colors: black, gold - the most common on the market, as well as less common red and blue.

Nubia Z17 does not have a 3.5 mm headphone jack, so a special adapter is included with the device, the use of which adds inconvenience - there is no way to listen to music while the smartphone is charging.

• attractive design;
• high-quality oleophobic coating;
• excellent build quality;
• touch buttons with branded backlight;
• stylish box in which the device is delivered;
• convenient dimensions of the device.

• the case is easily soiled;
• case materials are sensitive to scratches;
• the matte surface of the back is subject to dirt;
• there is no serious moisture protection.

Screen

The 5.5-inch display is protected by an anti-reflective coating, the bezels are quite narrow - at the top 15 mm, at the bottom - 16 mm, on the right and left sides - 2 mm. The aspect ratio is 16: 9, the screen resolution is 1920 × 1080 (FullHD) ppi. In addition, the display has a maximum viewing angle, and the image is bright, colors are quite saturated and natural. Sometimes you may notice slight image distortions around the edges of the screen appearing at different angles, but they do not spoil the overall picture.

Eye Protection uses warm screen fill tones that can be adjusted in intensity or turned off as needed. The brightness of the screen is comfortable even at its maximum values; for work in the open sun, an anti-sun mode is provided, which adjusts the brightness of the display in accordance with the lighting.

• comfortable display dimensions;
• excellent quality IPS screen.

• the automatic brightness adjustment function sometimes does not work correctly.

Camera

This characteristic and its quality is often a fundamental criterion when choosing a smartphone, so it is worth considering its features in detail. The smartphone meets modern trends and therefore has two main camera modules. The main feature of this model is that one sensor has a resolution of 12MP, and the other - 23MP, which creates a double zoom while maintaining the image quality.

The device is able to automatically recognize the level of illumination, based on which it switches the camera sensors on its own. In low light, at dusk, the Nubia Z17 uses the main camera module in combination with digital zoom. In bright light, an optional high-resolution module and optical zoom are used. As a result, the picture turns out to be clear, with an optimal level of sharpness, the image quality does not change at 2x magnification. DualPixel technology ensures maximum focusing speed.

Photos taken with the Nubia Z17 camera are of high quality, excellent detail, no noise and blur at the edges. In the camera settings, you can find many different effects and beautiful modes that create unusual bright photos (for example, the Star Trail mode, which allows you to capture the movement of stars). The popular HDR mode also shows good results.

The front camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels, which also guarantees high quality selfies regardless of lighting conditions.

Sample photos taken with the Nubia Z17

Daylight shot:

Photo taken at dusk:

Night shooting mode:

Macro shooting:

As for video shooting, the camera shoots videos with a maximum resolution of 4K / 1080p (main camera) and 1080p and 30 fps (front camera), while the quality remains at its level even in low light or at night.

• excellent quality of photos and selfies;
• a variety of interesting effects for decorating pictures.

• there is no optical and digital image stabilization;
• the rear camera modules protrude slightly above the body of the smartphone.

Interface

The Nubia Z17 is distinguished by its non-standard graphical interface, and in the early days of acquaintance with the device, it can become unusual. There are no control buttons from Android, their functions are performed by touch buttons located under the screen. The operating system here is Android 7.1.1 Nougat, the number of built-in applications is quite large, not all of them are popular, but there are also useful programs among them that can please individual users.

ZTE's ever-improving gesture control function - Frame Interactive Technology - provides additional control options for the device. For example, a side swipe allows you to view a list of recent documents and additional widgets, while a bottom-up gesture displays the notification bar. In the same way, you can adjust the brightness of the screen, divide the screen into two parts - the parameters of these and other gestures can be adjusted and adjusted in the smartphone settings. The home button can also be supplemented with one more necessary function that will be triggered by a long press on the button.

Of the special and unusual "chips" - useful utilities that increase the performance of the device (for example, a convenient cleaner), the ability to "copy" any of the applications installed on the smartphone.

• unusual interface;
• proprietary "chips" from Nubia - interface and control features;
• beautiful and varied animation accompanying the action.
• quick response.

• incorrect translation into Russian.

Communication

The device has a slot for two nano-SIM-cards, and works in standard networks such as 2G (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), 3G (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE (B1 / B3 / B5 / B7 / B8 / B12 / B20). And also there is support for VoLTE, LTE CAT technologies.

NFC is present here, but with one caveat - the smartphone must be attached to the terminal with the front side, not the back. In this case, the distance from the terminal to the surface of the device should be no more than 10 mm. This unusual work with NFC is dictated by the fact that the body of the device is made of metal. Mifare Classic and Mifare Ultralight are not included in this model.

For the rest of the parameters, the Nubia Z17 has the same characteristics as any smartphone with the Android operating system. Supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, USB 2.0, navigation systems GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS.

• good connection;
• high quality sound during a call.

• inconvenience associated with using NFC.

Multimedia capabilities

The sound quality in this model is of high quality, the speaker has good volume. In addition, the sound has support for DolbyAtmos technology in its settings, with which you can adjust the equalizer, sound volume, automatic volume, and speech correction. There is no 3.5 mm audio jack, as in many new products this season, but a special adapter is included in the package.

• the earpiece is of high quality and loud.

• no Hi-Res sound recording.

General conclusion

The Nubia Z17 smartphone is a classic, even somewhat traditional device, nevertheless, corresponding to modern fashion trends, but not overloaded with innovations and excesses. The high quality of the cameras makes this model even more attractive, especially for those who are passionate about photography and selfies.

The smartphone is available in several colors, the most popular of which are black, gold and black and gold. Blue and red colors are less common. Each accessory in the set has its own bright, unique design and corresponds to the corporate identity of the device

The cost of the device varies depending on the amount of memory - a device with 6 GB of RAM has an approximate cost of 26,000 rubles. A device with 8 GB of RAM is somewhat more expensive at a price of about 28,000 rubles.