CES 2015: ZTE Nubia Z7, Star II hands-on

ZTE Nubia Z7 hands-on

The ZTE Nubia Z7 is the highest-end device from ZTE's lineup this year (so far at least). It has the pedigree of a true flagship with a 5.5" 1440 x 2560px display of some 538 ppi, a Snapdragon 801 chip with four 2.5GHz cores, the Adreno 330 GPU and a solid 3 gigs worth of RAM.

The Nubia Z7 has imaging in mind with a 13MP main camera that is capable of optically stabilized stills and 4K video at 30 fps. The aperture of f/2.0 should help for some stellar low-light performance and selfies are covered by a 5MP front-facing camera. The camera software includes full manual control while the chassis has accommodated a dedicated camera key.

Thanks to its big screen diagonal the Nubia Z7 is a hefty device at 170 grams. It's still pocketable though, at just 153.2mm tall and 8.9mm thick.

ZTE Nubia Z7

The 5.5" QHD screen on the ZTE Nubia Z7 is top notch in every respect. It offers superb viewing angles, great punchy colors and is as sharp as you can get nowadays (or would need to unless our eyes develop microscopic vision).

Built inside a high-quality metal frame, the Nubia Z7 feels premium. There's a plastic back that is thankfully matte and of good tactile quality. The device deserves to be seen in real life.

ZTE Nubia Z7

ZTE is also showcasing its latest user interface at CES 2015. It has no app drawer, similar to Apple's iOS and just about every UI coming from China these days. Icons are custom made and look good while the whole device flies through tasks without an issue.