In March 2014, Nubia introduced their big-screen flagship phone, the Nubia Z6. Its top-notch specs and 6.4-inch screen made a big impression on the audience.

Invitation to Nubia’s launch event

Just four months later on July 8, Nubia held a launch event for their summer releases. These products were the Nubia Z7, Z7 Mini, and Z7 Max. Within just half a year, Nubia has released four new phones which is amazing.

Invitation to Nubia’s launch event

Just four months later on July 8, Nubia held a launch event for their summer releases. These products were the Nubia Z7, Z7 Mini, and Z7 Max. Within just half a year, Nubia has released four new phones which is amazing.

All three follow the Nubia Z5S’ footsteps with the Z7 at the top, Max copying the Nubia Z5S’s (Big cow) style, and the Mini continuing the Z5S mini’s style (Big Cow 2). Here, the writer will introduce the Z7 mini smart phone.

Design changes (I)

A good design for a product can be continued in the next generation. Some people may say that you’re out of ideas but who could possibly criticize a reasonable design? Just look at Apple’s iPhone series?

The Z7 mini continues its predecessor’s design

The classic “Home” button

       Like the Nubia Z5S mini, the Z7 mini has a very slender design and follows a black and white color scheme. A completely black edition may be released in the future. The Z7’s red “Home” button is located at the bottom of the screen in the middle of two red buttons.　

The back of the Z7 mini

The Z7 mini’s back is made of frosted glass like the Z5S mini, but its sides are more flexible and hearty. You can clearly see that there are sharp edges on the back of the phone but it doesn’t make any less comfortable to carry the phone.

Design changes (II)

The Z7 mini’s ports and sockets are arranged properly making it a phone that could not possibly sold for a cheap price. The volume and power buttons are located on the right side so that the user can carry the phone using his or her left hand. 

Rear case is detachable but not the battery

Dual-SIM and Micro SD

       As an Android smart phone that costs around 1500 RMB (242.03 USD), the Nubia Z7 mini has a detachable rear cover. After taking the rear case off, we can see that this phone does not have a detachable battery but has a Micro SIM slot and Micro SD port. This design makes it easier to use this phone.

5-inch screen has a smooth texture

       Not a lot of upgrades were done on the Nubia Z7 Mini’s screen. It still has a 5-inch FHD IPS display screen which should actually be go enough for many users.

Camera specs and photo display

       Almost every time Nubia releases a new phone, they seem to make a new breakthrough with their camera specs. Of course, the Nubia Z7 Mini is no exception. Nebula was included in the Mini edition which uses on the new Neo Vision 4.0. Not only does Depth of field preview and hand movements make more fun to take photos using the Z7 mini but also help the photographer take better photos.  

The red area is the field of depth preview

The one photo function that everyone will quickly remember is the field of depth preview feature. When we turn this on and use the phone’s focus function, a lot of red marks will appear on the display screen. Those who do not understand this will think that the camera is broken, when actually this is the Z7 Mini’s newest feature. Those areas marked in red are areas being focused on.

Photo taken in manual focus

       Using the camera on manual focus will also leave a great impression on the user. After selecting macro mode (on manual fuss), you can adjust the distance by yourself and take a photo at the right moment.

Of course, the Nubia Z7 mini has so many great photo features. I won’t describe them all now. Those who want to know about the Neo Vision 4.0’s newest friends can look at the photography taking essay which is coming soon.

Photos taken by the Nubia Z7 Mini

       Although the Nubia Z7’s camera specs are great, for the regular consumer, one can take the most photos using auto mode which is the easiest and simplest to use. It can all be done in just one snap. Here are some photos that I talk using the Z7 Mini in auto mode. What do you think?

Photos taken using the Nubia Z7

       Without using any advanced photo functions, the Nubia Z7 Mini can take excellent photos.

Nubia Z7 mini hardware and benchmark score

       Photography lies in the heart of the Nubia series but it’s also notable for its powerful hardware.  

To attract more customers who wanted powerful hardware, ZTE put in one of the most powerful mobile phone chipsets today in the Nubia Z7 Mini, the Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor (Main frequency, 2.0GHz). This phone also has 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM, and also supports dual-SIM and micro SD expansion card. It is very hard to find a cell phone like this at the 1500 RMB (241.83 USD) price level.

Antutu Benchmark test of the Z7 Mini

       Many say that benchmark scores cannot represent a device’s performance, but they objectively show whether a certain hardware works. The Nubia Z7 was fortunately able to score 31062 points in the Antutu benchmark test. Although this is not really the highest a device has gotten, it is considered average. After all, the phone’s processor has a main frequency of 2.0GHz.

After having powerful hardware, the best way to test a phone’s performance is through its games and video streaming. Below is a snapshot of the Z7 mini streaming a video. Even if the phone’s main frequency was lowered to 2GHz, there wouldn’t be any compression in the video.

Game performance is very good

       The Z7 mini is also very good for gaming. The graphics are excellent and the program runs smoothly.

UI/Conclusion

When the Nubia X6 was first released, we were first introduced to the Nubia UI 2.0 whose flattened icons and personalized design made a deep impression on us. The Z7 mini uses a follow-up to this UI, the Nubia UI 2.5. However, not a lot of changes were made.

The Z7 Mini’s UI

       The purity and simplicity of the Z7 Mini’s UI makes it more comfortable for users to handle. In fact, this is one of the main concepts that Nubia has followed. As Nubia continues to update their UI, their phones become easier and more comfortable to use.

Conclusion:

       1499 RMB is surprisingly affordable for a phone with such powerful features. The Z7 Mini is one of the best phones around the 1500 RMB price level. I believe that after Nubia formally launches the Z7 Mini, it will breathe new life into the market. Let’s wait and see.

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