nubia Z11 smartphone: A mini-DSLR in your pocket (Tech Review)

Taking smartphone photography to the next level, Chinese manufacturer nubia has introduced its "bezel-less" flagship Z11 that features NeoVision 6.0 -- a DSLR-like photography system.

Competing in the mid-range segment, the Rs 29,999 nubia Z11 takes the OnePlus 3, OnePlus 3T and Xiaomi Mi 5 devices head on.

Here is what works for the Z11:

The black and gold finish phone has a unique design which is surely a head-turner. Featuring a rectangular-shape metal uni-body construction, the device feels sturdy in the hand. Adopting an aircraft-grade aluminium alloy, the Z11 is also corrosion-resistant and anti-oxidative.

If you have seen nubia devices before, you will be aware of the red rings the company uses around the camera and at front to make the phone stand out in the crowd.

The rounded, contoured corners around the sides and back make it easy to hold with one hand. Apart from zero bezel display, another highlight of the device is the 16MP rear-facing camera with a Sony IMX298 sensor.

We were delighted by the camera's performance. The shutter speed is good and the images captured were detailed with enough colour and without any hint of oversaturation. The shots not only looked brilliant on the device but also on bigger screens. No doubt the camera performance is better than its nearest rivals.

Integrating OIS (Optical Image Stabiliser), nubia HIS (Hand-Held Image Stabilisation) and EIS (Electronic Image Stabiliser) features, the camera captured stable shots while in motion with zero shakes.

The filters on the camera app, specially 'Mucha' and 'Sketch,' worked really well, giving an artistic view of the subject being captured.

The shots taken in low-lit environments also had a decent amount of detail, without any hint of noise.

Another interesting feature that the smartphone packs for multi-tasking is the split-screen. Swipe down from the bottom of the display and nubia Z11 splits the screen into two separate home screens allowing you to use two apps simultaneously.

The split-screen worked fine while using social media apps, web browsing and you can use any application in both the screens -- except the camera.

Harnessing power from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 6GB of RAM, the device running on nubia UI 4.0 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow worked smoothly with apps being loaded quickly.

Apart from the "bezel-less" design, the company has also packed some tricks into its UI to make the edges more interactive.

For example, swiping repeatedly from the edges clears background apps and frees up space. Swiping on both edges adjusts brightness. We also liked the fun animations on the screen while performing edge gestures.

What does not work?

There is no app drawer. Other than that, we did not find any problem with the device.

Conclusion: A brilliant 5.5-inch smartphone, Z11 excelled in every aspect, delivering snappy performance. The camera was the show-stopper. So if you want a mini-DSLR in your pocket, Z11 is your choice.

(Anuj Sharma can be contacted at anuj.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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