From narrow black edges to bangs screens to digging screens, mobile phone manufacturers have been making unremitting efforts to increase the screen ratio of mobile phone screens. As the ultimate form of a normal thickness full-screen mobile phone, the under-screen camera technology that must be used for true full-screen is considered to be the most critical step. In 2020, ZTE released the world's first mass-produced off-screen camera mobile phone - ZTE Axon20 5G, and released a more mature Axon30 the following year, opening the first year of the off-screen camera. Immediately after Xiaomi released the MIX4, Samsung released the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, Moto released the X30 under-screen video version... More and more manufacturers are beginning to focus on another area besides folding screens - under-screen camera technology. So as a leader in this field, what is the unique insight of ZTE's recently released Axon40 Ultra in this field? Is there any other highlight of this phone besides the off-screen camera? I believe you are as curious as we are.
ZTE Axon40 Ultra configuration parameters
CPU: New Snapdragon 8 mobile platform
GPU：Adreno GPU
Screen: 6.8 inches 2480× 1116 resolution 120Hz refresh rate
Camera pixels: 16 million (front)/64 million + 64 million + 64 million (rear)
Fingerprint recognition: Fingerprint under the screen
Battery capacity: 5000mAh
Charging power: 80W (wired)
Dimensions: 163.28mm×73.56mm×8.41mm
Weight :204g
Look at the "No" to see the off-screen camera
As early as the previous Axon30 series mobile phone review, we were startled by the under-screen camera technology at that time, surprised by the bold ideas of the developers and the selfie effects that were available. You know, since 2019, there have been OPPO, vivo and xiaomi manufacturers to demonstrate off-screen camera technology, but until ZTE launched the Axon20 5G and Axon30, it marked the real landing of under-screen camera technology. The reason why so many manufacturers are interested in the under-screen camera is because the under-screen camera technology solves the last "blind spot" of the front display area of the mobile phone, and the positive perception has no dead angle, which is very friendly to "obsessive-compulsive disorder patients".
So why are so few manufacturers launching off-screen camera phones? The reason is that the previous under-screen camera technology has not been completely solved, especially the obvious contradiction between display and light transmission. It should be known that the screen will increase the area pixels in order to improve the display quality, and the light transmittance will be reduced, and the imaging quality of the front lens will not be guaranteed. If you improve the transmittance and ensure the image quality, then the front lens area will appear "screen window", which will affect the consistency of the screen, and it is impossible to completely hide the camera.
The trade-off between display and light transmission has become a clear difference between different mobile phone manufacturers, and this difference also continues to the display technology used. On the previous ZTE Axon30, the Visionox small delta arrangement + delta arrangement was used to reduce the pixel position to make some pixel positions vacant, thereby increasing light transmittance. Xiaomi Mi MIX4 uses TCL Huaxing small pearl arrangement + pearl arrangement to reduce the pixel volume to increase the amount of light; Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is to enlarge the volume of pixels and the distance between pixels to hide the camera. Different processing schemes bring different display and imaging effects, so what new technology is adopted on the latest ZTE Axon 40 Ultra? The answer is independent pixel one-drive one technology.
In the past under-screen camera technology, manufacturers often set the camera area to a pixel circuit to drive multiple OLED pixel units, thereby reducing the proportion of metal trace area and increasing the visible light transmittance of the camera area to meet the needs of photography. However, whether the one-wheel-two or one-wheel-four scheme is used, there will be some grayscale missing, resulting in reduced pixel information. The consequence of the reduction of pixel information is that even if the camera area can reach the same ppi as the normal area, it is slightly less detailed in image quality, and it is easier to see the camera area in part of the display or in a large viewing angle.
The independent pixel one-wheel drive technology used by ZTE Axon 40 Ultra allows each pixel to be controlled individually, eliminating edge aliasing and making the camera area appear sharper and finer. In addition, the ZTE UDC Pro screen display chip has also been upgraded, updated the MRC algorithm, and enhanced the intelligent display of the camera area and edge transition, and the display is more accurate and the consistency is better after the overall drive. In a large viewing angle, ZTE Axon40 Ultra is better "hidden" than the previous generation Axon30, thanks to a more natural circuit design and distributed transparent routing, so that there is no transition area with circuit aggregation at the edge of the lower area of the screen, and a high-resolution undifferentiated full screen display is realized.
How much the better off-screen camera solution has improved at the visual level, we have measured it. First of all, in daily use, whether the screen is playing movies in full screen or playing games, whether on a black or white background, it is difficult to find a camera at the top of the screen. Only when you carefully look at the top of the ZTE AXON40 Ultra from the side in the off-screen state can you find a small hole to accommodate the camera. In terms of shape, the PDC zone on the Axon40 Ultra has changed from the rectangle of the previous generation Axon30 to a circle, not only becoming smaller, but also no different from a normal screen.
▲ ZTE Axon30's off-screen camera can be found at a specific angle, which is a rectangular area. (The time has come to test your eyesight!) ）
The Axon40 Ultra's off-screen camera is tiny and barely visible even at specific angles.
To explore the difference between the camera area display of the ZTE Axon40 Ultra and the normal area, we used a 60x microscope to observe and photograph this area. As can be seen from the pixels in the photo, on the Axon30 model, the camera area and the normal area pixel gap is larger, although it is difficult for the naked eye to find the difference between the two areas, but in part of the scene or part of the angle can still see the presence of the camera. On the ZTE Axon40 Ultra, we shot the junction of the camera area and the normal area, we can see that thanks to the pixel technology of one drive, the camera area of the Axon 40 Ultra can control the OLED pixel unit in pixel units, so that the area can be presented in a circular form, and the pixel characteristics of the two areas are extremely small, and we have also found the subtle differences between the two for a long time with the help of the microscope, not to mention daily use.
▲Pixel comparison between the camera area and the normal area on the Axon30.
▲The pixels in the camera area and the normal area on the Axon40 Ultra are quite close, bringing a more consistent display effect.
The front shot is more mature
Three main shots after the shooting
For some consumers, selfies are also an indispensable part of daily life, so there has been a skeptical attitude towards the off-screen camera mobile phone, after all, in the previously released under-screen camera models, there will even be a situation where the lens cannot recognize the face unlock. So how does the front camera of the ZTE Axon40 Ultra perform?
Axon 40 Ultra still chose the OV16E1Q as the front lens sensor, the effective pixel is 16 million, the native unit pixel is 1.12μm, through the four-in-one technology can increase the sensitivity area of a single pixel to four times the original, to achieve a large pixel effect of 2.24μm. In addition, ZTE has updated the Smart Transparency Algorithm 3.0, which can calibrate in real time for different color temperatures, different ambient brightnesses, and the impact of different wavelengths of light on the picture.
In actual shots, the Axon 40 Ultra optimizes selfie samples with computational photography, and the effect you see from the frame is not the final image, and the final sample will often exceed your expectations. Judging from our shooting experience, the Axon 40 Ultra improves the "matte" effect of the previous model, with sharper overall color and sharper imaging, and in some scenes, it can even take photos comparable to the flagship model with a normal front-facing lens. As for the face recognition unlock function, you don't have to worry, we have measured that whether it is in direct sunlight or indoor complex light sources or when used at night, the Axon 40 Ultra can quickly and accurately identify faces.
▲After upgrading the transparency algorithm 3.0, the selfie effect of ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, the above picture is a backlit performance.
Starting from the previous generation of Ultra models, ZTE is sincere in the rear lens, and the "heroic" stack of the three main cameras immediately improves the imaging capabilities of ZTE models. On the Axon 40 Ultra, ZTE unsurprisingly still chose a three-camera design and upgraded the image sensor, equipped with two custom Sony IMX 787 and a Howey OV64B40 sensor. The Sony IMX 787 debuted on Nubia's flagship Z40 Pro and gave us a pretty good shooting experience in our previous review. On the Axon 40 Ultra, ZTE built two IMX 787s into an ultra-wide-angle main camera with a focal length of 16mm and an ultra-humanistic main camera with a focal length of 35mm, both of which are 64mp pixels and support omnidirectional focus, plus a 64 million periscope telephoto lens with an equivalent focal length of 91mm, the Axon 40 Ultra's rear camera combination is luxurious.
▲All three main cameras support up to 8K shooting
▲The rich camera family brings a fun shooting experience
With such a "luxurious" lens configuration, the Axon 40 Ultra implements a number of features that are difficult to match on the model. The first is the three-main 8K Ultra HD video. That's right, the Axon 40 Ultra supports shooting video at 8K resolution, and you can switch freely from 1x to 10x focal length at any time, compared to most single-camera cameras on the market that only support 8K resolution, the Axon40 Ultra has more practicality. In addition, the Axon 40 Ultra also supports shooting in 4K resolution 120 frame mode, which can bring smoother and sharper dynamic pictures.
The second is the lightning capture function, the Axon 40 Ultra's three lenses all use adaptive shutter shadow tracking algorithm, which will detect the ai motion of the target object when shooting moving objects, and adjust the exposure parameters of the shutter according to the scene dynamic range adaptively to quickly capture the picture information. Then, after multi-frame RAW data fusion and AI image fusion calculation and depth processing, a clear photo is finally formed.
The third is the color system of humanistic images. In the previous Nubia Z40 Pro, we talked in detail about the advantages of 35mm focal length, the color, atmosphere and distance sense brought by the 35mm perspective are incomparable to other focal lengths, which not only maintain a certain bokeh, but also explain the background, which is the golden focal length in the eyes of many enthusiasts. With special focal lengths and different styles of filters, I believe that the Axon 40 Ultra will become a sharp tool in the hands of users who like to take pictures.
▲ Portrait mode, Axon 40 Ultra can distinguish between the subject and the background very well, compared to the ordinary mobile phone main camera slightly longer focal length, Axon 40 Ultra in the bokeh effect is better.
▲During the day when the light is relatively well, the Axon40 Ultra can turn on the high-pixel mode to obtain the maximum detail restoration, and after the picture is enlarged to 100%, the edge details at the top of the building can still be relatively clear.
▲The white balance and exposure under the sun and cloudy days on sunny days are more accurate, and the details of the cloudy sky are relatively rich.
During sunny daylight, the Axon 40 Ultra can turn on high-pixel mode for maximum detail reproduction, and when the original image is magnified to 100%, the edges of the building remain clearly visible. When photographing flowers and trees in the sun, the colors are vivid and pleasant, but there is room for improvement in the dynamic range of the environment on cloudy days. In portrait mode, the Axon40 Ultra can distinguish between the subject and the background very well, compared with the ordinary mobile phone main camera slightly longer focus section in the blur creation of a slightly better, you can easily take a portrait photo of the subject. Finally, in terms of night performance, the Axon40 Ultra can provide longer exposure times after turning on night mode, and can shoot samples with good brightness and detail performance.
▲ When the night mode is turned on, the Axon 40 Ultra can provide longer exposure times and can shoot samples with good brightness and detail.
▲From ultra-wide angle to main camera to telephoto, a more complete focal length is convenient for users to compose photos.
In terms of zoom performance, the Axon 40 Ultra's wide-angle main camera sensor has been upgraded, and the 64-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens is obviously a weapon for landscape films. The ultra-low distortion brought by freeform lenses and the blessing of 4cm AF macro function give this lens interesting. From the perspective of imaging effects, the Axon40 Ultra's wide-angle lens can be consistent with the main camera, both pixel size and resolution are consistent with the main camera, and also support lightning capture and 8K video recording. In terms of telephoto performance, the Axon 40 Ultra has a maximum of 40x hybrid zoom, which can instantly close the distance of the scene even in distant scenes. In the actual measurement, the Axon 40 Ultra has good zoom imaging at 30 magnification, and the picture has a slight smear feeling at 40x zoom.
▲ In supermoon mode, you can photograph the clearly visible surface of the moon.
▲ In ai constellations, you can identify and locate the current real starry sky through AR technology, and display constellation stickers or wiring in real time.
It is worth mentioning that the Axon 40 Ultra is also equipped with the camera family on the previous Nubian mobile phone, and the rich shooting mode with the powerful three-main camera configuration can bring more gameplay. In Supermoon mode, you can shoot a clearly visible lunar surface; in slow-motion mode you can record a flash of time at up to 1920 frames; in AI constellation, you can identify and locate the current real starry sky through AR technology, showing constellation maps or wiring in real time; in Hitchcock mode, you can shoot images of sliding zoom. All in all, the Axon 40 Ultra's imaging system brings extraordinary playability, whether it is a camera boy or a camera god can enjoy their own fun.
Tough and good figure
High-energy new experience
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra follows the design language of the previous generation in the fuselage shape, with refined straight frames and personalized small rounded corners with "waterfall"curved hot bend glass and ultra-small bending radius, making the Axon 40 Ultra's fuselage simple and capable, full of texture. The lens texture used in the fuselage back cover lock with the glitter sand process can effectively resist fingerprints and scratches, and present a little starlight in the light, like high-end silk that makes people can't help but rub and appreciate.
▲The fuselage shape is tough, and the refined straight lines and small rounded corners of the personality give people a sense of neatness and simplicity.
The rear module on the back of the Axon 40 Ultra still features a regular rectangular design, with three huge lenses on the module slightly above the body. Due to the upgrade of the imaging hardware, the size of the camera is much larger than that of the previous generation, but the height around each lens has been increased to prevent the lens glass from being worn out when the plane is placed.
▲The circle of each lens has been increased to prevent the lens glass from being worn during flat placement.
Under the simple and capable shape is the Axon 40 Ultra's strong performance, the combination of the new Snapdragon 8 + UFS 3.1 + full blood LPDDR5 gives the Axon 40 Ultra a flagship performance. Regarding the parameters of the hardware, let's skip and take a look at the performance of the Axon40 Ultra. First of all, in the theoretical test, the Axon 40 Ultra easily surpassed the million mark in the "AntuTu Review", and got a single-core 1207 and a multi-core 3574 in GeekBench 5. Finally, in AndroBench, which tested the memory performance, a random read score of 1808.8MB/s and a random write score of 1330.36MB/s were obtained, so that the user's daily use experience was guaranteed.
In the game test, we chose "Glory of the King" and "Original God" for testing, first in the "Glory of the King" to open the extremely high frame rate + ultra-high resolution, the game process is basically at 120fps frame rate. Whether it is a small-scale team battle in the early stage or a 5V5 war in the later stage, there will basically be no dropped frames and stuttering. In the "Original God" with higher performance requirements, we opened the highest quality in Liyue Port for running map testing, ZTE adopted a balanced strategy for the user base, Axon40 Ultra lock frame 45fps, the whole game is floating around 45fps, the screen is smooth and stable.
In terms of heat dissipation, we measured the highest quality "Original God" running in an indoor environment of 26 ° C for 30 minutes, and measured the maximum temperature of the fuselage to 42.5 ° C, located near the camera, and slightly heated up when holding. Good heat dissipation ability is naturally inseparable from the Axon 40 Ultra's new nine-layer heat dissipation architecture, not only in the fuselage designed with dual-channel enhanced VC liquid cooling and temperature equalization plate, but also for rapid conduction design, the conductivity of the core heat source is greatly improved.
Finally, in terms of mobile phone life, the Axon 40 Ultra accommodates a 5000mAh large-capacity battery under the smaller fuselage, and supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ and PD fast charge protocol, supporting up to 80W super fast charge. We measured that it only takes 16 minutes to charge from 1% to 50%, and it takes only about 40 minutes to fully charge, which is good.
▲The 80W fast charging head that comes with it
Write at the end
Where is the next innovation plateau for smartphones? After experiencing the competition in the fields of fingerprints, screens, fast charging, and imaging, folding screens and off-screen cameras are becoming a new arena. Although the two use completely different technologies, the under-screen camera and the folding screen actually have the same magic - increasing the proportion of the screen and bringing a better visual experience to the user. At the moment when the folding screen mobile phone has not yet lost weight, in fact, the more mature screen camera model is more worthy of recommendation. After eliminating the last "blind spot" on the front, the Axon 40 Ultra still has a good selfie effect. In addition, in terms of hardware configuration and rear camera module, the Axon 40 Ultra is also good enough. For those who want to try the real full-screen mobile phone, perhaps now is the time to shoot.