The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra goes on sale in China next week for about $720 and up. But ZTE also plans to launch this high-end phone with a few distinctive features globally in May.
So if you’ve been holding out for a phone with a 144 Hz AMOLED display and a camera system that includes three 64MP cameras plus a 5X telephoto zoom lens on a fourth (lower-resolution) camera, the wait for your oddly-specific requirements is almost over.
There’s no word on pricing for the international version of the phone though, but ZTE says it will sell a carrier unlocked version in the United States.
The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra features a 6.67 inch, 2400 x 1080 pixel AMOLED curved display with support for screen refresh rates up to 144 Hz, although the phone supports variable refresh rates so it’ll probably shift into lower gear much of the time to conserve battery life.
While the display is unusual, it’s not exactly unique. A few other companies have already released phones with 144 Hz displays.
The Axon 30 Ultra’s camera system may be even more unusual though. There’s a 16MP front-facing camera, and on the back of the phone you’ll find:
- 64MP wide-angle camera with Sony IMX686 image sensor, F/1.6 aperture and optical image stabilization
- 64MP ultra wide-angle (120 degree) camera with Samsung GW3 image sensor and F/2.2 aperture
- 64MP portrait lens with Samsung GW image sensor and F/1.9 aperture
- 8MP periscope telephoto lens with 5X optical zoom, 10X hybrid zoom, and optical image stabilization
There’s also a laser focus sensor.
The phone also features stereo speakers, DTS: X Ultra sound, an in-display optical fingerprint sensor, and support for face recognition.
Other features are pretty typical fare for a 2021 flagship including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, support for 5G, WiFi 6E, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.2.
It has a 4,600 mAh battery with support for 66W fast charging via a USB 3.1 Type-C port. The phone does not not support wireless charging.
The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra ships with Android 11 and ZTE’s MyOS 11 user interface, and the phone features LPDDR5 memory and UFS 3.1 storage. ZTE will offer three memory/storage configurations.
- 8GB RAM/256GB storage
- 12GB RAM/256GB storage
- 16GB RAM/1TB storage
The 8GB/256GB version is up for pre-order in China for CNY 4,698 (about $720) and should be available in that country April 19th. The 12GB/256GB version is just a little pricier at CNY 4,998 (~$765).
There’s no word on how much the 16GB/1TB will cost if and when it hits the streets, and pricing and availability for each model will likely vary by region once the phone goes on sale internationally next month.
