The ZTE Nubia Z9 mini is equipped with a pretty standard LCD panel. It is only slightly smaller than the Z9's at 5.0-inches, down from 5.2. Except for the absent edge-to-edge effect, the two screens are probably identical and the min's screen is reasonably sharp, with nice deep blacks.
Keeping the resolution of the original Nubia Z9, the mini's screen has more pixels per inch. At 441ppi, the Nubia Z9 mini is a little sharper.
The actual numbers are pretty close. The Nubia Z9 mini's screen is a little dimmer with a maximum brightness of 394 nits, compared to 440 on the Z9, but neither offers exceptional contrast.
Display test
50% brightness
100% brightness
Black, cd/m2
White, cd/m2
Contrast ratio
Black, cd/m2
White, cd/m2
Contrast ratio
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
0.257
225
875
0.440
394
895
ZTE Nubia Z9
0.289
258
893
0.490
440
898
Xiaomi Mi 4i
0.15
161
1063
0.51
542
1055
Samsung Galaxy A7
0
175
∞
0
349
∞
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
0.17
176
1012
0.74
828
1115
HTC Desire 820
0.18
235
1299
0.45
598
1327
Oppo R5
0
238
∞
0
417
∞
Oppo R7
0.000
208
∞
0.000
362
∞
vivo X5Max
0.000
133
∞
0.000
432
∞
ZTE Blade S6
0.26
248
986
0.46
457
946
Archos 50 Diamond
0.23
273
1221
0.39
454
1168
Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
0
226
∞
0
432
∞
Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
0
201
∞
0
404
∞
Samsung Galaxy A5
0
191
∞
0
398
∞
Huawei Ascend P7
0.13
101
807
0.79
668
843
LG G2
0.1
149
1522
0.45
667
1495
HTC Desire 816
0.15
164
1087
0.46
478
1032
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
0.13
107
796
0.44
390
879
Meizu MX3
0.11
104
995
0.53
526
991
Meizu m1 note
-
-
-
0.65
562
867
Motorola Moto G 4G
0.42
387
916
0.7
651
929
Contrast ratio is even closer at 895. The mini's sunlight visibility is only average. It is actually a little uncomfortable to read the Z9 mini's camera viewfinder on a bright sunny day, as the camera interface is all dark.
Sunlight contrast ratio
Nokia 808 PureView 4.698
Samsung Galaxy E7 4.485
Samsung Galaxy A3 4.241
Samsung Galaxy S6 4.124
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 4.033
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 3.997
Apple iPhone 5 3.997
Samsung Galaxy A5 3.895
Apple iPhone 6 3.838
Motorola Moto X (2014) 3.816
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge 3.799
Samsung Galaxy A7 3.679
Oppo R5 3.678
Samsung Galaxy K zoom 3.675
Nokia Lumia 930 3.567
Apple iPhone 5s 3.565
Samsung Galaxy S5 3.549
Nokia Lumia 735 3.547
Motorola Nexus 6 3.543
Alcatel Idol X+ 3.527
Apple iPhone 5c 3.512
Samsung Galaxy Alpha 3.509
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo 3.487
vivo X5Max 3.472
LG G Flex2 3.465
YotaPhone 2 3.453
Motorola RAZR MAXX 3.42
Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III 3.419
Samsung Galaxy S5 Active 3.406
Nokia Lumia 925 3.402
Gionee Elife S5.5 3.386
Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4 3.352
Oppo R7 3.32
Samsung Omnia W 3.301
Samsung Galaxy S5 mini 3.174
Samsung I9000 Galaxy S 3.155
Samsung Ativ S 3.129
Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini 3.127
Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom 3.118
Nokia N9 3.069
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL 3.065
Apple iPhone 6 Plus 3.023
Samsung Galaxy Note 2.97
Samsung Galaxy Premier 2.958
Sony Xperia Z1 2.95
HTC One S 2.901
Lenovo S90 Sisley 2.892
Samsung I8730 Galaxy Express 2.861
BlackBerry Q10 2.856
Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II 2.832
Sony Xperia Z3+ 2.824
HTC Desire Eye 2.815
Gionee Elife S5.1 2.812
Samsung Galaxy S II Plus 2.801
BlackBerry Z30 2.79
Meizu MX4 Pro 2.765
Sony Xperia ZR 2.672
Huawei Ascend P1 2.655
Xiaomi Mi 4i 2.641
Sony Xperia Z3 2.618
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact 2.616
Sony Xperia T3 2.609
BlackBerry Passport 2.595
Microsoft Lumia 640 2.563
Nokia Lumia 900 2.562
Motorola Moto G 4G 2.546
HTC One Max 2.537
Nokia Lumia 720 2.512
HTC One 2.504
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua 2.503
Motorola Moto G 2.477
vivo Xshot 2.465
Sony Xperia Z 2.462
Xiaomi Mi 4 2.424
Samsung Galaxy S III mini 2.422
Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro 2.416
LG G Flex 2.407
Huawei Honor 7 2.406
HTC Desire 820 2.372
HTC One (M8) 2.371
Motorola RAZR i 2.366
Meizu MX4 2.366
Meizu m1 note 2.362
Sony Xperia ZL 2.352
HTC One M9 2.334
LG G4 2.317
Samsung Galaxy Note II 2.307
HTC One E9+ 2.305
HTC One (M8) for Windows 2.291
Oppo R1x 2.281
Oppo Find 7a 2.279
Alcatel One Touch Hero 2.272
Apple iPhone 4S 2.269
HTC Desire 600 dual sim 2.262
Nokia Asha 311 2.25
Sony Xperia C4 Dual 2.235
Xiaomi Mi Note 2.234
Motorola Moto G (2014) 2.233
LG Nexus 5 2.228
Huawei P8 2.196
Nokia Lumia 820 2.193
HTC One (E8) 2.185
Oppo N3 2.181
Nokia Lumia 920 2.17
Huawei Honor 6 2.169
HTC One X 2.158
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML 2.149
LG Aka 2.145
Nokia N8 2.144
Nokia Lumia 620 2.142
Nokia 515 2.134
Archos 50 Diamond 2.134
HTC Desire 500 2.129
Sony Xperia C3 Dual 2.12
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2.119
Sony Xperia acro S 2.119
Nokia Lumia 1020 2.103
Oppo Find 5 2.088
Huawei P8lite 2.078
Sony Xperia SL 2.078
Nokia Lumia 630 2.056
BlackBerry Z10 2.051
Huawei Ascend Mate7 2.024
Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active 2.022
Apple iPhone 4 2.016
HTC One mini 2.003
Xiaomi Mi 3 2.001
Huawei Ascend P7 1.992
LG G2 1.976
Sony Xperia E4g 1.972
OnePlus One 1.961
Oppo R819 1.957
Sony Ericsson Xperia ray 1.955
Lenovo Vibe X2 1.952
Sony Xperia Z2 1.944
Sony Xperia E3 1.943
Nokia Lumia 1320 1.941
HTC One mini 2 1.94
Samsung Galaxy Camera 1.938
Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime 1.935
Sony Xperia J 1.932
Acer CloudMobile S500 1.931
ZTE Blade S6 1.927
LG Nexus 4 1.926
LG G Pro 2 1.922
Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 1.913
Nokia Asha 308 1.911
HTC Butterfly 2 1.905
Sony Xperia T 1.894
BlackBerry Leap 1.892
Nokia Lumia 830 1.887
HTC Desire X 1.878
HTC Windows Phone 8X 1.873
HTC Butterfly 1.873
HTC Butterfly S 1.867
Huawei Ascend P6 1.865
Huawei Ascend Mate 1.845
LG G2 mini 1.838
LG G3 1.82
Nokia Lumia 1520 1.813
HTC Desire 616 dual sim 1.797
Sony Xperia V 1.792
HTC Desire 816 1.783
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact 1.772
HTC Desire 700 dual sim 1.769
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini 1.759
Sony Xperia U 1.758
Meizu MX3 1.754
LG Optimus G 1.753
Sony Xperia T2 Ultra 1.74
Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact 1.735
Acer Liquid Jade S 1.734
Sony Xperia SP 1.733
Oppo Find 7 1.691
LG Optimus 4X HD 1.691
HTC One V 1.685
BlackBerry Q5 1.682
LG Optimus Vu 1.68
Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen) 1.675
Xiaomi Mi Pad 7.9 1.672
LG Optimus GJ 1.666
ZTE Nubia Z9 1.659
LG Optimus 3D Max 1.658
HTC Desire V 1.646
Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 1.632
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 1.622
Microsoft Lumia 532 1.615
Jolla Jolla 1.605
Microsoft Lumia 435 1.598
Sony Xperia Z Ultra 1.578
Sony Xperia go 1.577
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 I8160 1.566
Samsung Galaxy Core 1.563
LG Optimus G Pro 1.552
Motorola Moto E 1.545
LG Optimus 3D 1.542
Nokia Asha 302 1.537
Samsung Galaxy Core Prime 1.507
BlackBerry Curve 9320 1.488
Sony Xperia M 1.473
Oppo N1 1.47
Sony Xperia E4 1.467
Meizu MX 4-core 1.462
Nokia Lumia 610 1.432
Samsung Galaxy S Duos 1.4
Sony Xperia M2 1.393
Microsoft Lumia 535 1.393
Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo 1.393
Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 1.38
Sony Xperia E1 1.372
Nokia Lumia 625 1.371
Gigabyte GSmart G1355 1.361
Sony Xperia L 1.351
Xiaomi Redmi 1S 1.35
Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 1.35
HTC Desire 510 1.34
Sony Xperia M2 Aqua 1.331
Sony Xperia miro 1.324
Samsung I9082 Galaxy Grand 1.321
Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam 1.315
Xiaomi Redmi 2 1.311
HTC Desire C 1.3
Nokia X 1.291
Sony Xperia C 1.283
Nokia Asha 503 1.281
Nokia Asha 501 1.27
LG Optimus L7 1.269
Nokia Lumia 510 1.268
Samsung Galaxy Fame 1.245
LG Optimus L9 1.227
Meizu MX 1.221
Samsung Galaxy Young 1.22
Sony Xperia E 1.215
Nokia XL 1.204
Sony Xperia E dual 1.203
Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C 1.198
Samsung Galaxy Pocket 1.18
Nokia Asha 305 1.178
Nokia Asha 306 1.175
Sony Xperia neo L 1.169
Sony Xperia tipo 1.166
Nokia Lumia 520 1.161
Samsung S6802 Galaxy Ace Duos 1.148
Samsung Galaxy mini 2 1.114
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini battery life
The ZTE Nubia Z9 mini is powered by a 2900mAh battery, just like its premium sibling. This is plenty of juice for the midrange hardware, so we can forgive the not too slim profile.
We hoped for the Z9 mini to beat its premium sibling but the reality was different. The Z9 mini scored an overall rating of 65 hours, which is 5 hours less than the Z9. Somehow, the Snapdragon 615 and slightly smaller screen weren't exactly more economical compared to the Snapdragon 810 and 5.2-icnhes of display diagonal on the Z9.
The Z9 mini was almost unaffected by dual-SIM usage with about 3 hours less in the overall endurance rating. In comparison, the Z9 took an 11-hour hit from having two radios on.
As for the rest of the scores, they are pretty decent for a midranger. The Z9 mini offers only about two hours of talk time less than its flagship counterpart and practically the same time in video playback. Web browsing is only around eight hours on the mini, which could be due to the QQ browser and lack of optimization, but also the slower chipset might potentially be working overtime on some pages that the Snapdragon 810 would typically breeze through.
Both the Z9 and the Z9 mini allow a good deal of user control over apps and power consumption. This includes detailed monitoring of battery performance, as well as limiting background services and control of power-hungry apps. The OS is even nice enough to notify you automatically if any power-hogging is detected on the system.
Unfortunately, there is no support for Quick Charging or wireless charging on either model.
Our proprietary score also includes a standby battery draw test, which is not featured in our battery test scorecard but is calculated in the total endurance rating.
The ZTE Nubia Z9 mini is a dual SIM device, dual standby device with quad-band 2G/GPRS/EDGE and 3G with HSPA. 3G supports a total of six bands, whereas 4G has seven.
It can reach speeds of up to 42.2Mbps of download and 5.76Mbps of upload on HSPDA, as well as 150Mbps of downloads over Cat.4 LTE.
Local connectivity is covered by dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot mode are also available. Bluetooth 4.0 is also on board with A2DP. The microUSB 2.0 port supports USB host.
The satellite navigation chip inside the phone is compatible with GPS/GLONASS. There's an FM radio too. NFC is missing on the Z9 mini, as opposed to the original Z9.
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