Skip to main content

ZTE Nubia Z7 cleverly clones the LG G3 and offers it for less money

zte nubia z7 cleverly clones lg g3 offers less money
Image used with permission by copyright holder
ZTE just released a new high-end smartphone called the Nubia Z7. Although it may not look familiar, the information on its spec sheet should ring a few bells. After all, most of the Nubia Z7’s specifications are exactly the same as LG’s brand-new G3 flagship.

Just like the G3, the Nubia Z7 features a 5.5-inch display with a Quad HD 21560 x 1440 pixel resolution. It’s also powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and 3GB of RAM. ZTE gave the Nubia Z7 a 13-megapixel camera, which has a f/2.0 aperture with optical image stabilization, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It has 32GB of storage built in The Z7 runs Android 4.4 KitKat with ZTE’s unique Nubia UI 2.0 skin over the top.

To keep the super high-resolution display going strong, ZTE added a 3000mAh battery and a special feature called Display RAM, which is supposed to limit battery drain. LG has offered a similar feature since it launched the G2. In terms of connectivity, the Nubia Z7 comes with Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, dual SIM support, and FDD LTE.

Overall, the Nubia Z7 has almost all the same specs as the LG G3, but when it comes to appearance, it looks different. The Nubia Z7 has a slightly wider bezel around the display and is also a tad taller than the G3, which could make the device seem large in comparison. The metal edging along the sides makes it look more like an iPhone, but the flat, white back looks vaguely like the white version of the Google Nexus 5.

The only other main difference between ZTE’s Nubia Z7 and the LG G3 is the price tag. At CNY 3,450 or $550 unlocked with no contract, the Z7 is $100 cheaper than the G3. Of course, seeing as the G3 is offered in the United States where smartphone prices are subsidized when purchased with a two-year wireless contract, the overall price difference won’t matter in the States, assuming the Nubia Z7 leaves Asia at all.

ZTE has yet to say whether it will launch the Nubia Z7 in other parts of the world yet, but it is available in China and will probably reach a few other parts of Asia.

Editors' Recommendations

Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
The first HMD Android phones are here, and they’re super cheap
Rear shell of HMD Vibe smartphone.

Finnish company Human Mobile Devices is renewing its journey under the HMD branding, shedding aside the Nokia naming it used to use for all of its smartphones. The first handsets to bear the HMD branding are the HMD Pulse, HMD Pulse+, HMD Pulse Pro, and the HMD Vibe. All phones share similar aesthetics, with a few splashy colors thrown in for certain trims, and target the budget segment.

The HMD Vibe, for example, serves a 6.56-inch display with an HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680 silicon runs the show, alongside 4GB of RAM and 128GB storage. Notably, there’s a microSD card slot that supports storage expansion up to 512GB.

Read more
How to view Instagram without an account
An iPhone 15 Pro Max showing Instagram via a web browser.

Instagram is one of the largest social media platforms on the planet. Whether you want to share a family photo, what you had for lunch at your favorite cafe, or a silly video of your cat, Instagram is the place to do it.

Read more
Something odd is happening with Samsung’s two new budget phones
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55.

The Samsung Galaxy A35 (left) and Galaxy A55 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy A55 for almost two weeks and have now swapped my SIM card over to the Samsung Galaxy A35. These are the latest entries in Samsung's budget-minded Galaxy-A series. In all honestly, I can barely tell the difference between them.

Read more