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ZTE Axon 40 Ultra launches, with flagship chipset and triple 64MP camera

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra has been launched, with some very promising specs on board and an under-display selfie camera.

ZTE has launched its new flagship – the Axon 40 Ultra – in China, and the global version will follow shortly afterwards in June.

This device runs on a top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which is among the very best mobile processors around right now, enhanced further by UFS 3.1 flash storage, and LPDDR5 RAM. There’s also a 5000mAh battery on board, which is supported by 65W fast-charging.

The rear camera system is comprised of three high resolution 64-megapixel sensors (wide, ultrawide, and telephoto), offering a “5.7x optical zoom function from wide-angle to telephoto.” Moreover, the Axon 40 Ultra is “the only smartphone in the industry that supports 8K ultra-high-definition recording.”

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra camera module

One of the smartphone’s most distinctive features is its Under-Display Camera, meaning a selfie snapper that is fully hidden beneath the screen so there’s no notch or punch-hole visible. We have previously seen this feature in the ZTE Axon 30, and were highly impressed by its execution, saying: “You really wouldn’t know that there’s a camera sensor back there if you weren’t looking for it, and even then it’s tough to spot.” This time round it has apparently been further upgraded, thanks to “intelligent pixel enhancement, and intelligent display optimization technology.”

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra display

The AMOLED screen itself measures an impressive 6.8 inches, with a Full HD+ resolution and claimed maximum brightness level of 1500 nits. As for the colours, you’ll see 10bit colour depth with over 1 billion colours supported, along with 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut. The 1440Hz high-frequency pulse-width modulation is intended to decrease the screen flicker in dark scenes, while the display also boasts TUV Rheinland low-blue-light Eyesafe certification, so as to protect your eyes from harmful light frequencies.

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is currently only available to buy in mainland China, with a starting price of ¥4998 (~£600) for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but the global version of the smartphone will become available in June.

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