ZTE Axon 40 Ultra in for review

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra just made its global debut - it is now available for pre-order from $799/€829/£709. It has an under-display selfie camera, three 64MP shooters on the back, and a big 6.8” AMOLED at the front.

The phone is with us and its review is already underway. There are still some days before we are ready with all the tests and the verdict, but we can now share its unboxing and a few early thoughts.

The retail package has a 65W charger inherited from the predecessor Axon 30 Ultra; sadly, the global variant will not have the 80W charging support of its Chinese sibling.

The three lenses on the back stand out with their big size, and the rectangular island helps the design stand out from the crowd. The back panel is matte and sparkles when it reflects light.

We love the UD camera and how well ZTE has hidden it behind the screen. We’ve seen the Axon 20 and the Axon 30, and the maker seems to improve the technology with every iteration.

The camera is practically invisible, and the area can be seen only when we get really close - we doubt it will bother anyone in real-life scenarios. We’ll know for sure once we’ve spent enough time with the device during the review process.

The trio of 64MP cameras is similar to what the Axon 30 Ultra had, but now ZTE improved it. The main 64MP has a bigger sensor, the ultra-wide-angle comes with autofocus, and the periscope telephoto shooter is entirely new.

The maker also made the battery bigger, but that comes at a cost - the Axon 40 Ultra is noticeably heavier than its predecessor.

A Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset powers the phone. Global variants come with 8/128 GB or 12/256 GB memory variants, and we’ll be ready with our final verdict on whether the Axon 40 Ultra is worth it. Stick around!