Truth: The number of new smart phones being released is staggering, with some companies releasing one every two weeks or so. So yeah, the “choices” (if many can even be called that) can be confounding, particularly since many of them overpromise to have flagship (or at least sub-flagship) features, and then completely under-deliver.
But then now and then you get good surprises, encountering phones that do not ask for too much (entry level prices), and yet give you respectable features.
nubia V70 Design is, for me, worth considering here.
FIRST LOOK
The predominantly red box containing the unit doesn’t scream “flagship” or “minimalist” or “classy” or something like that; but – truth be told – this seems more because of the assumed aesthetic preference of the target market, and not to reflect what you’d get once you open the box.
Inside, you get the phone (obviously), SIM/microSD card ejector, charger, plastic case (am sure you’d just replace this, anyway, but at least you get temporary protection out of the box), and the instruction manual. Even here (via the stick-on atop the unit), you’re reminded of what the phone has – e.g. 6.7” screen, 256GB storage, 50MP AI camera, 22.5W charging, and 5000mAh battery.
But you’d really start appreciating the unit when you hold it… and, for that matter, start checking it out.
This is light, this needs to be stated. Flagships tend to be heavy, as if weight (alone) is the measurement of value. This is why we thing metal = high end and plastic = cheap. So yeah… for those with that mentality, you may want nubia V70 Design to be heavier. Alas, for those who (also) know that handling heavy phones for a long time isn’t good for you (read about “phone hand” and hand cramp, among others), using a lighter unit makes good sense.
You get the usual buttons – e.g. volume controls and fingerprint reader/power button at the right side of the phone, speaker and mic and 3.5mm earphone port at the bottom, and so on.
This one has a hole punch notch – that is, for the front cam, you get that punched out hole in the middle of the upper part of the screen as opposed to, say, the teardrop. And at the back, you get triple rear cameras (the 50MP main shooter, and unspecified secondary and tertiary cameras).
POWER INSIDE
Setting up nubia V70 Design took a few minutes, and – to be blunt – additional “processes” could have been removed to hasten the process, e.g. the “recommended apps” installation is unnecessary, and felt like it was forced on me.
The screen’s 6.7-inch HD+ size is actually at par with many flagships, so this is a plus. And boasting a 120Hz refresh rate, everything looked crisp/sharp, and yes, vibrant.
The phone has 14GB (4GB + 10GB) Dynamic RAM and an Octa-core processor, which isn’t bad at all for an entry-level offering. Moving from one application to another (e.g. gaming to surfing) wasn’t bad. Truth be told, I noticed split-second lags when I first opened the phone; a refresh removed it, so… moving forward, things went smoothly.
It was even smooth when I played a pre-installed game, the Modern Combat: Rebel Guns (a point-and-shoot kind of game), with no lags, pixelation, et cetera encountered. And yeah, no unit overheating, too, even if I played for hours.
You get 256GB storage, too, so you have more than enough space for your files – e.g. pics and videos. This one’s always, ALWAYS helpful for content creators.
nubia V70 Design also has DTS audio processing, so the sound you hear isn’t tunog-lata.
Oh… by the way, that hole punch notch turns into the Live Island 2.0, which is basically nubia’s take on Apple’s Dynamic Island, mainly to help you navigate notifications, apps, et cetera.
CAMERA IN FOCUS
When you go through the PR related to the nubia V70 Design’s cameras, you’d see some “magic” words being mentioned – e.g. AI Magic Photos that can help with the editing, Magic Eraser that removes items at the background, and Smart Gallery that do not only arrange the pics but also (even) suggests captions for what you shot.
In real world, here are some of the pic-related observations when we used the nubia V70 Design for shots in Barangay Palanan’s public market, and the graffiti-ridden area near Dian corner Diesel Street, also in Barangay Palanan. All photos were unedited and posted as taken.
- Indoor, medium shots were surprisingly sharp. Details were apparent, and those areas that have issues – e.g. elements in darker areas – may be helped by filters as needed.
- Indoor, close-up shots also revealed sharp images – e.g. I can see those veggies clearly, and even the contents of plastics (like tuyo or dried fish) were distinctive.
- For indoor shots, if there’s one reklamo (complaint), if it can even be called that, it’s the color saturation. That is, while the details are clear, the colors are maputla (pale). Again, in the time of filters (nubia V70 Design even has its own filters), this shouldn’t be an issue, but at least worth mentioning for the picky.
- Outdoors, medium and long shot images were also clear (even on a cloudy/gloomy day) – e.g. the grime of the streets were captured.
- For outdoor shots, though, the same issue noted with the pics taken indoors was apparent – i.e. maputla (pale). And yet again, I’m nitpicking here since these pics can be easily edited anyway.
I’d say nubia V70 Design allows you to be photo-ready, seriously.
FOCUS ON THE JUICE
Two things to mention when it comes to nubia V70 Design’s juice, i.e.:
- It has 5000mAh battery, which is fast becoming the minimum capacity offered by most smartphones. This means that this will last you at least a day when you’re multitasking, or numerous days when it’s just on standby (three days later, and the review unit still wasn’t drained).
- There’s a 22.5W fast-charging system, so you can juice up fast, if needed.
IN THE END…
The nubia V70 Design comes in four finishes: Rose Pink, Stone Gray, Citrus Orange and Jade Green. But while the colors are eye-catching (hello, orange!), the leather-textured finish is worth emphasizing. This is because aside from adding an elegant touch to the unit, this actually makes nubia V70 Design comfy to the touch… less the smudge and removing that fear that the unit will slip off your hand.
Overall, since this unit sells for (only) PhP5,299.00, I’d say give this one a try, particularly if you’re eyeing a second phone, or to gift someone using your 13th month pay, or needing a back-up phone (say, to keep in the car for Google Maps navigation), or… you get the drift.
Because – to emphasize: considering its asking price – nubia V70 Design is a good deal to consider.
For more details, check out nubia Philippines’ official social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts.
nubia V70 Design specs:
- 6.7-inch HD+ IPS LCD
- 120Hz refresh rate
- UNISOC T606
- 4GB RAM (+10GB extended memory)
- 256GB storage
- Triple rear cameras (50MP main shooter, unspecified secondary and tertiary cameras, 16MP selfie shooter via a hole punch notch)
- Dual SIM
- 4G LTE
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- GPS
- USB Type-C
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, face unlock
- Sound by DTS
- MyOS 14, Android 14
- 5000mAh battery
- 22.5W charging (wired)
- Depth: 8.2 mm
- Colorways: Rose Pink, Stone Gray, Citrus Orange and Jade Green
