Nubia Z80 Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer

The Nubia Z80 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (2019) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nubia Z80 Ultra leads — 85/100 vs 54/100 (a 31-point difference). Key differences: the Nubia Z80 Ultra has the bigger battery (6500 mAh vs 3300); the Nubia Z80 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,942,923 vs 824,513); the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer is noticeably lighter (173g vs 225g).

The Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 31 points (85/100 vs 54/100).

Profile comparison

Category scores

Nubia Z80 Ultra

Performance 98
Display 83
Camera 79
Battery 81
Portability 38
Value for money 84

Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer

Performance 54
Display 83
Camera —
Battery 22
Portability 79
Value for money —

What makes Nubia Z80 Ultra better?

  • Higher AnTuTu: 3942923 vs 824513
  • Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 968
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 2731
  • Bigger battery: 6500 vs 3300 mAh
  • Faster charging: 80W vs 27W
  • Faster wireless charging: 80W vs 20W

  • Higher performance (98/100 vs 54/100)
  • Longer battery life (81/100 vs 22/100)

What makes Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer better?

  • Lighter: 173g vs 225g

  • Better portability (79/100 vs 38/100)

Comparison verdict

Comparing the Nubia Z80 Ultra vs the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer, the Nubia Z80 Ultra scores 31 points higher (85/100 vs 54/100). In the "performance" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra leads (98/100 vs 54/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra leads (81/100 vs 22/100). In the "performance" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (98/100 vs 54/100). In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 83/100. In the "battery" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (81/100 vs 22/100). In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer significantly outperforms the Nubia Z80 Ultra (79/100 vs 38/100).

Nubia Z80 Ultra: The Nubia Z80 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.

Specs comparison

Specification Nubia Z80 Ultra Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
AnTuTu 3942923 824513
Geekbench Single 3639 968
Geekbench Multi 11047 2731
Display 6.8" LTPO AMOLED 6.4" Super AMOLED
Resolution 2688x1216 1080x2340
Refresh rate 120 Hz —
Battery 6500 mAh 3300 mAh
Charging 80W 27W
Wireless charging 80W 20W
Main camera 50 MP —
Ultrawide 50 MP 48 MP
Telephoto 64 MP 0 MP
Front camera 16 MP 20 MP
RAM 12GB / 16GB 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB 256GB
OS Android 16 Android 9.0 (Pie); MIUI 10
Brightness (peak) 2000 nits —
NFC yes yes
Protection IP68 —
Dimensions 164.5×77.2×8.6 mm 157.5×74.7×7.6 mm
Weight 225 g 173 g
Launch price $749 —

Camera comparison

Nubia Z80 Ultra

  • Main: 50MP f/1.59
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 64MP
  • Front: 16MP
79
camera

Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer

  • Main: —
  • Ultrawide: 48MP
  • Front: 20MP
—
camera

Display comparison

Nubia Z80 Ultra

  • 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
  • Resolution: 2688x1216
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
83
display

Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer

  • 6.4" Super AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1080x2340
  • Refresh rate: —
83
display

Battery and charging

Nubia Z80 Ultra

  • 6500 mAh
  • NanoReview test: web browsing 14:17 hrs, total 34:15 hrs
  • Wired: 80W
  • Wireless: 80W
81
battery

Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer

  • 3300 mAh
  • Wired: 27W
  • Wireless: 20W
22
battery

Overall performance score

We compared Nubia Z80 Ultra and Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Nubia Z80 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
85/100
3942923 AnTuTu
Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
54/100 -378.2%
824513 AnTuTu

Nubia Z80 Ultra leads Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 378.2% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks

Launch prices and where to check today's

Nubia Z80 Ultra

$749

Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer

Price unknown

Detailed category analysis

performance

In the "performance" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (98/100 vs 54/100).

display

In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 83/100.

battery

In the "battery" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer (81/100 vs 22/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer significantly outperforms the Nubia Z80 Ultra (79/100 vs 38/100).

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: the Nubia Z80 Ultra or the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer by 31 points (85/100 vs 54/100).

What is the rating of the Nubia Z80 Ultra and the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Nubia Z80 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 85/100, the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer — 54/100.

Which is more powerful: the Nubia Z80 Ultra or the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Nubia Z80 Ultra leads on performance (98/100 vs 54/100).

Should you choose the Nubia Z80 Ultra over the Xiaomi Mi 9 Explorer?

The Nubia Z80 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.