ZTE nubia Pad 3D II: Eyewear-Free 3D Tablet With Real-Time AI Conversion

Body and Build

The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II boasts a sophisticated design with a glass front shielded by Corning Gorilla Glass for robust display protection, paired with an aluminum back and frame that exudes premium quality. Available in a sleek Gray finish, the tablet is built to withstand daily wear while maintaining an elegant aesthetic. Here are the relevant specs:

Precise dimensions and weight details are yet to be disclosed, but the build promises durability and a comfortable handling experience. Corning Gorilla Glass used for the nubia Pad 3D's display protection is a type of chemically strengthened glass designed to be both durable and scratch-resistant. It is engineered to withstand impacts and reduce the likelihood of the screen cracking or shattering if the tablet is dropped. This makes it a crucial feature for a portable device that might be subject to everyday wear and tear.

Gorilla Glass is highly resistant to scratches from everyday objects like keys, coins, and other abrasive materials, helping maintain a clear and pristine display over time. Despite its toughness, it maintains high clarity and touch sensitivity, ensuring that the visual experience and responsiveness of the touch screen are not compromised.

Aluminum is a popular material choice for the back and frame of high-end electronic devices, including tablets. It is strong and robust, providing a solid structural foundation that protects the internal components of the tablet. It can withstand bumps and knocks better than plastic. Despite its strength, aluminum is relatively light, helping to keep the overall weight of the tablet manageable and comfortable to hold. The metallic finish of aluminum gives the tablet a sleek and premium look, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal.

Aluminum conducts heat effectively, which can help in dissipating heat generated by the tablet’s components, thereby maintaining optimal performance and preventing overheating. And aluminum naturally forms a protective oxide layer, making it resistant to corrosion and increasing the longevity of the tablet.

However, aluminum is more expensive than plastic, which can contribute to the higher price of the device. It can feel cold to the touch in colder environments, which might be less comfortable for some users compared to materials like plastic or silicone. And, while strong, aluminum is also more prone to denting under severe impacts compared to more flexible materials like plastic. This can affect the aesthetic and structural integrity if the tablet is subjected to significant physical stress.

In summary, the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II’s body construction using Gorilla Glass for the display and aluminum for the back and frame offers a balanced combination of durability, premium aesthetics, and effective heat management. This choice of materials ensures that the tablet not only looks and feels premium but also stands up to the rigors of daily use, making it a reliable and stylish device for tech enthusiasts and professionals alike.

If we compare the nubia Pad 3D II with the predecessor nubia Pad 3D, it uses similar build materials. The nubia Pad 3D was 285×190×8.5 mm and 780 g.

IP Rating

(Related: IP ratings explained.)

The absence of an official IP rating on the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II might raise an eyebrow or two among potential buyers, especially in a world where spills, rain, and dust are part of our daily lives. However, it doesn't necessarily mean the tablet is defenseless, though it does signal a cautious approach.

Why it matters: Without an IP rating, the nubia Pad 3D II isn't certified for water resistance. This means you should exercise caution to avoid accidental spills or usage in wet environments. And dust, a silent adversary, can find its way into the crevices of the device. While the nubia Pad 3D II's sleek design minimizes this risk, it's something to be mindful of in dusty environments.

Here are some practical measures you can adopt to shield your device from environmental elements:

• Avoid Liquid Encounters: Be mindful of liquids around your nubia Pad 3D II. Invest in a spill-resistant cover or case for an additional layer of protection. If you're caught in the rain, prioritize stashing the tablet securely in your bag.
• Dust Defense: Opt for a dust-resistant case to minimize the risk of particles finding their way into ports or openings. Periodically clean the tablet using gentle methods to prevent dust accumulation.
• Screen Protector Vigilance: Apply a high-quality screen protector to guard against accidental scratches and provide an additional shield.
• Safe Storage: When not in use, store the tablet in a clean, dry environment, away from potential hazards.
• Environmental Awareness: Consider the surroundings. If you're in a particularly dusty or wet environment, exercise extra caution and minimize tablet exposure.

While an official IP rating might be absent, the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II's premium materials and meticulous design offer a degree of resilience. However, user vigilance and protective accessories remain key to ensuring the tablet's longevity.

In the grand scheme of things, the absence of an official IP rating on the nubia Pad 3D II doesn't sound the alarm bells; it prompts a sensible, cautious approach. By adopting protective measures and being mindful of the tablet's surroundings, you can strike a balance between enjoying the technological brilliance of the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II and safeguarding it from the whims of the elements. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when it comes to your cherished tech companion.

For comparison, the predecessor nubia Pad 3D did not come with an IP rating, either.

Display

(Related: Know more about the various kinds of displays and screen specs.)

At the heart of the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II is its revolutionary 12.1-inch IPS LCD screen. With a refresh rate of 144 Hz and a resolution of 1600×2560 pixels, you can expect vivid, fluid visuals.

What sets this display apart is its 3D lightfield technology, capable of converting 2D content into 3D in real time, thanks to advanced AI algorithms. This feature extends to photos, videos, streaming media, and games, delivering an unparalleled viewing experience. The display's 86° viewing angle ensures that the 3D effects are visible to multiple viewers simultaneously, whether in landscape or portrait mode.

Image credit: ZTE

Here are the relevant specs:

The display of the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II is one of its standout features, designed to provide an immersive and visually stunning experience. IPS (In-Plane Switching) LCD is a type of LCD technology that offers several advantages over other LCD technologies, such as TN (Twisted Nematic) panels. IPS displays offer superior viewing angles compared to TN panels. This means the colors and brightness remain consistent when viewed from different angles, making them ideal for group viewing and shared content.

IPS technology provides more accurate and vibrant colors, which is essential for activities that require precise color fidelity, such as photo editing, video playback, and gaming. While not as high as OLED displays, IPS panels generally offer better contrast and deeper blacks compared to TN panels, enhancing the overall visual quality. And they maintain consistent performance over time and tend to have stable response times, reducing motion blur and ghosting in fast-moving scenes.

The nubia Pad 3D II's 144 Hz refresh rate means the display updates the image 144 times per second. This results in smoother motion, which is particularly noticeable in fast-paced activities such as gaming, scrolling, and video playback. It minimizes motion blur, making fast-moving objects appear clearer and sharper. It also enhances the overall responsiveness of the display, providing a more fluid and immersive user experience.

The 1600×2560 pixel resolution of the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II translates to a high pixel density of approximately 249 PPI (pixels per inch). This ensures that images and text appear sharp and clear, with fine details easily visible. It enhances the overall viewing experience, making it ideal for multimedia consumption, reading, and browsing. For a 3D lightfield display like the nubia Pad 3D II's, higher resolution contributes to more precise and detailed 3D rendering, improving the depth and realism of the 3D content.

An 86° viewing angle ensures that the 3D effect and visual quality are maintained across a wide range of viewing positions, both in landscape and portrait modes. The wide viewing angle allows multiple people to enjoy the 3D effect simultaneously without significant degradation in quality, making it perfect for group activities like watching movies or playing games. Whether the tablet is held in landscape or portrait orientation, the wide viewing angle ensures consistent color and brightness, enhancing the usability and flexibility of the device.

The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II leverages both 3D lightfield display technology and AI-driven real-time 2D-to-3D conversion to offer a unique and immersive viewing experience. The lightfield display creates a natural 3D effect by manipulating light direction, while the AI conversion allows any 2D content to be transformed into 3D in real time. These technologies, when used together, provide a seamless and innovative way to experience 3D content without the need for specialized eyewear, paving the way for broader adoption and new applications in various fields.

In conclusion, the display of the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II is designed to provide an exceptional visual experience, leveraging IPS LCD technology for vibrant and accurate colors, a high 1600×2560 resolution for sharp and detailed images, and a 144 Hz refresh rate for smooth and fluid motion. Additionally, the wide 86° viewing angle ensures that the display remains clear and vibrant from various perspectives, both in landscape and portrait modes. These features make the tablet well-suited for multimedia consumption, gaming, and any application where high-quality visual performance is essential.

For comparison, the predecessor ZTE nubia Pad 3D came with a similar display with matching features, but with 12.4-inch size and 120 Hz refresh rate.

Networks and SIM

(Related: Cellular networks explained.)

Equipped with 5G technology (via integrated eSIM), the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II offers ultra-fast internet connectivity, ensuring seamless streaming and browsing.

While the tablet does not support physical SIM cards, its comprehensive Wi-Fi 6 capabilities and Bluetooth 5.2 ensure robust and versatile connectivity options for various needs.

Chipset: Performance

The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II is powered by the Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. This 4-nm octa-core processor includes a combination of multiple types of CPU cores, delivering a balance of power and efficiency. The Adreno 740 GPU enhances graphic performance, making this tablet a powerhouse for both productivity and entertainment. Here are the relevant specs:

The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II is equipped with the Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is known for its high performance and efficiency. This chipset is a critical component that drives the tablet’s capabilities in processing power, graphics rendering, and overall system performance.It is a flagship-level chipset built on a 4-nm process. This advanced fabrication technology allows for better power efficiency and higher performance, making it ideal for high-end devices like the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II.

The CPU of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is an octa-core configuration, consisting of four types of cores:

• 1×3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 Core: The Cortex-X3 is a high-performance core designed to handle the most demanding tasks and provide maximum single-threaded performance. It is used for activities that require significant processing power, such as gaming, complex computations, and high-resolution video playback.
• 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 Cores: The Cortex-A715 cores are high-efficiency performance cores. They are used for moderately intensive tasks that still require robust performance but can be handled more efficiently than by the Cortex-X3. Examples include multitasking, running multiple apps, and high-speed internet browsing.
• 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 Cores: The Cortex-A710 cores are similar to the A715 cores in terms of clock speed but are optimized differently for efficiency and certain legacy software compatibility. These cores strike a balance between power and performance, handling tasks that need good processing power without consuming too much battery.
• 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510 Cores: The Cortex-A510 cores are designed for efficiency and handle everyday tasks that do not require high performance, such as background processes, simple apps, and system-level operations. These cores help conserve battery life while maintaining smooth performance for basic activities.

The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the Adreno 740. It plays a crucial role in rendering graphics and handling visual computations. It delivers high-quality graphics rendering, making it suitable for gaming, 3D modeling, and other graphics-intensive applications. It supports advanced graphics APIs such as Vulkan, OpenGL ES, and DirectX, enabling smooth and realistic visuals.

The Adreno 740 also assists in AI-driven tasks, including real-time 2D-to-3D conversion and other machine learning applications. This accelerates processes that require significant parallel computations. Despite its high performance, the Adreno 740 is designed to be power-efficient, balancing performance with battery life to ensure longer usage times without compromising on the quality of graphics.

In summary, the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, with its octa-core CPU configuration and Adreno 740 GPU, provides a robust and versatile platform for a wide range of tasks. The combination of high-performance and efficient cores ensures optimal performance for both demanding applications and everyday tasks, while the Adreno 740 GPU delivers top-tier graphics performance, making this tablet a powerful and efficient device for various user needs.

For comparison, the predecessor nubia Pad 3D featured the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset, housing an octa-core CPU (1×2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 + 3×2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 + 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) and the Adreno 660 GPU.

Memory and Storage

Here are the relevant specs:

The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II comes with generous storage options, offering either 256 GB or 512 GB of internal storage, both of which are paired with LPDDR5X RAM. The internal storage utilizes UFS 4.0 technology, ensuring rapid data access and transfer speeds. Additionally, a dedicated microSDXC card slot provides expandable storage, catering to users with extensive media libraries or demanding applications.

For comparison, the predecessor nubia Pad 3D came in two variants, offering 8 GB of RAM in each, paired with 128 GB or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage, expandable via a microSDXC card.

Cameras

The dual main camera setup consists of two 13 MP wide-angle lenses with autofocus, capable of capturing stunning images and stereoscopic 3D content. Features such as LED flash, panorama, and HDR enhance the photography experience, while the ability to record videos in 1200p at 30 fps ensures high-quality footage.

ZTE nubia Pad 3D main and selfie cameras. Image credit: ZTE

The dual 8 MP front-facing cameras also support stereoscopic AI-powered 3D capture, making this tablet ideal for selfie enthusiasts and video callers.

Battery and Charging

(Related: Battery specs and charging types explained.)

Here are the relevant specs:

The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II is equipped with a robust 10000 mAh non-removable battery, providing extensive usage time. The 66 W wired charging capability ensures that the tablet can be quickly recharged, minimizing downtime and keeping you connected and productive throughout the day.

For comparison, the predecessor nubia Pad 3D featured a 9070 mAh battery, with 33 W wired charging support.

Sound

(Related: Know more about the sound specs and features.)

Here are the relevant specs:

For audiophiles, the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II delivers an impressive audio experience. Featuring stereo speakers with DTS:X Ultra support and Hi-Res audio (24-bit, 192 kHz), the tablet ensures rich, immersive sound quality. While it lacks a 3.5 mm headphone jack, the high-quality audio output through USB Type-C and Bluetooth makes up for it.

The nubia Pad 3D II's sound system features 1 W full-frequency speakers, ensuring robust and balanced audio output capable of handling a wide range of frequencies for an immersive listening experience.

A 1-watt speaker can deliver sound at a power level of 1 watt. While this may seem low, in the context of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, it's quite adequate for producing clear and loud audio, especially when multiple speakers are used in tandem.

The speakers employed in the device are full-frequency, which means that the speakers are designed to cover the full range of audible frequencies, typically from around 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which is the range of human hearing. Full-frequency speakers can reproduce low, mid, and high tones, providing a balanced and rich sound experience.

Hi-Res Audio (High-Resolution Audio) is an audio technology that goes beyond the limitations of standard audio formats, delivering a richer, more immersive listening experience. Its higher bit depth can capture more detail in the sound, and its higher sampling rate (standard CD-quality audio often has a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz) allows the audio system to capture more nuances in the music. In essence, Hi-Res Audio transforms your listening experience from ordinary to extraordinary. It's about hearing your favorite tunes and audio content in a way that's truer to the artist's vision. With the nubia Pad 3D II supporting Hi-Res Audio, you're not just listening; you're diving deep into a sonic universe, where every note, every beat, and every whisper comes alive in exquisite detail.

With the inclusion of DTS:X Ultra, the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II further elevates its audio capabilities by offering spatial, object-based sound, enhancing the overall multimedia experience. This makes it an excellent choice for users who value high-quality audio in their mobile devices, whether for movies, music, gaming, or any other media consumption.

DTS sound processing works its magic by refining the audio signals, bringing out the subtleties and nuances in the sound. It creates a sense of space and dimensionality in the audio. This is particularly beneficial when watching movies or playing games, as the sound feels more expansive, allowing you to pinpoint the direction of audio cues with greater precision.

DTS:X Ultra is an advanced audio technology that enhances audio playback by making it more dynamic and spatial. Regular DTS formats provide excellent surround sound but are limited in terms of adaptability to different listening environments and personalization. DTS:X Ultra adapts to various playback environments and user preferences, offering a tailored audio experience that can adjust based on the device and listening context.

Further, standard DTS formats are widely supported in home theater systems, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and streaming services. DTS:X Ultra is designed with modern multimedia devices in mind, including tablets, smartphones, and gaming consoles, providing enhanced audio for these platforms.

For comparison, the older nubia Pad 3D featured four stereo speakers with Hi-Res 24-bit, 192 kHz audio. It too lacked the 3.5 mm headphone jack support.

Connectivity

With support for dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, the ZTE nubia Pad 3D II ensures you can connect to common Wi-Fi networks.

The nubia Pad 3D II boasts Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring a seamless connection, whether you're connecting to headphones, speakers, or other devices. With features like A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for high-quality audio streaming and LE (Low Energy) for power efficiency, your Bluetooth experience reaches new heights.

The nubia Pad 3D II features GPS (L1+L5) and BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a) positioning systems for accurate navigation and location services.

The absence of NFC might disappoint users who rely on contactless interactions.

Last but not least, the trusty USB-C 3.1 - the universal connector. Whether you're charging your device, transferring files, or connecting to external devices, USB Type-C 3.1 ensures a reliable connection. It's the jack-of-all-trades, allowing you to expand your device's capabilities and stay connected to the wider world of technology. And the support for OTG (USB On-The-Go) enables your device to act as host and connect to other USB devices, such as flash drives, keyboards, cameras, and more, without needing a computer as an intermediary.

The USB-C connector can be used for video output to external displays. This feature is like the bridge that carries the sights and sounds from your tablet to your monitor or TV.

The nubia Pad 3D II features a magnetic connector (a charging connector) that attaches to the USB-C port on the tablet, acting as an intermediary between the charging cable and the port. This magnetic connector provides a convenient way to charge the device without needing to fumble with cables or aligning the USB-C port. You can simply bring the magnetic connector close to the port, and the magnets will guide it into place, ensuring a secure connection for charging.

This connector helps prevent damage to the USB-C port by reducing wear and tear caused by repeated plugging and unplugging of the charging cable. It also minimizes the risk of damage from accidental trips or tugs on the charging cable. Additionally, it can support various charging accessories, including magnetic charging cables and adapters. This versatility allows you to easily switch between different charging options depending on your needs.

Sensors

The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II comes equipped with the following sensors:

• Proximity Sensor (Accessories Only): Detects the presence or movement of an object (say, with infrared) without physically contacting it. "Accessories only" means that its functionality is specifically designed to work with certain accessories, like specific add-ons created by ZTE or certain third-party manufacturers.
• Gyro: The gyroscope can detect when your device is being twisted or turned in any direction. It enhances the accuracy of apps and games that rely on precise motion, like augmented reality (AR) apps and racing games.
• Accelerometer: The accelerometer detects changes in the device's orientation and acceleration. If you tilt, shake, or move your device, the accelerometer knows.
• Compass: The compass determines your device's orientation. It is essential for navigation apps, map orientation, and augmented reality experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What is ZTE nubia Pad 3D II release date?

  The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II has been released in the 2nd quarter of 2024. It was announced on the 28th February, 2024.

• What is ZTE nubia Pad 3D II price?

  The ZTE nubia Pad 3D II is priced starting from about USD 1400.