Our Nubia Air review reveals a sleek, ultra-light device that delivers premium design and performance for a fraction of the cost. Discover the ultimate budget gem.
Nubia Air Review: It’s Called “Air,” But It Costs Five Times Less
Even before Apple introduced the iPhone Air, Nubia had already unveiled its own “Air.” Despite sharing a similar name and design cues, the Nubia Air comes at a fraction of the price and still manages to impress in several key areas. Let’s take a closer look.
Packaging
Nubia offers a surprisingly complete package for such an affordable phone. Inside the box, you’ll find a USB-C to USB-C cable, a carbon-look protective case that shields the corners, and even an extra screen protector, in addition to the one already applied.
Design and Build
With a name like “Air,” design and thinness are at the heart of the Nubia Air’s identity. The phone is just 5.9 mm thick, making it one of the thinnest smartphones available.
While its flat plastic frame doesn’t emphasize that thinness as elegantly as some competitors, the matte finish on the back does a great job of resisting fingerprints. The horizontal camera module is reminiscent of the iPhone’s design but sits completely flat so the phone doesn’t wobble when placed on a surface.
At only 172 grams, it’s remarkably light. Despite that slim profile, it’s also IP68 and IP69K certified, meaning it’s dustproof and can even withstand high-pressure or hot water jets an impressive feat for this price range.
Hardware and Performance
Inside, the Nubia Air runs on a 6nm Unisoc T8300 processor, which delivers just enough power for everyday tasks. Don’t expect top-tier gaming performance it’s best suited for light apps and casual games.
The base configuration includes 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with an optional 512GB version available. Both use the UFS 2.2 standard not the fastest, but acceptable for this price point.
Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.4, 5G, NFC, and dual nanoSIM (no eSIM support). The optical fingerprint reader under the display works reliably, and the mono speaker delivers decent sound considering the ultra-thin body.
Camera
Although Nubia promotes a “Triple Camera” setup, in reality, you’re getting one real camera — a 50MP main sensor. The additional 2MP depth sensor and ToF module appear to be mostly decorative.
That said, the main camera produces sharp, color-balanced photos with solid detail, even when shooting quickly. Low-light performance is surprisingly decent, though shots take a few seconds to process. The 20MP front camera is also perfectly fine for selfies and video calls.
The only real disappointment is video recording, which tops out at Full HD and struggles with stabilization.
Display
This is easily one of the Nubia Air’s strongest features. You get a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with 1.5K resolution (1224 x 2720), a 120Hz refresh rate, and an impressive peak brightness of 4,500 nits — great for outdoor visibility.
The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i, making it more durable than most phones in this price class.
Software
Nubia Air ships with Android 15 and promises two major OS updates and two years of security patches.
The software experience is simple, with just a few Nubia-specific utilities and themes. There are some preinstalled apps (bloatware), but they can be uninstalled. Notifications sometimes arrive late by default, but you can adjust app permissions to fix this.
Battery Life
For such a thin smartphone, the 5,000mAh battery is a standout achievement. In everyday use, you can easily get a full day and a half of runtime, or even two days with lighter usage. Charging is handled via 33W fast charging, which is more than adequate at this level.
Price and Verdict
The Nubia Air starts at €249 for the 256GB model and €299 for the 512GB version (exclusive to WindTre). Currently, carrier promotions make the higher-end version available for €249, which is an excellent deal.
✅ Pros
- Extremely thin and lightweight
- Surprisingly durable (IP68/IP69K)
- Bright, high-quality AMOLED display
- Strong battery life for its size
- Excellent value
❌ Cons
- Limited performance
- Only one functional rear camera
- Sparse software experience
- Short software support window
Final Verdict
The Nubia Air may not challenge premium phones on performance, but it’s a stylish, ultra-thin smartphone that offers real durability, a vibrant display, and great battery life all at a fraction of flagship prices. For anyone seeking a sleek, reliable device without breaking the bank, this is one of the best-value phones of late 2025.
Nubia Air
Construction and Ergonomics - 8.5
Hardware - 6.5
Camera - 7
Display - 8
Software - 7
Autonomy - 8
Price - 7.1
7.4
Nubia Air
Nubia Air is a smartphone with clear compromises, especially in performance. But if you're not too concerned about performance and are looking for a lightweight smartphone with a large display and great battery life, you might just find it. The price is also very reasonable, though as mentioned, obviously not everything will be top-notch. It's still worth giving it a try if it appeals to you in its niche.
