nubia Music is trying something different in the market – bringing back the MP3 players in a smartphone package. Aside from its eye-catching design, it sports two 3.5mm audio jacks and its speakers that can be boosted up to 600% that promises a booming audio experience.
| Chipset | Unisoc SC9863A |
| Screen | 6.6-inch IPS, 1612 x 720, 90Hz |
| RAM | 4GB |
| OS | Android 14, MyOS 14 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP PDAF |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Storage | 128GB, microSD |
| Network | Dual-SIM, 4G LTE |
| Connectivity | WiFi, Bluetooth, USB-C, 2x 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
| Others | In-Display Fingerprint Scanner, DTS:X Ultra Loudspeaker, 600% Volume Mode, Built-In FM Antenna |
| Dimensions | N/A |
| Weight | N/A |
| Colors | Pop Art, Zeel Orange |
Its box is similarly striking as the smartphone itself. There are colorful melodic designs at the front of the box – a callback of its musical design. The device comes bundled with a silicone case, a charger, a USB-C to USB-A cable, and a screen protector.
While its packaging is fairly average for an entry-level smartphone, they should have pre-installed the screen protector on the smartphone itself to avoid scratches that might incur while handling the smartphone upon installation.
nubia really went to town when it comes to the design of the Music. Our unit is the POP Art variant, but both are based on a classic vinyl record player design. This particular variant is especially eye-catching since it reminds us of panels from the golden age of comic books.
Its eye-catching design is paired with a firm build. It fits well in the hand and there are no worries about accidentally damaging the smartphone in your pocket.
Its display is a 6.6-inch 1612 x 720 90Hz IPS screen and it delivers a rather fairly basic experience. Its pixel density isn’t impressive due to the pairing of resolution and size, but this should be an issue for daily usage. The 90Hz refresh rate is a nice addition though, as it allows you to use the smartphone much more smoothly.
Its speaker is placed in a rather odd location. Instead of having a traditional downward-firing speaker, the vinyl disc near the cameras is the speaker. It does have plenty of volume to offer given its size especially when using its 600% volume mode. Clarity, however, is sacrificed at higher levels. Think of it as a built-in entry-level Bluetooth speaker.
This could be an option for older users that are hard of hearing that want a loud listening experience. A proper stereo experience from a dual stereo speaker smartphone, however, is still hard to beat.
The audio jack might have gone the way of the dinosaur on high-end smartphones, but it’s alive in the entry-level segment. In fact, the nubia Music has two of them in order for music to be shared with another person without necessarily sharing another earbud.
Surprisingly, it comes installed with an FM Radio antenna. If you’re not into streaming or just want to listen to the latest tunes from the radio, the Music has you covered.
This is great for people who want to share audio to another person or output to two separate speakers. It’s also a great jumping point for entry-level audiophiles who don’t have access to higher-tier equipment or TWS.
nubia, however, has not mentioned any resistance rating for its jacks. We’re unsure for the moment, but it’s safe to assume the 3.5mm audio jacks are rather basic. So high-resistance headphones might not run optimally on the nubia Music.
With such niche features for an entry-level smartphone, nubia has to have sacrificed something to save on hardware. As such, the nubia Music sports a Unisoc SC9863A – a 6-year-old chipset launched back in 2018 – paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
Performance is expectedly slow. You’re going to have to be patient with the smartphone. Multitasking speed is just as slow thanks to its low 4GB memory, but its 128GB of storage should get you some mileage when it comes to storing music.
Its imaging capabilities are also nothing to write home about. At the back is a 50MP main camera with PDAF and at the front is a 5MP selfie camera. They are serviceable, but don’t expect spectacular snaps with these.
The nubia Music has some incredibly niche features that not everyone will appreciate. The two 3.5mm audio jacks is odd, but makes sense if you want to share audio with someone and you both have wired audio or want to output two different speakers from a single source.
Its speaker is definitely something. While not the best in clarity and accuracy, its loudness will be appreciated by the user especially if you are hard of hearing or just want to listen to music or watch movies as loud as possible.
Its design is unique that for sure, but everything else isn’t. Its aging chipset lacks the horsepower to be snappy even if it has a 90Hz screen. Fortunately, you do have time to be patient thanks to its 5,000mAh battery.
This is all that we have for the nubia Music. Our full review will be out soon. Stay tuned.
The nubia Music is priced at PhP 5,999 in the Philippines. You can now get it through nubia’s official Shopee store or authorized retailers nationwide.
