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ZTE Axon 9 Pro Smartphone Review

Revived. After ZTE was almost completely banned from using Google’s software, it makes a comeback with a rather high-end smartphone. Read our review to learn what you can expect from ZTE’s Axon 9 Pro, which retails for around 600 Euros ($683).
ZTE Axon 9 Pro

At the beginning of 2018, ZTE won some praise from our reviewers with its Axon M and Blade V9 smartphones. After the news broke in May of 2018 that ZTE would stop production of its smartphones, the future of the firm was less than certain. With the Axon 9 Pro, ZTE shows that its withdrawal from the smartphone market was only temporary and that we can expect more smartphones from the Chinese company in the future.

At first glance, the return to the smartphone market sounds promising. The 6.2-inch smartphone comes with powerful hardware such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and the Adreno 630. It also features 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage. The 20+12 MP dual-camera also leaves a good impression.

With this hardware, the ZTE Axon 9 Pro is on the same level as many other similarly priced smartphones from big-name brands. One of the main competitors is the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018. Other strong competitors include: The Huawei Mate 20, the OnePlus 6T, the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 and the Asus ZenFone 5.

ZTE Axon 9 Pro (Axon Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 8 x 2.8 GHz, Cortex-A75 / A55 (Kryo 385)
Graphics adapter
Memory
6 GB 
, LPDDR4X
Display
6.21 inch 18.8:9, 2248 x 1080 pixel 402 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED, glossy: yes
Storage
128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash, 128 GB 
, 110 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: UBS Type-C, Bluetooth, Card Reader: microSD (FAT, FAT32, exFAT), 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: motion sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, GSM (B2/B3/B5/B8), 3G UMTS/CDMA (B1/B2/B4/B5/B8/BC0/B1/B10), 4G LTE FDD/TDS/TDD (B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B13/B17/B18/B19/B20/B25/B26/B28/B34/B39/B34/B38/B39/B40/B41), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.9 x 156.5 x 74.5 ( = 0.31 x 6.16 x 2.93 in)
Battery
4000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 8.1 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 20 MPix Dual: 20MP (10mm) + 12MP (f/1.8, 1/2.55", 1.4µm)
Secondary Camera: 20 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: mono-speaker, Keyboard: onscreen, Keyboard Light: yes, USB charger, USB stereo headset, USB Type-C cable, protective case, SIM card removal tool, 24 Months Warranty, SAR value (head): 1,222 W/kg, SAR value (body): 1,511 W/kg , fanless
Weight
179 g ( = 6.31 oz / 0.39 pounds), Power Supply: 73 g ( = 2.58 oz / 0.16 pounds)
Price
600 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case - ZTE smartphone made of glass and metal

The case of the Axon 9 Pro consists of metal and glass. The smartphone has a bezel-less design and therefore looks quite modern. The junctures where the glass meets the metal sides are very smooth, there are no chinks or any other abnormalities to be seen. Moreover, the ZTE smartphone is IP68-certified, which means that is both dust- and water-resistant.

The NanoSIM/microSD card tray is located on the left side of the device and sits tightly in its cutout. The notch at the top of the display houses the ear-speaker, front-facing camera and the ambient light sensor. The power button and the volume rocker can be found on the right side of the Axon 9 Pro. They wobble sightly but still sit quite firmly in their respective cutouts.

ZTE Axon 9 Pro
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
ZTE Axon 9 Pro

Size Comparison

162.5 mm / 6.4 inch 77 mm / 3.03 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 183 g0.4034 lbs158.2 mm / 6.23 inch 77.2 mm / 3.04 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 188 g0.4145 lbs157.5 mm / 6.2 inch 74.8 mm / 2.94 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs156.5 mm / 6.16 inch 74.5 mm / 2.93 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 179 g0.3946 lbs155.5 mm / 6.12 inch 75.2 mm / 2.96 inch 8.8 mm / 0.3465 inch 182 g0.4012 lbs153 mm / 6.02 inch 75.7 mm / 2.98 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity - High-end Android smartphone

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, which is a high-end SoC. In combination with the Adreno 630, it creates a very responsive system. Moreover, the device has 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of UFS 2.1 flash storage. This is why the smartphone offers enough performance to run demanding applications and GPU-intensive video games. The storage capacity of the ZTE smartphone can be expanded with the help of a microSD card. However, if you decide to insert an SD card, you will have to forgo dual-SIM functionality.

Data can be transferred through a wired connection with the help of the USB Type-C port. The USB port operates at USB 2.0 speeds and features OTG functionality for connecting external devices. The fingerprint sensor on the back can be used to securely unlock the smartphone.

Software - Axon 9 Pro with Android Oreo

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro comes with a relatively stock version of Android (Oreo 8.1). The security patches were last updated on September 1st, 2018. The manufacturer has changed only a few icons and preinstalled a few apps for backup and support services. The third-party apps are limited to the Facebook app, which can be completely uninstalled without any problems. You can set up multiple user accounts for the ZTE smartphone in the settings menu.

At the time of writing this review, no system updates with more recent security patches are available for the ZTE smartphone. We also do not know whether or not our review device will be updated to Android Pie. That being said, in the past, ZTE has been pretty reliable in terms of software support. This is why we believe that the Axon 9 Pro will eventually be updated to Android Pie. Occasionally, we noticed small translation errors in the settings menu. However, these are well within reasonable bounds and do not render the system unusable in any way.

Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Software ZTE Axon 9 Pro

Communication and GPS - Android smartphone with fast Wi-Fi

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro supports the following mobile communication standards: GSM, UMTS and LTE. Our review device can function in almost all LTE networks. According to the manufacturer, the Android smartphone can achieve download speeds of up to 800 Mb/s and upload speeds of up to 150 Mb/s. Both SIM cards feature LTE functionality. The smartphone also supports VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling.

For short-distance communication, the Android smartphone relies on NFC, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi with a 4x4 MIMO antenna. The Axon 9 Pro supports the IEEE-802.11 standards b, g, n and ac. In our Wi-Fi benchmarks, the Axon 9 Pro managed to achieve a very good data reception rate of 674 Mb/s and an equally good data transmission rate of 661 Mb/s. However, with these results, the ZTE smartphone is narrowly beaten by both the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 and the Huawei Mate 20.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Huawei Mate 20
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
663 (565min - 714max) MBit/s 0%
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
661 (613min - 699max) MBit/s
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
655 (619min - 692max) MBit/s -1%
Xiaomi Poco F1
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
647 (598min - 665max) MBit/s -2%
OnePlus 6T
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
474 (241min - 497max) MBit/s -28%
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
Adreno 512, SD 660, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
285 (249min - 304max) MBit/s -57%
iperf3 receive AX12
Xiaomi Poco F1
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
675 (630min - 704max) MBit/s 0%
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
674 (646min - 691max) MBit/s
OnePlus 6T
Adreno 630, SD 845, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
629 (621min - 638max) MBit/s -7%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
Adreno 630, SD 845, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
612 (580min - 635max) MBit/s -9%
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
Adreno 512, SD 660, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
584 (557min - 605max) MBit/s -13%
Huawei Mate 20
Mali-G76 MP10, Kirin 980, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
507 (496min - 517max) MBit/s -25%
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s -44%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
ZTE Axon 9 Pro; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø674 (646-691)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø661 (613-699)
GPS test indoors
GPS test indoors
GPS test outdoors
GPS test outdoors

We use the "GSP Test" app to examine how well the Axon 9 Pro does when it comes to geolocation. The ZTE smartphone supports the following geolocation systems: GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo. Outdoors, our review device has a margin of error of 3 meters (~10 ft). Indoors, the margin of error rises by one meter (~3 ft) to 4 meters (~13 ft).

On our compulsory bike ride, we compare the ZTE Axon 9 Pro with our reference-grade navigator Garmin Edge 500. Here, the route that we took was mapped very well by the Android smartphone. It was more accurate at certain points than our professional navigator. The ZTE smartphone is well-suited for those who need a very accurate navigation device.

GPS - ZTE Axon 9 Pro
GPS - ZTE Axon 9 Pro
GPS - ZTE Axon 9 Pro
GPS - ZTE Axon 9 Pro
GPS - ZTE Axon 9 Pro
GPS - ZTE Axon 9 Pro
GPS - Garmin Edge 500
GPS - Garmin Edge 500
GPS - Garmin Edge 500
GPS - Garmin Edge 500
GPS - Garmin Edge 500
GPS - Garmin Edge 500

Telephony and Call Quality - Good reception with the ZTE Axon 9 Pro

The smartphone comes with the standard Android phone app. It offers easy access to the dial screen and contacts. The Axon 9 Pro offers a decent call quality with a very good volume. The voices on either end of the call sound clear and most background noise is filtered out.

The box of the ZTE smartphone contains a USB Type-C headset, which does a good job when it is used for calls. You can use the included USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter to connect headphones to the smartphone.

Cameras - ZTE smartphone for snapshots

Selfie
Selfie

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro comes with a 12+20 MP dual camera. The first lens has an f/1.75 aperture and the second is 130° degrees wide. The ZTE smartphone uses Sony’s IMX363 image sensor, which has a pixel size of 1.4 µm. There is also a 20 MP front-facing camera. It takes good selfies under normal lighting conditions. If you zoom in you will notice that fine details and structures appear rather blurry and the image, overall, looks somewhat washed-out. In the settings menu of the camera app, you can adjust the image quality with the help of a brightness slider. Moreover, the front-facing camera supports HDR and many AI functions. These can be used to enlarge the eyes, smooth out skin wrinkles and do many other things.

During daylight, the main camera of the Axon 9 Pro takes good panoramic shots. If you zoom in far enough, you will notice some blurriness, but other than that, the image looks pretty good. Moreover, the colors also appear somewhat washed-out. The ZTE smartphone takes good close-up photos as long as the lighting is decent enough. Objects in focus are very well-detailed and sharp and the colors also appear quite punchy. The wide aperture shows its main strength in low-light conditions. You can still make out objects in shots taken in very dim environments. Of course, the edges of the objects become blurry and the fine structures become too grainy to be recognized, but the objects themselves never disappear into the darkness and the colors are still present. The camera application offers many features such as color filters, AI functions and artificial lighting effects. The image quality can be adjusted further in the settings menu. Here you can adjust the shutter speed, white balance, exposure, timer functions and focus. There are also additional camera modes such as Super Night View, Time Lapse, Slow Motion and extra long exposure times.

Videos shot with the Axon 9 Pro look just as good as the photos. The color filters and AI functions can also be used while filming. Additionally, you can get a focus lock on objects or use variable focus. Thanks to image stabilization, the videos do not look shaky. According to the settings menu, you can record videos in up to 4K. However, the FPS cannot be adjusted and there is no limit to how long the video recordings can last.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images
ColorChecker Passport
ColorChecker Passport

We use the “X-Rite ColorChecker Passport” tool to assess the color accuracy of the ZTE Axon 9 Pro’s camera. Here we see that most colors appear overbrightened. However, black tones look too dim.

We examine the color reproduction of the ZTE smartphone under controlled lighting conditions. Details and fine structures are well reproduced even at the edges. The colors are somewhat overbrightened and appear a little washed-out at the bottom edges.

ZTE Axon 9 Pro - Test chart
ZTE Axon 9 Pro - Test chart (Detail)

Accessories and Warranty - Smartphone with a headset

The box contains a USB charger with an appropriate USB Type-C cable, SIM/microSD card ejection tool, a stereo headset and a plastic protective case. ZTE does not offer any other accessories.

The Axon 9 Pro has a 24-month warranty. In addition, users get a VIP service pack from ZTE free of charge. It extends the warranty by 12 months, offers the ability to replace the screen for free if it breaks within six months of purchase and covers the damages caused by liquid ingress over the entire warranty period. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties article for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Handling - ZTE smartphone with a responsive touchscreen

The Axon 9 Pro comes with Google’s standard keyboard known as GBoard, which is why typing on the smartphone is easy, even over prolonged periods of time. The display responds to inputs reliably and without any delays. The slightly rough surface of the touchscreen makes drag-and-drop motions somewhat difficult. This tires your fingers after a while.

There is a fingerprint scanner on the back of the ZTE smartphone. It unlocks the smartphone quickly and reliably. During our review, it did not fail to recognize our fingerprint even once.

Display - Android smartphone with an AMOLED screen

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

The AMOLED display of the Axon 9 Pro measures 6.21 inches diagonally and has a native resolution of 2248x1080. The average brightness of 517 cd/m² is quite average when compared to other competing devices. However, the brightness distribution of 96% is very good. In our APL50 test, the brightness peaks at 686 cd/m². The maximum brightness with the ambient light sensor disabled amounts to only 397 cd/m².

During our measurements, we determined that the smartphone uses pulse width modulation for brightness control. This is commonplace among AMOLED displays. However, as a result of this, the display flickers with a frequency of 240 Hz at 99% brightness and below.

514
cd/m²
516
cd/m²
506
cd/m²
529
cd/m²
521
cd/m²
511
cd/m²
529
cd/m²
519
cd/m²
508
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 529 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 517 cd/m² Minimum: 2.26 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 96 %
Center on Battery: 521 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.01
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
AMOLED, 2248x1080, 6.21
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
OLED, 2220x1080, 6.30
OnePlus 6T
Optic AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.41
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
2246x1080, 6.20
Xiaomi Poco F1
IPS, 2246x1080, 6.18
Huawei Mate 20
TFT-LCD (IPS), 2244x1080, 6.53
Screen
14%
6%
-12%
-23%
18%
Brightness middle
521
553
6%
437
-16%
601
15%
489
-6%
782
50%
Brightness
517
553
7%
442
-15%
565
9%
486
-6%
784
52%
Brightness Distribution
96
96
0%
95
-1%
90
-6%
93
-3%
94
-2%
Black Level *
0.6
0.34
0.36
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.9
2.2
24%
2.21
24%
3.4
-17%
3.8
-31%
2.3
21%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.5
5.1
7%
4.27
22%
6.1
-11%
7.1
-29%
7
-27%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.7
1.7
37%
2.1
22%
4.4
-63%
4.4
-63%
2.4
11%
Gamma
2.01 109%
2.06 107%
2.307 95%
2.25 98%
2.22 99%
2.22 99%
CCT
6288 103%
6434 101%
6353 102%
7493 87%
7213 90%
6839 95%
Contrast
1002
1438
2172

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 240.4 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 240.4 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 240.4 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Like many other smartphones with an AMOLED display, the Axon 9 Pro offers a very good contrast ratio, which is outside the range of our measuring devices. The black value is also exceptionally good, because pixels can be completely turned off to display a pure black.

The CalMAN analysis reveals that the colors appear very balanced, straight out of the box. Moreover, an optional mode allows for a smoother and sharper representation of moving images.

CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color space coverage
CalMAN - color space coverage
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
3.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 1.6 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
6.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 4.4 ms rise
↘ 2 ms fall
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 14 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The ZTE Axon 9 can be used outdoors. The brightness is high enough for screen content to be readable even on sunny days. However, the reflections of the objects in the environment can make reading the screen content quite difficult.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use

The AMOLED panel of the ZTE Axon 9 Pro offers very wide viewing angles. The screen content can be read from any angle without any distortions. However, a greenish tint appears at very acute angles. In everyday use, such angles would be more than impractical.

As long as there are no strong reflections on the screen, the ZTE smartphone can be used from unusual positions.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - The Axon 9 Pro is powerful

The Axon 9 Pro comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and the Adreno 630 graphics unit. Moreover, our review device features 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of  UFS 2.1 storage. This is why the smartphone is powerful enough for the smooth operation of Android and can run all demanding applications and even graphically intense games.

Our benchmark results reveal that the ZTE smartphone has very good system performance, both in terms of the CPU and the GPU. Nevertheless, the Axon 9 Pro only manages to take a spot in the middle of our comparison chart.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
2418 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1601 Points -34%
OnePlus 6T
2384 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
2457 Points +2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
2425 Points 0%
Xiaomi Poco F1
2468 Points +2%
Huawei Mate 20
3360 Points +39%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2272 - 2500, n=27)
2416 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +109%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
8988 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
5826 Points -35%
OnePlus 6T
8995 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
9014 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8849 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
9182 Points +2%
Huawei Mate 20
9965 Points +11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7754 - 9231, n=27)
8705 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +51%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
13505 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
5542 Points -59%
OnePlus 6T
13341 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
14160 Points +5%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
13496 Points 0%
Xiaomi Poco F1
14369 Points +6%
Huawei Mate 20
9870 Points -27%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (10876 - 14489, n=25)
13578 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points -22%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
9795 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
6338 Points -35%
OnePlus 6T
10590 Points +8%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
10571 Points +8%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
9971 Points +2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
9664 Points -1%
Huawei Mate 20
13531 Points +38%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7998 - 13211, n=26)
10123 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +54%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
8099 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
5789 Points -29%
OnePlus 6T
8487 Points +5%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8430 Points +4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8365 Points +3%
Xiaomi Poco F1
8101 Points 0%
Huawei Mate 20
9326 Points +15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7360 - 9868, n=27)
8368 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +34%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
63295 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
25783 Points -59%
OnePlus 6T
64534 Points +2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
64592 Points +2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
62063 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
63159 Points 0%
Huawei Mate 20
56722 Points -10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (34855 - 65330, n=27)
61139 Points -3%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
81640 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
29065 Points -64%
OnePlus 6T
84998 Points +4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
84681 Points +4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
80166 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
82125 Points +1%
Huawei Mate 20
67956 Points -17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (53794 - 85487, n=27)
80548 Points -1%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
35430 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
18523 Points -48%
OnePlus 6T
35022 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
35290 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
34665 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
34928 Points -1%
Huawei Mate 20
35932 Points +1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (15614 - 37475, n=27)
33322 Points -6%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
6355 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2054 Points -68%
OnePlus 6T
6336 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
6293 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
6252 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
5687 Points -11%
Huawei Mate 20
4975 Points -22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4363 - 6454, n=27)
5811 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3495 Points -45%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
8219 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1918 Points -77%
OnePlus 6T
8272 Points +1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8236 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8179 Points 0%
Xiaomi Poco F1
8261 Points +1%
Huawei Mate 20
5245 Points -36%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5637 - 8312, n=27)
7763 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3845 Points -53%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
3543 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2741 Points -23%
OnePlus 6T
3483 Points -2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3482 Points -2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3392 Points -4%
Xiaomi Poco F1
2720 Points -23%
Huawei Mate 20
4215 Points +19%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2124 - 3668, n=27)
3115 Points -12%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
2989 Points -16%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
6487 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1898 Points -71%
OnePlus 6T
6310 Points -3%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
6375 Points -2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
6083 Points -6%
Xiaomi Poco F1
5230 Points -19%
Huawei Mate 20
5511 Points -15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4034 - 6568, n=27)
5761 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9014 Points +39%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
8341 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1757 Points -79%
OnePlus 6T
8397 Points +1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8352 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8291 Points -1%
Xiaomi Poco F1
6898 Points -17%
Huawei Mate 20
5893 Points -29%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5228 - 8451, n=27)
7671 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15728 Points +89%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
3649 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2645 Points -28%
OnePlus 6T
3374 Points -8%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3486 Points -4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3148 Points -14%
Xiaomi Poco F1
2832 Points -22%
Huawei Mate 20
4493 Points +23%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2110 - 3763, n=27)
3094 Points -15%
Average of class Smartphone (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4327 Points +19%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
4729 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1354 Points -71%
OnePlus 6T
4734 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
4656 Points -2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
4617 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
3972 Points -16%
Huawei Mate 20
4228 Points -11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3197 - 4734, n=27)
4388 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2665 Points -44%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
5181 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1185 Points -77%
OnePlus 6T
5241 Points +1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
5158 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
5144 Points -1%
Xiaomi Poco F1
4746 Points -8%
Huawei Mate 20
4232 Points -18%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3488 - 5246, n=27)
4919 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2655 Points -49%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
3623 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2073 Points -43%
OnePlus 6T
3537 Points -2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3473 Points -4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3399 Points -6%
Xiaomi Poco F1
2528 Points -30%
Huawei Mate 20
4216 Points +16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2118 - 3703, n=27)
3217 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3119 Points -14%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
5088 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1433 Points -72%
OnePlus 6T
5189 Points +2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
5036 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
4971 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
3669 Points -28%
Huawei Mate 20
4315 Points -15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3512 - 5200, n=28)
4607 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone (317 - 20131, n=175, last 2 years)
6514 Points +28%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
5741 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1268 Points -78%
OnePlus 6T
5877 Points +2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
5747 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
5641 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
4468 Points -22%
Huawei Mate 20
4319 Points -25%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4133 - 8206, n=28)
5439 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (267 - 33376, n=174, last 2 years)
9281 Points +62%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
3639 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2774 Points -24%
OnePlus 6T
3681 Points +1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3515 Points -3%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3512 Points -3%
Xiaomi Poco F1
2257 Points -38%
Huawei Mate 20
4439 Points +22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2185 - 3764, n=28)
3088 Points -15%
Average of class Smartphone (938 - 8480, n=174, last 2 years)
4150 Points +14%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
60 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
50 fps -17%
OnePlus 6T
60 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
60 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
60 fps 0%
Xiaomi Poco F1
60 fps 0%
Huawei Mate 20
62 fps +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (58 - 89, n=27)
62.1 fps +4%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
83 fps +38%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
150 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
46 fps -69%
OnePlus 6T
152 fps +1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
150 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
149 fps -1%
Xiaomi Poco F1
150 fps 0%
Huawei Mate 20
134 fps -11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (98 - 152, n=28)
142.5 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=178, last 2 years)
244 fps +63%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
59 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
21 fps -64%
OnePlus 6T
59 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
59 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
55 fps -7%
Xiaomi Poco F1
58 fps -2%
Huawei Mate 20
60 fps +2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (33 - 75, n=27)
54.4 fps -8%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
71 fps +20%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
82 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
23 fps -72%
OnePlus 6T
59 fps -28%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
82 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
80 fps -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
71 fps -13%
Huawei Mate 20
87 fps +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (54 - 83, n=27)
73.1 fps -11%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=179, last 2 years)
138 fps +68%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
55 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
14 fps -75%
OnePlus 6T
53 fps -4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
53 fps -4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
51 fps -7%
Xiaomi Poco F1
54 fps -2%
Huawei Mate 20
51 fps -7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (21 - 59, n=27)
45.3 fps -18%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=179, last 2 years)
59.9 fps +9%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
60 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
15 fps -75%
OnePlus 6T
59 fps -2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
60 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
59 fps -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
35 fps -42%
Huawei Mate 20
55 fps -8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (32 - 61, n=28)
53.9 fps -10%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=179, last 2 years)
96.7 fps +61%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
33 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
8.3 fps -75%
OnePlus 6T
31 fps -6%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
31 fps -6%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
31 fps -6%
Xiaomi Poco F1
33 fps 0%
Huawei Mate 20
30 fps -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (13 - 37, n=27)
27.7 fps -16%
Average of class Smartphone (5 - 117, n=179, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +30%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
35 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
9.1 fps -74%
OnePlus 6T
35 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
35 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
35 fps 0%
Xiaomi Poco F1
35 fps 0%
Huawei Mate 20
32 fps -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (25 - 35, n=27)
33.4 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=179, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +67%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
35 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
7.5 fps -79%
OnePlus 6T
34 fps -3%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
36 fps +3%
Xiaomi Poco F1
31 fps -11%
Huawei Mate 20
32 fps -9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (16 - 40, n=17)
29.1 fps -17%
Average of class Smartphone (3.6 - 123, n=219, last 2 years)
43.2 fps +23%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
37 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
8.6 fps -77%
OnePlus 6T
37 fps 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
37 fps 0%
Xiaomi Poco F1
32 fps -14%
Huawei Mate 20
34 fps -8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (29 - 38, n=16)
35.2 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (2.3 - 229, n=219, last 2 years)
63 fps +70%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
14 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
4.8 fps -66%
OnePlus 6T
22 fps +57%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
23 fps +64%
Xiaomi Poco F1
22 fps +57%
Huawei Mate 20
21 fps +50%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (12 - 25, n=17)
18.6 fps +33%
Average of class Smartphone (2.8 - 105, n=219, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +130%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
22 fps
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
3 fps -86%
OnePlus 6T
14 fps -36%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
14 fps -36%
Xiaomi Poco F1
14 fps -36%
Huawei Mate 20
13 fps -41%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (11 - 31, n=17)
15.6 fps -29%
Average of class Smartphone (0.85 - 94, n=219, last 2 years)
25.1 fps +14%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
287049 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
140878 Points -51%
OnePlus 6T
294488 Points +3%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
272546 Points -5%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
266374 Points -7%
Xiaomi Poco F1
263165 Points -8%
Huawei Mate 20
302465 Points +5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (246366 - 299878, n=27)
277434 Points -3%
AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
231092 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
116969 Points -49%
OnePlus 6T
228939 Points -1%
Xiaomi Poco F1
227026 Points -2%
Huawei Mate 20
254229 Points +10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (162183 - 242953, n=23)
225534 Points -2%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
4454 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2364 Points -47%
OnePlus 6T
4458 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
4478 Points +1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
4406 Points -1%
Xiaomi Poco F1
3838 Points -14%
Huawei Mate 20
4466 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3291 - 4693, n=26)
4111 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +28%
System (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
8212 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
5063 Points -38%
OnePlus 6T
8156 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8081 Points -2%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
8023 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
6506 Points -21%
Huawei Mate 20
8602 Points +5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (4417 - 8613, n=26)
7644 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +17%
Memory (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
4492 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2393 Points -47%
OnePlus 6T
4344 Points -3%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3924 Points -13%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3762 Points -16%
Xiaomi Poco F1
3239 Points -28%
Huawei Mate 20
5929 Points +32%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2193 - 5296, n=26)
3649 Points -19%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +39%
Graphics (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
7930 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
2332 Points -71%
OnePlus 6T
7969 Points 0%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
7860 Points -1%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
7777 Points -2%
Xiaomi Poco F1
7945 Points 0%
Huawei Mate 20
5455 Points -31%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (5846 - 8001, n=26)
7797 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +75%
Web (sort by value)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
1345 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
1105 Points -18%
OnePlus 6T
1398 Points +4%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
1613 Points +20%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
1606 Points +19%
Xiaomi Poco F1
1296 Points -4%
Huawei Mate 20
1430 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (1009 - 1613, n=26)
1344 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +11%

Legend

 
ZTE Axon 9 Pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm Adreno 630, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, Qualcomm Adreno 512, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
OnePlus 6T Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm Adreno 630, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm Adreno 630, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Xiaomi Poco F1 Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Qualcomm Adreno 630, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Huawei Mate 20 HiSilicon Kirin 980, ARM Mali-G76 MP10, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash

In the browser benchmarks, the Axon 9 Pro delivers slightly subpar results. However, this does not translate to real life performance. The scrolling is smooth and both websites and media content load quickly. When compared to other smartphones in this price range, the browser performance is on a normal level.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +178%
Huawei Mate 20 (Chrome 70.0.3538.80)
107 Points +53%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL (Chrome 68; AI Boost ON)
89.3 Points +27%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL (Chrome 68)
88.6 Points +26%
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
86.1 Points +23%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (22.5 - 90.9, n=25)
80.3 Points +15%
Xiaomi Poco F1 (Chrome 68)
76 Points +8%
ZTE Axon 9 Pro (Chrome 71)
70.1 Points
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (Chrome 70)
51.8 Points -26%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33525 Points +112%
Huawei Mate 20 (Chrome 70.0.3538.80)
21849 Points +38%
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
16824 Points +6%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL (Chrome 68, AI Boost ON)
16728 Points +6%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL (Chrome 68)
16635 Points +5%
ZTE Axon 9 Pro (Chrome 71)
15819 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3991 - 18275, n=28)
15153 Points -4%
Xiaomi Poco F1 (Chrome 68)
14514 Points -8%
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (Chrome 70)
10145 Points -36%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018 (Chrome 70)
3842 (1min) ms * -63%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2154 - 11204, n=28)
2905 ms * -23%
Xiaomi Poco F1 (Chrome 68)
2714 ms * -15%
ZTE Axon 9 Pro (Chrome 71)
2358 ms *
OnePlus 6T (Chrome 70)
2282 ms * +3%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL (Chrome 68, AI Boost ON)
2277 ms * +3%
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL (Chrome 68)
2264 ms * +4%
Huawei Mate 20 (Chrome 70.0.3538.80)
1948 ms * +17%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1653 ms * +30%

* ... smaller is better

The memory performance of the ZTE Axon 9 Pro is also quite mediocre, when compared to other competing devices. It has 128 GB of internal UFS 2.1 flash storage, but only 110 GB of storage space is available for installing apps and storing user data.

The storage capacity of the Axon 9 Pro can be expanded with the help of a microSD card. With our reference-grade SD card Toshiba Exceria Pro M501, the ZTE smartphone only manages to achieve mediocre read and write speeds when compared to other devices in our comparison chart. Moreover, you cannot insert a second SIM card, if you decide to use an SD card. Additionally, you cannot use the SD card to store apps and it cannot be formatted as internal storage. 

ZTE Axon 9 ProSamsung Galaxy A9 2018OnePlus 6TAsus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KLXiaomi Poco F1Huawei Mate 20Average 128 GB UFS 2.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-15%
1%
54%
-11%
108%
88%
425%
Sequential Read 256KB
719
426.6
-41%
735
2%
721
0%
705
-2%
840
17%
765 ?(427 - 1011, n=111)
6%
1467 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
104%
Sequential Write 256KB
196.4
194.6
-1%
204.4
4%
193.2
-2%
155.6
-21%
196.7
0%
293 ?(13.6 - 719, n=111)
49%
1077 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
448%
Random Read 4KB
141.3
116.8
-17%
138.5
-2%
124.1
-12%
101
-29%
157.9
12%
152 ?(92.6 - 239, n=111)
8%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
71%
Random Write 4KB
22.52
19.79
-12%
22
-2%
96.6
329%
17.81
-21%
158.1
602%
130.2 ?(18.2 - 290, n=111)
478%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
1077%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
85.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
73.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-14%
85.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
1%
85.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
83.2 ?(Huawei NanoSD 128 GB)
-3%
76 ?(13.4 - 88.3, n=43)
-11%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
61.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
59.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-3%
66.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
8%
65.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
6%
72.3 ?(Huawei NanoSD 128 GB)
17%
59.6 ?(8.4 - 72.4, n=43)
-3%

Games - Gaming-capable Android smartphone

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro comes with the Qualcomm Adreno 630 graphics unit. This GPU can run graphically demanding apps and is quite energy-efficient, considering the level of performance that it offers.

The games we benchmarked such as "Arena of Valor" and "Asphalt 9: Legends" ran smoothly on high settings over a prolonged period of time. Both the touchscreen and the motion sensor work reliably and without any delays. Your fingers may get tired during long gaming sessions because the surface of the touchscreen is not perfectly smooth and puts up a little resistance.

Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
Asphalt 9: Legends
Asphalt 9: Legends

Emissions - Smartphone with Dolby Atmos

Temperature

The surface temperatures of the ZTE Axon 9 Pro reach up to 24 °C (75.2 °F) when idle and a maximum of 34 °C (93.2 °F) under load. This is why the smartphone can be comfortably held in the hand over an extended period of time. During our review, we did not observe any limitations that might be attributed to overheating internal components.

Max. Load
 32.6 °C
91 F
33.6 °C
92 F
28.8 °C
84 F
 
 33.6 °C
92 F
33.6 °C
92 F
29 °C
84 F
 
 33 °C
91 F
33 °C
91 F
28.8 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 33.6 °C = 92 F
Average: 31.8 °C = 89 F
28.5 °C
83 F
28.6 °C
83 F
32 °C
90 F
28 °C
82 F
28.9 °C
84 F
32.5 °C
91 F
27.6 °C
82 F
28.4 °C
83 F
32.1 °C
90 F
Maximum: 32.5 °C = 91 F
Average: 29.6 °C = 85 F
Power Supply (max.)  26.2 °C = 79 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.8 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 33.6 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 32.5 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat distribution - front
Heat distribution - front
Heat distribution - back
Heat distribution - back

Speakers

Pink noise
Pink noise

The speaker of the ZTE Axon 9 Pro sounds comparatively loud and quite balanced. The Android smartphone supports Dolby Atmos and simulates a stereo effect with the help of the ear-speaker. This functions very well, which is why the smartphone is well-suited for the consumption of media content.

However, if you intend to use the smartphone for media consumption on a regular basis, then we recommend using external speakers or headphones. The included headset is not a real alternative, because it is designed for making phone calls, not consuming media content.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.129.72529.231312626.64023.224.85031.931.36327.425.4802924.910024.223.812518.429.3160184620017.445.725014.453.931515.861.140016.359.350015.461.163014.767.280016.265.6100014.761.1125013.866.416001470.8200014.470.4250014.171.1315014.671400014.673.1500014.472630014.471800014.871.31000015.2701250014.758.21600014.842.3SPL26.982.1N0.952.5median 14.7median 65.6Delta0.79.832.635.828.930.825.227.926.125.230.235.926.928.928.732.229.126.418.429.42142.824.34317.449.316.853.815.352.815.656.114.159.215.262.114.161.314.663.214.667.114.267.213.868.11468.614.670.414.469.214.66614.458.814.854.314.654.114.742.82778.40.939.8median 14.6median 58.81.611.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseZTE Axon 9 ProHuawei Mate 20
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
ZTE Axon 9 Pro audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.7% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (1.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 29% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 49% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei Mate 20 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 47% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 64% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 29% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life - The Axon 9 Pro lasts for ten hours

Energy Consumption

According to our measurements, the Axon 9 Plus has a relatively low power draw of at least 0.86 watts when idle and a maximum power consumption of up to 10.82 watts under load. In terms of average power consumption, it is the most energy-efficient smartphone in our comparison chart.

The included 18-watt charger is powerful enough to be able to charge the ZTE smartphone under any circumstances.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.02 / 0.26 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.86 / 1.1 / 1.21 Watt
Load midlight 5.02 / 10.82 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
4000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
3800 mAh
OnePlus 6T
3700 mAh
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3300 mAh
Xiaomi Poco F1
4000 mAh
Huawei Mate 20
4000 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-21%
-3%
-64%
-18%
-35%
-22%
-12%
Idle Minimum *
0.86
1.06
-23%
0.7
19%
0.97
-13%
0.65
24%
0.69
20%
0.862 ?(0.42 - 1.8, n=26)
-0%
0.891 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
-4%
Idle Average *
1.1
1.94
-76%
1.1
-0%
2.52
-129%
1.97
-79%
2.28
-107%
1.728 ?(0.67 - 2.9, n=26)
-57%
1.448 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
-32%
Idle Maximum *
1.21
1.98
-64%
2.1
-74%
2.62
-117%
2.01
-66%
2.52
-108%
2.07 ?(0.87 - 3.5, n=26)
-71%
1.63 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
-35%
Load Average *
5.02
3.56
29%
4.2
16%
7.41
-48%
4.29
15%
5.21
-4%
4.87 ?(3.56 - 7.41, n=26)
3%
5.57 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-11%
Load Maximum *
10.82
7.49
31%
8.3
23%
12.22
-13%
9.05
16%
8.49
22%
9.27 ?(6.2 - 12.3, n=26)
14%
8.27 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
24%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

In our practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the ZTE Axon 9 Pro lasts for exactly 11 hours. Nevertheless, the battery life is quite average, because many other smartphones in this price range manage to achieve similar battery runtimes, but with weaker batteries.

The battery of the ZTE Axon 9 Pro takes less than two hours to fully charge with the included fast charger.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
11h 01min
ZTE Axon 9 Pro
4000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A9 2018
3800 mAh
OnePlus 6T
3700 mAh
Asus ZenFone 5Z ZS620KL
3300 mAh
Xiaomi Poco F1
4000 mAh
Huawei Mate 20
4000 mAh
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
661
689
4%
865
31%
645
-2%
808
22%
885
34%

Pros

+ bright AMOLED display
+ fast Wi-Fi
+ good system performance
+ USB Type-C headset in the box
+ IP68-certified
+ wireless charging

Cons

- battery life is poor despite a high battery capacity
- the USB port supports only USB 2.0 speeds

Verdict - A solid comeback

In review: ZTE Axon 9 Pro. Review device provided courtesy of: ZTE Germany
In review: ZTE Axon 9 Pro. Review device provided courtesy of: ZTE Germany

With the Axon 9 Pro, ZTE delivers a smartphone that can give the competition a run for its money. The Android smartphone offers a good performance and is capable of running many highly demanding applications. With NFC, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wireless AC, the smartphone brings a superb mix of connectivity options. Plus, the AMOLED display leaves a good impression. The camera is on the same level as the rest of the competition and does especially well in low-light conditions.

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro is just as good as the rest of the competition. However, it fails to provide any truly distinguishing features.

On closer inspection, the Axon 9 Pro draws some criticism. The battery life is too short for a 4000-mAh battery and some users would also really like to see a 3.5-mm headphone jack. Buyers of the ZTE smartphone get a solid device, which does not have any real advantages over its competitors. At the end of the day, the decision to buy will come down to personal preferences.

ZTE Axon 9 Pro - 01/03/2019 v6(old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
92%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
44 / 60 → 74%
Weight
90%
Battery
94%
Display
89%
Games Performance
70 / 63 → 100%
Application Performance
78 / 70 → 100%
Temperature
95%
Noise
100%
Audio
76 / 91 → 83%
Camera
81%
Average
82%
89%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Mike Wobker, 2019-01- 3 (Update: 2019-02-23)