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Nubia isn’t well-known in the US, but it’s been pushing out new gaming phones each year under its RedMagic brand, and the RedMagic 7 is the newest offering from the company. It packs the latest Snapdragon along with tons of RAM and the phone’s signature internal cooling fan, going toe-to-toe against giants at a fraction of the price.
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By now, you’ve seen our hands-on look at the new REDMAGIC 6S Pro gaming phone, and you’ve read our more in-depth piece about what makes it one of the “coolest” phones on the market. This week, one lucky Android Police reader will actually win a REDMAGIC 6S Pro to call their own. Jump down for details.
REDMAGIC 6S Pro's 165Hz display and advanced cooling system are enough to make even PC gamers drool
This article is sponsored by REDMAGIC
The mobile gaming market has been heating up lately, thanks in part to the emergence of cloud gaming, as well as dedicated handheld devices. Riding this trend, gaming phone companies like REDMAGIC have carved out their own unique space, offering devices that pull double duty as daily-use phones and optimized gaming machines. Starting today, you can get your hands on REDMAGIC’s latest mobile gaming powerhouse, the 6S Pro.
RedMagic 6R long-term review: One-trick pony
A more pocketable and affordable gaming device brought down by software woes
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Last year, RedMagic refreshed the RedMagic 5G as the RedMagic 5S, but there weren't many differences between the two, raising the question of why the 5S was necessary to begin with. This year, the RedMagic 6 is seeing a significant change with the looming launch of the RedMagic 6R. The 6R has slimmed down significantly while retaining the majority of its high-end gaming features. For $500, you get a Snapdragon 888, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, a quad camera, a 4200mAh battery that supports 30W charging, all in a package that's easily pocketable. The software still stinks, but there's no arguing that this hardware is a stupendous value.
By now you've heard all about the new RedMagic 6 gaming smartphone — the one that we liked for its fantastic specs, impressive display, and cool performance. This week, you'll have a chance to win one! That's right, RedMagic is giving away a RedMagic 6 Pro to one lucky Android Police reader. Here's what you need to know.
RedMagic 5S review: Great at games, but not much else
Bugs and a lack of polish are too frustrating for long-term use
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Gaming phones are a newer niche for Android devices, and Nubia is one of the companies running headlong into this fledgling field. This past May, we took a look at the Red Magic 5, and we did not come away impressed thanks to numerous bugs and compromises. Now that the Red Magic 5S is here, and we can say for certain that features like internal cooling and a high refresh rate come at a cost: the Red Magic 5S is good for gaming but not much else.
Red Magic 5S pre-orders are open ahead of September 2 availability, starting at $579
You can also pre-order a cooling fan for your phone, too
The Red Magic 5G came out 4 months ago as Nubia's first 5G gaming phone. Today, the ZTE spin-off is at it yet again with a small iteration on the Red Magic 5G — the Red Magic 5S is available for pre-order right now.
New Red Magic 5S is basically the 5G, plus a few improvements
A global launch is planned for September
Nubia is following up on the apparent success of the Red Magic 5G with the same formula it used last year: an incrementally improved "S" bump. The new Red Magic 5S packs most of the same specs with a few tweaks like faster shoulder trigger polling, better cooling, and faster storage. It's China-only for now, but a global release is planned for September.
Red Magic 5G review: Proof that specs don't make magic
A gaming phone with a crazy price that comes with a lot of little (and not so little) problems
If you've never heard of a Red Magic smartphone, we're not surprised: the gaming-focused sub-brand of Nubia (itself a sub-brand of ZTE) doesn't have a lot of name recognition in America, or really anywhere. But this isn't the first time we've reviewed a Red Magic phone, and I've got something of a soft spot in my heart for last year's Red Magic 3S. As an everyday smartphone, it really wasn't fantastic, but its largely stock Android software and strong gaming performance at a seriously low price made it an attractive option as a dedicated gaming phone, for people who want such a thing (and I'm not sure how many such people there are). Sadly, the new Red Magic 5G is much harder for me to recommend. While its price remains crazy — delivering a Snapdragon 865 and (limited) 5G connectivity for just $580, a full $320 less than a OnePlus 8 Pro — the Red Magic 5G's frankly terrible software makes it frustrating to use and difficult to give much praise.
Nubia announces Red Magic 5G with 144Hz screen and cooling fan (Update: Pre-orders)
It’s got a tiny fan spinning inside the cooling chamber
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Nubia’s last flagship is barely a few months old, but that's not stopping the Chinese company from adding a new high-end handset to its gaming-focused Red Magic line. Keeping up with the growing trend of 5G-enabled phones, Nubia has announced the Red Magic 5G for its home market with standout features like an air-cooling system and a high-refresh-rate screen.
The Red Magic Mars from Nubia was only unveiled at CES in January this year, but the Chinese OEM has already taken the wraps off its successor. The Mars didn't fare so well in our review last month, but that's old news now. The Red Magic 3 is here with an improved spec sheet and looks that scream "I'm a gaming phone" even more so than before.
Remember the days when you could use any high-end smartphone to play games? Yeah, it seems like a lifetime ago. Now, you obviously need one of these glowing "gaming phones" to play PUBG or Fortnite. There's a new one available today—the Nubia Red Magic Mars that launched in limited numbers last year is available for purchase. It offers a lot of powerful hardware for the price, but it does have an... interesting aesthetic.
ZTE sub-brand Nubia is practically unknown in the West, so it will be surprising to many to see this impressive looking gaming phone launched by the Chinese firm. The Red Magic has been designed from the ground up with advanced gamers in mind. It has an ergonomic anodized aluminum chassis, an air convection cooling system, and that all-important LED light strip on the back.