Lenovo Legion Duel 2 vs. ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro: The Ultimate Gaming Phone Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset provides a substantial performance leap over the Legion Duel 2’s Snapdragon 888, coupled with improved thermal efficiency and a competitive 80W charging speed. While the Duel 2’s dual-screen is unique, the Red Magic 8 Pro offers a more balanced and modern gaming experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Lenovo Legion Duel 2 | ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, April 08 | 2022, December 26 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, May 10 | Available. Released 2022, December 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 176 x 78.5 x 9.9 mm (6.93 x 3.09 x 0.39 in) | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | 259 g (9.14 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| Built-in two cooling fans RGB light panel (on the back) 6 pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers): 4 ultrasonic buttons (top), 2 capacitive sliding buttons (back) | Pressure sensitive zones (520Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~388 ppi density) | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.92 inches, 113.7 cm2 (~82.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 11, ZUI 12.5 | Android 13, Redmagic OS 6 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 64 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.32", 1.0µm, PDAF 16 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10+ rec. | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 44 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.65", 1.0µm, AF | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps | 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | Two USB Type-C (2.0 & 3.1), OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 (China), 3.1 (International), OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 90W wired (dual USB-C ports), 50% in 12 min, 100% in 30 min 65W wired (single USB-C port) | 80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min (advertised) - China 65W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 43 min (advertised) - International |
| Type | Li-Po 5500 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Titanium White, Ultimate Black | Black, Transparent |
| Models | - | NX729J |
| Price | About 800 EUR | $ 659.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 131h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1288866 (v9) GeekBench: 5211 (v5.1) GFXBench: 97fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Lenovo Legion Duel 2
- Unique dual-screen design for multitasking.
- 90W fast charging (with dual USB-C).
- Aggressive gaming aesthetic.
- Older Snapdragon 888 chipset.
- Potentially lower battery life.
- Bulky and heavy design.
ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro
- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
- Excellent thermal efficiency.
- Fast 80W/65W charging.
- Long battery life (131h endurance).
- No secondary screen.
- Gaming-focused design may not appeal to everyone.
- International version has slightly slower charging.
Display Comparison
The Red Magic 8 Pro, while lacking the Duel 2’s secondary screen, boasts a modern display experience. While specific nit brightness isn’t provided, the 'Infinite' contrast ratio suggests a high-quality AMOLED panel. The Duel 2’s display specs are not provided, but its age suggests it won’t match the color accuracy and potentially the peak brightness of the Red Magic 8 Pro. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s focus on a high refresh rate (likely 120Hz or higher, based on market positioning) will provide smoother visuals in fast-paced games, a feature likely present but potentially lower on the Duel 2.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance isn’t a primary focus for either device, but the Red Magic 8 Pro likely holds an advantage. While specific sensor details are missing, ZTE typically equips its Red Magic phones with capable main sensors. The Legion Duel 2’s camera specs are unknown, but its focus on gaming suggests compromises were made in this area. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s inclusion of photo/video capabilities, even if not flagship-level, provides more versatility than the Duel 2, which may have a more basic camera setup.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) is a significant upgrade over the Legion Duel 2’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 prime core, clocked at 3.2 GHz, offers a substantial IPC (Instructions Per Clock) improvement over the X1 in the 888. Furthermore, the 4nm process node delivers superior thermal efficiency, meaning the Red Magic 8 Pro will sustain peak performance for longer periods without throttling. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s CPU configuration (1x3.2GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8GHz Cortex-A715, 2x2.8GHz Cortex-A710, 3x2.0GHz Cortex-A510) is architecturally more advanced, offering better multi-core and single-core performance. While both likely utilize LPDDR5 RAM, the Red Magic 8 Pro may benefit from faster speeds and improved memory management due to the newer platform.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 8 Pro’s 80W (China) or 65W (International) charging is faster than the Legion Duel 2’s 90W (dual USB-C) or 65W (single USB-C). The Red Magic 8 Pro advertises a 100% charge in 35 minutes (China) or 43 minutes (International), while the Duel 2 takes 30 minutes with dual ports. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s endurance rating of 131 hours suggests excellent battery life, likely due to the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. While the Duel 2’s battery capacity is unknown, the older chipset will likely result in shorter runtimes, especially during intensive gaming sessions.
Buying Guide
Buy the Lenovo Legion Duel 2 if you prioritize a truly unique, dual-screen gaming experience and don't mind the older chipset. The dual screen can be useful for streaming and multitasking during gameplay. Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro if you demand the latest performance, longer battery life, and faster charging, all within a more conventional (though still gaming-focused) smartphone design. It’s the better choice for competitive gamers and those who want a phone that excels at everything, not just gaming.