Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. ZTE nubia RedMagic 9 Pro+: A Deep Dive for Power Users
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a well-rounded experience with a strong camera and reliable performance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 is the better choice. However, the RedMagic 9 Pro+ dominates for gamers and power users who demand sustained peak performance and ultra-fast charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S24 | ZTE nubia RedMagic 9 Pro+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 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, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International | LTE |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, January 17 | 2023, November 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, January 24 | Available. Released 2023, November 23 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass back |
| Dimensions | 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm (5.79 x 2.78 x 0.30 in) | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - INT· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - USA· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - CN | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 167 g or 168 g (5.89 oz) | 229 g (8.08 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~416 ppi density) | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 94.4 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520)10-core (1x3.2GHz Cortex-X4 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.6GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.95GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) - USA/Canada/ChinaExynos 2400 (4 nm) - International | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) - USA/Canada/ChinaXclipse 940 - International | Adreno 750 |
| OS | Android 14, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 8.0 | Android 14, Redmagic OS 9 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 24GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video | 50 MP, (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm 2 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, HDR10+ | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-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, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 165W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 16 min |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 5500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Onyx Black, Marble Grey, Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Jade Green, Sandstone Orange, Sapphire Blue | Sleet (Black), Snowfall (Silver), Cyclone (Transparent Black) |
| Models | SM-S921B, SM-S921B/DS, SM-S921U, SM-S921U1, SM-S921W, SM-S921N, SM-S9210, SM-S921E, SM-S921E/DS | - |
| Price | € 454.76 / $ 299.99 / £ 340.99 / ₹ 39,999 | About 710 EUR |
| SAR | 1.23 W/kg (head) 1.10 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.87 W/kg (head) 1.35 W/kg (body) | - |
Samsung Galaxy S24
- Excellent all-around camera system
- Bright and color-accurate display
- Compact and pocketable design
- Strong software support and ecosystem
- Slower charging speed compared to RedMagic
- Potential for throttling under sustained load (Exynos variant)
ZTE nubia RedMagic 9 Pro+
- Unrivaled 165W fast charging
- Superior thermal management for sustained gaming
- High-performance Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Dedicated gaming features (triggers, fan)
- Likely larger and heavier design
- Camera performance may be less refined than Samsung
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S24 boasts a display capable of reaching 1401 nits peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the RedMagic 9 Pro+’s display specs aren’t provided, nubia typically focuses less on peak brightness and more on refresh rate and touch sampling for gaming. The S24’s panel likely utilizes LTPO technology for variable refresh rates, improving battery efficiency. The S24’s smaller size (assumed, based on S24 series trends) will appeal to users preferring a more pocketable device, while the RedMagic 9 Pro+ is likely larger to accommodate cooling solutions and a bigger battery.
Camera Comparison
The context data doesn’t provide specific camera details for either device. However, Samsung is renowned for its camera prowess, and the S24 is expected to feature a sophisticated camera system with advanced image processing. The RedMagic 9 Pro+, while likely including a capable camera, prioritizes gaming features, suggesting a less emphasized camera experience. We anticipate the S24 to excel in both photo and video quality, offering features like advanced computational photography and robust video stabilization. The RedMagic 9 Pro+ will likely offer a functional camera, but it won’t be its primary selling point.
Performance
Both devices utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm), but the S24 has a regional split – USA/Canada/China receive the Snapdragon variant, while international markets get the Exynos 2400 (also 4nm). The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the RedMagic 9 Pro+ benefits from a more aggressive cooling system, allowing it to sustain peak performance for longer durations. The S24’s CPU configuration differs slightly between the Snapdragon (8-core) and Exynos (10-core) versions, potentially impacting multi-core performance. The RedMagic 9 Pro+’s CPU clocks at 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4, matching the Snapdragon S24, but its overall thermal design is the key differentiator, preventing throttling during extended gaming sessions. The S24’s performance will be excellent, but the RedMagic is engineered for sustained maximum output.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S24 achieves 12:06 hours of active use, demonstrating solid battery life. The RedMagic 9 Pro+’s battery capacity is unknown, but its standout feature is 165W wired charging, capable of a full charge in just 16 minutes. This dramatically outperforms the S24’s 25W charging (50% in 30 minutes). While the S24 offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless, the RedMagic 9 Pro+ focuses solely on incredibly fast wired charging. Gamers who frequently deplete their battery will significantly benefit from the RedMagic’s charging speed, minimizing downtime.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 if you need a versatile smartphone with a top-tier camera system, a bright and color-accurate display, and a compact form factor for everyday use. Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9 Pro+ if you prioritize uncompromising gaming performance, extended play sessions thanks to its advanced cooling, and the fastest charging speeds currently available, even if it means sacrificing some camera versatility.