Xiaomi Black Shark 4S Pro vs. ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro: The Ultimate Gaming Phone Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The nubia Red Magic 8 Pro takes the crown thanks to its significantly more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, improved display, and impressive battery life. While the Black Shark 4S Pro boasts incredibly fast charging, the Red Magic 8 Pro offers a more complete and future-proof gaming package.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Black Shark 4S Pro | 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 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 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, October 13 | 2022, December 26 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 16 | Available. Released 2022, December 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.7 x 76.2 x 9.9 mm (6.44 x 3.00 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 | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| Physical pop-up gaming triggers | Pressure sensitive zones (520Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~86.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 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, Joy UI 12.8 | Android 13, Redmagic OS 6 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 0.8µm | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro), AF | 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 | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps; HDR10+ | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 0.8µm | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | 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 (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, 50% in 5 min, 100% in 15 min | 80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min (advertised) - China 65W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 43 min (advertised) - International |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White | Black, Transparent |
| Models | - | NX729J |
| Price | About 650 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) |
Xiaomi Black Shark 4S Pro
- Incredibly fast 120W charging
- Compact form factor
- Good performance for the price
- Dedicated gaming triggers
- Older chipset (Snapdragon 888+)
- Battery life could be better
- Camera performance is average
ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro
- Top-tier performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
- Excellent display (likely 165Hz)
- Impressive battery life
- Advanced cooling system
- Aggressive gaming design
- Charging speed is slower (80W)
- Larger size and weight
- Camera is not a priority
Display Comparison
The nubia Red Magic 8 Pro features a superior display with a higher refresh rate (likely 165Hz, though not explicitly stated) and a potentially better color accuracy. The Black Shark 4S Pro's display is good, but doesn't match the Red Magic's advancements. The 'Infinite' contrast ratio of the Red Magic is a marketing term, but suggests excellent blacks.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance is generally not a primary focus for gaming phones. Both phones likely offer decent camera capabilities, but neither is expected to compete with flagship smartphones. The Red Magic 8 Pro likely has a slight edge due to the newer chipset's image processing capabilities, but real-world differences will be minimal.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Red Magic 8 Pro is a substantial upgrade over the Snapdragon 888+ in the Black Shark 4S Pro. Expect noticeably faster processing speeds, smoother gameplay, and better handling of demanding games. The Red Magic's cooling system is also likely more advanced, preventing throttling during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 8 Pro's endurance rating of 131h suggests significantly better battery life than the Black Shark 4S Pro. While the Black Shark 4S Pro's 120W charging is incredibly fast, the Red Magic 8 Pro's larger battery capacity and efficient chipset allow it to last longer between charges.
Buying Guide
The Xiaomi Black Shark 4S Pro is ideal for gamers prioritizing blazing-fast charging and a slightly more compact form factor. The ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro is the better choice for those seeking top-tier performance, a stunning display, and extended battery life, even if it comes with a slightly larger size.