Xiaomi Black Shark 5 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. While the Black Shark 5 Pro boasts incredibly fast charging, the Red Magic 8 Pro’s superior Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, significantly longer battery life, and refined cooling system provide a more consistently powerful and enduring gaming experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi Black Shark 5 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, 12, 17, 18, 19, 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 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, March 30 | 2022, December 26 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 04 | Available. Released 2022, December 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.9 x 76.5 x 9.5 mm (6.45 x 3.01 x 0.37 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) |
| - | 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 (~85.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+ | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 12, Joy UI 13 | Android 13, Redmagic OS 6 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| - | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto 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 | 16 MP, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 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, 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, video output | 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 (China only) | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, 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 4650 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White | Black, Transparent |
| Models | SHARK KTUS-H0 | NX729J |
| Price | About 720 EUR | $ 659.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 83h | Endurance rating 131h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 876704 (v8), 1007133 (v9) GeekBench: 3665 (v5.1) GFXBench: 82fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1288866 (v9) GeekBench: 5211 (v5.1) GFXBench: 97fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro
- Incredibly fast 120W charging
- Compact design
- Good display
- Solid performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1)
- Older chipset (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1)
- Shorter battery life
- Camera performance is average
ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro
- Superior performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
- Exceptional battery life
- Advanced cooling system
- Under-display camera
- Fast charging (80W)
- Charging speed slower than Black Shark 5 Pro
- Larger size
- International charging speeds are slower
Display Comparison
Both phones feature vibrant AMOLED displays with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering smooth visuals. The Red Magic 8 Pro likely has slightly better color accuracy and brightness due to its newer generation panel, though the Black Shark 5 Pro's 682 nits is respectable. Both have infinite contrast ratios, typical of AMOLED technology. The Red Magic 8 Pro's under-display camera is a notable feature, minimizing screen obstruction.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance is generally not a primary focus for gaming phones. Both phones offer decent camera capabilities, but neither excels in this area. Expect standard photo and video features. The Red Magic 8 Pro may have a slight edge in image processing due to the newer chipset, but overall, camera quality is comparable.
Performance
The Red Magic 8 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 provides a substantial performance advantage over the Black Shark 5 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The Gen 2 offers improved CPU and GPU performance, leading to smoother gameplay, faster load times, and better multitasking. The Red Magic 8 Pro's advanced cooling system (likely including a vapor chamber) will help maintain peak performance for longer periods.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 8 Pro dominates in battery life, boasting an endurance rating of 131 hours compared to the Black Shark 5 Pro's 83 hours. While the Black Shark 5 Pro's 120W charging is incredibly fast, the Red Magic 8 Pro's larger battery capacity provides significantly more playtime before needing a recharge.
Buying Guide
The Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro is ideal for gamers prioritizing blazing-fast charging and a slightly more compact design. The ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro is the better choice for those seeking the absolute best performance, longest battery life, and advanced cooling features for extended gaming sessions.