ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s vs. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Deep Dive for Gamers and Power Users
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a polished experience and strong resale value, the iPhone 11 Pro Max remains a solid choice. However, the Red Magic 3s delivers significantly more raw gaming performance for a lower price, making it the clear winner for mobile gaming enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 66 - Global | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - NA | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Available. Released 2019, September | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm (6.76 x 3.09 x 0.38 in) | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones Built-in cooling fan | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~80.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), Redmagic 2.0 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1920fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, accessory connector | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC4 | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mecha Silver, Cyber Shade, Eclipse Black | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | NX629J_V1S | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | About 820 EUR | $ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.16 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 256GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 874.46 |
| 512GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 1,004.31 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 435.00 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 485.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -95.5dB / Crosstalk -92.4dB | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 115h | Endurance rating 102h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 69dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 84dB | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 358748 (v7), 495229 (v8) GeekBench: 11310 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s
- Superior gaming performance due to Snapdragon 855+
- Longer battery life (115h endurance)
- Potentially lower price point
- Less refined software experience
- Potentially inferior camera quality
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Premium build quality and design
- Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
- Excellent camera performance and image processing
- Lower gaming performance compared to Red Magic 3s
- Shorter battery life (102h endurance)
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a measured peak brightness of 820 nits, significantly outshining the Red Magic 3s, making it more usable in direct sunlight. While the Red Magic 3s likely has a higher refresh rate (a key gaming feature, though not specified in the data), the iPhone’s color accuracy and calibration are generally considered superior, benefiting content consumption. The lack of LTPO on either device means they aren't dynamically adjusting refresh rates for power saving.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but the provided data lacks specifics for a detailed comparison. Given Apple’s reputation, the iPhone 11 Pro Max likely delivers more consistent and refined image processing, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Red Magic 3s, being a gaming phone, likely prioritizes speed over image quality, potentially resulting in less sophisticated image processing. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to assess low-light performance, but the iPhone’s computational photography is generally considered superior.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ in the Red Magic 3s and the Apple A13 Bionic in the iPhone 11 Pro Max represent different approaches to mobile processing. The Snapdragon 855+ utilizes an octa-core configuration (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) while the A13 Bionic employs a hexa-core setup (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder). Despite the core count difference, the A13 Bionic’s architecture and 7nm+ process node provide exceptional single-core performance, crucial for everyday tasks. The Red Magic 3s, however, excels in sustained multi-core workloads, benefiting from its larger thermal capacity designed for prolonged gaming sessions. The Red Magic 3s' focus on gaming likely means more aggressive CPU/GPU clock speeds, but potentially at the cost of efficiency.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 3s boasts an endurance rating of 115 hours, exceeding the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 102 hours. This suggests a larger battery capacity in the Red Magic 3s, coupled with optimizations for gaming. While the iPhone 11 Pro Max supports 18W wired charging with PD2.0 and wireless charging via Qi, the Red Magic 3s utilizes QC4 for 18W wired charging. The iPhone’s 50% charge in 30 minutes is competitive, but the Red Magic 3s’ larger battery provides a longer overall usage time, especially during demanding tasks like gaming.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s if you need uncompromising gaming performance, a high refresh rate display, and don't mind a less refined software experience. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you prefer a premium build quality, a mature and intuitive operating system, and integration with the Apple ecosystem, even if it means sacrificing some gaming prowess.