ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s vs. OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren: A Deep Dive for Power Users
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the dedicated mobile gamer, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s is the clear winner. Its focus on sustained performance, coupled with its 115-hour endurance rating, outweighs the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren’s faster charging and 5G capabilities for those prioritizing extended gaming sessions. However, the OnePlus offers a more polished daily driver experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s | OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren |
| 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, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | - | 71 SA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - NA | CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September | 2019, October 23. Released 2019, November 05 |
| Status | Available. Released 2019, September | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm (6.76 x 3.09 x 0.38 in) | 162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 206 g (7.27 oz) |
| RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones Built-in cooling fan | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~516 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~80.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 108.8 cm2 (~88.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz | Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), Redmagic 2.0 | Android 10, OxygenOS 10.0 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF | - |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), AF |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1920fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 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 | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC4 | 30W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4085 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mecha Silver, Cyber Shade, Eclipse Black | Papaya Orange |
| Models | NX629J_V1S | HD1925 |
| Price | About 820 EUR | About 800 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -95.5dB / Crosstalk -92.4dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 115h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 69dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 84dB | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 358748 (v7), 495229 (v8) GeekBench: 11310 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s
- Exceptional battery endurance (115h)
- Designed for sustained gaming performance
- Potentially more immersive gaming experience due to larger display
- Slower charging speed (18W)
- Likely less refined camera system
- Potentially less polished software experience
OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren
- Faster charging speed (30W)
- 5G connectivity for future-proofed data speeds
- Likely superior camera quality and image processing
- Potentially more thermal throttling during extended gaming
- Lower battery endurance compared to Red Magic 3s
- Higher price point (likely, given McLaren branding)
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset, but their display approaches differ. While both boast an 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal), the Red Magic 3s prioritizes a large screen real estate for immersive gaming. The OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren, while also offering a high-quality display, focuses on color accuracy and fluidity, likely benefiting from OnePlus’s display calibration expertise. The lack of detailed display specs (peak brightness, color gamut coverage) makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Red Magic’s larger size suggests a more immersive gaming experience.
Camera Comparison
The provided specs offer minimal insight into camera capabilities. Both devices simply list 'Photo / Video'. Given OnePlus’s history, the 7T Pro 5G McLaren likely features a more sophisticated camera system with better image processing and potentially optical image stabilization (OIS). The Red Magic 3s, prioritizing gaming, likely has a more basic camera setup. Without sensor size, aperture, or megapixel information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but the OnePlus is expected to deliver superior image quality.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) chipset, featuring an octa-core CPU configuration with a 2.96 GHz Kryo 485 prime core. However, the Red Magic 3s is explicitly designed for sustained performance. Its active cooling system, not detailed in the provided specs, is crucial for mitigating thermal throttling during prolonged gaming. The OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren, while powerful, lacks this dedicated cooling, potentially leading to more noticeable performance dips under heavy load. The slight difference in Kryo 485 clock speeds (1.8 GHz on Red Magic vs 1.78 GHz on OnePlus) is negligible in real-world use.
Battery Life
The ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s boasts an impressive endurance rating of 115 hours, suggesting a large battery capacity optimized for gaming. However, it’s limited to 18W wired charging with QC4. The OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren, while lacking an endurance rating, compensates with significantly faster 30W wired charging. This means the OnePlus can replenish its battery much quicker, even if its overall capacity is smaller. For users who prioritize minimizing downtime, the OnePlus’s faster charging is a significant advantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s if you need uncompromising gaming performance, long battery life for extended play, and are willing to accept a less refined software experience. Buy the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren if you prefer a more versatile smartphone with 5G connectivity, faster charging, and a smoother, more polished user interface, even if it means slightly less sustained gaming performance.