ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s vs. Samsung Galaxy S10+: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Features
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 855+ and superior endurance rating (115h) outweigh the S10+'s more polished software and camera. However, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ remains a compelling choice for users prioritizing a balanced experience and broader feature set.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s | Samsung Galaxy S10+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 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, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 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 | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September | 2019, February 20 |
| Status | Available. Released 2019, September | Available. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), ceramic back, ceramic frame |
| Dimensions | 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm (6.76 x 3.09 x 0.38 in) | 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8 mm (6.20 x 2.92 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 175 g / 198 g (ceramic) (6.17 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 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~80.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 103.8 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), Redmagic 2.0 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1920fps | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm, depth sensor |
| Features | HDR | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| 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, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC4 | 15W wired, PD2.0 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4100 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mecha Silver, Cyber Shade, Eclipse Black | Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink, Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, Cardinal Red, Smoke Blue |
| Models | NX629J_V1S | SM-G975F, SM-G975U, SM-G975W, SM-G975U1, SM-G9750, SM-G975N, SM-G975X |
| Price | About 820 EUR | $ 199.00 / C$ 879.99 / £ 999.00 / € 299.00 / ₹ 39,940 |
| SAR | - | 1.06 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.52 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -95.5dB / Crosstalk -92.4dB | Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -94.3dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 115h | Endurance rating 91h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.514 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 69dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 84dB | -24.7 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 358748 (v7), 495229 (v8) GeekBench: 11310 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 333736 (v7), 399901 (v8) GeekBench: 10387 (v4.4), 2190 (v5.1) GFXBench: 23fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s
- Superior battery life (115h endurance)
- More powerful processor (Snapdragon 855+)
- Dedicated gaming features and cooling
- Less refined software experience
- Potentially inferior camera quality
Samsung Galaxy S10+
- Premium build quality and design
- Versatile camera system
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Shorter battery life (91h endurance)
- Potential for throttling with Exynos variant
Display Comparison
Both devices feature 'Infinite' contrast ratio displays, a marketing term indicating deep blacks. However, the S10+ boasts a measured contrast ratio of 4.514 in sunlight, suggesting better outdoor visibility. While both likely utilize AMOLED panels, the S10+’s higher sunlight contrast and likely higher peak brightness (not specified in the data) provide a superior viewing experience in bright conditions. The Red Magic 3s prioritizes screen real estate for gaming, but lacks the S10+'s refined color calibration and outdoor performance.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but lack specific details. Given Samsung’s history, the S10+ likely features a more sophisticated camera system with multiple lenses and advanced image processing. The Red Magic 3s, geared towards gaming, likely prioritizes camera functionality less, potentially offering a simpler setup. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but the S10+ is expected to deliver superior image quality and versatility.
Performance
The nubia Red Magic 3s utilizes the Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7nm), a chip known for its higher clock speeds (up to 2.96 GHz) and improved efficiency over the standard 855. The S10+ comes in two variants: an Exynos 9820 (8nm) for EMEA/LATAM and a Snapdragon 855 (7nm) for USA/China. The 7nm process node on both Snapdragon variants offers better thermal efficiency than the 8nm Exynos, potentially leading to less throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Red Magic 3s’ dedicated cooling system further enhances sustained performance, a critical advantage for demanding titles. The S10+’s performance will vary based on the chipset, with the Snapdragon version offering closer performance to the Red Magic 3s.
Battery Life
The nubia Red Magic 3s boasts an endurance rating of 115 hours, significantly exceeding the S10+'s 91 hours. This translates to considerably longer battery life, especially during gaming. While the S10+ offers 15W wired charging, 15W wireless charging (Qi/PMA), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, the Red Magic 3s focuses on faster wired charging with 18W and Quick Charge 4.0. The S10+'s wireless charging and reverse wireless charging are convenient features the Red Magic 3s lacks, but the Red Magic 3s’ superior battery life and potentially faster wired charging provide a more substantial benefit for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, long battery life, and don't mind a more niche software experience. You'll benefit from the Snapdragon 855+'s power and the phone's active cooling system. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10+ if you value a premium build quality, a versatile camera system, wireless charging, and a more mainstream, feature-rich software experience. It's the better choice for everyday use and content creation.