ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s vs. Sony Xperia 5 V: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Features
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers prioritizing raw performance and affordability, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s is the clear winner. However, the Sony Xperia 5 V delivers a more refined, versatile experience with superior battery charging and a brighter display, making it ideal for users who value a compact flagship.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s | Sony Xperia 5 V |
| 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 800 / 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, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / 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 | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September | 2023, September 01 |
| Status | Available. Released 2019, September | Available. Released 2023, September 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm (6.76 x 3.09 x 0.38 in) | 154 x 68 x 8.6 mm (6.06 x 2.68 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 182 g (6.42 oz) |
| RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones Built-in cooling fan | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~80.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~83.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10, BT.2020 |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), Redmagic 2.0 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 48 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.35", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", dual pixel PDAF |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF | - |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1920fps | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | - |
| 35mm jack | - | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC4 | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Mecha Silver, Cyber Shade, Eclipse Black | Black, Blue, Platinum Silver |
| Models | NX629J_V1S | XQ-DE54 |
| Price | About 820 EUR | € 999.99 / $ 1,444.00 |
| 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
- Significantly lower price point
- Dedicated gaming performance
- Long endurance rating (115h)
- Older Snapdragon 855+ chipset
- Slower 18W charging
- Less refined camera system
Sony Xperia 5 V
- Modern Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- Faster 30W charging with wireless options
- Brighter and likely more accurate display
- Higher price tag
- Smaller screen size may not suit all users
- Potentially less gaming-focused features
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 5 V boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 746 nits measured, compared to the Red Magic 3s’s unspecified brightness. This translates to better visibility outdoors. While the Red Magic 3s claims an 'infinite' contrast ratio, this is a nominal value. The Xperia 5 V’s smaller 6.1-inch screen (vs. the Red Magic 3s’s larger size, unspecified) contributes to its compact form factor. The Xperia 5 V likely utilizes OLED technology, common in flagships, offering superior color accuracy and black levels, while the Red Magic 3s’s panel type is not specified, potentially being an older LCD.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but details are limited. The Xperia 5 V, being a flagship, likely features a more advanced camera system with larger sensors and improved image processing. Sony’s expertise in camera technology suggests superior image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The Red Magic 3s, geared towards gaming, likely prioritizes cost savings in its camera module. Without specific sensor details, it’s difficult to make a precise comparison, but the Xperia 5 V is expected to deliver more consistent and higher-quality results.
Performance
The Xperia 5 V’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) represents a substantial leap in performance and efficiency over the Red Magic 3s’s Snapdragon 855+ (7nm). The Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 prime core, clocked at 3.2 GHz, offers significantly faster single-core performance. The 4nm process node of the Gen 2 also results in lower heat generation, reducing thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. While the Red Magic 3s’s 855+ is still capable, the Gen 2 provides a smoother, more responsive experience, especially in demanding titles. The Xperia 5 V’s likely use of faster LPDDR5x RAM further enhances performance.
Battery Life
The Xperia 5 V offers a more refined charging experience with 30W wired charging, supporting PD3.0, PPS, and achieving 50% charge in 30 minutes, alongside wireless and reverse wireless charging. The Red Magic 3s is limited to 18W wired charging with QC4. While the Red Magic 3s boasts an endurance rating of 115 hours, the Xperia 5 V achieves 16:19 hours of active use, and an older endurance rating of 130h. This suggests the Xperia 5 V’s more efficient chipset and optimized software contribute to better real-world battery life despite potentially having a smaller battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 3s if you need uncompromising gaming performance on a budget, and are willing to accept an older chipset and potentially less refined software. Buy the Sony Xperia 5 V if you prefer a compact, premium Android experience with a modern processor, fast charging, and a more versatile camera system, even if it comes at a higher price.