ZTE nubia Red Magic 5G vs. Sony Xperia 1 III: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a well-rounded experience, the Sony Xperia 1 III emerges as the stronger contender. Its Snapdragon 888 chipset, coupled with a brighter display and a more versatile camera system, offers a more balanced package. However, gamers seeking maximum performance at a potentially lower price point will find the Red Magic 5G compelling.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 5G | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| 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, 20, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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 | 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, March 12 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, March 19 | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 168.6 x 78 x 9.8 mm (6.64 x 3.07 x 0.39 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 218 g (7.69 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| - | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, Redmagic 3.0 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm 2 MP, (macro) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | - | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 55W wired, 56% in 15 min, 100% in 40 min (advertised) | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Hot Rod Red, Black, Mars Red, Cyber Neon, Transparent | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | NX659J | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | $ 890.00 | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 83h | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -22.6 LUFS (Excellent) | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 557056 (v8) GeekBench: 13370 (v4.4), 3387 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 5G
- Significantly faster charging (55W)
- Aggressive cooling system for sustained gaming
- Potentially lower price point
- Older Snapdragon 865 chipset
- Less refined camera system (likely)
- Lacks wireless charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- More powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Brighter and potentially more color-accurate display
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower charging (30W)
- Potentially higher price point
- May experience thermal throttling under extreme load
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 III boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 620 nits measured, compared to the Red Magic 5G’s unspecified brightness. While both claim an 'Infinite' contrast ratio (a common marketing term), the Xperia 1 III’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. The Xperia 1 III’s display is geared towards content creation and consumption, while the Red Magic 5G prioritizes a high refresh rate for smoother gaming visuals, though the exact refresh rate isn't specified in the provided data. The lack of LTPO technology in either device means they won't dynamically adjust refresh rates for power saving like newer flagships.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are described as having Photo/Video capabilities, but the provided data lacks specifics. Given Sony’s expertise in imaging sensors, the Xperia 1 III likely features a more sophisticated camera system with larger sensors and advanced image processing. The Red Magic 5G, geared towards gaming, likely prioritizes camera functionality less, potentially resulting in a less refined photographic experience. The absence of sensor size or aperture information makes a precise comparison impossible, but Sony’s brand history suggests a focus on image quality and manual controls.
Performance
The Xperia 1 III’s Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) represents a generational leap over the Red Magic 5G’s Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+). The 5nm process node offers improved power efficiency and transistor density, potentially leading to sustained performance under load. While both CPUs feature a 2.84 GHz Cortex-A77/X1 prime core, the Xperia 1 III’s Cortex-A78 performance cores are a step up from the Red Magic 5G’s Cortex-A77 cores. The Red Magic 5G’s aggressive cooling system is crucial to mitigating the 865’s thermal limitations, but the Xperia 1 III’s more efficient chipset inherently runs cooler. The impact of RAM speed (LPDDR5x vs LPDDR5) isn't specified, but the Xperia 1 III likely benefits from the newer standard.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of approximately 82-83 hours, indicating comparable battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified). However, the charging speeds differ significantly. The Red Magic 5G’s 55W wired charging is substantially faster than the Xperia 1 III’s 30W wired charging, promising a 56% charge in 15 minutes and 100% in 40 minutes (advertised). The Xperia 1 III offers wireless and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Red Magic 5G, providing added convenience.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 5G if you need uncompromising gaming performance, rapid charging, and a device specifically engineered for extended play sessions. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prefer a premium multimedia experience, a professional-grade camera system with extensive manual controls, and a more refined, all-around flagship experience.