ZTE nubia Red Magic 5S vs. Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Features
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 5S is the clear winner. Its 55W charging, superior cooling, and Snapdragon 865 chipset deliver sustained performance. However, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G remains a compelling choice for users prioritizing a versatile camera system and a refined software experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 5S | Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - SM-G986B |
| 5G bands | 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G986B |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, July 28 | 2020, February 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, August 01 | Available. Released 2020, March 06 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), 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) | 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8 mm (6.37 x 2.90 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 188 g (6.63 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (300Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.0 cm2 (~90.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) - USA |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA |
| OS | Android 10, Redmagic 3.0 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm 2 MP, (macro) | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, f/1.0, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| 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 |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 55W wired, 56% in 15 min, 100% in 40 min (advertised) | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, Pulse | Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud White, Aura Red, Aura Blue |
| Models | - | SM-G986, SM-G986F, SM-G986F/DS, SM-G986U, SM-G986U1, SM-G9860, SM-G986B/DS, SM-G986N, SM-G986B, SM-G986W, SCG02 |
| Price | About 540 EUR | $ 174.17 / C$ 684.99 / € 299.97 |
| SAR | - | 1.08 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.57 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 83h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -22.6 LUFS (Excellent) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 557056 (v8) GeekBench: 13400 (v4.4), 3386 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 5S
- Blazing-fast 55W charging
- Superior gaming performance with Snapdragon 865
- Active cooling system for sustained performance
- Less versatile camera system
- No wireless charging
- Potentially less refined software experience
Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G
- Versatile camera system with advanced features
- Vibrant and color-accurate display
- Polished and feature-rich software experience
- Slower 25W charging
- Potential for thermal throttling with Exynos 990 (Global version)
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize 7nm+ fabrication, but their display philosophies diverge. While the S20+ 5G likely boasts a higher peak brightness and potentially more accurate color calibration (data unavailable), the Red Magic 5S prioritizes a high refresh rate for smoother gaming. The 'Infinite' contrast ratio advertised for the Red Magic 5S suggests a strong emphasis on deep blacks, potentially utilizing an AMOLED panel, but lacks specific nit brightness data. The S20+ 5G's display is likely more color accurate, but the Red Magic 5S's focus on refresh rate benefits fast-paced gaming.
Camera Comparison
The S20+ 5G is expected to have a more versatile and refined camera system, despite lacking specific sensor details in the provided data. Samsung's image processing is known for its vibrant colors and strong dynamic range. The Red Magic 5S's camera is listed simply as 'Photo / Video,' suggesting a less emphasized focus on photography. While the S20+ 5G likely includes features like OIS and multiple lenses, the Red Magic 5S appears to prioritize core gaming features over camera capabilities. Any 2MP macro lens on either device is likely a marketing gimmick with limited real-world utility.
Performance
The chipset is a key differentiator. The Red Magic 5S consistently features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G, while the S20+ 5G shipped with either the Exynos 990 (globally) or the Snapdragon 865 (USA). The Snapdragon 865, present in both US S20+ models and the Red Magic 5S, offers a more consistent performance profile and generally better thermal management than the Exynos 990. Both CPUs share a similar core configuration (1x Cortex-A77 prime core, multiple Cortex-A77 performance cores, and Cortex-A55 efficiency cores), but the Snapdragon 865's architecture and manufacturing process give it an edge in sustained performance. The Red Magic 5S's active cooling system further enhances its ability to maintain peak performance during extended gaming.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 5S boasts a significant charging advantage with its 55W wired charging, capable of reaching 56% in 15 minutes and 100% in 40 minutes. The S20+ 5G's 25W charging is considerably slower. While the S20+ 5G offers 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, the Red Magic 5S lacks wireless charging altogether. The Red Magic 5S's endurance rating of 83 hours suggests a well-optimized battery life, potentially compensating for a smaller battery capacity (data unavailable) through efficient power management and the Snapdragon 865's power efficiency.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 5S if you prioritize uninterrupted gaming sessions, rapid charging, and don't mind a more niche software experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G if you value a premium camera, a vibrant display, and a polished, feature-rich user interface for everyday tasks and content creation.