ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 vs Asus ROG Phone 5s: A Deep Dive for Mobile Gamers
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average gamer prioritizing raw performance and sustained frame rates, the Asus ROG Phone 5s emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 888+ chipset, coupled with Asus’s robust thermal management, provides a slight edge over the Red Magic 6. However, the Red Magic 6 remains a compelling option for budget-conscious gamers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Asus ROG Phone 5s |
| 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 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - Version 1 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - Version 1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 4 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 04 | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 11 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.7 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.38 in) | 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (400Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, 630 nits (typ) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, Redmagic 4.0 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | - |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP, (macro) | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm, 125˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | - | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| 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 (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 38 min (advertised) | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Aurora | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | NX669J | ZS676KS |
| Price | $ 890.00 | About 1030 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 88h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -21.4 LUFS (Excellent) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 708853 (v8) GeekBench: 3586 (v5.1) GFXBench: 50fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6
- Aggressive cooling system for sustained performance
- Potentially longer battery life based on endurance rating
- Faster advertised full charge time (38 minutes)
- Slightly less powerful chipset (Snapdragon 888 vs 888+)
- Likely inferior camera performance
- No reverse wireless charging
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- More powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset
- Reverse wired charging capability
- Potentially better build quality and software experience
- Slightly slower full charge time (52 minutes)
- Potentially less aggressive cooling than Red Magic 6
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
Both phones utilize displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, detailed display specs like peak brightness and refresh rate are missing. Given the market positioning, the ROG Phone 5s likely boasts a higher peak brightness for better outdoor visibility. The Red Magic 6’s focus on gaming suggests a high refresh rate is present, but the exact value is unknown. Bezels are likely minimized on both, but the ROG Phone 5s’s overall build quality may result in slightly tighter tolerances. Color accuracy is also unknown, but both brands typically aim for acceptable color calibration for gaming.
Camera Comparison
Camera details are sparse for both devices, listed simply as 'Photo / Video'. Given the gaming focus, neither phone prioritizes camera performance. However, Asus typically invests more in camera technology than ZTE. It’s reasonable to assume the ROG Phone 5s has a more capable main sensor and image processing pipeline. The Red Magic 6 likely features a more basic camera setup geared towards casual snapshots. The absence of specific sensor details makes a definitive comparison impossible, but the ROG Phone 5s is expected to deliver better image quality.
Performance
The Asus ROG Phone 5s holds a performance advantage with its Snapdragon 888+ 5G chipset, clocked at 2.99 GHz, compared to the Red Magic 6’s Snapdragon 888 at 2.84 GHz. While both are 5nm chips, the ‘+’ variant offers incremental improvements in CPU and GPU clock speeds. Both share the same CPU core configuration (1x Cortex-X1, 3x Cortex-A78, 4x Cortex-A55), but the ROG Phone 5s’s higher clock speed translates to faster processing. Thermal management is crucial; the Red Magic 6 is known for its active cooling fan, while Asus employs a sophisticated vapor chamber. The ROG Phone 5s’s superior chipset and thermal solution likely result in less throttling during prolonged gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 6 boasts an endurance rating of 88 hours, suggesting excellent battery life. It supports 66W wired charging, promising a full charge in 38 minutes (advertised). The ROG Phone 5s supports 65W wired charging, reaching 70% in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes. While the Red Magic 6’s charging is slightly faster to 100%, the ROG Phone 5s offers 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the Red Magic 6. The actual battery capacity of both phones is unknown, but the ROG Phone 5s’s more efficient chipset and potentially optimized software could offset any capacity difference.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 if you need maximum cooling performance for extended gaming sessions on a tighter budget and are willing to compromise on some camera features. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you prefer a more polished software experience, slightly superior processing power with the Snapdragon 888+, and faster charging capabilities, even at a higher price.