ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 vs. OnePlus 9 Pro: A Deep Dive for Gamers and Power Users
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 is the clear winner. Its gaming-centric design and sustained performance outweigh the OnePlus 9 Pro’s superior camera and display. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro remains a compelling choice for users prioritizing a well-rounded flagship experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | OnePlus 9 Pro |
| 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 |
| 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, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 04 | 2021, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 11 | Available. Released 2021, March 30 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.7 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.38 in) | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (400Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, 630 nits (typ) | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 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 14, OxygenOS 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| 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) | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, 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, DLNA |
| 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, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Aurora | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black |
| Models | NX669J | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 |
| Price | $ 890.00 | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 88h | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -21.4 LUFS (Excellent) | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 708853 (v8) GeekBench: 3586 (v5.1) GFXBench: 50fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6
- Superior sustained gaming performance due to active cooling
- Slightly longer battery endurance rating
- Faster wired charging than many competitors
- Lacks wireless charging
- Camera likely inferior to the OnePlus 9 Pro
OnePlus 9 Pro
- Excellent camera system with Hasselblad tuning
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Fast wired and wireless charging options
- May experience more thermal throttling during prolonged gaming
- Slightly lower battery endurance rating
Display Comparison
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset, but their displays diverge significantly. The OnePlus 9 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 859 nits, offering excellent visibility in bright sunlight. While the Red Magic 6’s contrast ratio is listed as 'Infinite (nominal)', it lacks the specific brightness data of the OnePlus. The OnePlus 9 Pro likely benefits from a more advanced panel calibration, offering greater color accuracy for content consumption. The Red Magic 6, however, may prioritize a higher refresh rate or lower response time for gaming, features not explicitly detailed in the provided data.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but the OnePlus 9 Pro is widely recognized for its Hasselblad-tuned camera system. While specific sensor details are absent, the OnePlus 9 Pro’s reputation suggests a more sophisticated camera experience with better image processing and dynamic range. The Red Magic 6 likely prioritizes camera functionality less, focusing instead on gaming features. The absence of details regarding sensor size and aperture makes a precise comparison impossible, but the OnePlus 9 Pro is expected to deliver superior image quality in most scenarios.
Performance
Both devices are powered by the same Snapdragon 888 5G chipset with an identical CPU configuration – a 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. The key difference lies in thermal management. The Red Magic 6 is designed with active cooling, suggesting it can sustain peak performance for longer periods without throttling, a critical advantage for extended gaming sessions. The OnePlus 9 Pro, while capable, may experience more thermal throttling under sustained load. The lack of RAM specifications prevents a direct comparison, but the Red Magic 6’s focus on gaming suggests optimized memory management.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 6 has an endurance rating of 88h, slightly exceeding the OnePlus 9 Pro’s 86h. However, charging speeds are a key differentiator. The OnePlus 9 Pro offers 65W wired charging (100% in 29 min), 50W wireless charging (100% in 43 min), and 5W reverse wireless charging. The Red Magic 6 provides 66W wired charging (100% in 38 min) but lacks wireless charging. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s wireless charging capabilities and faster overall charging time provide greater convenience, while the Red Magic 6’s slightly higher endurance rating suggests marginally longer battery life under typical usage.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, active cooling, and a more aggressive design aesthetic. You’ll benefit from longer, smoother gaming sessions and a phone built specifically for demanding mobile titles. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you value a versatile camera system, a brighter and more color-accurate display, faster wireless charging, and a more refined software experience for everyday use.