ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R vs Asus ROG Phone 5s: A Deep Dive for Gamers
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average gamer prioritizing value, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R offers a compelling package with flagship-level performance at a lower cost. However, the Asus ROG Phone 5s edges ahead with its faster charging, slightly more powerful chipset, and potentially better sustained performance due to the Snapdragon 888+.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R | 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 4, 12, 17, 20, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China | 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, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China | 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 / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 4 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, May 27 | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 02 | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163 x 75.3 x 7.8 mm (6.42 x 2.96 x 0.31 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 | 186 g (6.56 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (400Hz touch-sensing) | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~87.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, 770 nits (peak) | 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 6GB RAM, 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 | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, (macro) 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth) | - |
| Single | 16 MP, (wide) | - |
| Triple | - | 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 | 16 MP, (wide) | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | - | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS | 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 | 55W wired, PD3.0, QC4 (China) 30W wired, PD3.0, QC4 (International) | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Mercury Silver, Light Blue | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | NX666J | ZS676KS |
| Price | About 500 EUR | About 1030 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 76h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -27.9 LUFS (Good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 708156 (v8) | 823354 (v9) GeekBench: 3486 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
- More affordable price point
- Excellent battery endurance (76h rating)
- Flagship-level Snapdragon 888 performance
- Slower charging speeds (30W/55W)
- Potentially less refined camera system
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- Faster Snapdragon 888+ chipset for sustained performance
- Significantly faster 65W charging
- 10W reverse wired charging
- Higher price tag
- Potentially shorter battery life due to faster charging/higher power draw
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 Red Magic’s focus on value, it likely employs a slightly less advanced panel than the ROG Phone 5s, which benefits from Asus’s display expertise. The ROG Phone 5s’s likely higher peak brightness would translate to better visibility in direct sunlight. While both are geared towards gaming, the ROG Phone 5s likely has a more color-accurate display, important for visually demanding games.
Camera Comparison
Camera details are sparse for both devices. Given the gaming focus, neither prioritizes camera prowess. However, the ROG Phone 5s, being a higher-tier device, likely features a more sophisticated image processing pipeline and potentially a larger main sensor. The Red Magic 6R likely opts for a more cost-effective camera setup. Without specific sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but the ROG Phone 5s is expected to deliver slightly better image quality.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Red Magic 6R features the Snapdragon 888 5G, while the ROG Phone 5s boasts the Snapdragon 888+ 5G. The ‘+’ variant offers a modest clock speed increase (2.99 GHz vs 2.84 GHz on the Cortex-X1) and optimizations for sustained performance. While both utilize the same CPU core configuration (1x Cortex-X1, 3x Cortex-A78, 4x Cortex-A55), the 888+’s improved thermal management is crucial for extended gaming. Both phones share LPDDR5 RAM, but the ROG Phone 5s’s superior cooling system likely allows it to maintain higher clock speeds for longer periods, minimizing throttling. This translates to more consistent frame rates in demanding titles.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 6R boasts an endurance rating of 76 hours, indicating excellent battery life. While the ROG Phone 5s’s battery capacity is unknown, its 65W charging significantly outperforms the Red Magic 6R’s 55W (China) or 30W (International) charging. The ROG Phone 5s can reach 70% charge in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes, a substantial advantage for users who need a quick top-up. The Red Magic 6R’s slower charging speeds mean longer downtime between gaming sessions. The ROG Phone 5s also includes 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the Red Magic 6R.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R if you need a high-performance gaming phone on a tighter budget and prioritize long gaming sessions over the absolute fastest charging speeds. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you prefer a more refined gaming experience, demand the quickest possible recharge times (65W vs 55W/30W), and are willing to pay a premium for the Snapdragon 888+ and its potential for slightly better sustained performance.