ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and AI
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a well-rounded experience with exceptional camera capabilities and software support, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is the better choice. However, gamers and power users demanding sustained performance and faster charging will find the Red Magic 6R a more compelling option.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R | Google Pixel 6 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) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 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, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GLUOG, G8VOU |
| 5G bands | 1, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G8VOU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GLUOG | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, May 27 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 02 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163 x 75.3 x 7.8 mm (6.42 x 2.96 x 0.31 in) | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 186 g (6.56 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (400Hz touch-sensing) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~87.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, 770 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 11, Redmagic 4.0 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-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) | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, (wide) | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| 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, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 55W wired, PD3.0, QC4 (China) 30W wired, PD3.0, QC4 (International) | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5003 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Mercury Silver, Light Blue | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | NX666J | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 500 EUR | € 199.99 / $ 204.99 / £ 275.00 / ₹ 29,699 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 76h | Endurance rating 84h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | 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) | AnTuTu: 585485 (v8), 719815 (v9) GeekBench: 2831 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39 fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
- Faster charging speeds (up to 55W)
- Dedicated gaming features and cooling
- Potentially higher sustained GPU performance
- Inferior camera system
- Shorter battery life (endurance rating)
- Less frequent software updates
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Exceptional camera quality and AI features
- Longer battery life (endurance rating)
- Guaranteed software updates and support
- Slower charging speeds (23W)
- Less focused on gaming performance
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the Pixel 6 Pro boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 846 nits measured, compared to the Red Magic 6R’s unspecified peak brightness. This makes the Pixel 6 Pro far more usable in direct sunlight. While both are likely OLED panels, the Pixel 6 Pro’s higher brightness and potentially superior color calibration give it an edge for media consumption and outdoor visibility. The Red Magic 6R likely prioritizes refresh rate over peak brightness for smoother gaming.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro’s camera system is a clear standout. While specific sensor details are missing for the Red Magic 6R, the Pixel 6 Pro’s focus on computational photography, powered by the Tensor chip, delivers exceptional image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing excels in dynamic range and detail preservation. The Red Magic 6R’s camera is likely geared towards basic photography and video recording, lacking the advanced features and image processing capabilities of the Pixel 6 Pro. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Red Magic 6R suggests it’s not a primary selling point.
Performance
The Red Magic 6R utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), while the Pixel 6 Pro is powered by Google’s in-house Tensor chip (5nm). Both CPUs feature an octa-core configuration with a Cortex-X1 prime core, but the Pixel 6 Pro’s Cortex-A76 performance cores (2.25 GHz) are clocked slightly lower than the Red Magic 6R’s Cortex-A78 cores (2.42 GHz). The Tensor chip’s strength lies in its dedicated AI processing units, enabling features like Magic Eraser and improved voice recognition. While the Snapdragon 888 excels in raw GPU power, the Tensor chip’s thermal design and software optimization are crucial for sustained performance. The Red Magic 6R’s active cooling system is a key differentiator, allowing it to maintain higher clock speeds for longer gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Pixel 6 Pro offers an endurance rating of 84 hours, slightly exceeding the Red Magic 6R’s 76-hour rating. However, charging speeds are drastically different. The Red Magic 6R supports 55W wired charging (China) or 30W (International), significantly faster than the Pixel 6 Pro’s 23W wired and 23W wireless charging. This means the Red Magic 6R can replenish its battery much quicker, a crucial advantage for gamers who need to minimize downtime. The Pixel 6 Pro’s wireless charging and reverse wireless charging capabilities offer added convenience, but don’t compensate for the slower wired charging speed.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R if you need a dedicated gaming phone with a focus on sustained performance, fast charging, and a more aggressive thermal design. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prefer a flagship experience with a class-leading camera system, innovative AI features, and guaranteed software updates.