ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro vs. Asus ROG Phone 5s Pro: A Gamer's Deep Dive
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the gamer who values minimizing downtime, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro is the clear winner. Its 120W charging, capable of a full charge in just 17 minutes (in China, 65 minutes internationally), significantly outweighs the ROG Phone 5s Pro’s 65W charging. While the ROG Phone 5s Pro boasts slightly better battery endurance, the Red Magic’s charging speed is a game-changer.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro | Asus ROG Phone 5s 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 - 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 06 | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 27 | Available. Released 2021, August 24 |
| 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 9.5 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.37 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 | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (450Hz touch-sensing) Sliding trigger on the back Built-in cooling fan RGB Light | Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) Touch sensor; ROG Vision monochrome PMOLED display (on the back) | |
| 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, 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 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 4.5 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB 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 | 5.2, 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/6e, 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, heart rate | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 17 min (China) 66W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 65 min (International) | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable - International modelLi-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable - China model | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Transparent, White | Matte White |
| Models | - | ZS676KS |
| Price | About 600 EUR | About 2000 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 97h | Endurance rating 110h |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -21.4 LUFS (Excellent) | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 758329 (v8), 870708 (v9) GeekBench: 14612 (v4.4), 3664 (v5.1) GFXBench: 62fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 743021 (v8), 844901 (v9) GeekBench: 14278 (v4.4), 3672 (v5.1) GFXBench: 58fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W charging (China) / 66W (International)
- Aggressive cooling system for sustained performance
- Potentially better thermal throttling management
- Lower endurance rating compared to the ROG Phone
- Limited camera details available
Asus ROG Phone 5s Pro
- Slightly better battery endurance (110h rating)
- Higher peak display brightness (840 nits)
- 10W reverse wired charging
- Slower charging speed (65W, 52 minutes to full)
- May experience more thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
Both phones utilize the Snapdragon 888+’s capabilities to drive high refresh rate displays, but key differences exist. The Asus ROG Phone 5s Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 840 nits, offering superior visibility in bright sunlight. While the Red Magic 6s Pro’s contrast ratio is listed as infinite (nominal), Asus provides a quantifiable brightness advantage. Details regarding panel technology (LTPO, AMOLED) and color accuracy are missing for the Red Magic, but the ROG Phone 5s Pro is known for its excellent color calibration. Bezels appear comparable, focusing on maximizing screen real estate for immersive gaming.
Camera Comparison
Neither phone prioritizes camera performance as a primary selling point. The available data doesn’t allow for a detailed comparison. Both likely feature capable main sensors for everyday photography, but image processing styles will differ. The ROG Phone 5s Pro, given Asus’s broader smartphone portfolio, may offer slightly more refined image processing. The Red Magic 6s Pro’s camera system is likely tuned for speed and efficiency, rather than photographic fidelity. Details on sensor sizes and OIS are unavailable, making a definitive assessment impossible.
Performance
Both devices are equipped with the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) chipset, featuring an octa-core CPU configuration with a 3.0 GHz Cortex-X1 prime core. CPU clock speeds are nearly identical (2.99 GHz on the ROG vs 3.0 GHz on the Red Magic), suggesting similar raw processing power. The critical difference lies in thermal management. The Red Magic series is known for its aggressive cooling solutions, potentially allowing for sustained peak performance for longer durations. While the ROG Phone 5s Pro also features advanced cooling, the Red Magic’s focus on active cooling may give it an edge in prolonged, demanding gaming sessions. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but specific speeds are not provided.
Battery Life
The Asus ROG Phone 5s Pro edges out the Red Magic 6s Pro in endurance rating, achieving 110 hours compared to the Red Magic’s 97 hours. However, this advantage is largely offset by the Red Magic’s dramatically faster charging. The Red Magic 6s Pro supports 120W wired charging (66W internationally), achieving a full charge in just 17 minutes (China) or 65 minutes (International). The ROG Phone 5s Pro’s 65W charging takes approximately 52 minutes for a full charge. The ROG Phone 5s Pro also offers 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the Red Magic 6s Pro. The Red Magic’s charging speed is a significant advantage for gamers who need to quickly replenish their battery between matches.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro if you need the absolute fastest charging speeds and prioritize getting back into the game quickly. This phone is ideal for competitive players and those who frequently play on the go. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s Pro if you prefer a slightly longer-lasting battery and value a more balanced approach to performance and endurance, potentially benefiting from a wider ecosystem of ROG accessories.