ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro vs. Sony Xperia 1 III: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Cinematic Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the dedicated mobile gamer, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro is the clear winner. Its 120W charging and superior endurance rating, coupled with a focus on cooling, outweigh the Xperia 1 III’s multimedia prowess for this user. However, content creators and those prioritizing camera quality will find the Xperia 1 III a more compelling choice.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| 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, 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, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 06 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 27 | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.5 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.37 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (450Hz touch-sensing) Sliding trigger on the back Built-in cooling fan RGB Light | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 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 4.5 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 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) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | - | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| 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, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, heart rate | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 17 min (China) 66W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 65 min (International) | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable - International modelLi-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable - China model | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Transparent, White | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | - | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | About 600 EUR | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 97h | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -21.4 LUFS (Excellent) | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 758329 (v8), 870708 (v9) GeekBench: 14612 (v4.4), 3664 (v5.1) GFXBench: 62fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro
- Incredibly fast 120W charging
- Exceptional battery life (97h endurance)
- Dedicated gaming features and cooling
- Likely inferior camera performance
- Potentially less refined software experience
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Professional-grade camera system
- Bright and color-accurate display
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower charging speed (30W)
- Lower battery endurance (82h)
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the Xperia 1 III boasts a measured peak brightness of 620 nits, significantly exceeding what’s typical for gaming phones, making it more usable in direct sunlight. While the Red Magic 6s Pro’s refresh rate is likely higher (though not specified), the Xperia 1 III’s color accuracy is geared towards professional content creation, a key differentiator. The lack of specific panel technology details for the Red Magic makes a direct comparison difficult, but it’s likely optimized for responsiveness rather than color fidelity.
Camera Comparison
The Xperia 1 III’s camera system is its standout feature, offering a comprehensive suite of photo and video capabilities. While specific sensor details are missing, Sony’s expertise in camera technology suggests a focus on image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The Red Magic 6s Pro, geared towards gaming, likely features a more basic camera setup, prioritizing functionality over advanced features. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Red Magic suggests it won’t compete with the Xperia 1 III in terms of image quality or versatility.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm) and Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) chipsets respectively, with nearly identical CPU core configurations (1x Cortex-X1, 3x Cortex-A78, 4x Cortex-A55). The Red Magic 6s Pro’s use of the ‘+’ variant suggests a slight clock speed advantage, potentially translating to marginally better sustained performance. However, the Xperia 1 III’s thermal management, while not explicitly detailed, is likely more conservative, prioritizing stability over peak performance. The Red Magic’s active cooling system is a significant advantage for prolonged gaming sessions, mitigating thermal throttling that the Xperia 1 III might experience.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 6s Pro’s 97-hour endurance rating significantly surpasses the Xperia 1 III’s 82-hour rating, indicating superior battery life. This is further bolstered by the Red Magic’s incredibly fast 120W wired charging (17 minutes to 100% in China, 65 minutes internationally), a massive advantage over the Xperia 1 III’s 30W charging (50% in 30 minutes). While the Xperia 1 III offers wireless and reverse wireless charging, the Red Magic’s sheer charging speed and endurance make it the clear winner for users who prioritize minimizing downtime.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro if you need maximum gaming performance, rapid charging, and long battery life for extended play sessions. You’ll benefit from the dedicated gaming features and aggressive cooling. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prefer a versatile camera system with professional video capabilities, a bright and color-accurate display for content consumption, and a more refined, traditional smartphone experience.