ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro vs Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro: The Ultimate Gaming Phone Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the dedicated gamer prioritizing sustained performance and longer play sessions, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 888+ chipset and impressive 97-hour endurance rating provide a clear advantage, despite the Black Shark 4 Pro’s faster charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro | Xiaomi Black Shark 4 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, 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, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China | 1, 3, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 06 | 2021, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 27 | Available. Released 2021, March 30 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | - |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.5 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.37 in) | 163.8 x 76.4 x 9.9 mm (6.45 x 3.01 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 220 g (7.76 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (450Hz touch-sensing) Sliding trigger on the back Built-in cooling fan RGB Light | Physical pop-up gaming triggers | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | - |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~85.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | Super AMOLED, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| 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, Joy UI 12.5 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB 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 | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 0.8µm |
| 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, (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro), AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps; HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 20 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| 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 | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2 (China), 5.0 (Global), A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| 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 |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, heart rate | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer (China only) |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 17 min (China) 66W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 65 min (International) | 120W wired, 50% in 5 min, 100% in 15 min |
| 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 | Shadow Black, Misty Grey, Cosmos Black, Dark Blue, Silver |
| Models | - | SHARK PAR-H0 |
| Price | About 600 EUR | About 500 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 97h | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -21.4 LUFS (Excellent) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 758329 (v8), 870708 (v9) GeekBench: 14612 (v4.4), 3664 (v5.1) GFXBench: 62fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro
- Superior CPU performance with Snapdragon 888+
- Exceptional battery endurance (97h rating)
- Potentially better thermal management for sustained gaming
- Charging speed varies significantly by region
- Camera likely not a primary strength
Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro
- Extremely fast 120W charging (15 minutes to full)
- Likely includes gaming-specific features like triggers
- Potentially more feature-rich software experience
- Snapdragon 888 may throttle under sustained load
- Battery life likely shorter than Red Magic 6s Pro
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays designed for immersive gaming, but key differences exist. While both offer high refresh rates (assumed, based on market segment), the Red Magic 6s Pro’s infinite contrast ratio suggests a superior OLED panel. The Black Shark 4 Pro’s display specifications are not provided, but Xiaomi typically employs AMOLED panels. The lack of detailed display specs for the Black Shark 4 Pro makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Red Magic’s emphasis on visual fidelity suggests a slight edge in image quality. Bezels are likely minimal on both, given the gaming focus.
Camera Comparison
Neither phone is primarily marketed for its camera capabilities, but the specifications reveal some distinctions. Without detailed sensor information for the Black Shark 4 Pro, it’s difficult to make a definitive statement. However, the focus on gaming suggests both prioritize functionality over photographic excellence. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Black Shark 4 Pro suggests a similar level of emphasis on photography as the Red Magic 6s Pro – adequate for casual use, but not a primary selling point. We can assume both will feature a standard array of lenses, but image processing styles will likely differ.
Performance
The core performance difference lies in the chipsets. The Red Magic 6s Pro boasts the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G, featuring a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (3.0 GHz Cortex-X1) compared to the Black Shark 4 Pro’s Snapdragon 888 (2.84 GHz Cortex-X1). This translates to a marginal performance boost in CPU-intensive tasks and potentially better sustained performance due to the ‘+’ variant’s improved thermal characteristics. Both utilize the same Adreno 660 GPU, but the Red Magic’s superior thermal management (implied by its focus on cooling) is likely to result in less throttling during prolonged gaming. Both devices utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the speed is not specified, making a direct comparison impossible.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 6s Pro’s 97-hour endurance rating is a significant advantage, indicating superior battery optimization. While both devices support blazing-fast 120W wired charging, the Red Magic 6s Pro’s charging speed varies by region (17 minutes in China, 65 minutes internationally), while the Black Shark 4 Pro claims 100% in 15 minutes. This suggests the Black Shark 4 Pro may have a slight edge in raw charging speed, but the Red Magic 6s Pro compensates with a more efficient power management system, resulting in longer overall usage.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro if you need uncompromising performance for extended gaming sessions, value long battery life, and prefer a more focused, less cluttered software experience. Buy the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 Pro if you prioritize incredibly fast charging, enjoy customizable gaming triggers, and appreciate a more feature-packed, albeit potentially more intrusive, software ecosystem.