ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s vs. OnePlus 9 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Features
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s is the clear winner, offering a more potent chipset (Snapdragon 888+), and a design geared towards extended gaming sessions. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro excels in overall versatility, boasting a superior camera system, faster charging, and a more polished user experience for everyday use.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s | OnePlus 9 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 | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | |
| 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 | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.5 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.37 in) | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (450Hz touch-sensing) Sliding trigger on the back Built-in cooling fan RGB Light | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 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, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| 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) | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, heart rate | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, PD3.0, QC5 | 65W wired, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Transparent | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black |
| Models | - | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 |
| Price | About 500 EUR | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s
- More powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset
- Optimized for sustained gaming performance
- Likely superior cooling system
- Slower 30W charging
- Potentially less refined camera system
OnePlus 9 Pro
- 65W wired and 50W wireless charging
- Superior camera system with Hasselblad partnership
- More balanced and versatile overall experience
- Slightly less powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset
- May experience more thermal throttling during extended gaming
Display Comparison
The OnePlus 9 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 859 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the Red Magic 6s display specs aren't provided, nubia typically prioritizes refresh rate over peak brightness. The OnePlus 9 Pro's display likely benefits from its LTPO technology, dynamically adjusting refresh rates for improved efficiency. The Red Magic 6s, geared towards gaming, likely features a higher touch sampling rate, crucial for responsiveness in fast-paced games, but may sacrifice color accuracy for peak brightness.
Camera Comparison
The OnePlus 9 Pro distinguishes itself with a dedicated camera system, offering both photo and video capabilities. While specific sensor details are missing for both, OnePlus historically focuses on image processing and color science. The Red Magic 6s, while likely including a capable camera, prioritizes other features for its target audience. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s Hasselblad partnership suggests a focus on color accuracy and dynamic range. The Red Magic 6s likely features a more basic camera setup, sufficient for casual snapshots but not competing with the OnePlus 9 Pro’s photographic prowess.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 series, but the Red Magic 6s steps up with the Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm). This translates to a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (3.0 GHz vs 2.84 GHz) on the Cortex-X1 core, offering a marginal performance advantage in CPU-intensive tasks. The Red Magic 6s’s focus on gaming also likely includes more aggressive RAM tuning and a more robust cooling system to mitigate thermal throttling, a common issue with the Snapdragon 888. While both use the same 5nm process, the 888+ is a refined version, offering better efficiency. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s performance is still excellent, but the Red Magic 6s has a clear edge for sustained, high-performance gaming.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 86 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite differing charging capabilities. However, the charging experience is drastically different. The OnePlus 9 Pro offers a blazing-fast 65W wired charging, achieving a full charge in just 29 minutes, alongside 50W wireless charging (43 minutes) and 5W reverse wireless. The Red Magic 6s is limited to 30W wired charging, a significant difference for users who prioritize quick top-ups. While the battery capacity isn't specified, the OnePlus 9 Pro’s charging speed effectively mitigates any potential capacity disadvantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, need active cooling, and value a high refresh rate display above all else. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you want a well-rounded flagship with a top-tier camera, incredibly fast charging (both wired and wireless), and a more refined software experience for daily use and content creation.