ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 Pro vs Sony Xperia 1 III: A Clash of Titans
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Red Magic 7 Pro dominates in raw performance and charging speed, making it ideal for gamers. However, the Xperia 1 III offers a superior camera system, a more refined software experience, and a longer-lasting battery. It's a trade-off between gaming prowess and content creation capabilities.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 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, 40, 41, 66 - International | 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International, 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 |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - China | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, February 17 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, February 28 | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 166.3 x 77.1 x 10 mm (6.55 x 3.04 x 0.39 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 | 235 g (8.29 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (500Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | 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 (~87.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 600 nits | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.0 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM, 1TB 16GB 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 | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display | 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/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP, f/2.4, (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 | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 1.22µm, under display | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 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 | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 135W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 15 min (China) 65W wired, PD3.0 (Global) | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Obsidian, Pulsar, Supernova | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | NX709J | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | About 800 EUR | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 64h | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -22.6 LUFS (Excellent) | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1056511(v9) GeekBench: 3845 (v5.1) GFXBench: 77fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 Pro
- Blazing-fast charging (135W)
- Exceptional gaming performance
- Dedicated gaming features (shoulder triggers)
- Excellent display for gaming
- Camera performance not as strong as Xperia 1 III
- Software can be a bit basic
- Design is very gaming-focused (may not appeal to everyone)
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Outstanding camera system with variable telephoto
- Excellent 4K OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Refined software experience
- Longer battery life
- Slower charging speed (30W)
- Performance not as high as Red Magic 7 Pro
- Price is premium
Display Comparison
The Xperia 1 III boasts a 6.5-inch 4K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and excellent color accuracy, reaching 620 nits of brightness. While both phones have a nominal infinite contrast ratio, the Xperia's measured brightness and color science give it an edge for media consumption. The Red Magic 7 Pro's display is also excellent, but lacks the Xperia's calibrated color accuracy and peak brightness.
Camera Comparison
The Xperia 1 III shines in the camera department. Its variable telephoto lens offers unique zoom capabilities, and its image processing delivers consistently excellent results. The Red Magic 7 Pro's camera is competent, but doesn't match the Xperia's versatility and image quality. Sony's camera software is also more refined.
Performance
The Red Magic 7 Pro's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 offers a significant performance advantage over the Xperia 1 III's Snapdragon 888. This translates to smoother gameplay, faster app loading times, and overall snappier performance. The Red Magic's cooling system also helps maintain peak performance during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Xperia 1 III holds a slight advantage in battery life, with an endurance rating of 82 hours compared to the Red Magic 7 Pro's 64 hours. However, the Red Magic 7 Pro's 135W charging (in China) is a game-changer, allowing for incredibly fast charging times.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 Pro if you prioritize gaming performance, fast charging, and a dedicated gaming experience. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you value a top-tier camera, a vibrant display, and a more balanced smartphone experience with a focus on content creation.