ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and AI
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balanced experience with exceptional camera capabilities and smart features, the Google Pixel 6 Pro is the better choice. However, gamers and power users demanding maximum performance and rapid charging will find the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 a compelling alternative.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 | Google Pixel 6 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 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 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GLUOG, G8VOU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G8VOU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GLUOG | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, February 17 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, February 21 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 170.6 x 78.3 x 9.5 mm (6.72 x 3.08 x 0.37 in) | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (500Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | 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) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.0 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 256GB 18GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| 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, f/2.4, (macro) | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, 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 (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| 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 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 17 min (China) 65W wired, PD3.0 (International) | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5003 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Obsidian, Pulsar, Supernova | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | NX679J | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 630 EUR | € 199.99 / $ 204.99 / £ 275.00 / ₹ 29,699 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 89h | Endurance rating 84h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -22.7 LUFS (Excellent) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1056488 (v9) GeekBench: 3855(v5.1) GFXBench: 77fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 585485 (v8), 719815 (v9) GeekBench: 2831 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39 fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 7
- Blazing-fast 120W (China) / 65W (International) charging
- Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor for top-tier gaming
- High endurance rating of 89 hours
- Camera likely lacks the sophistication of the Pixel 6 Pro
- Software experience may not be as refined as Google's Pixel UI
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Exceptional camera system with Google's computational photography
- Smooth and intuitive software experience with guaranteed updates
- Bright and color-accurate display
- Significantly slower 23W charging speed
- Google Tensor chip may not match the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in raw gaming performance
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks. However, the Pixel 6 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 846 nits, significantly exceeding what's expected from the Red Magic 7, making it more usable in direct sunlight. While the Red Magic 7 likely employs a high refresh rate panel geared towards gaming, the Pixel 6 Pro’s display benefits from Google’s color calibration expertise, ensuring greater accuracy for content consumption. The Red Magic 7’s display is optimized for responsiveness, while the Pixel 6 Pro prioritizes visual fidelity.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro distinguishes itself with Google’s renowned computational photography. While specific sensor details for the Red Magic 7 are absent, it’s reasonable to assume a focus on adequate performance rather than flagship-level imaging. The Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing, powered by the Tensor chip, delivers exceptional dynamic range, detail, and low-light performance. The Pixel 6 Pro’s camera system is designed for versatility and ease of use, while the Red Magic 7 likely offers a more basic camera experience geared towards casual snapshots.
Performance
The nubia Red Magic 7 leverages the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm), a powerhouse designed for demanding tasks. This chip’s Cortex-X2 core, clocked at 3.00 GHz, provides a substantial performance advantage over the Pixel 6 Pro’s Google Tensor (5nm) which utilizes a Cortex-X1 core at 2.80 GHz. The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 also offers improved thermal efficiency, potentially leading to less throttling during prolonged gaming. However, the Tensor chip excels in AI and machine learning tasks, powering features like Magic Eraser and Live Translate. The Red Magic 7’s focus is on sustained CPU and GPU performance, while the Pixel 6 Pro prioritizes intelligent processing.
Battery Life
The nubia Red Magic 7 boasts a significant advantage in charging speed with its 120W wired charging (in China) and 65W internationally, capable of a full charge in just 17 minutes (China). The Pixel 6 Pro’s 23W wired charging is considerably slower, taking approximately 30 minutes to reach 50%. Despite the Pixel 6 Pro offering 23W wireless and reverse wireless charging, the Red Magic 7’s wired charging speed is a game-changer for users who prioritize minimizing downtime. Both phones achieve endurance ratings of 89h and 84h respectively, suggesting comparable real-world battery life despite the Red Magic 7’s faster charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 if you need a phone specifically engineered for extended gaming sessions, prioritize the fastest possible charging speeds, and value raw processing power above all else. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prefer a phone with a class-leading camera system, a clean and intuitive software experience powered by Google's Tensor chip, and a more versatile everyday smartphone.