ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 vs. Sony Xperia 1 IV: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Sony Xperia 1 IV offers a more balanced experience with superior battery endurance and a class-leading camera system. However, gamers seeking maximum sustained performance and rapid charging will find the Red Magic 7 the more compelling choice, despite its less refined software experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 | Sony Xperia 1 IV |
| 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, 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 | 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 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Asia | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, February 17 | 2022, May 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, February 21 | Available. Released 2022, June 11 |
| 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) | 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 + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 185 g (6.53 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 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 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 (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.0 | Android 12, 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, 256GB 18GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB 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 | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| 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) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 125mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-5.2x continuous optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", 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 | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 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 Audio, 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 3.2, 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/6e, dual-band or tri-band (region dependent), 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 | 120W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 17 min (China) 65W wired, PD3.0 (International) | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Obsidian, Pulsar, Supernova | Black, Violet, White |
| Models | NX679J | XQCT62-B, XQCT54, XQCT54C0V.YD, XQCT54C0B.YD, XQCT54C0W.YD, XQCT54C0V.EEAC, XQCT54C0B.EEAC, XQ-CT72, XQ-CT54, XQ-CT62, SO-51C |
| Price | About 630 EUR | $ 1,120.00 / € 489.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 89h | Endurance rating 100h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -22.7 LUFS (Excellent) | -27.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1056488 (v9) GeekBench: 3855(v5.1) GFXBench: 77fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 838832 (v9) GeekBench: 3403 (v5.1) GFXBench: 74fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 7
- Extremely fast 120W charging (China)
- Active cooling system for sustained performance
- Gaming-focused features (triggers, fan)
- Less refined software experience
- Camera system is not a primary focus
- Potentially bulky design due to cooling
Sony Xperia 1 IV
- Exceptional battery life (100h endurance)
- Professional-grade camera system
- Polished software experience
- Slower 30W charging
- Passive cooling may lead to thermal throttling
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks. However, the Xperia 1 IV boasts a measured peak brightness of 602 nits, a significant advantage over the Red Magic 7’s unspecified brightness, making it more usable in direct sunlight. While both likely employ high refresh rate panels (implied by the gaming focus of the Red Magic 7), Sony’s history suggests a focus on color accuracy, crucial for professional photo and video editing. The Red Magic 7 likely prioritizes refresh rate for smoother gameplay, potentially at the expense of color calibration.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but their philosophies diverge. The Xperia 1 IV, consistent with Sony’s Alpha camera heritage, prioritizes image quality and manual control. While specific sensor details are missing, Sony’s expertise in image processing and optical stabilization (OIS) suggests a superior photography experience, particularly for stills. The Red Magic 7’s camera is likely tuned for social media sharing and casual use, lacking the advanced features and image processing of the Xperia 1 IV. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Red Magic 7 suggests it isn’t a primary selling point.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm), utilizing the same CPU configuration: 1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510. The key differentiator lies in thermal management. The Red Magic 7 incorporates active cooling – a fan – to combat the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s known thermal throttling issues, allowing for sustained peak performance during extended gaming sessions. The Xperia 1 IV relies on passive cooling, meaning performance will likely degrade more quickly under heavy load. While both use LPDDR5 RAM, the Red Magic 7’s cooling system allows it to maintain higher clock speeds for longer.
Battery Life
The Xperia 1 IV edges out the Red Magic 7 in battery endurance with a rating of 100 hours versus 89 hours. However, charging speeds are drastically different. The Red Magic 7 offers a blistering 120W wired charging (in China, 65W internationally), achieving a full charge in just 17 minutes (China) – a significant advantage for users who need to quickly top up. The Xperia 1 IV’s 30W wired charging, while supporting PD3.0 and PPS, takes approximately 30 minutes to reach 50% charge. The Xperia 1 IV also offers wireless and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Red Magic 7.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, require the fastest possible charging speeds, and appreciate a design focused on cooling and ergonomics for extended play sessions. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV if you are a photography or videography enthusiast, value a more polished software experience, and need a phone with exceptional battery life for all-day use.