ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 vs. Xiaomi 12 Pro (Dimensity): A Deep Dive Comparison
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 is the clear winner, offering superior sustained performance thanks to its dedicated cooling and 120W charging. However, the Xiaomi 12 Pro (Dimensity) provides a more refined all-around experience with a potentially better camera system and a more versatile feature set for the average user.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 | Xiaomi 12 Pro (Dimensity) |
| 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, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 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 | 2022, February 17 | 2022, July 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, February 21 | Available. Released 2022, July 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | - |
| Dimensions | 170.6 x 78.3 x 9.5 mm (6.72 x 3.08 x 0.37 in) | 163.6 x 74.6 x 8.2 mm (6.44 x 2.94 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 201 g (7.09 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (500Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~521 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 109.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | LTPO2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.20 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Mediatek Dimensity 9000+ (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Mali-G710 MC10 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.0 | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| 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 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| 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, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 15mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto macro), AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps |
| 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 Tuned by Harman Kardon | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| 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 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 17 min (China) 65W wired, PD3.0 (International) | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4 |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5160 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Obsidian, Pulsar, Supernova | Gray, Blue |
| Models | NX679J | 2207122MC |
| Price | About 630 EUR | About 570 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 89h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -22.7 LUFS (Excellent) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1056488 (v9) GeekBench: 3855(v5.1) GFXBench: 77fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 7
- Blazing-fast 120W charging (China)
- Superior sustained gaming performance due to active cooling
- Potentially higher refresh rate display optimized for gaming
- Camera likely less sophisticated than the Xiaomi 12 Pro
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can be prone to throttling without adequate cooling (addressed by Red Magic's system)
Xiaomi 12 Pro (Dimensity)
- Likely superior camera system with advanced image processing
- More balanced feature set for everyday use
- Slightly higher CPU clock speed on the primary core
- Slower 67W charging
- Dimensity 9000+ may throttle under sustained heavy load without comparable cooling
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize 4nm chipsets, but their display philosophies diverge. While both offer high refresh rates (assumed, based on segment), the Red Magic 7’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a focus on deep blacks, likely utilizing an AMOLED panel optimized for gaming. The Xiaomi 12 Pro, while also likely AMOLED, doesn’t specify contrast ratio, suggesting a more standard calibration. The lack of detailed display specs like peak brightness or PWM dimming frequency makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Red Magic 7’s gaming focus hints at a potentially higher refresh rate and lower response time.
Camera Comparison
The context data provides minimal camera details. Given Xiaomi’s history, the 12 Pro likely features a more sophisticated camera system with a larger main sensor and advanced image processing algorithms. The Red Magic 7, prioritizing gaming, likely features a competent but less emphasized camera setup. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but Xiaomi’s brand reputation suggests a stronger emphasis on photographic capabilities. The absence of details on OIS further complicates the comparison.
Performance
The core battle lies in the chipsets: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Red Magic 7 versus MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000+ in the Xiaomi 12 Pro. The Dimensity 9000+ boasts a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (3.20 GHz vs 3.00 GHz) on its Cortex-X2 core, potentially offering a marginal advantage in single-core tasks. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s Adreno GPU is generally considered to have a performance edge in graphics-intensive applications like games. Crucially, the Red Magic 7’s active cooling system is a significant differentiator, allowing it to sustain peak performance for longer periods without thermal throttling, a common issue with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Both phones utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the Red Magic 7’s thermal management gives it the edge in prolonged gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 7 boasts a significant charging advantage with 120W wired charging (in China) and 65W internationally, capable of a full charge in just 17 minutes (China). The Xiaomi 12 Pro’s 67W charging is considerably slower. While the Red Magic 7’s endurance rating of 89 hours is a good indicator, the actual battery capacity isn’t specified. The Xiaomi 12 Pro’s battery capacity is also unknown, but the faster charging of the Red Magic 7 allows it to mitigate a potentially smaller battery size, offering more convenient top-ups throughout the day.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, require the fastest possible charging speeds (especially in China), and appreciate gaming-centric features like shoulder triggers. Buy the Xiaomi 12 Pro (Dimensity) if you value a more balanced smartphone experience with a strong emphasis on camera quality, a sleek design, and a broader range of everyday features.