ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S vs. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max: A Clash of Philosophies
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless experience, excellent camera, and long-term software support, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the better choice. However, dedicated mobile gamers will find the Red Magic 7S’s superior cooling, faster charging, and gaming-centric features a compelling alternative.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S | Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max |
| 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 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, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2894, A2896 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2894, A2896 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2895 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 11 | 2022, September 07 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 15 | Available. Released 2022, September 16 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 170.6 x 78.3 x 9.5 mm (6.72 x 3.08 x 0.37 in) | 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9 mm (6.33 x 3.06 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 240 g (8.47 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (520Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| - | Always-On display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Hexa-core (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Apple A16 Bionic (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.5 | iOS 16, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", PDAF, OIS (unconfirmed) SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| 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) | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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 | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| 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, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support Emergency SOS via satellite (SMS sending/receiving) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 17 min (advertised) | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4323 mAh (16.68 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Gray | Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple |
| Models | - | A2894, A2651, A2893, A2895, A2896, iphone15,3 |
| Price | About 590 EUR | € 530.79 / $ 489.81 / £ 446.75 |
| SAR | - | 1.15 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 121h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.3 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 955884 (v9) GeekBench: 5423 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S
- Blazing-fast 120W charging
- Superior cooling system for sustained gaming
- Gaming-centric features (triggers, fan)
- Less refined software experience
- Camera quality likely inferior to iPhone
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
- Exceptional camera system
- Seamless ecosystem integration
- Industry-leading performance and efficiency
- Significantly slower charging speeds
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The iPhone 14 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1760 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Red Magic 7S’s display specifications aren’t provided, it’s unlikely to match this peak brightness. The iPhone’s infinite contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, delivers deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. The iPhone 14 Pro Max also benefits from ProMotion, Apple’s adaptive refresh rate technology (LTPO), dynamically adjusting up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, a feature likely present on the Red Magic 7S as well, but without the same level of optimization. Bezels are likely slimmer on the iPhone, contributing to a more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
The iPhone 14 Pro Max excels in camera capabilities, offering a sophisticated photo and video experience. While specific sensor details aren’t provided, Apple’s computational photography and image processing are industry-leading. The Red Magic 7S, while likely equipped with a capable camera system, prioritizes gaming features over camera innovation. The iPhone’s advanced features like Cinematic mode and ProRes video recording are absent on the Red Magic 7S. The iPhone’s OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) system is also likely more advanced, resulting in sharper images and smoother videos, especially in low-light conditions. We can assume the Red Magic 7S will have a competent main sensor, but it won't match the iPhone's overall image quality.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s Apple A16 Bionic, built on a 4nm process, utilizes a hexa-core architecture (2x3.46 GHz Everest + 4x2.02 GHz Sawtooth) optimized for both performance and efficiency. The Red Magic 7S employs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm), an octa-core processor (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510). While the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a powerful chip, the A16 Bionic consistently outperforms it in single-core tasks and often maintains an edge in sustained multi-core performance due to Apple’s superior thermal management and software optimization. The Red Magic 7S compensates with active cooling solutions, aiming to mitigate thermal throttling during prolonged gaming. The iPhone 14 Pro Max likely utilizes faster LPDDR5 RAM, further enhancing performance.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an impressive endurance rating of 121 hours, suggesting comparable real-world battery life despite differing battery capacities. However, the Red Magic 7S’s 120W wired charging is a game-changer, promising a full charge in just 17 minutes (advertised). The iPhone 14 Pro Max, limited to around 50% charge in 30 minutes with wired PD2.0 charging, and 15W wireless charging (MagSafe/Qi2), is significantly slower. This difference is crucial for users who prioritize minimizing downtime. The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s efficiency gains from the A16 Bionic help offset the slower charging speeds, but the Red Magic 7S offers unparalleled convenience in this regard.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S if you need uncompromising gaming performance, rapid 120W charging, and a device specifically engineered for extended gaming sessions. Buy the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max if you prefer a polished, user-friendly experience, a best-in-class camera system, and seamless integration with other Apple devices, even if it means sacrificing some raw gaming power.