ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S vs. Xiaomi 12S Ultra: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing photography and a well-rounded experience, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra emerges as the better choice. However, dedicated mobile gamers will find the Red Magic 7S’s superior cooling and 120W charging a compelling advantage, despite the camera compromises.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S | Xiaomi 12S Ultra |
| 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, 17, 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, 79 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, July 11 | 2022, July 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 15 | Available. Released 2022, July 09 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), eco leather back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 170.6 x 78.3 x 9.5 mm (6.72 x 3.08 x 0.37 in) | 163.2 x 75 x 9.1 mm (6.43 x 2.95 x 0.36 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 225 g (7.94 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (520Hz 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 Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.0% 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 (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.5 | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lenses, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.4, 25mm (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, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@3840fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K, 1080p) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.4, 25mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 17 min (advertised) | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 41 min 50W wireless, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4860 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Gray | Black, Dark Green |
| Models | - | 2203121C |
| Price | About 590 EUR | $ 288.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 93h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1039412 (v9) GeekBench: 4300 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S
- Blazing-fast 120W wired charging
- Superior cooling system for sustained gaming
- Optimized for mobile gaming performance
- Likely inferior camera quality
- Potentially less versatile feature set
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
- Exceptional camera performance (photo & video)
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Bright and high-quality display
- Slower wired charging (67W)
- May throttle under sustained heavy load
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize the Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, but their display philosophies diverge. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts a measured peak brightness of 1065 nits, suggesting excellent outdoor visibility. While the Red Magic 7S’s display specs are not provided, nubia typically prioritizes refresh rate over peak brightness in gaming phones. The 12S Ultra’s 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal) indicates a high-quality OLED panel. The absence of detailed display specs for the Red Magic 7S suggests a focus on responsiveness and refresh rate for gaming, potentially at the expense of color accuracy or peak brightness.
Camera Comparison
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is clearly positioned as a photography powerhouse, indicated by its 'Photo / Video' designation. While specific sensor details are missing, Xiaomi’s Ultra series is known for large sensors and advanced image processing. The Red Magic 7S, conversely, prioritizes gaming and likely features a more modest camera setup. The 12S Ultra’s camera system is designed for versatility, excelling in both photo and video capture, while the Red Magic 7S’s camera is likely adequate for casual use but won’t compete in image quality. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Red Magic 7S suggests it’s not a primary selling point.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) with an identical CPU configuration – 1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510. This means raw processing power is largely equivalent. However, the Red Magic 7S distinguishes itself with a dedicated cooling system (not detailed in the provided data, but a key feature of the Red Magic line), designed to sustain peak performance for longer gaming sessions. The 12S Ultra relies on more conventional thermal management. The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 contributes to improved thermal efficiency compared to previous generations, but the Red Magic 7S’s active cooling gives it a clear edge in prolonged, demanding tasks.
Battery Life
Both devices have an endurance rating of 93h, suggesting similar overall battery life despite differing charging speeds. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers a more flexible charging ecosystem with 67W wired (100% in 41 min), 50W wireless (100% in 52 min), and 10W reverse wireless charging. The Red Magic 7S, however, boasts an incredibly fast 120W wired charging (100% in 17 min), significantly reducing downtime for gamers. While the 12S Ultra’s wireless charging is a convenience, the Red Magic 7S’s wired charging speed is a substantial advantage for those who prioritize quick top-ups.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 7S if you need uncompromising gaming performance, rapid charging, and a design geared towards extended play sessions. Buy the Xiaomi 12S Ultra if you prefer a flagship with a top-tier camera system, a more versatile feature set, and a premium, all-around smartphone experience.