Red Magic 8 Pro vs Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate: Which Gaming Beast Wins?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the gamer prioritizing absolute charging speed and a slightly more aggressive thermal profile, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro is the winner. However, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate offers a more balanced package with its higher measured display brightness and refined feature set, making it the better choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro | Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 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, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE (Up to 7CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, December 26 | 2023, April 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, December 28 | Available. Released 2023, May |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm (6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 228 g (8.04 oz) | 239 g (8.43 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (520Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | Built-in motorized cooling air vent (AeroActive Portal) IP54 water resistant 2" OLED display (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 13, Redmagic OS 6 | Android 13, up to 2 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 | UFS 4.0 NTFS support for external storage | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | - |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro) | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | 32 MP, f/2.5, 29mm (wide), 1/3.2", 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | - | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | 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 3.2 (China), 3.1 (International), OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), DisplayPort 1.4; USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min (advertised) - China 65W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 43 min (advertised) - International | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Transparent | Storm White |
| Models | NX729J | - |
| Price | $ 659.00 | About 780 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 131h | Endurance rating 131h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1288866 (v9) GeekBench: 5211 (v5.1) GFXBench: 97fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 1325105 (v9) GeekBench: 5139 (v5.5), 5567 (v6) GFXBench: 107fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro
- Significantly faster charging speeds (80W/65W)
- Potentially more aggressive cooling for sustained performance
- Likely more affordable price point
- Less refined feature set compared to the ROG Phone
- Potentially louder fan noise during intense gaming
- Limited camera details suggest lower priority
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
- Brighter display (1095 nits measured)
- 10W reverse wired charging for accessory power
- More balanced thermal management for quieter operation
- Slower charging speeds (65W)
- Potentially higher price point
- May throttle slightly sooner under extreme load
Display Comparison
Both devices boast displays with an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate distinguishes itself with a measured peak brightness of 1095 nits, offering superior visibility in bright outdoor conditions. While both likely utilize AMOLED technology, the ROG Phone’s brightness advantage is a tangible benefit. Details regarding refresh rates and touch sampling rates are missing, but both are expected to be high, catering to competitive gaming. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s display tech is not specified beyond contrast ratio, leaving the ROG Phone with a clear advantage in display quality.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are absent. Given the gaming focus, camera performance is likely secondary. However, the absence of specific sensor details suggests neither phone is aiming to compete with dedicated camera flagships. The ROG Phone’s history suggests a more refined image processing pipeline, while the Red Magic may prioritize speed over image quality. Without further data, it’s difficult to declare a clear winner in this category.
Performance
Both the Red Magic 8 Pro and the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate are equipped with the Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) chipset, featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration. This means theoretical processing power is identical. The key differentiator will be thermal management. The Red Magic series is known for aggressive cooling solutions, potentially allowing for sustained peak performance, but at the cost of potentially higher fan noise. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate likely employs a more balanced approach, prioritizing sustained performance *and* quieter operation. RAM configurations are not specified, but both are expected to offer ample LPDDR5x RAM for smooth multitasking and gaming.
Battery Life
Interestingly, both phones share an endurance rating of 131 hours, despite differing charging speeds. The Red Magic 8 Pro boasts 80W (China) or 65W (International) wired charging, achieving a 100% charge in 35 or 43 minutes respectively. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate offers 65W charging with a 42-minute full charge time. This indicates the Red Magic 8 Pro’s faster charging is a significant advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate also includes 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent in the Red Magic 8 Pro, offering added convenience for charging accessories.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro if you need the fastest possible charging speeds and are willing to trade some refinement for raw performance. This phone is ideal for marathon gaming sessions where minimizing downtime is crucial. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate if you prefer a more polished experience with a brighter display, a wider array of gaming accessories, and a more balanced thermal solution. This is the phone for gamers who value long-term comfort and versatility.