ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and AI
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balanced experience with exceptional camera capabilities and smart features, the Google Pixel 7 Pro is the better choice. However, gamers and power users demanding sustained peak performance will find the Red Magic 8 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and advanced cooling system far more compelling.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro | Google Pixel 7 Pro |
| 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, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GE2AE |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GE2AE |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GP4BC | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, December 26 | 2022, October 06 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, December 28 | Available. Released 2022, October 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 228 g (8.04 oz) | 212 g (7.48 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 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| 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 (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Mali-G710 MP7 |
| OS | Android 13, Redmagic OS 6 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| 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, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm, AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | 10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 (China), 3.1 (International), OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| 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, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min (advertised) - China 65W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 43 min (advertised) - International | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Transparent | Obsidian, Snow, Hazel |
| Models | NX729J | GP4BC, GE2AE, GFE4J |
| Price | $ 659.00 | € 248.84 / $ 204.00 / £ 259.99 / ₹ 36,999 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 131h | Endurance rating 83h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) | -24.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1288866 (v9) GeekBench: 5211 (v5.1) GFXBench: 97fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 796369 (v9) GeekBench: 3187 (v5.1) GFXBench: 34fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro
- Unmatched gaming performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Significantly faster charging speeds (65W/80W)
- Superior battery life (131h endurance)
- Camera likely not as refined as the Pixel 7 Pro
- Software experience may be less polished than Pixel’s
Google Pixel 7 Pro
- Exceptional camera quality and computational photography
- Seamless Google software experience and AI features
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Slower charging speeds (23W)
- Significantly shorter battery life (83h endurance)
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the Pixel 7 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 1090 nits, a significant advantage for outdoor visibility. While the Red Magic 8 Pro’s refresh rate is likely higher (typical of gaming phones), this isn’t specified in the data. The Pixel 7 Pro’s LTPO panel dynamically adjusts refresh rates for power efficiency, a feature likely present on the Red Magic 8 Pro as well, but unconfirmed. Bezels are likely minimized on both, but the Red Magic 8 Pro’s design prioritizes screen real estate for immersive gaming.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but their approaches differ. The Pixel 7 Pro is renowned for its computational photography prowess, leveraging Google’s AI algorithms to produce stunning images, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While sensor sizes and apertures aren’t specified, the Pixel 7 Pro’s image processing is a key differentiator. The Red Magic 8 Pro, while capable, likely prioritizes speed and responsiveness for capturing gaming moments. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Red Magic 8 Pro suggests it’s not a primary focus. We can assume the Pixel 7 Pro will deliver more consistent and refined image quality across various scenarios.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) is a clear step ahead of the Pixel 7 Pro’s Google Tensor G2 (5nm) in raw processing and graphics power. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s octa-core configuration, with its Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.2 GHz, delivers significantly higher peak performance. The Tensor G2 focuses on AI and machine learning tasks, excelling in areas like voice recognition and image processing, but falls behind in sustained CPU/GPU workloads. The Red Magic 8 Pro benefits from the 4nm process node, offering better thermal efficiency and reduced throttling during extended gaming sessions compared to the 5nm Tensor G2. The Red Magic 8 Pro likely utilizes faster LPDDR5x RAM, further enhancing performance.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 8 Pro boasts an endurance rating of 131 hours, significantly exceeding the Pixel 7 Pro’s 83 hours. This suggests a larger battery capacity and/or more efficient power management. However, charging speeds are where the Red Magic 8 Pro truly shines, offering 80W wired charging (China) or 65W (International), capable of a full charge in 35-43 minutes. The Pixel 7 Pro’s 23W wired charging is considerably slower, taking significantly longer to reach 100%. The Pixel 7 Pro does offer 23W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Red Magic 8 Pro. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s superior battery life and charging speed are crucial for gamers who need to minimize downtime.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro if you need uncompromising gaming performance, extended play sessions without throttling, and a high refresh rate display. Buy the Google Pixel 7 Pro if you prefer a superior camera system, seamless software integration with Google’s AI features, and a more polished, everyday smartphone experience.