ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro vs. OnePlus 11R: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Performance
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and gaming-focused features provide a performance edge. However, the OnePlus 11R delivers excellent value and a more refined everyday experience for users prioritizing speed and fast charging.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro | OnePlus 11R |
| 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 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA, LTE (3CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA 800 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, December 26 | 2023, February 07 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, December 28 | Available. Released 2023, February 21 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 163.4 x 74.3 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.93 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 228 g (8.04 oz) | 204 g (7.20 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (520Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | - |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1240 x 2772 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~451 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.74 inches, 109.2 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak) | Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1450 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 (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 13, Redmagic OS 6 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, OxygenOS 15 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | 16 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm |
| 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/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | 16 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 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 | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| 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 2.0 |
| 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/6, dual-band |
| 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 | 100W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Transparent | Galactic Silver, Sonic Black, Solar Red |
| Models | NX729J | CPH2487 |
| Price | $ 659.00 | About 600 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.16 W/kg (head) 0.61 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 131h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1288866 (v9) GeekBench: 5211 (v5.1) GFXBench: 97fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro
- Superior processing power with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Optimized for gaming with potential for active cooling
- Longer endurance rating suggests larger battery
- Slower charging speeds compared to OnePlus 11R
- Camera likely not a primary focus
- Gaming-centric design may not appeal to all users
OnePlus 11R
- Incredibly fast 100W charging
- Balanced performance with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Likely more versatile camera system
- Less powerful processor than the Red Magic 8 Pro
- May experience more thermal throttling during intense gaming
- Potentially less optimized for gaming-specific features
Display Comparison
Both devices feature 4nm chipsets, but the display experience differs. While specific display specs beyond contrast ratio are missing for the Red Magic 8 Pro, nubia phones typically prioritize high refresh rates for gaming. The OnePlus 11R, while lacking detailed specs here, likely offers a more color-accurate panel geared towards general use. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s focus on gaming suggests a higher PWM dimming rate, potentially benefiting users sensitive to flicker, though this requires further testing. The infinite contrast ratio claim on the Red Magic 8 Pro suggests a strong OLED panel.
Camera Comparison
Context data provides minimal camera information. Given the Red Magic 8 Pro’s gaming focus, its camera system is likely optimized for social media sharing rather than professional photography. The OnePlus 11R, aligning with OnePlus’s history, likely features a more versatile camera setup with a larger main sensor and potentially optical image stabilization (OIS). Without specific sensor details, it’s reasonable to assume the OnePlus 11R offers a more refined camera experience, especially in low-light conditions. The absence of details on either phone suggests neither prioritizes camera performance as a key selling point.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Red Magic 8 Pro boasts the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, built on a 4nm process, while the OnePlus 11R utilizes the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (also 4nm). The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 prime core, clocked at 3.2 GHz, provides a significant architectural advantage over the 11R’s Cortex-X2 at 3.0 GHz. This translates to faster single-core performance and improved efficiency. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s CPU configuration (1+2+2+3) is also more balanced for sustained workloads. While the 11R’s 3x Cortex-A710 cores are powerful, the 8 Gen 2’s superior architecture and process node will result in less thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The Red Magic 8 Pro offers 80W (China) or 65W (International) wired charging, taking 35 or 43 minutes to fully charge, respectively. The OnePlus 11R, however, features a significantly faster 100W charging solution. While battery capacity isn’t specified, the OnePlus 11R’s charging speed provides a substantial convenience advantage. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s endurance rating of 131 hours suggests a larger battery capacity, potentially offsetting the slower charging speed, but real-world usage will determine the actual difference in battery life.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro if you prioritize uncompromising gaming performance, need the latest Snapdragon processor, and value features like active cooling (not specified in data, but a Red Magic staple). Buy the OnePlus 11R if you prefer a more versatile smartphone with incredibly fast 100W charging, a cleaner software experience, and a more reasonable price point without sacrificing significant performance.