ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro vs. Realme GT Neo 5 240W: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Charging Supremacy
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers prioritizing sustained performance, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro is the clear winner thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and superior thermal design. However, if minimizing downtime and maximizing convenience through incredibly fast charging is paramount, the Realme GT Neo 5 240W takes the crown.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro | Realme GT Neo 5 240W |
| 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 / 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 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, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, December 26 | 2023, February 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, December 28 | Available. Released 2023, February 09 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame | - |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 228 g (8.04 oz) | 199 g (7.02 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (520Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan Aviation aluminum middle frame | Illuminated RGB (on the back) | |
| 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 (~87.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1400 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 (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 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, Realme UI 4.0 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | 16 MP, f/2.5, 25mm (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/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 112˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP, f/3.3, 20mm (microscope) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display | 16 MP, f/2.5, 25mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| 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 (dual side) |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| 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, 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 | 240W wired, 50% in 4 min, 100% in 10 min |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable | 4600 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Transparent | Purple, Black, White |
| Models | NX729J | RMX3708 |
| Price | $ 659.00 | About 440 EUR |
| 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
- Enhanced thermal management for sustained gaming
- Longer battery endurance (131h rating)
- Slower charging speeds (65W/80W)
- Limited camera information suggests a secondary focus
Realme GT Neo 5 240W
- Revolutionary 240W charging (0-100% in 10 minutes)
- Potentially more versatile camera system (speculation)
- Faster charging offsets potentially smaller battery
- Less powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays designed for immersive experiences, but key differences exist. While specific nit brightness isn't provided for the Red Magic 8 Pro, its 'Infinite' contrast ratio suggests a high-quality OLED panel. The Realme GT Neo 5's display specifications are not provided, but Realme typically employs high refresh rate panels. The Red Magic 8 Pro's focus on gaming suggests a higher PWM dimming rate, potentially making it more comfortable for users sensitive to flicker. The absence of LTPO information for either device means adaptive refresh rate capabilities are uncertain, impacting battery life during variable content viewing.
Camera Comparison
Camera details are limited for both devices. The context data only mentions 'Photo / Video' capabilities for the Red Magic 8 Pro, suggesting a focus on core functionality rather than cutting-edge imaging. The Realme GT Neo 5’s camera specifications are also absent. Given the gaming focus of the Red Magic 8 Pro, camera performance is likely secondary. The GT Neo 5 may offer a more versatile camera system, but without specific sensor details, it’s difficult to assess its capabilities. The absence of information regarding OIS or lens apertures makes a direct comparison impossible.
Performance
The core performance disparity lies in the chipsets. The Red Magic 8 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) represents a significant architectural leap over the Realme GT Neo 5’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm). The Gen 2 features a more efficient Cortex-X3 prime core clocked at 3.2 GHz, compared to the Gen 1’s 3.19 GHz Cortex-X2. This, combined with the newer generation Cortex-A715 and A710 cores in the 8 Gen 2, translates to both single-core and multi-core performance advantages. Crucially, the 4nm process node of the 8 Gen 2 offers improved thermal efficiency, mitigating throttling during prolonged gaming. While the GT Neo 5’s 8+ Gen 1 is still a capable performer, it will likely exhibit more thermal throttling under sustained load. Both devices utilize LPDDR5x RAM, but the Red Magic 8 Pro’s cooling system is a key differentiator.
Battery Life
The Realme GT Neo 5 240W’s defining feature is its revolutionary 240W wired charging, capable of reaching 100% charge in a mere 10 minutes. This dramatically reduces downtime compared to the Red Magic 8 Pro’s 80W (China) or 65W (International) charging, which takes 35 or 43 minutes respectively. However, the Red Magic 8 Pro boasts an endurance rating of 131 hours, suggesting a larger battery capacity and potentially better overall battery life despite the slower charging speed. The GT Neo 5’s smaller battery (spec not provided) may require more frequent charging, even with its ultra-fast capabilities. The trade-off is convenience versus longevity.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 8 Pro if you need uncompromising gaming performance, long-term stability under load, and a device specifically engineered for extended play sessions. Buy the Realme GT Neo 5 240W if you prioritize the absolute fastest charging speeds available, value convenience over sustained peak performance, and want a phone that can go from 0 to 100% in under 30 minutes.