ZTE nubia RedMagic 3 vs. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Clash of Philosophies
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a seamless experience, a strong camera, and long-term software updates, the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max is the clear winner. However, gamers and power users seeking maximum performance-per-dollar will find the ZTE nubia RedMagic 3 a compelling, if less refined, alternative.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 3 | Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 66 - Global | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2218 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2161, A2220 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, May. Released 2019, May | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm (6.76 x 3.09 x 0.38 in) | 158 x 77.8 x 8.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 4m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~80.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10, Redmagic 3.0 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6" |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1920fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG, accessory connector | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC4 | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Red, Camouflage, Red/Blue | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | NX629J | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | About 500 EUR | $ 233.00 / C$ 369.75 / £ 226.95 / € 249.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.16 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 256GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 874.46 |
| 512GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 1,004.31 |
| 64GB 4GB RAM | - | $ 435.00 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 485.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -94.3dB / Crosstalk -81.5dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 102h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 459713 (v7), 536883 (v8) GeekBench: 13870 (v4.4), 3503 (v5.1) GFXBench: 57fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 3
- Superior gaming performance due to Snapdragon 855 and active cooling.
- Longer battery endurance rating (112h).
- More affordable price point.
- Significantly dimmer display.
- Less refined software experience.
- Inferior camera quality.
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Brighter, more vibrant display.
- Exceptional camera system.
- Seamless user experience and long-term software support.
- Higher price tag.
- Less powerful for sustained gaming compared to RedMagic 3.
- Slower charging compared to some competitors.
Display Comparison
The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display at 820 nits compared to the RedMagic 3’s 377 nits. This translates to vastly improved visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. While both utilize OLED technology, the iPhone’s ‘infinite’ (nominal) contrast ratio delivers deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. The RedMagic 3, however, prioritizes a high refresh rate (not specified in the data, but a key feature of the device) for smoother gaming, a feature absent on the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 60Hz panel. The difference in brightness is substantial; the iPhone is far more usable in bright environments.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but the iPhone 11 Pro Max holds a clear advantage in image quality and versatility. While specific sensor details are missing for the RedMagic 3, Apple’s image processing pipeline and advanced computational photography features deliver superior dynamic range, color accuracy, and low-light performance. The iPhone’s triple-camera system (details not provided in context) offers a wider range of focal lengths and shooting modes. The RedMagic 3’s camera is likely geared towards basic functionality, prioritizing cost savings over image quality. The iPhone's video recording capabilities are also significantly more advanced.
Performance
The Apple A13 Bionic, fabricated on a 7nm+ process, consistently outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm) in both single-core and multi-core benchmarks. While the Snapdragon 855’s octa-core configuration (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485, 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) appears complex, the A13’s hexa-core design (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) leverages Apple’s neural engine for superior AI processing and efficiency. The iPhone’s optimized software and chip integration result in smoother overall performance, even though the RedMagic 3 benefits from active cooling to sustain peak performance for longer gaming sessions. The RedMagic 3's cooling system is a key differentiator, mitigating thermal throttling under sustained load.
Battery Life
Despite a slightly smaller battery endurance rating (102h vs 112h), the iPhone 11 Pro Max benefits from more efficient power management thanks to the A13 Bionic chip. The RedMagic 3’s larger battery capacity is offset by the power-hungry Snapdragon 855 and its active cooling system. The iPhone 11 Pro Max supports 18W wired charging with PD2.0, achieving 50% charge in 30 minutes, and also offers convenient wireless charging via Qi. The RedMagic 3’s 18W wired charging with QC4 is comparable in speed, but lacks wireless charging support. The iPhone's efficiency means it can often last a full day with heavier usage, despite the smaller endurance rating.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 3 if you need uncompromising gaming performance, a high endurance battery for extended play sessions, and are comfortable with a less polished software experience. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you prefer a premium build quality, a best-in-class camera system, a seamless user experience within the Apple ecosystem, and guaranteed software updates for years to come.