ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G vs. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max: A Clash of Philosophies
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a polished experience, excellent camera, and long-term software updates, the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max is the better choice. However, if your primary focus is mobile gaming and maximizing performance at a lower price point, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G delivers a compelling package.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G | 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, 20, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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 |
| 5G bands | 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE 1.6 Gbps DL, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | 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 | 2020, March 12. Released 2020, March 19 | 2019, September 10 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, September 20 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 168.6 x 78 x 9.8 mm (6.64 x 3.07 x 0.39 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 | 218 g (7.69 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 | 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 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~83.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz | Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz Lightning + 4x1.8 GHz Thunder) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Apple A13 Bionic (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, Redmagic 3.0 | iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB 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 | - | 13 MP, f/2.2, PDAF |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 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, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm | 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 | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 55W wired, 56% in 15 min, 100% in 40 min | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless (Qi) |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 3969 mAh, non-removable (15.04 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Hot Rod Red, Black, Mars Red, Cyber Neon, Transparent | Matte Space Gray, Matte Silver, Matte Gold, Matte Midnight Green |
| Models | NX659J | A2218, A2161, A2220, iPhone12,5 |
| Price | About 880 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 5G
- Significantly faster 55W charging
- Optimized for mobile gaming with high refresh rate display
- Potentially better sustained performance due to cooling system
- Lower battery endurance rating
- Likely inferior camera quality compared to iPhone
- Less refined software experience and shorter software support
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
- Superior battery life and efficiency
- Excellent camera system with advanced image processing
- Seamless ecosystem and long-term software support
- Slower charging speeds
- Less focused on gaming performance
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
Both devices feature 7nm+ fabrication, but their displays differ significantly. The RedMagic 5G boasts a higher refresh rate (not specified in data, but a key feature of the device) geared towards smoother gaming, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max prioritizes color accuracy and a contrast ratio described as 'Infinite (nominal)'. Both achieve similar peak brightness, with the RedMagic 5G reaching 685 nits and the iPhone 11 Pro Max at 820 nits, ensuring good visibility outdoors. The iPhone's superior contrast will provide deeper blacks and a more vibrant image, but the RedMagic's higher refresh rate is a significant advantage for fast-paced gaming.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but their approaches diverge. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is renowned for its consistent image quality and computational photography prowess. While specific sensor details are absent, Apple’s image processing pipeline is a key differentiator. The RedMagic 5G, geared towards gaming, likely prioritizes camera functionality less, focusing on delivering a competitive price point. Without detailed sensor information, it’s safe to assume the iPhone 11 Pro Max offers a more versatile and refined camera experience.
Performance
The core of the difference lies in the chipsets. The RedMagic 5G utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, an octa-core processor designed for high performance. The iPhone 11 Pro Max, however, employs Apple’s A13 Bionic, a hexa-core chip. While core count isn’t everything, Apple’s custom silicon consistently demonstrates exceptional single-core performance and efficiency. The Snapdragon 865 excels in sustained performance due to its focus on cooling (a key design element of the RedMagic 5G), while the A13 Bionic balances power and efficiency. The RedMagic 5G's gaming-centric design likely incorporates more aggressive thermal throttling management to maintain performance under load.
Battery Life
The iPhone 11 Pro Max boasts a superior endurance rating of 102 hours compared to the RedMagic 5G’s 83 hours. This suggests more efficient power management from the A13 Bionic and potentially a larger battery capacity (not specified). However, the RedMagic 5G compensates with significantly faster charging – 55W wired, achieving 56% charge in 15 minutes and 100% in 40 minutes. The iPhone 11 Pro Max offers slower wired charging with PD2.0 (50% in 30 minutes) and wireless charging via Qi. The RedMagic 5G’s faster charging is a boon for gamers who need to quickly top up their battery between sessions.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G if you need uncompromising gaming performance, rapid 55W charging, and a high refresh rate display, even if it means sacrificing camera quality and long-term software support. Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max if you prefer a refined ecosystem, a consistently excellent camera experience, and guaranteed software updates for years to come, even if it means paying a premium and accepting slower charging speeds.