ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G vs Asus ROG Phone 3: The Ultimate Gaming Phone Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average gamer prioritizing sustained performance and battery life, the Asus ROG Phone 3 is the superior choice. Its larger 120-hour endurance battery and Snapdragon 865+ chipset provide a noticeable advantage in demanding titles, despite the slower 30W charging. However, the RedMagic 5G remains a compelling option for budget-conscious gamers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G | Asus ROG Phone 3 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - A version |
| 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, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - A version |
| 5G bands | 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - A version |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps, 5G 4.4 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, March 12. Released 2020, March 19 | 2020, July 22. Released 2020, July 23 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 168.6 x 78 x 9.8 mm (6.64 x 3.07 x 0.39 in) | 171 x 78 x 9.9 mm (6.73 x 3.07 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 218 g (7.69 oz) | 240 g (8.47 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~391 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.59 inches, 106.6 cm2 (~79.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 650 nits (typ) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.10 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 650 |
| OS | Android 10, Redmagic 3.0 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 12, ROG UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| 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) | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm, 125˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm | 24 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with DTS:X stereo speakers (2 dedicated amplifiers) |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| 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, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 55W wired, 56% in 15 min, 100% in 40 min | 30W wired, PD3.0, QC4 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Hot Rod Red, Black, Mars Red, Cyber Neon, Transparent | Black Glare |
| Models | NX659J | ASUS_I003D, ZS661KS, I003DD, I003D |
| Price | About 880 EUR | About 650 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.74 W/kg (head) 1.50 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 120h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 621932 (v8) GeekBench: 13306 (v4.4), 3386 (v5.1) GFXBench: 48fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G
- Faster 55W wired charging for quick power-ups.
- Aggressive cooling system designed to minimize thermal throttling.
- Potentially more affordable price point.
- Significantly lower battery endurance (83 hours).
- Slightly less powerful Snapdragon 865 chipset.
- Display brightness is lower than the ROG Phone 3.
Asus ROG Phone 3
- Superior battery life with a 120-hour endurance rating.
- More powerful Snapdragon 865+ chipset for enhanced performance.
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility.
- Slower 30W wired charging.
- Potentially higher price point.
- Larger size and weight may be less comfortable for some users.
Display Comparison
Both phones feature large displays, but differ in brightness and contrast. The ROG Phone 3 boasts a slightly brighter panel at 719 nits compared to the RedMagic 5G’s 685 nits, resulting in better visibility in direct sunlight. While both offer excellent color reproduction, the ROG Phone 3’s ‘Infinite’ (nominal) contrast ratio suggests deeper blacks and a more vibrant image. The RedMagic 5G’s refresh rate is not specified, while the ROG Phone 3 is known for its 120Hz display, providing smoother animations and a competitive edge in fast-paced games.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but neither prioritizes camera performance as a primary selling point. Detailed camera specs are lacking in the provided data, suggesting a focus on gaming features over photographic excellence. Analysis based on market positioning suggests the ROG Phone 3 may offer slightly more refined image processing, but the differences are likely minimal. The absence of specific sensor details makes a definitive comparison impossible, and the inclusion of 2MP macro lenses on both devices suggests limited utility for serious photography.
Performance
The Asus ROG Phone 3 edges out the RedMagic 5G with its Snapdragon 865 5G+ chipset, clocked at 3.10 GHz versus the RedMagic 5G’s 2.84 GHz Snapdragon 865. This higher clock speed translates to a tangible performance boost in CPU-intensive tasks and gaming. Both utilize the same octa-core configuration (1x Cortex-A77 prime core, 3x Cortex-A77 performance cores, and 4x Cortex-A55 efficiency cores), but the ROG Phone 3’s chipset benefits from optimizations in the ‘+’ variant. Both phones utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but thermal management is a key differentiator; the RedMagic 5G’s active cooling system is designed to combat throttling, but the ROG Phone 3’s larger chassis and optimized cooling solution may offer more consistent performance under sustained load.
Battery Life
Battery life is a significant differentiator. The ROG Phone 3’s endurance rating of 120 hours dramatically surpasses the RedMagic 5G’s 83 hours. This is likely due to a combination of a larger battery capacity (not specified in the data, but typically larger in ROG Phones) and the more efficient Snapdragon 865+ chipset. While the RedMagic 5G boasts significantly faster 55W wired charging (56% in 15 minutes, 100% in 40 minutes) compared to the ROG Phone 3’s 30W charging, the ROG Phone 3’s superior battery life reduces the need for frequent top-ups. The ROG Phone 3 also offers 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the RedMagic 5G.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G if you need a high-performance gaming phone at a more affordable price and prioritize rapid charging speeds. It's ideal for gamers who play in shorter bursts and value quick top-ups. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 3 if you prefer extended gaming sessions without worrying about battery life, and appreciate the slightly more refined experience and the performance uplift from the Snapdragon 865+ chipset. It's the better choice for marathon gaming and power users.