ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G vs. Huawei P40 Pro+: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing photography and a polished software experience, the Huawei P40 Pro+ is the better choice. However, dedicated mobile gamers will find the RedMagic 5G’s superior cooling, higher refresh rate potential, and gaming-centric features far more compelling.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G | Huawei P40 Pro+ |
| 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) / 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, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, March 12. Released 2020, March 19 | 2020, March 26 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, June 06 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame | Glass front, ceramic back, ceramic frame |
| Dimensions | 168.6 x 78 x 9.8 mm (6.64 x 3.07 x 0.39 in) | 158.2 x 72.6 x 9 mm (6.23 x 2.86 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 218 g (7.69 oz) | 226 g (7.97 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | - |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1200 x 2640 pixels (~441 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.58 inches, 105.2 cm2 (~91.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 144Hz | OLED, 90Hz, HDR10 |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.86 GHz Cortex-A76 & 2x2.36 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Kirin 990 5G (7 nm+) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G76 MP16 |
| OS | Android 10, Redmagic 3.0 | Android 10, EMUI 10.1, no Google Play Services |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Leica optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Quad | - | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/4.4, 240mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 40 MP, f/1.8, 18mm (ultrawide), 1/1.54", PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) |
| 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) | - |
| Video | 8K@15fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720@7680fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF IR TOF 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.1, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| 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 | Infrared Face ID, fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 55W wired, 56% in 15 min, 100% in 40 min | 40W wired 40W wireless 27W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4200 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Hot Rod Red, Black, Mars Red, Cyber Neon, Transparent | White Ceramic, Black Ceramic |
| Models | NX659J | ELS-N39, ELS-AN10 |
| Price | About 880 EUR | About 1000 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.4 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 529687 (v8) GeekBench: 3203 (v5.1) GFXBench: 31fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G
- Superior gaming performance due to Snapdragon 865 and cooling.
- Faster wired charging (55W).
- Potential for higher refresh rate display (implied).
- Inferior battery life (83h endurance).
- Less versatile camera system.
- Less refined software experience (typically).
Huawei P40 Pro+
- Excellent camera system with advanced features.
- Longer battery life (95h endurance).
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging.
- Slower wired charging (40W).
- Kirin 990 may throttle under sustained gaming.
- Higher price point (likely).
Display Comparison
The Huawei P40 Pro+ boasts a brighter display at 760 nits measured, compared to the RedMagic 5G’s 685 nits, offering better visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize 7nm+ fabrication, the P40 Pro+’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a superior OLED panel. The RedMagic 5G, however, is designed for high refresh rates (not specified in data, but a key feature of the line), which the P40 Pro+ doesn’t explicitly emphasize. This difference caters to smoother gaming visuals, but the P40 Pro+’s color accuracy and brightness provide a more pleasant everyday viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but their philosophies diverge. The P40 Pro+ is positioned as a photography powerhouse, though specific sensor details are absent in the provided data. Its strength lies in its image processing algorithms and likely a larger main sensor (implied by its 'Pro+' designation). The RedMagic 5G’s camera is functional for photo and video, but it’s clearly not the primary focus. The P40 Pro+’s camera system is designed for versatility, excelling in low-light conditions and offering advanced features like periscope zoom. The RedMagic 5G prioritizes performance over photographic fidelity.
Performance
Both devices employ 7nm+ fabrication, but the chipsets differ significantly. The RedMagic 5G’s Snapdragon 865, with its Cortex-A77 prime cores clocked at 2.84 GHz, is optimized for sustained performance, crucial for gaming. The P40 Pro+’s Kirin 990 5G, while also powerful, utilizes Cortex-A76 cores clocked slightly higher at 2.86 GHz, but its architecture is geared towards a broader range of tasks. The RedMagic 5G’s focus on thermal management, with its active cooling system (not detailed in data, but a key selling point), allows it to maintain peak performance for longer durations, mitigating throttling during intense gaming sessions. The P40 Pro+ relies on Huawei’s software optimizations to manage thermals.
Battery Life
The Huawei P40 Pro+ edges out the RedMagic 5G in endurance with a rating of 95 hours versus 83 hours. However, the RedMagic 5G compensates with significantly faster wired charging at 55W, achieving 56% charge in 15 minutes and 100% in 40 minutes, compared to the P40 Pro+'s 40W wired charging. The P40 Pro+ also offers 40W wireless charging and 27W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the RedMagic 5G. This makes the P40 Pro+ more convenient for users who prefer wireless charging or need to top up other devices.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 5G if you need uncompromising gaming performance, extended play sessions without throttling, and a high refresh rate display. Buy the Huawei P40 Pro+ if you prefer a versatile camera system capable of exceptional image quality, fast wireless charging, and a more refined, feature-rich software experience.