ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S vs. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Ecosystems
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a polished experience, strong camera, and long-term software updates, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max is the better choice. However, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S delivers significantly more raw gaming performance for a lower price, making it ideal for dedicated mobile gamers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S | Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2342 |
| 5G bands | 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - A2342 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 Sub6 - A2410, A2411, A2412 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, July 28. Released 2020, August 01 | 2020, October 13 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, November 13 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 168.6 x 78 x 9.8 mm (6.64 x 3.07 x 0.39 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.4 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.29 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% 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 (2x3.1 GHz Firestorm + 4x1.8 GHz Icestorm) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Apple GPU (4-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 10, Redmagic 3.0 | iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 65mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), 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 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.4 update |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 3687 mAh (14.13 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, Pulse | Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue |
| Models | - | A2411, A2342, A2410, A2412, iPhone13,4 |
| Price | About 540 EUR | $ 328.00 / C$ 549.75 / £ 270.67 / € 339.00 |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 599.99 |
| 256GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 728.45 |
| 512GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 886.67 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 627.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -23.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 638584 (v8) GeekBench: 4240 (v5.1) GFXBench: 55fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S
- Significantly faster charging (55W)
- Higher raw gaming performance due to Snapdragon 865 and cooling
- Potentially lower price point
- Less refined software experience
- Lower display brightness
- Inferior camera system (likely)
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Superior camera quality and image processing
- Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
- Long-term software support and updates
- Slower charging speeds
- Higher price
- Lacks dedicated gaming features
Display Comparison
The iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a brighter display at 822 nits compared to the RedMagic 5S’s 459 nits, making it more visible outdoors. While both are excellent, the iPhone’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio delivers deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. The RedMagic 5S, however, prioritizes a high refresh rate (not specified in data, but a key feature of the line) for smoother gaming, a feature the iPhone 12 Pro Max lacks. The iPhone’s larger screen real estate also benefits content consumption, though the RedMagic 5S’s focus is on maximizing screen space for gaming.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer capable photo and video recording, but approach it differently. The iPhone 12 Pro Max benefits from Apple’s renowned image processing pipeline, delivering consistently accurate colors and excellent dynamic range. While specific sensor details are missing for both, Apple’s computational photography excels in low-light conditions. The RedMagic 5S, geared towards gaming, likely prioritizes speed over image fidelity. Without detailed camera specs, it’s safe to assume the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers a more versatile and refined camera experience, particularly for users who prioritize photography and videography.
Performance
The Apple A14 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, offers a significant architectural advantage over the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (7nm+). The A14’s hexa-core configuration, with its high-clocked Firestorm cores, delivers superior single-core performance, crucial for responsive app launches and UI navigation. While the Snapdragon 865’s octa-core setup is capable, the A14’s efficiency translates to better sustained performance and thermal management. The RedMagic 5S compensates with an active cooling system, but the A14’s inherent efficiency is a key differentiator. The iPhone’s 6GB of RAM is matched by the RedMagic 5S, but the A14’s optimized memory management often feels snappier.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 95 hours for the iPhone 12 Pro Max and 83 hours for the RedMagic 5S, indicating comparable overall battery life despite the RedMagic 5S’s smaller battery (not specified in data). However, the charging speeds differ dramatically. The RedMagic 5S’s 55W wired charging is significantly faster, reaching 56% in 15 minutes and 100% in 40 minutes, compared to the iPhone’s slower wired charging (50% in 30 minutes). The iPhone offers 15W wireless charging via MagSafe and Qi2 (with iOS 17.4), a convenience the RedMagic 5S lacks. The iPhone’s efficiency and optimized software contribute to its strong endurance despite slower charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S if you need uncompromising gaming performance, fast charging, and don't mind a less refined software experience. You'll benefit from the Snapdragon 865's power and the phone's cooling system. Buy the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max if you prefer a premium build quality, a superior camera system, seamless integration with other Apple devices, and guaranteed software updates for years to come. The iPhone excels in content creation and everyday usability.