ZTE nubia RedMagic 6 vs. Sony Xperia 1 III: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Cinematic Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the dedicated mobile gamer, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 6 is the clear winner. Its focus on cooling and rapid 66W charging provides a sustained gaming experience the Xperia 1 III can't match. However, the Sony Xperia 1 III excels for content creators and those prioritizing camera quality and a stunning display.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 6 | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 04 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 11 | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.7 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.38 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| - | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, 630 nits (typ) | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, Redmagic 4.0 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| 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, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 66W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 38 min | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Aurora | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | NX669J | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | About 520 EUR | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 6
- Significantly faster 66W charging
- Active cooling system for sustained performance
- Optimized for mobile gaming
- Lower display brightness
- Likely less versatile camera system
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Brighter, more color-accurate display
- Professional-grade camera system
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower 30W charging
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, but their displays diverge significantly. The Xperia 1 III boasts a 620-nit peak brightness, substantially brighter than the RedMagic 6’s 444 nits, making it more usable outdoors. While both offer excellent color reproduction, the Xperia 1 III’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a superior OLED panel. The RedMagic 6 prioritizes a high refresh rate for smoother gaming, but lacks the Xperia 1 III’s focus on color accuracy crucial for professional photo and video editing. The Xperia 1 III’s display is geared towards content *creation*, while the RedMagic 6 is optimized for content *consumption* during gameplay.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but their philosophies differ. The context data only states 'Photo / Video' for both, lacking specifics. However, Sony’s Xperia line is renowned for its camera prowess, and the 1 III likely features a larger sensor and more advanced image processing algorithms than the RedMagic 6. The Xperia 1 III’s emphasis on manual controls and professional features caters to experienced photographers and videographers. The RedMagic 6’s camera is likely geared towards casual users, prioritizing convenience over advanced features. Given Sony’s history, expect superior low-light performance and dynamic range from the Xperia 1 III.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset with an identical CPU configuration – a Cortex-X1 prime core, three A78 performance cores, and four A55 efficiency cores. However, the RedMagic 6’s design prioritizes thermal management with its active cooling system, allowing it to sustain peak performance for longer durations during demanding games. While the Xperia 1 III also benefits from the 888’s power, its more conventional design may lead to thermal throttling under prolonged heavy load. The RedMagic 6’s focus on gaming means it’s likely paired with optimized RAM configurations for lower latency, though specific RAM speeds aren’t provided in the data.
Battery Life
The RedMagic 6 offers a slightly lower endurance rating of 88 hours compared to the Xperia 1 III’s 82 hours, but compensates with significantly faster charging. The RedMagic 6’s 66W wired charging, supporting PD3.0 and QC4, can fully charge the device in just 38 minutes. The Xperia 1 III’s 30W charging, while supporting PD, takes considerably longer, reaching only 50% in 30 minutes. The RedMagic 6’s faster charging is a critical advantage for gamers who need to quickly return to their sessions. The Xperia 1 III adds wireless and reverse wireless charging, offering convenience the RedMagic 6 lacks.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 6 if you need uncompromising gaming performance, long play sessions without throttling, and the fastest possible charging. You'll sacrifice camera versatility and a premium multimedia experience. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prefer a professional-grade camera system, a color-accurate display for content consumption and creation, and a more refined, all-around flagship experience, even if it means slightly less gaming prowess.