ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s Pro vs. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max: A Clash of Priorities
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a polished experience, long-term software support, and a best-in-class camera, the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is the superior choice. However, gamers and power users demanding maximum performance and blazing-fast charging will find the RedMagic 6s Pro a compelling alternative.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s Pro | Apple iPhone 13 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, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - China | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2643, A2644, A2645 |
| 5G bands | 1, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2643, A2644 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | 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, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2641 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, September 06 | 2021, September 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 27 | Available. Released 2021, September 24 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.5 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.37 in) | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.7 mm (6.33 x 3.07 x 0.30 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 240 g (8.47 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 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1284 x 2778 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) | Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 11, Redmagic 4.5 | iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB 6GB RAM |
| - | NVMe | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Single | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| 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/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm (telephoto), PDAF, 1/3.4", 1.0µm, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF 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), ProRes, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 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 | 5.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, 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/6e, 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, heart rate | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 17 min (China) 66W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 65 min (International) | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 5050 mAh (Global)· Li-Po 4500 mAh (China only) | Li-Ion 4352 mAh (16.75 Wh) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Transparent, White | Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green |
| Models | - | A2643, A2484, A2641, A2644, A2645, iphone14,3 |
| Price | About 600 EUR | € 423.38 / $ 394.86 / £ 355.00 |
| SAR | - | 1.18 W/kg (head) 1.20 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 121h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 801691 (v9) GeekBench: 4706 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W charging (China)
- Optimized for gaming with potential high refresh rate display
- Powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset
- Lower display brightness compared to iPhone
- Potentially shorter software support lifespan
- Camera likely inferior to iPhone
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Superior camera system and image processing
- Longer battery life and efficient chipset
- Seamless ecosystem integration and long-term software support
- Slower charging speeds
- Higher price point
- Less focused on dedicated gaming features
Display Comparison
The iPhone 13 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display at 1050 nits compared to the RedMagic 6s Pro’s 529 nits, making it far more usable outdoors in direct sunlight. While the RedMagic likely features a higher refresh rate (a common feature in gaming phones, though not specified in the data), the iPhone’s infinite contrast ratio delivers richer blacks and more vibrant colors. The lack of refresh rate data for the RedMagic is a key omission, but its focus is clearly on gaming responsiveness, potentially prioritizing that over absolute peak brightness.
Camera Comparison
The iPhone 13 Pro Max’s camera system, though details are limited in the provided data, is renowned for its computational photography and video recording capabilities. Apple’s image processing pipeline excels in dynamic range and color accuracy. The RedMagic 6s Pro, while likely equipped with capable sensors, is unlikely to match the iPhone’s overall image quality or video stabilization. The absence of specific sensor details for the RedMagic suggests its camera isn’t a primary selling point, focusing instead on gaming-centric features.
Performance
The Apple A15 Bionic, with its 2x3.23 GHz Avalanche cores, demonstrably outperforms the Snapdragon 888+ in single-core tasks, translating to snappier app launches and smoother overall responsiveness. While the Snapdragon 888+’s octa-core configuration (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X1) offers strong multi-core performance, the A15 Bionic’s architectural advantages and efficient design provide a noticeable edge. The RedMagic’s cooling system is crucial to sustaining peak performance under load, mitigating potential throttling that the 5nm Snapdragon 888+ might experience during extended gaming sessions.
Battery Life
Despite a lower endurance rating of 97 hours versus the iPhone’s 121 hours, the RedMagic 6s Pro’s 120W wired charging (in China, 66W internationally) is a game-changer. A full charge in just 17 minutes (China) or 65 minutes (International) significantly reduces downtime. The iPhone 13 Pro Max, with its slower wired charging and 15W wireless charging, relies on its larger battery capacity and efficient chipset to deliver all-day battery life. The RedMagic prioritizes *speed* of charging, while the iPhone prioritizes *longevity* of charge.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s Pro if you need a dedicated gaming phone with a high refresh rate display, active cooling, and the fastest charging speeds available. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max if you prefer a premium, all-around smartphone experience with a superior camera system, a tightly integrated ecosystem, and guaranteed software updates for years to come.