ZTE nubia RedMagic 7 vs. Xiaomi 12S Ultra: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing camera quality and a balanced experience, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra emerges as the winner. Its superior display brightness, more efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and versatile camera system offer a more polished package. However, dedicated mobile gamers will find the RedMagic 7’s raw power and gaming-centric features more compelling.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 7 | Xiaomi 12S Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 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, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, February 17 | 2022, July 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, February 21 | Available. Released 2022, July 09 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), eco leather back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 170.6 x 78.3 x 9.5 mm (6.72 x 3.08 x 0.37 in) | 163.2 x 75 x 9.1 mm (6.43 x 2.95 x 0.36 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 225 g (7.94 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | LTPO2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.0 | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 256GB 18GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lenses, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.4, 25mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| 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) | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@3840fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K, 1080p) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.4, 25mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| 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 (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 120W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 17 min (China) 65W wired, PD3.0 (International) | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 41 min 50W wireless, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4860 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Obsidian, Pulsar, Supernova | Black, Dark Green |
| Models | NX679J | 2203121C |
| Price | About 630 EUR | $ 288.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 93h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1039412 (v9) GeekBench: 4300 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 7
- Blazing-fast 120W (China) charging
- Aggressive cooling system for sustained gaming
- Gaming-centric features (triggers, fan)
- Dimmer display compared to the 12S Ultra
- Less efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset
- Camera is not a primary strength
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- More efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
- Superior camera system for photography
- Slower wired charging than the RedMagic 7 (China)
- No gaming-specific features like triggers
- Less focused on raw gaming performance
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1065 nits measured, compared to the RedMagic 7’s 527 nits. This translates to vastly improved visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize OLED technology, the 12S Ultra’s higher peak brightness and likely superior color calibration (though not specified) provide a more vibrant and accurate viewing experience. The RedMagic 7’s display is geared towards gaming with a high refresh rate, but the brightness deficit is a notable drawback for general use. Contrast ratio is infinite (nominal) on the Xiaomi, suggesting deep blacks.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped with capable camera systems, but the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is positioned as a photography powerhouse. While specific sensor details are missing, the 12S Ultra’s focus on camera quality is evident in its marketing and likely sensor size. The RedMagic 7’s camera is functional for photo and video, but it’s clearly not the primary focus. The 12S Ultra’s image processing is likely more sophisticated, offering better dynamic range and low-light performance. The absence of detailed camera specs for the RedMagic 7 suggests it won’t compete with the 12S Ultra in image quality.
Performance
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset represents a significant upgrade over the RedMagic 7’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The ‘+’ variant, built on a refined 4nm process, offers improved thermal efficiency and higher clock speeds (3.19 GHz vs 3.00 GHz on the X2 core). This means the 12S Ultra is less prone to throttling during sustained workloads, delivering more consistent performance. While both phones share the same CPU core configuration (1x Cortex-X2, 3x Cortex-A710, 4x Cortex-A510), the 12S Ultra’s higher clock speeds and improved efficiency give it an edge. The RedMagic 7 compensates with its active cooling system, but this adds bulk and noise.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra edges out the RedMagic 7 in endurance with a rating of 93 hours versus 89 hours. Despite having a similar battery capacity (not specified in context data, but likely comparable), the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1’s efficiency contributes to the longer runtime. Charging speeds differ significantly: the RedMagic 7 supports 120W wired charging (China) or 65W (International), achieving a full charge in 17 minutes (China). The 12S Ultra offers 67W wired charging, taking 41 minutes for a full charge, but also includes 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging – features absent on the RedMagic 7.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 7 if you need a phone specifically engineered for extended gaming sessions, prioritizing sustained performance and cooling over all else. You’ll benefit from the 120W charging and gaming-specific features. Buy the Xiaomi 12S Ultra if you prefer a flagship smartphone with a best-in-class camera, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and a more efficient processor for everyday tasks and photography.