ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Features

The ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra represent opposite ends of the Android flagship spectrum. The RedMagic prioritizes unadulterated gaming performance, while the S22 Ultra aims for a balanced, premium experience with a focus on camera capabilities and productivity. This comparison dissects their key differences to help you determine which device best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S Pro is the clear winner, offering superior cooling and a faster chipset. However, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra excels in camera versatility, display brightness, and overall refinement, making it the better choice for mainstream users.

PHONES
Phone Names ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S Pro Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International, China1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 -1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2022, July 112022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, July 15Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions166.3 x 77.1 x 10 mm (6.55 x 3.04 x 0.39 in)163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight235 g (8.29 oz)228 g / 229 g (mmWave) (8.04 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~87.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 600 nitsDynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) - EuropeOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) - ROW
ChipsetQualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW
GPUAdreno 730Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW
OSAndroid 12, Redmagic 5.5Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM, 1TB 18GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad-108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Triple64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro)-
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single16 MP, (wide), under display40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82", 0.7µm, PDAF
Video1080p@30/60fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack -No
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connectorUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging135W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 5 min, 100% in 15 min (China) 65W wired, PD3.0 (International)45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsObsidian, Supernova, Mercury, YellowPhantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple
ModelsNX709SSM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS
PriceAbout 780 EUR€ 397.07 / $ 269.98 / £ 304.99 / ₹ 63,899
SAR-1.18 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.05 W/kg (head)     1.58 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life-Endurance rating 108h
Camera-Photo / Video
Display-Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker--27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance-AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S Pro

  • Blazing-fast 135W charging (China)
  • Superior thermal management for sustained gaming
  • Dedicated gaming triggers and software features

  • Significantly dimmer display
  • Less versatile camera system
  • No wireless charging

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

  • Brilliant and color-accurate display
  • Exceptional camera system with versatile lenses
  • S Pen support for productivity

  • Slower charging speeds
  • Potential for thermal throttling (Exynos variant)
  • Higher price point

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, peaking at 1266 nits compared to the RedMagic 7S Pro’s 449 nits. This difference is immediately noticeable in outdoor visibility. While both feature high refresh rates, the S22 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel offers superior color accuracy and contrast with its infinite (nominal) contrast ratio. The RedMagic 7S Pro’s display, while adequate, is clearly geared towards cost optimization, prioritizing refresh rate over peak brightness and color fidelity. The S22 Ultra’s LTPO technology also allows for more efficient refresh rate scaling, saving battery life.

Camera Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra dominates in camera capabilities. While both phones offer photo and video recording, the S22 Ultra’s sophisticated camera system, including its larger sensors and advanced image processing, delivers superior image quality in various conditions. The RedMagic 7S Pro’s camera is functional but lacks the refinement and versatility of the S22 Ultra. Details regarding the RedMagic’s camera sensors are limited, but it’s unlikely to compete with the S22 Ultra’s multi-lens setup and advanced features like Space Zoom. The S22 Ultra’s focus on computational photography provides a significant advantage in dynamic range and low-light performance.

Performance

Both devices utilize the latest generation of Qualcomm and Samsung chipsets. The RedMagic 7S Pro features the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm), while the S22 Ultra comes in either an Exynos 2200 (Europe) or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (ROW) variant. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the RedMagic offers a slight CPU clock speed advantage (3.19 GHz vs 2.8/3.0 GHz) and, crucially, improved thermal efficiency due to the 4nm process. This translates to less throttling during extended gaming sessions. The S22 Ultra’s Exynos variant has historically faced criticism for thermal management, potentially impacting sustained performance. Both phones utilize LPDDR5X RAM, but the RedMagic’s aggressive cooling system is its key performance differentiator.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has an endurance rating of 108 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the RedMagic 7S Pro’s charging speed is its standout feature. With 135W wired charging (China) or 65W (International), it can reach 100% in just 15 minutes (China) or a still-impressive time with the international version. The S22 Ultra’s 45W wired charging is considerably slower. While the S22 Ultra offers 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, the RedMagic 7S Pro lacks wireless charging altogether, prioritizing wired charging speed over convenience. The RedMagic’s focus on gaming also means it will likely drain the battery faster under heavy load, but the rapid charging mitigates this concern.

Buying Guide

Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S Pro if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, require the fastest possible charging speeds (especially the Chinese variant with 135W), and appreciate gaming-centric features like shoulder triggers. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G if you value a top-tier camera system, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and a more polished, all-around smartphone experience with features like S Pen support.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 2200 chip in the European S22 Ultra overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Exynos 2200 has historically been known to run hotter than the Snapdragon counterpart, potentially leading to thermal throttling during extended gaming. While Samsung has implemented software optimizations, users may experience performance dips in demanding titles compared to the Snapdragon variant or the RedMagic 7S Pro.
❓ Is the 2MP macro camera on the S22 Ultra actually useful for detailed close-up shots?
While present, the 2MP macro camera on the S22 Ultra is often considered a marketing feature rather than a significant upgrade. Its low resolution limits detail, and the results are often inferior to using the main sensor with digital zoom. It's usable for casual snapshots, but serious macro photography is better achieved with dedicated equipment.
❓ Does the RedMagic 7S Pro support 90fps or higher frame rates in popular games like PUBG Mobile?
Yes, the RedMagic 7S Pro is specifically designed for high frame rate gaming. It supports 90fps and even higher frame rates in many popular titles like PUBG Mobile, thanks to its powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and optimized cooling system. The 'Game Space' software allows for granular control over performance settings.
❓ What are the practical benefits of the under-display fingerprint sensor on the S22 Ultra compared to the RedMagic 7S Pro's side-mounted sensor?
The S22 Ultra's under-display fingerprint sensor offers a cleaner aesthetic and more seamless user experience. While side-mounted sensors are generally faster, the S22 Ultra's sensor is reliable and convenient, integrating directly into the display. It also allows for more gesture-based interactions.