ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S vs. Sony Xperia 1 IV: A Clash of Priorities
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing gaming and rapid charging, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 offers superior thermal performance and its 120W charging is significantly faster than the Xperia 1 IV’s 30W. However, if photography and videography are paramount, the Xperia 1 IV’s camera system and creative controls are unmatched.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S | Sony Xperia 1 IV |
| 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, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 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 |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Asia | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 11 | 2022, May 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 15 | Available. Released 2022, June 11 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 170.6 x 78.3 x 9.5 mm (6.72 x 3.08 x 0.37 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 185 g (6.53 oz) |
| - | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | 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 (~83.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.5 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB 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 | - | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| 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, 85mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 125mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-5.2x continuous optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", 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 | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE Audio, 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 3.2, OTG, video output |
| 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 or tri-band (region dependent), 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 | 120W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 17 min | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Gray | Black, Violet, White |
| Models | - | XQCT62-B, XQCT54, XQCT54C0V.YD, XQCT54C0B.YD, XQCT54C0W.YD, XQCT54C0V.EEAC, XQCT54C0B.EEAC, XQ-CT72, XQ-CT54, XQ-CT62, SO-51C |
| Price | About 590 EUR | $ 1,120.00 / € 489.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 100h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 838832 (v9) GeekBench: 3403 (v5.1) GFXBench: 74fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S
- Significantly faster 120W charging
- More powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
- Optimized for gaming with active cooling
- Camera likely inferior to Xperia 1 IV
- Charging speed may degrade battery health faster
Sony Xperia 1 IV
- Professional-grade camera system
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Refined multimedia experience
- Slower 30W charging
- Less powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 IV boasts an infinite contrast ratio, suggesting a high-quality OLED panel, and a measured peak brightness of 602 nits, which is respectable but not class-leading. The RedMagic 7S’s display specifications are not provided, but nubia typically prioritizes high refresh rates for gaming. The Xperia 1 IV’s display is geared towards accurate color reproduction for content creation, while the RedMagic 7S likely emphasizes responsiveness and smoothness for gaming. The lack of detailed display specs for the RedMagic 7S makes a direct comparison difficult, but its target audience suggests a focus on refresh rate over absolute color accuracy.
Camera Comparison
The Xperia 1 IV is explicitly positioned as a photography and videography powerhouse, though specific sensor details are absent in the provided data. Sony’s history suggests a focus on large sensors, advanced image processing, and manual controls. The RedMagic 7S, conversely, prioritizes gaming and likely features a more basic camera setup. Without detailed specs, it’s safe to assume the Xperia 1 IV offers a significantly more versatile and capable camera system, particularly for professional-level photography and videography. The absence of sensor information for the RedMagic 7S suggests it’s not a primary selling point.
Performance
The nubia RedMagic 7S leverages the Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm), a more efficient and powerful chipset than the Xperia 1 IV’s SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm). The ‘+’ generation chip offers improved thermal management, crucial for sustained gaming performance. While both CPUs share the same core configuration (1x Cortex-X2, 3x Cortex-A710, 4x Cortex-A510), the RedMagic 7S’s higher clock speeds (3.19 GHz vs 3.00 GHz) provide a performance edge. The RedMagic 7S’s active cooling system, a staple of the brand, further enhances its ability to maintain peak performance under load, something the Xperia 1 IV lacks.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 100 hours, indicating comparable battery life under typical usage. However, their charging approaches differ dramatically. The RedMagic 7S’s 120W wired charging can fully charge the battery in just 17 minutes, a significant advantage for users who need a quick power boost. The Xperia 1 IV’s 30W charging takes 30 minutes to reach 50%, implying a much longer full charge time. The Xperia 1 IV also supports wireless and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the RedMagic 7S. While battery life is similar, the RedMagic 7S’s charging speed is a game-changer for gamers.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S if you need uncompromising gaming performance, incredibly fast charging, and a device specifically engineered for extended play sessions. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV if you prefer a professional-grade camera experience, a more refined multimedia experience, and a focus on content creation with advanced video and photo features.