ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S vs. Xiaomi 12S Ultra: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing photography and all-around usability, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the better choice. Its superior camera system and balanced feature set outweigh the RedMagic 7S’s gaming focus. However, dedicated mobile gamers will find the RedMagic 7S’s cooling and performance optimizations invaluable.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S | 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, July 11 | 2022, July 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 15 | 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 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 (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 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 SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, Redmagic 5.5 | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB 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, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 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 | 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 | Black, Gray | Black, Dark Green |
| Models | - | 2203121C |
| Price | About 590 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 7S
- Ultra-fast 120W wired charging
- Optimized cooling system for sustained gaming
- Likely high refresh rate display for smooth gameplay
- Lacks wireless charging
- Camera likely inferior to the Xiaomi 12S Ultra
- Potentially less refined overall user experience
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
- Superior camera system for photography and videography
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- High peak display brightness for outdoor visibility
- Slower wired charging compared to RedMagic 7S
- May experience more thermal throttling during prolonged gaming
- Higher price point likely
Display Comparison
Both devices utilize panels capable of high brightness, with the Xiaomi 12S Ultra reaching a measured peak of 1065 nits. While the RedMagic 7S’s display specs aren’t provided, its focus on gaming suggests a high refresh rate is present. The Xiaomi’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) indicates a true OLED panel, offering perfect blacks. The absence of detailed display specs for the RedMagic 7S makes a direct comparison difficult, but the Xiaomi’s brightness advantage is notable for outdoor visibility.
Camera Comparison
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra clearly excels in the camera department. While both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the Xiaomi’s reputation and likely sensor size (not specified in the data) suggest a significantly more capable system. The RedMagic 7S, geared towards gaming, likely prioritizes performance over camera innovation. The Xiaomi’s inclusion of advanced features like OIS and a sophisticated image processing pipeline will result in superior image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The absence of camera details for the RedMagic 7S implies it’s not a primary selling point.
Performance
Both the ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S and Xiaomi 12S Ultra are powered by the Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) chipset, featuring the same Octa-core CPU configuration (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510). However, the RedMagic 7S differentiates itself with a focus on sustained performance through its advanced cooling system. While both will deliver excellent performance, the RedMagic is engineered to maintain peak clock speeds for longer durations during intensive gaming sessions, minimizing thermal throttling. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra, while powerful, may experience more throttling under prolonged heavy load.
Battery Life
Both devices boast an endurance rating of 93 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite differing capacities and charging speeds. However, the charging experience is drastically different. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers 67W wired charging (100% in 41 minutes), 50W wireless charging (100% in 52 minutes), and 10W reverse wireless charging. The RedMagic 7S, in contrast, features a blazing-fast 120W wired charging (100% in 17 minutes) but lacks wireless charging. This makes the RedMagic ideal for users who prioritize quick top-ups, while the Xiaomi offers more versatile charging options.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 7S if you need uncompromising gaming performance, a highly responsive display, and don't mind a more niche feature set. Buy the Xiaomi 12S Ultra if you prefer a versatile camera system, excellent battery life, and a more refined, mainstream smartphone experience with wireless charging capabilities.