RedMagic 8S Pro+ vs Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate: Which Gaming Beast Wins?

The ZTE nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+ and the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate represent the pinnacle of Android gaming phones. While both are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, they diverge significantly in their approach – the RedMagic prioritizing raw speed and charging, while the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate focuses on a more holistic, refined gaming experience. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device best suits your gaming needs.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the power user demanding the absolute fastest charging and peak performance, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+ is the winner. Its 165W charging is a game-changer, and the slightly higher CPU clock speed offers a marginal performance edge. However, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate provides a more balanced package with a brighter display and a more mature software experience.

PHONES
Phone Names ZTE nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+ Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bandsLTE1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 - International
5G bandsSA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE (Up to 7CA), 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 -1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - China
Launch
Announced2023, June 052023, April 13
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, July 11Available. Released 2023, May
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame
Dimensions164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in)173 x 77 x 10.3 mm (6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight230 g (8.11 oz)239 g (8.43 oz)
 -Built-in motorized cooling air vent (AeroActive Portal) IP54 water resistant 2" OLED display (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors (China only), 120Hz, 1300 nits (peak)AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 740 (719 MHz)Adreno 740
OSAndroid 13, Redmagic OS 8Android 13, up to 2 major Android upgrades
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM, 1TB 24GB RAM512GB 16GB RAM
 -UFS 4.0 NTFS support for external storage
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, HDR, panorama
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro)50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro)
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR10+
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRPanorama, HDR
Single16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12µm, under display32 MP, f/2.5, 29mm (wide), 1/3.2", 0.7µm
Video1080p@30/60fps1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack -Yes
35mm jackYesYes
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers)
 -32-bit/384kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless
NFCYes (market/region dependent)Yes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.2 (China), 3.1 (International), OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPortUSB Type-C 3.1 (side), DisplayPort 1.4; USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging165W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 14 min65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wired
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Po 6000 mAh
Misc
ColorsMidnight, Platinum, AuroraStorm White
PriceAbout 700 EURAbout 780 EUR
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 131h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -25.5 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 1325105 (v9) GeekBench: 5139 (v5.5), 5567 (v6) GFXBench: 107fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

ZTE nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+

  • Blazing-fast 165W charging
  • Slightly higher CPU clock speed for potential performance gains
  • Aggressive cooling system for sustained performance

  • Potentially less refined software experience
  • Display brightness likely lower than the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

  • Brighter, more color-accurate display
  • Refined gaming experience with AirTriggers
  • More established gaming ecosystem and accessories

  • Significantly slower 65W charging
  • Slightly lower CPU clock speed

Display Comparison

The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 1095 nits, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the RedMagic 8S Pro+. This difference is crucial for outdoor visibility. Both utilize high refresh rate panels, but the ROG Phone’s contrast ratio is listed as infinite (nominal), suggesting superior black levels. While both likely employ AMOLED technology, the ROG Phone’s brightness advantage and potentially superior color calibration give it an edge for multimedia consumption and gaming in bright environments.

Camera Comparison

Both devices feature photo/video capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are limited. Without sensor size or aperture information, a direct comparison is difficult. However, given the ROG Phone’s broader market appeal, it’s likely to offer more refined image processing and a more versatile camera experience. The RedMagic, while capable, likely prioritizes other features over camera excellence. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on either device is largely irrelevant, offering minimal benefit over the main sensor.

Performance

Both phones are equipped with the Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), but the RedMagic 8S Pro+ features a slightly higher CPU clock speed – 3.36 GHz versus 3.2 GHz on the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. This difference, while subtle, could translate to marginally faster performance in CPU-bound tasks. Both utilize LPDDR5x RAM, but the specific speed isn’t provided. Thermal management will be critical; the RedMagic’s aggressive cooling system is designed to sustain peak performance for longer, potentially mitigating throttling. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s thermal solution is also robust, but the RedMagic’s focus on cooling suggests a slight advantage in sustained performance.

Battery Life

The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has an endurance rating of 131 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the RedMagic 8S Pro+’s 165W wired charging is a standout feature, achieving a full charge in just 14 minutes. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s 65W charging takes significantly longer at 42 minutes. While the ROG Phone’s endurance rating suggests comparable battery capacity, the RedMagic’s charging speed dramatically reduces downtime, making it ideal for users who frequently top up their battery. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate also offers 10W reverse wired charging, a feature absent on the RedMagic.

Buying Guide

Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+ if you need the fastest possible charging speeds, prioritize raw CPU performance for demanding tasks, and are comfortable with a more aggressive, feature-rich software experience. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate if you prefer a brighter, more color-accurate display, a more refined and customizable gaming experience with AirTriggers, and a longer-established ecosystem of gaming accessories.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the RedMagic 8S Pro+’s 165W charging degrade the battery faster?
While extremely fast charging can theoretically contribute to battery degradation over the long term, the RedMagic 8S Pro+ incorporates intelligent charging algorithms and temperature control to mitigate this effect. The phone dynamically adjusts the charging rate to protect the battery's health, and the 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 offers improved thermal efficiency, reducing heat buildup during charging.
❓ How effective are the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s AirTriggers for gaming?
The AirTriggers on the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate are highly customizable ultrasonic shoulder buttons that can be mapped to on-screen controls, providing a tactile advantage in many games. They offer precise control and can significantly improve reaction time, particularly in fast-paced action games. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate’s Armoury Crate software allows for extensive customization of AirTrigger functionality.
❓ Will either phone overheat during extended gaming sessions?
Both phones feature advanced cooling systems designed to prevent overheating. The RedMagic 8S Pro+ emphasizes active cooling with a built-in fan, while the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate utilizes a combination of passive and active cooling solutions. While both are capable of sustaining high performance for extended periods, the RedMagic’s more aggressive cooling may provide a slight edge in preventing thermal throttling during extremely demanding games.