RedMagic 9S Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: A Deep Dive into Gaming, Performance, and Ecosystems
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing camera quality, ease of use, and ecosystem integration, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the superior choice. However, gamers and power users demanding maximum performance and battery life will find the RedMagic 9S Pro a more compelling option.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro | Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 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, 42, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 53, 66 - A3106 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 65, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A3106 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, July 03 | 2023, September 12 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, July 09 | Available. Released 2023, September 22 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front, glass back, titanium frame (grade 5) |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 159.9 x 76.7 x 8.3 mm (6.30 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time; International)· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (China) |
| Weight | 229 g (8.08 oz) | 221 g (7.80 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Ceramic Shield glass |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1290 x 2796 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak) | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.4 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) | Hexa-core (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Apple A17 Pro (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 14, Redmagic OS 9.5 | iOS 17, upgradable to iOS 26.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama) |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm Auxiliary lens | 48 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.8, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.06", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3D sensor‑shift OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, 10-bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, 3D (spatial) video, stereo sound rec. |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, Dolby Vision HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.8", 1.12µm, under display | 12 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, hotspot |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min | Wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update 4.5W reverse wired |
| Type | 6500 mAh | Li-Ion 4441 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Design Sleet (Black Version), Snowfall (Silver Version), Cyclone (Transparent Black Version), Frost (White Version) | Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium |
| Models | - | A2849, A3105, A3106, A3108, iPhone16,2 |
| Price | About 700 EUR | € 758.79 / $ 579.87 / £ 628.29 |
| SAR | - | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.11 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.98 W/kg (head) 0.98 W/kg (body) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro
- Exceptional battery life (17:08h active use)
- Faster 80W wired charging
- Optimized for gaming with powerful chipset and likely high refresh rate
- Camera likely inferior to iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Less refined software experience compared to iOS
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Superior camera quality and video recording
- Seamless iOS ecosystem integration
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Slower charging speeds
- Slightly shorter battery life in active use
Display Comparison
The iPhone 15 Pro Max boasts a significantly brighter display at 1787 nits, compared to the RedMagic 9S Pro’s 1058 nits, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both likely utilize LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates (though not explicitly stated for the RedMagic), the iPhone’s higher peak brightness is a clear advantage for outdoor use. The RedMagic, however, is likely to prioritize a higher refresh rate for smoother gaming, a detail not specified in the provided data but typical for the brand. Bezels are likely comparable, but the iPhone’s display is known for its color accuracy, a key factor for content creators.
Camera Comparison
The provided data highlights the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s strength in this area, simply stating 'Photo / Video' capabilities. Apple’s computational photography is renowned for its natural-looking images and excellent video stabilization. While the RedMagic 9S Pro’s camera specs are absent, it’s reasonable to assume it won’t match the iPhone’s image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The iPhone’s advanced image processing pipeline and sensor technology (likely a larger sensor than the RedMagic) will deliver superior results for most users. The absence of detail on the RedMagic’s camera suggests it’s not a primary selling point.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) in the RedMagic 9S Pro versus Apple’s A17 Pro (3nm) in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The A17 Pro’s 3nm process gives it a theoretical efficiency advantage, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s octa-core configuration (1x3.4 GHz Cortex-X4, 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720, 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720, 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) suggests a focus on sustained performance under heavy load, crucial for gaming. The iPhone’s hexa-core CPU (2x3.78 GHz + 4x2.11 GHz) prioritizes peak single-core performance. The RedMagic’s likely larger RAM capacity (not specified, but typical for gaming phones) and optimized thermal design will further enhance its gaming capabilities.
Battery Life
The RedMagic 9S Pro edges out the iPhone 15 Pro Max in battery endurance, achieving 17:08 hours of active use compared to the iPhone’s 16:01 hours. While the iPhone boasts an 'Endurance rating' of 118 hours (a different metric), the active use test provides a more realistic comparison. The RedMagic’s 80W wired charging (100% in 35 minutes) is significantly faster than the iPhone’s wired charging (50% in 30 minutes) and wireless options (15W MagSafe/Qi2). The RedMagic’s faster charging is a major convenience for users who frequently need to top up their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro if you need uncompromising gaming performance, exceptional battery life exceeding 17 hours of active use, and a customizable Android experience. Buy the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max if you prefer a premium camera system, seamless integration with other Apple devices, and a refined, user-friendly iOS interface.