ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and AI
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a versatile, intelligent smartphone experience, the Google Pixel 8 Pro emerges as the winner. However, gamers and power users demanding sustained performance and rapid charging will find the RedMagic 9S Pro a more compelling choice.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro | Google Pixel 8 Pro |
| 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, 42, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - G1MNW |
| 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, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G1MNW |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, July 03 | 2023, October 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, July 09 | Available. Released 2023, October 12 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8 mm (6.40 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 229 g (8.08 oz) | 213 g (7.51 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1344 x 2992 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~489 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.7 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1600 nits (HBM), 2400 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.4 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) | Nona-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3 & 4x2.45 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x2.15 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Google Tensor G3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Immortalis-G715s MC10 |
| OS | Android 14, Redmagic OS 9.5 | Android 14, upgradable to Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Multi-zone Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take, Zoom Enhance |
| 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 | 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.0, 126˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.8", 1.12µm, under display | 10.5 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm, PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| 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/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature) |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless Bypass charging |
| Type | 6500 mAh | Li-Ion 5050 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Design Sleet (Black Version), Snowfall (Silver Version), Cyclone (Transparent Black Version), Frost (White Version) | Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Mint |
| Models | - | GC3VE, G1MNW |
| Price | About 700 EUR | € 362.00 / $ 289.97 / £ 329.95 / ₹ 54,999 |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro
- Exceptional gaming performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Longest battery life in this comparison
- Ultra-fast 80W wired charging
- Less refined camera system compared to Pixel 8 Pro
- Software experience may not appeal to all users
Google Pixel 8 Pro
- Best-in-class camera with AI-powered features
- Smooth and intuitive software experience
- Bright and vibrant display
- Shorter battery life than RedMagic 9S Pro
- Slower charging speeds
Display Comparison
The Pixel 8 Pro boasts a significantly brighter display at 1600 nits, compared to the RedMagic 9S Pro’s 1058 nits. This translates to superior visibility under direct sunlight. While both utilize a 4nm chipset, the Pixel’s display technology likely contributes to its higher power consumption. The RedMagic, while dimmer, is geared towards maximizing battery life during gaming, and its refresh rate is likely optimized for smoother gameplay. We lack specific panel technology details (LTPO, AMOLED) for the RedMagic, but the Pixel 8 Pro’s LTPO panel allows for dynamic refresh rate scaling, further optimizing power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 8 Pro’s camera system is a core strength, leveraging Google’s computational photography expertise. While specific sensor details are missing for both, the Pixel’s reputation suggests a larger main sensor and superior image processing algorithms. The RedMagic 9S Pro, while likely equipped with a capable camera, prioritizes gaming features over camera innovation. The Pixel 8 Pro’s focus on AI-powered features like Magic Eraser and Best Take provides a significant advantage in post-processing and creative control. The RedMagic’s camera is likely geared towards adequate performance, but won’t compete with the Pixel’s image quality and feature set.
Performance
The RedMagic 9S Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, with its octa-core configuration (1x3.4 GHz Cortex-X4), is a clear performance leader over the Pixel 8 Pro’s Google Tensor G3 (nona-core, 1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X3). The Snapdragon’s architecture, particularly the Cortex-X4 prime core, offers a substantial advantage in CPU-intensive tasks and gaming. The RedMagic benefits from a more aggressive thermal design, crucial for maintaining peak performance during extended gaming. While the Tensor G3 excels in AI and machine learning tasks, its CPU and GPU performance lag behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The RedMagic’s likely LPDDR5x RAM configuration further enhances memory bandwidth, benefiting gaming performance.
Battery Life
The RedMagic 9S Pro demonstrates superior battery endurance with an active use score of 17:08h, significantly outperforming the Pixel 8 Pro’s 11:14h. This difference is likely due to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s improved power efficiency and the RedMagic’s larger battery capacity (unspecified, but implied to be substantial). The RedMagic also boasts 80W wired charging, achieving 100% charge in just 35 minutes, while the Pixel 8 Pro’s 30W charging takes longer (50% in 30 minutes). The Pixel 8 Pro does offer 23W wireless and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the RedMagic.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro if you need a phone specifically engineered for demanding mobile games, prioritizing sustained performance, active cooling, and a long-lasting battery during intense gaming sessions. Buy the Google Pixel 8 Pro if you prefer a smartphone with a best-in-class camera system, seamless integration with Google’s AI services, and a refined, user-friendly software experience.