RedMagic 9S Pro vs. Realme GT5 Pro: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers prioritizing marathon sessions, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro is the clear winner, boasting a significantly longer active use battery life of 17:08h. However, the Realme GT5 Pro counters with a brighter, more vibrant display and faster charging, making it ideal for multimedia consumption and users who value convenience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro | Realme GT5 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 850 / 900 / 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 65, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, July 03 | 2023, December 07 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, July 09 | Available. Released 2023, December 14 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front, glass back or silicone polymer back (eco leather), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 161.7 x 75.1 x 9.2 mm (6.37 x 2.96 x 0.36 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 229 g (8.08 oz) | 218 g / 224 g (7.69 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | - |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1264 x 2780 pixels (~450 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 111.7 cm2 (~92.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 4500 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) | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Adreno 750 |
| OS | Android 14, Redmagic OS 9.5 | Android 14, upgradable to Android 15, Realme UI 6.0 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, 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 | 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.6, 65mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS, 2.7x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 112˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.8", 1.12µm, under display | 32 MP, f/2.5, 22mm (wide), 1/2.74" |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (Dolby Atmos certified) |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes, 360˚ |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC |
| 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/6/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min | 100W wired, 50% in 12 min 50W wireless |
| Type | 6500 mAh | Li-Ion 5400 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Design Sleet (Black Version), Snowfall (Silver Version), Cyclone (Transparent Black Version), Frost (White Version) | Black, Silver, Orange |
| Models | - | RMX3888 |
| Price | About 700 EUR | About 430 EUR |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro
- Exceptional battery life (17:08h active use)
- Slightly faster CPU clock speed
- Likely superior thermal management with active cooling
- Lower peak display brightness (1058 nits)
- Limited camera information suggests a weaker system
Realme GT5 Pro
- Significantly brighter display (1660 nits)
- Faster wired and wireless charging
- Potentially superior camera system
- Shorter battery life (14:16h active use)
- Slightly slower CPU clock speed
Display Comparison
The Realme GT5 Pro immediately stands out with its measured peak brightness of 1660 nits, significantly exceeding the RedMagic 9S Pro’s 1058 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize high refresh rate panels, the GT5 Pro’s brightness advantage is crucial for outdoor use and HDR content. The RedMagic 9S Pro, however, is likely to employ a higher PWM dimming frequency, potentially reducing eye strain for users sensitive to flicker, a detail not explicitly provided but common in gaming phones. Bezels are likely comparable, given both phones target a premium aesthetic, but the GT5 Pro’s display is the clear victor in terms of raw luminance.
Camera Comparison
The provided data only mentions 'Photo / Video' for the Realme GT5 Pro, lacking specific sensor details. Given Realme’s recent focus on camera technology, it’s reasonable to assume the GT5 Pro features a more sophisticated camera system with a larger main sensor and advanced image processing capabilities. The RedMagic 9S Pro’s camera specifications are entirely absent, suggesting it’s a secondary consideration compared to gaming. Users prioritizing photography and videography should lean towards the GT5 Pro, anticipating a more versatile and higher-quality camera experience. The lack of detail on the RedMagic’s camera suggests it won’t compete directly in this area.
Performance
Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm SM8650-AC/AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm), but subtle CPU clock speed differences exist. The RedMagic 9S Pro features a slightly faster prime core at 3.4 GHz compared to the GT5 Pro’s 3.3 GHz. While this difference is unlikely to be noticeable in most everyday tasks, it *could* translate to marginally higher sustained performance in CPU-intensive gaming scenarios. Both utilize a similar core configuration (1+3+2+2), and both benefit from the 4nm process node, ensuring excellent thermal efficiency. However, the RedMagic’s active cooling system (not detailed in the provided data, but a key feature) will likely allow it to maintain peak performance for longer periods, mitigating throttling. Both likely use LPDDR5x RAM, but specific speeds aren't provided.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the RedMagic 9S Pro truly shines, achieving an impressive 17:08h of active use. This is a substantial improvement over the GT5 Pro’s 14:16h. While the GT5 Pro compensates with faster charging – 100W wired (50% in 12 minutes) and 50W wireless – the RedMagic’s longer runtime is more valuable for gamers and power users. The RedMagic’s 80W wired charging (100% in 35 minutes) is still respectable, but slower than the GT5 Pro. The difference in battery life suggests the RedMagic’s software and hardware are optimized for power efficiency, prioritizing sustained performance over peak charging speed.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro if you need uncompromising gaming performance, exceptional battery life for extended play, and active cooling to prevent throttling. Buy the Realme GT5 Pro if you prefer a brighter, more visually immersive display, incredibly fast charging speeds, and a more versatile camera system, even if it means slightly shorter battery life.