ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Features

The ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra represent opposite ends of the flagship spectrum. The RedMagic 9S Pro is laser-focused on delivering an uncompromising gaming experience, while the S24 Ultra aims to be the ultimate all-rounder, excelling in photography, productivity, and everyday use. This comparison dissects their key differences to help you choose the right device.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the more compelling choice. Its superior display, versatile camera system, and refined software experience outweigh the RedMagic 9S Pro’s gaming focus. However, dedicated mobile gamers will find the RedMagic 9S Pro’s extended battery life and cooling system invaluable.

PHONES
Phone Names ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 661, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 65, 77, 78 SA/NSA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE (up to 7CA), 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
Launch
Announced2024, July 032024, January 17
StatusAvailable. Released 2024, July 09Available. Released 2024, January 24
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass backGlass front (Corning Gorilla Armor), glass back (Corning Gorilla Armor), titanium frame (grade 2)
Dimensions164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in)162.3 x 79 x 8.6 mm (6.39 x 3.11 x 0.34 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - INT· Nano-SIM + eSIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) - USA· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM - CN
Weight229 g (8.08 oz)232 g or 233 g (8.18 oz)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Armor
Resolution1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density)1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~505 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 113.5 cm2 (~88.5% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak)Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.4 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520)8-core (1x3.39GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.1GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.9GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.2GHz Cortex-A520)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 750 (1 GHz)Adreno 750 (1 GHz)
OSAndroid 14, Redmagic OS 9.5Android 14, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 8.0
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad-200 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", 0.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/3.4, 111mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.52", 0.7µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Triple50 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-
Video8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, HDR10+
Single16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.8", 1.12µm, under display12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video1080p@30/60fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE5.3, A2DP, LE
Infrared portYes-
NFCYes (market/region dependent)Yes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPortUSB Type-C 3.2, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG
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, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery
Charging80W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 35 min45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type6500 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsDesign Sleet (Black Version), Snowfall (Silver Version), Cyclone (Transparent Black Version), Frost (White Version)Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, Titanium Orange
Models-SM-S928B, SM-S928B/DS, SM-S928U, SM-S928U1, SM-S928W, SM-S928N, SM-S9280, SM-S928E, SM-S928E/DS
PriceAbout 700 EUR$ 514.94 / C$ 929.99 / £ 630.00 / € 658.53 / ₹ 84,999
SAR-1.26 W/kg (head)     0.62 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.06 W/kg (head)     1.30 W/kg (body)

ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro

  • Exceptional battery life for extended gaming
  • Faster 80W wired charging
  • Aggressive cooling system prevents throttling

  • Less refined software experience
  • Display not as bright as the S24 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

  • Brighter and more color-accurate display
  • Versatile and high-quality camera system
  • Polished software experience with long-term support

  • Shorter battery life compared to RedMagic 9S Pro
  • Slower 45W wired charging

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1447 nits compared to the RedMagic 9S Pro’s 1058 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both utilize the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the S24 Ultra’s display benefits from Samsung’s advanced panel technology, likely including LTPO for adaptive refresh rates, contributing to power efficiency. The RedMagic 9S Pro, while still excellent, prioritizes refresh rate and responsiveness for gaming over peak brightness.

Camera Comparison

The context data for the S24 Ultra highlights its camera capabilities, though specific sensor details are missing. Samsung’s history suggests a multi-lens system with a high-resolution main sensor and advanced image processing. The RedMagic 9S Pro, while likely equipped with a capable camera, is not positioned as a photography powerhouse. The S24 Ultra’s camera system will offer greater versatility, superior low-light performance, and more advanced features like 8K video recording. The absence of detailed camera specs for the RedMagic 9S Pro suggests it’s a secondary consideration for this device.

Performance

Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) chipset, but subtle CPU clock speed differences exist. The RedMagic 9S Pro features a slightly faster primary Cortex-X4 core at 3.4 GHz versus the S24 Ultra’s 3.39 GHz. However, the S24 Ultra’s more refined thermal management, coupled with Samsung’s software optimizations, likely results in more sustained performance under heavy load. Both utilize LPDDR5x RAM, but the RedMagic 9S Pro’s aggressive cooling system allows it to maintain higher clock speeds for longer gaming sessions.

Battery Life

The ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro demonstrably wins in battery endurance, achieving 17:08 hours of active use compared to the S24 Ultra’s 13:49 hours. This is a significant advantage for gamers and power users. While the S24 Ultra supports 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, the RedMagic 9S Pro’s 80W wired charging is considerably faster, reaching 100% in just 35 minutes. The S24 Ultra only reaches 65% in 30 minutes. This faster charging mitigates the impact of the larger battery capacity on the RedMagic 9S Pro.

Buying Guide

Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro if you prioritize uninterrupted gaming sessions, demand the longest possible battery life, and appreciate a raw, performance-focused experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra if you value a premium, polished experience with a best-in-class camera, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and a broader range of features for everyday use.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the RedMagic 9S Pro’s cooling system generate noticeable fan noise during intense gaming?
The RedMagic 9S Pro utilizes an active cooling system with a fan. While effective at maintaining performance, the fan can become audible during prolonged, demanding gaming sessions. The noise level is generally considered acceptable for the performance gains, but users sensitive to noise may find it distracting.
❓ How does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 implementation differ between the RedMagic 9S Pro and the Galaxy S24 Ultra in terms of sustained performance?
Both phones use the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, but the RedMagic 9S Pro’s superior cooling allows it to maintain peak performance for longer durations. The S24 Ultra, while also capable, may experience more thermal throttling under sustained load due to its more conservative thermal design.
❓ Is the 80W charging on the RedMagic 9S Pro compatible with Power Delivery (PD) chargers from other devices?
Yes, the RedMagic 9S Pro supports PD3.0 charging, meaning it is compatible with many standard USB-C PD chargers. However, to achieve the full 80W charging speed, you'll need a charger specifically rated for that wattage.
❓ What kind of gaming features does the RedMagic 9S Pro offer beyond raw performance?
The RedMagic 9S Pro includes dedicated shoulder triggers for enhanced gaming control, a high refresh rate display for smooth visuals, and Game Space software for optimizing performance and blocking notifications during gameplay. These features cater specifically to mobile gamers.