ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro+ vs. Motorola Edge+ (2023): A Deep Dive into Gaming and Everyday Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro+ is the clear winner, thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and blistering 165W charging. However, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) provides a more polished, all-around experience for users prioritizing a balanced feature set and a less aggressive aesthetic.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro+ | Motorola Edge+ (2023) |
| 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, 14, 17, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 65, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024, July 03 | 2023, May 02 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, July 09 | Available. Released 2023, May 19 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 161.2 x 74 x 8.6 mm (6.35 x 2.91 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 229 g (8.08 oz) | 203 g (7.16 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1116 x 2480 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~89.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 1600 nits (peak) | OLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1300 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 (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 (1 GHz) | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 14, Redmagic OS 9.5 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 24GB RAM | 512GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 4.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| 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/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/1.6, (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 10-bit HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.8", 1.12µm, under display | 60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.61µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 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, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, OTG, accessory connector, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort 1.4 |
| 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 |
| - | Ready For 3.5 support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 165W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 16 min | 68W wired 15W wireless 5W reverse wired 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 5500 mAh | Li-Po 5100 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Design Sleet (Black Version), Snowfall (Silver Version), Cyclone (Transparent Black Version), Frost (White Version) | Interstellar Black |
| Price | About 740 EUR | $ 298.99 |
ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro+
- Unmatched gaming performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Blazing-fast 165W wired charging
- Active cooling system for sustained performance
- Potentially less refined software experience
- Gaming-focused design may not appeal to all users
Motorola Edge+ (2023)
- Balanced performance and features
- Refined software experience
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower charging speeds compared to RedMagic
- Less powerful chipset for demanding games
Display Comparison
While both devices utilize 4nm chipsets, their display priorities differ. The RedMagic 9S Pro+ likely features a high refresh rate panel optimized for gaming, though specific details like peak brightness are unavailable. The Motorola Edge+ (2023) likely prioritizes color accuracy and viewing angles, typical of Motorola's displays. The absence of LTPO information for the RedMagic suggests potentially higher power consumption at lower refresh rates compared to a device with LTPO technology. Bezels are expected to be minimal on both, but the RedMagic's design may prioritize screen real estate over ultra-thin bezels.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs, it's difficult to make a definitive comparison. However, Motorola generally focuses on computational photography and image processing, aiming for realistic and balanced photos. The RedMagic, geared towards gaming, may prioritize speed and efficiency over advanced camera features. The absence of information regarding sensor sizes suggests the Motorola Edge+ (2023) likely has a larger main sensor, potentially offering better low-light performance. The inclusion of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on the Motorola is probable, further enhancing image quality. Any 2MP macro or depth sensors on either device are likely to offer limited practical benefit.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the RedMagic 9S Pro+ boasts the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, built on a 4nm process, while the Motorola Edge+ (2023) uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, also 4nm. The 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) represents a significant architectural upgrade over the Gen 2’s (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715, 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710, 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510), promising substantial gains in CPU and GPU performance. This translates to higher sustained frame rates in demanding games and faster processing speeds for intensive tasks. The RedMagic’s active cooling system is crucial for maintaining peak performance under load, mitigating thermal throttling that the Edge+ might experience during prolonged gaming sessions. The RedMagic likely utilizes faster LPDDR5x RAM to further enhance performance.
Battery Life
The Motorola Edge+ (2023) offers 68W wired charging, 15W wireless, and reverse wireless charging, providing flexibility. However, the RedMagic 9S Pro+’s 165W wired charging is a game-changer, capable of fully charging the device in approximately 16 minutes. While the RedMagic’s battery capacity is unknown, the significantly faster charging speed compensates for any potential difference in mAh. The Motorola’s wireless charging is a convenience feature the RedMagic lacks, but the speed disparity in wired charging is substantial.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 9S Pro+ if you need uncompromising gaming performance, sustained high frame rates, and the fastest possible charging speeds. You'll benefit from its active cooling system and gaming-centric features. Buy the Motorola Edge+ (2023) if you prefer a more refined software experience, a versatile camera system, and a device that excels in everyday tasks without sacrificing performance, but doesn't prioritize gaming above all else.