ZTE nubia RedMagic Mars vs. Samsung Galaxy S10+: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Features
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balanced experience, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is the superior choice. Its more efficient Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 chipset, coupled with a stunning display and versatile camera system, offers a more refined and feature-rich experience. However, gamers on a budget will find the RedMagic Mars delivers impressive performance for its price.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic Mars | Samsung Galaxy S10+ |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018, November. Released 2018, December | 2019, February 20 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Dinorex T2X-1), aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), ceramic back, ceramic frame |
| Dimensions | 158.2 x 75 x 9.9 mm (6.23 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) | 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8 mm (6.20 x 2.92 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | 193 g (6.81 oz) | 175 g / 198 g (ceramic) (6.17 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Dinorex T2X-1 scratch/shock resistant glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~402 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 92.9 cm2 (~78.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 103.8 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 630 | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), Redmagic 1.0 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 10GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/1.8, PDAF | - |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm, depth sensor |
| Features | HDR | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0 | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired | 15W wired, PD2.0 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 3800 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4100 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Red, Camouflage | Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink, Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, Cardinal Red, Smoke Blue |
| Models | NX619J | SM-G975F, SM-G975U, SM-G975W, SM-G975U1, SM-G9750, SM-G975N, SM-G975X |
| Price | About 420 EUR | $ 199.00 / C$ 879.99 / £ 999.00 / € 299.00 / ₹ 39,940 |
| SAR | - | 1.06 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.52 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -94.3dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 91h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.514 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -24.7 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 333736 (v7), 399901 (v8) GeekBench: 10387 (v4.4), 2190 (v5.1) GFXBench: 23fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia RedMagic Mars
- Excellent value for money
- Dedicated gaming performance
- Aggressive cooling system (implied by gaming focus)
- Inferior camera quality
- Less refined software experience
- Slower charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy S10+
- Stunning display with high contrast
- Versatile and high-quality camera system
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Higher price point
- Potential for Exynos throttling (EMEA/LATAM)
- Less focused on pure gaming performance
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S10+ boasts a superior display experience. While the RedMagic Mars’ specifications aren’t provided, the S10+ features an 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal 4.514 in sunlight), indicating excellent visibility even in bright conditions. The S10+’s panel technology, though not specified as LTPO, delivers vibrant colors and sharp details. The RedMagic Mars, being a budget-focused gaming phone, likely utilizes a less advanced panel, potentially impacting color accuracy and outdoor visibility. The S10+'s higher contrast ratio and likely superior color calibration provide a more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S10+ clearly excels in camera capabilities. While specific sensor details are missing for both, the S10+ is known for its versatile camera system with features like multiple lenses and advanced image processing. The RedMagic Mars, geared towards gaming, likely features a more basic camera setup. The S10+'s image processing algorithms are renowned for producing vibrant and detailed photos, while the RedMagic Mars will likely prioritize speed over image quality. The inclusion of features like OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on the S10+ further enhances its photographic capabilities.
Performance
The chipset is a key differentiator. The RedMagic Mars utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (10nm), while the S10+ comes with either the Exynos 9820 (8nm) or Snapdragon 855 (7nm) depending on the region. The 7nm process node of the Snapdragon 855 and 8nm of the Exynos 9820 offer improved power efficiency and thermal performance compared to the 10nm Snapdragon 845. The S10+'s CPU, with its custom Mongoose M4 cores (Exynos) or Kryo 485 cores (Snapdragon), provides a performance edge over the RedMagic Mars’ Kryo 385 cores. While both are octa-core CPUs, the S10+’s architecture is more modern and efficient. The RedMagic Mars will deliver solid gaming performance, but the S10+ will likely exhibit less throttling during extended gaming sessions due to its superior thermal management.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S10+ has an endurance rating of 91 hours, indicating excellent battery life. While the RedMagic Mars’ battery capacity isn’t specified, its 18W wired charging is slower than the S10+'s 15W wired charging with PD2.0, and the S10+ also offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging – features absent on the RedMagic Mars. The S10+'s combination of efficient chipset and optimized software contributes to its longer battery life, despite potentially having a similar or smaller battery capacity than the RedMagic Mars. The S10+'s wireless charging capabilities add convenience for users.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic Mars if you need a dedicated gaming phone with a focus on maximizing performance-per-dollar and don't mind sacrificing camera quality and some premium features. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10+ if you prefer a flagship experience with a beautiful display, a versatile camera system, wireless charging, and a more polished software experience, even if it comes at a higher cost.