The Redmagic 10 Pro, the latest flagship from Nubia’s Redmagic series, has arrived with a bang, surpassing all expectations. With its unique design, cutting-edge cooling technology, and outstanding performance, it’s setting a new standard for mobile gaming. Let’s dive into this powerful device, exploring its design, features, performance, and why it may just be the best gaming phone on the market.
Design and Build Quality
The Redmagic 10 Pro comes in a sleek, boxy design, reminiscent of its predecessor, but with improvements in key areas. It features a solid black variant, which is stealthy and understated compared to the transparent versions. The back sports a subtle triangular pattern, which glistens when the light hits it. The phone is equipped with a durable glass back, which, while non-glossy, does pick up smudges easily. The metal frame curves slightly at the edges, though the phone remains relatively bulky and not the most ergonomic for extended use.
Despite its gaming phone status, the 10 Pro doesn’t scream “gaming.” The design feels more mature and refined, with a hidden LED strip along the edge that illuminates the device’s logo and enhances the overall aesthetic. The device’s weight is on the heavier side, at 229 grams, and its dimensions measure 8.9mm thick, making it slightly bulkier than most smartphones.
Display: Stunning OLED Panel
Redmagic has outfitted the 10 Pro with a stunning 6.85-inch OLED display that boasts a resolution of 1.5K, delivering sharp, vibrant visuals. The display features a 144Hz refresh rate and a high touch sampling rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and responsiveness during intense gaming sessions. Additionally, Redmagic claims a peak brightness of 2,000 nits for HDR content, ensuring the display performs well even in bright outdoor conditions.
The bezels on this display are incredibly slim, allowing for a 95.3% screen-to-body ratio, which is among the highest in the industry. Despite the high performance, the 10 Pro manages to keep the selfie camera discreet with an under-display design. While selfies are not its strongest suit, the camera has improved and is far better than previous generations.
Performance: A Gaming Monster
When it comes to performance, the Redmagic 10 Pro doesn’t disappoint. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, it delivers blazing-fast speeds and exceptional gaming performance. To manage the heat generated by the powerful chipset, Redmagic has equipped the phone with liquid metal, an oversized vapor chamber, and an active cooling fan. This fan runs 15% faster than previous iterations, helping maintain performance during extended sessions.
The 10 Pro scored an impressive 2.8 million on AnTuTu benchmarks, and under stress testing, it retained 85% of its peak performance after continuous use. While the device can heat up to 49°C during intense use, Redmagic’s cooling technology ensures that the device remains stable, even under heavy gaming loads.
One of the standout features of the 10 Pro is its emulation capabilities. The phone easily handles PS2 emulation at 5x resolution, offering smooth gameplay without overheating. However, with newer emulators like Windows emulation, the lack of proper driver support at the moment means that it may take time before the device can fully showcase its capabilities.
Battery Life and Charging Speed
The Redmagic 10 Pro comes with a substantial 6,500mAh silicon carbide battery, which is capable of supporting extended gaming sessions. The phone’s Pro Plus variant comes with a larger 7,050mAh battery, allowing for even longer use. While the Pro variant charges at 80W, the Pro Plus supports 120W charging, delivering lightning-fast power-ups.
For a gaming phone, the 10 Pro manages battery life quite efficiently, offering enough juice for a whole day of use even with gaming sessions mixed in. The inclusion of fast charging ensures that you’re never left waiting long to get back into action.
Camera: Above Average for a Gaming Phone
While gaming phones typically don’t focus heavily on camera performance, Redmagic has done a commendable job with the 10 Pro’s optics. It features a 50MP OmniVision primary camera, paired with an f/1.88 lens and optical image stabilization. The results are crisp and vibrant, especially in low light. However, compared to flagship smartphones focused on photography, the 10 Pro’s camera lags slightly behind.
For video, the Redmagic 10 Pro supports 8K 30fps recording and 4K 60fps with stable footage. The secondary ultra-wide camera is also a 50MP sensor, offering excellent detail, while the 2MP macro shooter adds versatility to your photography.
Software: Redmagic OS on Android 15
Running on Redmagic OS, which is based on Android 15, the 10 Pro provides a clean and smooth user interface. The OS is optimized for gaming, offering features like Game Space, which helps enhance performance during gaming. Customization options for gaming triggers, shortcuts, and controls allow users to tailor the phone’s interface to their specific needs. While software updates are not always guaranteed, the Redmagic 9 Pro received at least two years of updates, so we expect similar support for the 10 Pro.
Price and Value for Money
At a starting price of approximately $690, the Redmagic 10 Pro offers excellent value for money, especially considering its top-of-the-line performance and gaming-focused features. The Pro Plus variant, which offers higher RAM and storage options, is priced higher, but it addresses key concerns like battery life and charging speed.
When compared to its competitors, the 10 Pro is a game-changer. Its liquid metal cooling, advanced display, and flagship-level performance make it one of the best options for mobile gamers. The performance is on par with other flagship gaming phones like the ASUS ROG series, and Redmagic has managed to improve its cooling technology to keep the device performing well without thermal throttling.
Conclusion
The Redmagic 10 Pro is a powerhouse that redefines mobile gaming. It combines impressive design, exceptional performance, and reliable cooling to create a device that can handle even the most demanding gaming sessions. Whether you’re into emulation, native Android gaming, or just need a phone that can handle it all, the Redmagic 10 Pro is a fantastic choice. If you’re a mobile gamer, this phone is a must-have in 2024.
With the Redmagic 10 Pro, Nubia has once again proven its commitment to pushing the boundaries of mobile gaming performance, and it’s clear that this device will dominate the market for the foreseeable future.
