Nubia’s latest flagship gaming smartphone RedMagic 7 offers incredible top-end specs at a mid-range price.
It continues a run of highly rated devices that match the power of the competitors such as Asus ROG Phone and Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2 but don’t cost anywhere near as much.
It includes the best chipset for Android, a built-in fan, shoulder triggers that can be mapped to the screen, a massive 6.8in 165Hz display and a headphone jack for zero latency wired gaming audio.
And this time out the firm has updated its OS software that improves the overall experience.
The device runs RedMagic OS 5.0 based on Android 12 out of the box.
Performance
The main reason this new handset is the best you can currently buy is it is powered by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
No other gaming phone is currently driven by the latest top-end Qualcomm processor.
The benchmark scores are as high as you would expect from the new Snapdragon chip, beating every other Android smartphone in some tests.
While testing its sustained performance provided impressive results with the fan switched on – the CPU was only throttled to 88 per cent of its maximum performance over a lengthy session.
My review model had an incredible 16GB RAM but you can spec this up to 18GB RAM if you wish.
Overall, the performance is next level super smooth.
Display
RedMagic 7 sports a dazzling 6.8in, 2400 x 1080 resolution, AMOLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 165Hz refresh rate.
There are no punch-hole cutouts, this is an immersive display with the selfie camera hidden in the bezels which are just big enough to allow you to hold the phone in landscape mode comfortably without any accidental on-screen touches.
There is an element of diminishing returns as you increase in refresh rates, but 165Hz is still fantastic.
You can choose 165Hz, 120Hz, 90Hz, or 60Hz, in order to decrease power consumption, but for the purpose of the review I generally left the refresh rate at 165Hz.
It’s a flat panel, incidentally, and a screen protector is pre-installed. Maximum brightness is 700 nits and there is support for a wide colour gamut.
The 720Hz touch sampling rate is best-in-class on a smartphone available in Europe, and ensures a responsive and speedy gaming experience.
Design and build
The aerospace-grade aluminium and glass build has a beautifully slick finish. The handset is large but still feels comfortable and sturdy in the hand.
My review model is the stunning colourful Pulsar option which has blue and purple hues. The RedMagic logo on the rear glows red.
The device has a headphone jack at the top and shoulder triggers at the top and bottom of the right-hand side.
The all-important slider on the top left puts your phone into gaming mode.
Game Space
Game Space automatically enables the built-in fan and it’s a straightforward process to configure the shoulder triggers.
They do boost the overall gaming experience.
Game Space is the central hub for all things gaming-related and once inside it you can add games, set up game-specific graphics and user settings or tweak your system preferences.
You can limit the network usage of other apps, adjust the plug-ins, adjust status bar settings and set up anti-disturbance options for calls and notifications.
Players can change the screen refresh rate too.
And there are Quick Picture Library and Quick Notes sections that can hold up to 50 images and notes for you to view all from within the game.
Cooling
The upgraded ICE 8.0 multi-dimensional cooling system dissipates heat with a nine-layers of different cooling methods including phase change material (PCM), a turbofan powered cooling air duct, high-conductivity copper foil, thermally conductive rare earth materials, a Vapor Chamber Cooling (VC) and graphite sheet.
The heat dissipation and absorption speeds have also been increased by 400 times compared to its previous iteration, RedMagic 6.
That said, over longer periods the phone does still get hot but not uncomfortably so.
One thing which has improved greatly compared to predecessors is the fan noise which is reduced significantly.
It’s worth noting that the built-in fan means that the phone is not IP rated for water or dust resistance.
Battery life
RedMagic 7 sports a 4500mAh battery with 65W fast charger in the box. You can recharge the phone fully in less than 40 minutes.
Which is good as the size of the battery means the overall endurance is not as strong as some competitors’ devices.
There is no wireless charging, incidentally.
Cameras
The triple camera system includes a 65MP primary camera. It’s only average and is the one weak link in the phone’s hardware.
That said, most people do not buy gaming phones for the prowess of their cameras so it’s unlikely to be a dealbreaker for many potential customers.
Other features
RedMagic 7 has an in-display fingerprint sensor that works exceptionally well and can also be used to measure your heart rate.
Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and dual 5G-compatible SIM slots.
Google Pay does not work even though the phone has NFC.
You can’t install your own custom launcher.
The phone comes with a brilliant protective case in the box.
Verdict
RedMagic 7 may be the ultimate gaming smartphone right now in terms of power and gaming features, but the weak cameras and the software issues mean that it isn’t a great everyday smartphone for everyone.
Even though the OS is improved somewhat from previous versions, it is still buggy. But when you are gaming it works fluidly and flawlessly.
You’d get a much more polished overall user experience from ROG Phone or OnePlus 9 Pro.
But if you are a die-hard gamer then RedMagic 7 will deliver everything you need.
And it is incredibly good value whichever of the three configurations you opt for.
Pricing and availability
RedMagic 7 will be available to buy at from March 10. Obsidian Black 128GB/12GB costs €629, Pulsar 256GB/16GB costs €729 and Supernova 256GB/18GB costs €799.
Key specs
Dimensions: 170.6 x 78.3x 9.5 mm
Weight: 215g
Display: 6.8in FHD+, 2400 x 1080 resolution, OLED display, 20:9 aspect ratio, 165Hz refresh rate
OS: Android 12 with RedMagic OS 5.0
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 12GB/16GB/18GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Rear cameras: 64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP
Front camera: 8MP
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, NFC, 5G
Battery: 4,500mAh
Charging: 65W wired via USB-C
