When you're looking for one of the best gaming phones on the market, there are only really a few options. While the market was once peppered with options, there are really only a couple of models worthy of your hard earned cash.
Sure, you could just pick up one of the best phones on the market. They're likely to have the horsepower required for some casual gaming exploits. But if you like to game a bit more than most, picking up something designed specifically for the job is worthwhile.
That's the idea behind the Redmagic 8 Pro Titanium I have to test today. This device is packed with premium specs in all the right places. It also has a couple of features more specifically designed for the gaming aficionado. So, is it worth your time? Lets find out.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Price and Availability
The Redmagic 8 Pro comes in a few different variations. The model I have to test here is the Titanium, which is the top spec model on offer. It will set you back £709 / $799.
There's also the standard Matte version. That costs £579 / $649, and sacrifices some of the onboard storage. Users can pick up either variant from the Redmagic website.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Design and Features
The design of the Redmagic 8 Pro is arguably the most striking thing about it. It features a really square profile, complete with flat square edges. There's only the most minor hint of curving on them – certainly nothing like the curved edges that have gone in and out of fashion in recent years.
It's certainly bold. I'm actually quite a fan of this design, which sets itself apart from others visually. It won't be for everyone, though, particularly given the size of the handset itself.
So, what's packed inside of that box? Well, first things first, there's the processor – a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. That's the current best on the market for Android phones and with good reason. It offers a significant boost over the previous generation and you really notice it. I've used a few handsets with that chip now and all have been superb.
That's paired up with 16GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage, depending on whether you opt for the Titanium or Matte variant. Either way, that's plenty to be getting about your usual day-to-day tasks.
Then there's the cooling system. On a gaming phone, this is a crucial component, as top titles can often turn devices into flaming hot bricks. The ICE 11 cooling system in this handset pairs a 20,000 RPM fan with a redesigned heat dissipation system. There's graphene layers under the screen, there's a large vapor chamber – even the aluminium frame has been designed to remove heat.
The display is a 6.8-inch FHD+ panel. It's a bezel-free design with a front-facing camera mounted under the display, for a totally uninterrupted and consuming picture.
Talking of the camera, there's a trio of rear-mounted lenses for shot-snapping duties. A 50MP main sensor is paired with an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro lens. We'll get into the camera a little deeper later on.
The battery is a 6,000mAh unit. That's formed of two cells, and is charged with 65W fast charging.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Display
The display is arguably the most important part of a phone. It's where the user interacts with the handset – an otherwise great handset can be killed by a naff screen.
Fortunately, that's not the case here. The 6.8-inch AMOLED display is stunning. Colours are vibrant and bright and there's a really captivating level of clarity on board. That's perfect for gaming – as you'd probably expect – but it's also great for everyday use.
The display packs some really slim bezels, too, with a 93% screen-to-body ratio. That, combined with an under-screen mounted front camera, makes for a large panel of uninterrupted goodness. It's really lovely to use, and makes for a really immersive viewing experience.
For context, the 2480 x 1116 display packs in 400 pixels per inch. It also has a peak brightness of 1,300 nits, which is great for use in any light – even those rare sunny days we get here in Britain.
One final plus point for gaming fans is the touch sampling rate. At 960Hz, button presses are snappy and accurate – perfect for gaining the edge in a tight battle. That also pegs it above the Asus ROG Phone 7, which can only boast a 720Hz rate.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Camera
Cameras are often a point where gaming phones can fall down slightly. With so much top-spec stuff being crammed in elsewhere, corners often need to be cut to save on the retail price, and the camera regularly find itself on the chopping block.
It's a mixed bag on this device. The main sensor is really fabulous. Images are sharp and defined, with saturated colours. It's a really lovely sensor to find on the back of your phone, and should be more than enough for most users' day-to-day shot snapping.
Okay, it's not quite on the level of the top camera phones on the market. Devices like the Google Pixel 7 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra feature stunning cameras, which far outstrip what you'd expect from a phone. But it's going to be good enough for most people.
The ultra-wide is poor, though. That colour saturation goes out the window, leaving images looking drained and overly bright. The detail from the main sensor is gone, too. It's a noticeable step down from the main sensor.
Whether or not that is a crucial issue is debatable, though. I take a lot of photos and it's very rare that I'll actively choose to use a wide-angle lens. Only a handful of shots really call for it. I'd wager that a lot of people never even touch it. If that's you, then you'll get on just fine with the main sensor.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Performance
In use, this phone really delivers. The Snapdragon processor makes things snappy and efficient, while the display brings everything to life. Watching content is great, and burning through mundane tasks like emails and scrolling through social media is slick.
Lets talk gaming though, because that's what we're all really here for. And I'm pleased to say it doesn't disappoint. Blasting through a handful of familiar mobile games – FIFA Mobile, Call of Duty and Genshin Impact – I was impressed with the performance on each.
Nothing was really able to push the phone beyond its limit. Graphics were exceptional, with smooth motion and slick gameplay across the board. Call of Duty and Genshin both benefit from the Air Triggers on the top of the device, too.
Those act in a similar fashion to the trigger on a controller for a PS5 or an Xbox. The difference here is that they're touch-sensitive buttons mounted on the top-edge of the device when held in landscape orientation.
On the Redmagic, they use a 520Hz touch sampling rate. That's not as slick at the on-screen spec, but still more than good enough for accurate gameplay. The setup is really simple too – just drag the appropriate left or right marker over the on-screen button and you're good to go.
One thing they can't do is a momentary press. This was something I struggled with when testing the Asus as well. For things like aiming on Call of Duty, I'd like a button which remains pressed as long as you hold it, but depresses when you take your finger off. For now, that seems to be slightly out of reach.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Battery Life
As you'd expect from a phone with a 6,000mAh battery, it lasts really well. In regular use, I was easily tearing through two days without needing to reach for the charger. Gaming obviously eats through things a little more, but not as much as you'd expect. I found a half hour session on FIFA only knocked a few percent off the battery, which is good going.
When it comes to charging, things are just as impressive. A full 0-100% charge took around an hour. That might not seem especially speedy, but when you consider the battery is about 20% larger than a regular handset, it sure is.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Verdict
All in all, this is a strong handset. Performance is on par with anything else I've been hands on with, with the battery life even outstripping them slightly. In regular day-to-day use, you'll be more than satisfied – top that up with a few mobile gaming sessions and you're really going to get your money's worth here.
The biggest downfall is probably the camera. As mentioned above, the main sensor is definitely good enough for most, but the others are lacking. That might be a deal-breaker for some.
Regardless, it's worth a look. Take away the gaming credentials of the handset for a second – you're getting an 8 Gen 2 powered handset with a crisp, 6.8-inch display and a whopping battery for less than £750. That's a bargain. For gamers, it's a no-brainer, but even those in the hunt for a regular phone with a slightly more modest budget should give this a look.
Redmagic 8 Pro review: Also Consider
The most obvious competitor for this is the Asus ROG Phone 7. When I tested that earlier this year, I was impressed. It comes with a stack of additional accessories which will appeal to gamers, while the core spec sheet has a lot of similarities. You'll pay more for that one though, so you'll have to make sure the upgrades are worth it for you.
If you aren't concerned with a gaming focused device – perhaps your mobile gaming exploits are more casual and infrequent – it's worth looking at something from the Google Pixel 7 range. You'll want the Pro version for the best camera, but the vanilla model retails for a similar price to this, and offers a decent experience all round.
