RedMagic 7 Best Gaming Phone: Overview.
If you’re into mobile gaming, you know how important it is to have a gaming phone. With built-in cooling systems, gaming phones can handle heat better and provide long and stable gaming sessions. However, these smartphones often sacrifice other important features needed for everyday use.
The Nubia RedMagic 7 is a new generation gaming phone that seems to be the exception to this rule. It is claimed to be the first and fastest gaming phone that doesn’t compromise your everyday use outside of gaming. We got our hands on the new RedMagic 7 to see for ourselves if these claims are true and if it really is the best gaming phone of 2022. Here’s what we learned.
RedMagic 7: First Impressions & Specs
Here are some of the most common issues faced by gaming phone users:
The phone overheats when constantly using an uncooled chip, which affects the performance of the smartphone.The developers only pay attention to the gaming components of the phone, which makes it unsuitable for everyday use.Gaming phones are expensive due to expensive equipment.
Looks like ZTE’s Nubia has solved these issues with the new RedMagic phone. RedMagic 7 is the first gaming smartphone powered by the top Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, with a built-in cooling fan for comfortable long gaming sessions, and comes in different price ranges for different needs.
RedMagic 7 comes in three flavors: $629 Obsidian (12GB RAM + 128GB), $729 Pulsar (16GB + 256GB) and $799 Supernova (18GB + 256GB). We had a RedMagic 7 Pulsar for testing.
Dimensions: 6.72 x 3.08 x 0.37 inches (170.5 x 78.3 x 9.5 mm)Weight: 7.58 oz (215 g) Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1Memory: 16GB (LPDDR5)Storage: 256GBOperating system: RedMagic OS 5.0 based on Android 12Display: Full HD+, AMOLED , 6.8″, 165Hz refresh rate, 1080 x 2400p resolution Battery: 4500mAh with 65W fast chargingPorts: USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, dual SIMConnectivity: 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, NFCFront camera: 8MP selfie camera li>Rear cameras: 64MP main camera, 8MP ultra wide angle and 2 -megapixel macro cameraSpeakers: stereo speakers with DTS X Ultra technologyFeatures: built-in cooling fan, touch-sensitive shoulder triggers, powerful fast charger
RedMagic 7 has an impressive feature set. This is an affordable phone with flagship-level hardware. However, you’ll find that some of the things you’d expect from a modern high-end smartphone are missing: no IP rating (due to the cooling fan system) or wireless charging. This means that you cannot swim with this phone and must resort to wired fast charging.
Design & Unpacking
Gaming smartphones tend to follow certain design trends when it comes to their looks. While gamers love the cyberpunk look and vibrant color schemes, the average user may find it aggressive and over the top. While RedMagic 7 would seem to follow the same design trends, it seems like a different story.
The phone comes in three different color options, so if you want it to be more discreet, you can opt for the cheaper Obsidian version with a modest black back. The Pulsar version is definitely great when it comes to colors and would be perfect for those who are really into cyberpunk culture.
The back panel of this smartphone resembles the colors of a pulsar star according to Nubia. Finally, the Supernova phone is the most powerful of the lot (comes with 18GB of RAM) but also the most epic if we’re talking about design. It comes with a transparent back that allows you to see things like the RGB-lit cooling fan while in use.
If you love minimalism at all costs, you can use the included silicone case to hide part of the colorful Gorilla Glass 5 back.
What’s in the Box
RedMagic 7 comes in a stylish black box with comics printed on the top and sides. Inside the box you will find:
RedMagic 7 smartphone with screen protector pre-installedProtective silicone caseClip for SIM card trayUSB-C to USB-C charging cable65W fast charger
The phone features a 6.8-inch FHD+ 1080×2400 screen with 700 nits brightness, AMOLED display and an impressive 165Hz refresh rate. On the sides, you’ll find two highly sensitive shoulder-mounted touchpad triggers and a built-in cooling fan on the back, both geared toward enhancing your gaming experience.
How Fast Is It?
Just look at the test scores to see just how fast and powerful RedMagic 7 really is. We tested RedMagic 7 on the Geekbench 5 benchmarking app to find out the benchmark results and compare it to other top smartphones.
RedMagic 7 received 1251 single-core and 3874 multi-core scores for processor performance. This leaves most Xiaomi phones (908 and 3062) and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (924 and 3085) in the dust. The RedMagic 7 also beats the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, which scored 1240 and 3384. The only smartphone with the best numbers is the flagship Apple iPhone 13 Pro with 1668 and 4436 points.
Gaming Experience
The RedMagic 7 is a gaming phone designed to give you an edge over the competition in the gaming world. There are quite a few of them and you can find them in the game space of the phone.
Game space
To access the game space, turn on the red (or purple) toggle button on the left side of RedMagic 7. This will open the game lobby. Select Super Power Base > Plugin Library. There you will find all the superpowers you can use in various games, from the ability to zoom in on the center of the screen to find any hidden targets, to the ability to invert screen colors to reveal disguised enemies. Most of these plugins work in all games, although some of them are limited to certain games.
Thanks to the game space shortcut, you can also adjust many different settings that will provide a smoother gaming experience. You can switch the refresh rate from 60Hz to 90Hz, 120Hz and 165Hz. The 60Hz setting is ideal for saving battery power, while the 165Hz setting provides the best picture quality.
The 165Hz refresh rate along with the enabled 720Hz touch sample rate will make your RedMagic phone more responsive to inputs and taps during gaming sessions. You won’t notice it in any game, but if you’re playing a graphics-intensive game like Genshin Impact, you’ll feel the difference.
Using the in-game menu, you can set RedMagic 7 to block messages and calls while you play so you don’t get distracted and focus on the game. Alternatively, turn on the Barrage Message feature so that any incoming messages will slide across the screen instead of blocking your view.
Another important feature is charge sharing, which allows your phone to be powered directly from the charger. Enabling this mode while a phone is connected means that the battery will not charge and will not increase the heat level.
Shoulder Triggers
Highly sensitive shoulder triggers on the side of the device also enhance RedMagic 7’s responsiveness. With shoulder triggers enabled, the phone feels almost like a game controller.
Built-in fan
If you’re worried about your smartphone overheating during gaming sessions, that’s not a problem with RedMagic 7. After playing Genshin Impact continuously for 3 hours, the phone only warmed up a little and generally maintained a normal temperature. Whenever you start playing a game or switch your phone to game space mode, the built-in cooling fan turns on automatically and helps RedMagic 7 cool down.
RedMagic gaming accessories
RedMagic also produces a variety of gaming accessories and kits for those who crave a more immersive gaming experience. Accessories include a separate turbo cooler, cooling ice dock, TWS Cyberpods, gaming dock and more. You can order any of them separately or as a set on the official website of RedMagic.
Performance Outside Gaming
The RedMagic 7 is an outstanding gaming phone, but how does it perform in everyday use?
Software and Applications
RedMagic 7 runs on the latest Android 12 with RedMagic 5 OS. Although many of the bugs found in the RedMagic 7 predecessors have been fixed (for example in the RedMagic launcher), the issue of infrequent software updates still exists. As is the case with most gaming phones, the RedMagic 7 update cycle isn’t entirely clear, and this could be a problem for some. During testing, we found that the phone needed to be wiped twice before we were able to install the latest update and get all the features working properly.
Otherwise, RedMagic 5’s OS is what you’d expect from an operating system on a gaming phone. You will notice very little malware on your phone and that is definitely a plus. You’ll only find the usual Google apps and a few pre-installed RedMagic apps, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning your phone before you can start using it.
Audio and Speakers
The RedMagic 7 retained the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is rare on today’s flagship models. This allows you to use wired gaming headphones for immersive gaming.
The headphone jack is located on the top of the device along with one of the microphones. The other microphone is on the bottom of the phone, which also houses the SIM card slot, USB-C port, and speaker grille.
The speaker at the bottom, combined with the front speaker, which also doubles as a speaker, makes for some pretty impressive stereo sound. Perfect for when you want to enjoy gaming from the comfort of your home, without headphones, with loud and detailed sound.
Camera performance
The RedMagic 7 comes with an 8MP selfie camera on the front and a triple camera on the back: 64MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera and 2MP macro camera. While you can’t compare image quality to the Samsung S22 Ultra or iPhone 13, this smartphone still takes decent photos and videos.
The main 64-megapixel camera is capable of taking great pictures in good light. You can take beautiful selfies with the front camera. A dedicated macro camera won’t blow your mind, but it can still take a decent image with enough detail.
The uploaded quality is lower than the actual photo
The camera app has a Pro mode that you can use to choose your own white balance, ISO, focus, and other settings. You can also shoot in night mode, as well as choose from any of 20 other creative photo modes in the camera app, from panorama to freeze frame and ID photos.
The main advantage of the RedMagic camera system is its video capabilities. This smartphone can shoot 8K video with impressive image stabilization thanks to all the processing power it has.
Battery Life
RedMagic 7 is equipped with a 4500 mAh battery. If you compare it to the 5050 mAh battery of its RedMagic 6s Pro predecessor or the 6000 mAh battery of the ASUS ROG 5 phone, it might seem like a big downgrade. However, our tests have shown that in everyday use (without long gaming sessions), the phone easily lasts all day and longer, even if you use it for a few calls, browsing social networks and taking some photos and videos.
Of course, with long gaming sessions, RedMagic 7 will run out of battery faster. One hour of 165Hz air-cooled gaming consumes about 25% of the battery. Though that shouldn’t be a problem with the 65W fast charger. You can fully charge RedMagic 7 in less than 30 minutes. So even if your battery is completely dead when you need to leave the house, you can put it on charge and it will be at 100% before you are completely ready. You can also use the fast charger to charge other gadgets, including laptops, tablets, or batteries.
Should You Buy the RedMagic 7?
The RedMagic 7 is made for gaming, and if that’s what you’re looking for, the RedMagic 7 is a fantastic find. Cooling fan, 165Hz display, and shoulder triggers, they really thought of every detail, which makes RedMagic 7 the best gaming phone of 2022.
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line flagship smartphone that can do it all, the lack of an IP rating, gaming styling, and somewhat underwhelming cameras may put you off buying this device. However, there is a lot to love about this smartphone even if you are not into gaming. Great sound quality, 8K video capability and of course the price. Starting at $629, the RedMagic 7 is the most affordable Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phone on the market.
RedMagic 7 Best Gaming Phone: Overview
RedMagic 7 Best Gaming Phone: Overview