Nubia Redmagic 10 Pro review: Mobile gaming monster

Nubia’s Redmagic has been a stalwart within the reasonably priced gaming smartphone marketplace for plenty of years, and the lineage continues into its tenth technology with the introduction of the Redmagic 10 Professional.

This contains a refined design, upgraded show, and a bigger battery than these discovered on the already spectacular Redmagic 9S Professional. I am going by way of my pre-match stretch routine so I’m good and nimble, then take the sport to this would-be champion.  

Design & Construct 

• Stable, premium development
• Massive and heavy
• No water resistance (attributable to fan ports)

Nubia undoubtedly appears to comply with the adage that, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it’. The Redmagic 10 Professional shares a lot of the design language and development of its latest predecessors, the Redmagic 9 Professional and Redmagic 9S Professional. 

Its 163.4mm x 76.1mm x 8.9mm dimensions are marginally smaller than these fashions, however within the hand, all of them really feel virtually an identical, whereas the 229g (0.5lbs) weight is similar as earlier than.

There have been a number of alterations to the again panel although, with the flash and sensor module shifting place barely, which sadly means my protecting case from the earlier fashions now not suits with out obscuring them. You do get a plastic tray-style case within the field although, which improves the grip if not precisely providing a lot in the way in which of safety. 

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As you may see by the measurements, the ten Professional is a cumbersome and substantial machine. The metallic and glass development feels premium, however that is undoubtedly a two-handed machine, primarily attributable to its weight.

Nubia is according to the bodily controls, as the proper flank is house to twin 520Hz touch-sensitive shoulder triggers, the facility and quantity controls, plus the well-known purple change that opens up the devoted Sport Area software program suite. If you happen to choose, you may assign the change to open the digital camera, activate the flash, launch the voice recorder app or change between sound modes as a substitute. That is genuinely a wonderful function that ought to seem on each smartphone. 

Twin fan ports are positioned on both of the longer sides of the ten Professional, and twin audio system adorn the shorter edges. On the highest, you’ll additionally discover a 3.5mm headphone jack, whereas the decrease edge is house to the USB-C charging port and the twin SIM tray. 

The rear panel is flat glass, which covers the cameras, so the machine sits flush on a desk and doesn’t wobble about. There are additionally the trademark RGB lights that reside underneath the shoulder triggers, the Redmagic brand and the X that denotes that is the ten Professional. You possibly can regulate the colors that they emit, in addition to after they come on. 

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Sadly, there’s no water or mud resistance on the ten Professional (there wasn’t on the earlier fashions both), because the fan ports make it mainly inconceivable. You do get a alternative of liveries although. My evaluation mannequin comes within the Nightfall colourway, however there are additionally Shadow and Moonlight variants obtainable. 

Display screen & Audio system

• 6.85-inch 1.5K AMOLED show
• 144Hz refresh charge
• 95.3% screen-to-body ratio
• Twin audio system with Snapdragon Audio

One of many primary causes for the size of the ten Professional is to accommodate the 6.85-inch AMOLED panel. Nubia has refined the design this time round although, with 1.25mm ultra-narrow bezels giving the machine a really spectacular 95.3% screen-to-body ratio. Fortunately, there’s additionally respectable palm rejection and unintended contact software program working onerous to make sure this doesn’t turn into an issue. 

The show itself runs at a 2688 x 1216 (1.5K) decision, with a refresh charge of 144Hz. Mix this with the two,000 nits peak brightness ranges claimed by Pink Magic (my very own testing resulted in 1230 nits throughout regular circumstances), you have got a display screen that’s wonderful for gaming, normal use and watching video content material.

There’s the added bonus that Nubia continues to make use of an under-display fingerprint sensor and selfie digital camera, so there are not any interruptions on the attractive 6.85-inch panel. 

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There’s additionally an excellent degree of response, with the two,500Hz on the spot contact sampling charge and 960Hz total contact pattern charges quickly reacting to my controls and faucets throughout quick gaming periods. 

Colors are additionally shiny and wealthy, albeit with a slight tendency to over-saturate in locations when within the default ‘Vibrant’ mode. Switching to ‘Customary’ gave the tones a lighter contact, however you may mess around with numerous components within the show settings till you discover the flavour that fits your style.

Twin 1115K audio system ship the audio and achieve this with a hefty quantity of quantity on faucet. The frequency spectrum is nicely represented, with full-bodied sounds added to films, music and gaming periods. 

If you’d like the very best audio although, the three.5mm headphone jack will help you plug in some gaming headphones for an immersive expertise. Alternatively, there are additionally Bluetooth 5.4 capabilities that may join you wirelessly to headphones, earbuds or exterior audio system.  

The embedded fingerprint sensor is just about the identical because it was on the earlier variations, in that it really works nicely however can sometimes be a bit fussy. It’d be good to see the superior ultrasonic scanners discovered on some Samsung and Google telephones make it to Redmagic handsets in some unspecified time in the future.

Specs & Efficiency

• 4.32Ghz Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
• Devoted RedCore 3 gaming chip
• ICE-X cooling system

You possibly can’t have a gaming telephone with out some severe {hardware} concerned, and that’s the case with the Redmagic 10 Professional. At its coronary heart is the brand new 4.32GHz Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which is one thing of a beast.

It’s one of many first smartphones to function Qualcomm’s new customized Oryon CPU which is designed to energy on-device AI options. Nubia additionally states that the processor comes with a forty five% energy enhance and is 44% extra battery-efficient than the earlier chip. 

That is paired with one other chip, the RedCore 3, which is there to enhance graphical efficiency, and energy administration and assist with cooling. The latter facet can also be dealt with with the up to date ICE-X cooling system that boasts one other first, in that it features a sheet of metallic between the fan and vapour chamber made out of processed liquid metallic that’s typically present in gaming laptops. Alongside this, there’s the 23,000 RPM fan to maintain the air and warmth contained in the machine shifting.

Storage and reminiscence are additionally quick, with the previous coming in both 256GB/512GB of UFS 4.1 Professional capacities, whereas the latter is 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X Extremely. If that’s not sufficient, then there’s additionally the Nightfall Extremely configuration that provides a 24GB/1TB complement, which is the primary time Pink Magic has supplied this a lot onboard storage within the worldwide market. 

So, with all these specs obtainable, how does the Redmagic 10 Professional fare whenever you fireplace up some video games? Very nicely, because it seems.

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Hopping behind the wheel of Actual Racing 3 is at all times a very good indicator of how nicely the processor and show can deal with fast-moving graphics. The sport runs very easily certainly on the ten Professional, with clear and detailed photos that prevented any jaggedness or fluttering as I hurtled across the observe.

The gyroscope and accelerometers all did their job of delivering fast instructions to the automotive as I tilted the ten Professional left and proper to steer. The cooling system additionally delivered, because the machine didn’t warmth up an excessive amount of through the playtime. Sure, you may hear the followers slightly, however they’re not noisy. 

Genshin Influence is one other onerous take a look at, and I discovered that the sport ran easily on the very best graphics settings, although the sport suggested in opposition to this because it may trigger overheating as a result of load.

After half-hour of taking part in, the machine was solely barely heat and the followers hadn’t bought in the way in which of the enjoyable. It did drain 8% of the battery in that half hour, so if that had been to be extrapolated out then you definately’d be taking a look at round six hours of taking part in time. Dropping all the way down to the excessive graphics settings as a substitute may clearly permit you extra adventuring earlier than the charger needed to be discovered. 

Nubia Redmagic 10 Professional benchmarks

Right here’s how the Redmagic 10 Professional fared in our customary benchmark take a look at. We normally embody PCMark’s battery take a look at, however this app was listed as incompatible with the ten Professional – I’m assuming that is as a result of pre-release software program I used to be utilizing, as different Redmagic fashions have been in a position to make use of the app.

Cameras

• 24mm 50Mp primary digital camera
• 14mm 50Mp large digital camera
• 16Mp under-display selfie digital camera

On the previous few fashions, the cameras Nubia has been utilizing on its Redmagic telephones have been nice, however not the very best. Sadly, there have been no important upgrades to the hit-and-miss digital camera efficiency.

The 2 primary rear cameras (there’s additionally a 2Mp depth digital camera to assist with portrait modes) supply respectable outcomes both in regular or large settings. I didn’t discover an excessive amount of hesitation with the main focus, and the unit typically works swiftly that will help you seize topics. 

To be honest, the climate was horrible whereas I used to be testing the ten Professional, so it didn’t get any heat, shiny sunny days with which to shine. However, within the flat mild wherein I needed to shoot, there have been nonetheless some good photos captured. The bokeh impact on the portrait mode could be spectacular, however (like with many telephones) if the background is sophisticated then the software program can get confused the place that ends and the topic begins.

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There are many modes to play with – together with multi-exposure, cloning, star trails and others, which could be enjoyable to strive. However, to be sincere, the conventional digital camera mode might be the place individuals spend nearly all of their time, and the ten Professional can provide you some good outcomes.

There’s not an excessive amount of distinction between the conventional and ultrawide lenses both, which isn’t at all times the case with another cameras I’ve reviewed, the place the latter loses plenty of color and publicity steadiness. 

Nubia persists with leaving its watermark setting defaulting to on, which is a really daft factor. I’ve complained about this for the previous 4 fashions, and but it doesn’t change. I’ve intentionally left the banners this creates on the picture in a few of the ones you’ll see within the gallery under, as that is what you’ll get when you don’t instantly go into the settings menus and switch it off. 

Video is aided by Optical Picture Stabilisation (OIS), and on the entire, it seems respectable footage. Focusing tracks sharply and the digital camera handles shifting from lighter to darker environments fairly nicely. Clearly, when the sunshine drops an excessive amount of you’ll rapidly see grain within the footage, so it’s finest to shoot movies the place you may clearly see your topics. 

Listed here are some examples of photographs shot on the Redmagic 10 Professional:

Battery Life & Charging

• 7,050mAh battery
• 100W quick charging capabilities
• 80W charger included

The ten Professional contains a large 7,050mAh battery – the biggest that’s appeared to this point within the Redmagic vary, and one of many largest we’ve ever seen on a telephone.

It additionally helps 100W quick charging, although you solely get an 80W GaN charger within the field (which continues to be higher than many different producers). Nubia says that the battery density has been elevated by 25% over the earlier mannequin, so it may possibly retain the identical dimension however supply extra energy. Definitely, stand-by time is nicely managed, as I put the telephone down for a few days, got here again and it had solely misplaced round 10-15% of cost. 

In day-to-day use, the ten Professional has loads of energy on faucet and I by no means nervous about attending to the tip of the day with the cell working dry. In actual fact, when you’re not gaming (though why then would you be shopping for this telephone?), this may simply be a two-day machine. 

As I coated above, you’re most likely taking a look at round 6 hours of gaming from a single cost on the ten Professional, though this can fluctuate relying on how shiny you have got the display screen, the graphics settings within the recreation, and whether or not you’re streaming content material or utilizing Bluetooth controllers/headphones. 

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Annoyingly, as I discussed earlier, our regular battery take a look at app – PCMark – was incompatible with the ten Professional on the time of writing. I’m assuming this as a result of pre-release software program construct I’m utilizing, nevertheless it does imply I can’t get an correct measurement of how lengthy the battery lasts compared to others on this class. As I mentioned, the battery life is sweet although.

What I can inform you is the recharging charges, with the ten Professional (utilizing the included 80w charger) restoring 51% after quarter-hour, and 86% in half an hour. The return to 100% took a complete of 38 minutes, which is superb.

There’s no wi-fi charging, however the wired speeds greater than make up for it.

Software program

• Redmagic 10 OS
• Android 15 with one replace deliberate
• Safety updates till finish of 2027

As is customary on this vary, you get Android (on this case Android 15) working underneath the heavy pores and skin of Redmagic 10 OS. It may be one thing of a find it irresistible or hate it interface.

There’s a concentrate on futuristic icons and menus, however these could be simply modified to ones from a spread of included themes. You’ll discover loads of device-specific choices within the settings – similar to assigning capabilities to the bodily Pink Change, selecting the colors of the RGB lights and customising the display screen graphics that seem when notifications are available in.

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You do nonetheless encounter some bizarre translation errors or phrasings, however Pink Magic OS does get a bit extra refined every year. 

As I’ve already coated in earlier sections, there have been some apps that the Google Play Retailer listed as incompatible with the machine. These included Instagram and the flexibility to arrange a financial institution card in Google Pockets. I’ve not seen this on earlier fashions, so hopefully, by the point you get your fingers on one, the software program might be up to date to repair this concern. 

One of many standout options for avid gamers on the Redmagic platform is Sport Area. This can be a devoted suite of instruments and deep settings that may convey enhancements to video games. These embody display screen filters that allow you to see enemies clearer, a Scout mode that has a magnified part on the center of the display screen that appears like a sniper’s scope, image high quality enhancements, plugins for video games, a gallery for screenshots and lots extra. If you happen to’re severe about your gaming, Sport Area is sort of definitely worth the asking value by itself.

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Nubia has confirmed that the Redmagic 10 Professional will obtain only one Android model improve, whereas the safety updates might be delivered for at the least three years. That’s nicely behind a lot of the Android competitors, with Samsung and Google providing seven years of assist.

Earlier than shopping for the Redmagic 10 Professional, bear in mind that it solely actually has a lifespan of three years. After that, persevering with to make use of it’s a safety threat.

Worth & Availability

There are a number of configurations of the Redmagic 10 Professional which might be obtainable from the Redmagic UK and Redmagic US websites. Right here’s how they break down by way of value:

• Shadow 12GB/256GB – £579/€649/$649
• Moonlight 16GB/512GB – £709/€799/$799
• Nightfall 16GB/512GB – £709/€799/$799
• Nightfall Extremely 24GB/1TB – £879/€999/$999

Which means Nubia has saved the pricing from the Redmagic 9S Professional, which is sweet for potential clients, who’ve needed to put up with value will increase all throughout the tech world over the previous few years. 

No networks or carriers are promoting the telephone on contract, so your finest wager is to purchase outright and pair it with a SIM deal. 

The obvious competitor to the Redmagic 10 Professional is the just lately launched Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional, though it’s a bit dearer at £1,099/$1,199.99 than the entry-level 10 Professional configurations. Additionally, there’s the usual Asus ROG Telephone 9, which prices £949.99/$999.99, each of which additionally function the brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. 

You would additionally go searching for the Pink Magic 9S Professional, as it is going to little doubt drop in value now that the ten Professional has arrived. Take a look at our round-up of the very best gaming telephones for extra choices. 

Do you have to purchase the Nubia Redmagic 10 Professional?

Gaming telephones are admittedly a fairly specialist space, however when you’re available in the market for one then the Redmagic 10 Professional is a wonderful choice. The highest-tier processor and accompanying {hardware} imply this should not have any hassle with something you throw at it, plus the cooling system ought to protect the {hardware} for a very good whereas. 

The cameras are on the typical facet, which isn’t uncommon on this class, and the software program does have some kinks to work out that hopefully will all be fastened in future updates. Software program assist can also be restricted.

However when you’re severe about cellular gaming and need battery life that may assist lengthy periods, the Redmagic 10 Professional is the telephone for you.

Specs

• Redmagic 10 OS / Android 15 (1 improve deliberate)
• Safety updates till finish of 2027
• 6.85-inch 1.5K AMOLED show (95.3% screen-to-body ratio)
• 144Hz refresh charge
• 4.32Ghz Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
• Devoted RedCore 3 gaming chip
• 12GB/16GB or 24GB LPDDR5X Extremely reminiscence
• 256GB/512GB or 1TB UFS 4.1 Professional storage
• ICE-X cooling system
• 24mm 50Mp primary digital camera
• 14mm 50Mp large digital camera
• 2Mp Depth digital camera
• 16Mp under-display selfie digital camera
• Twin audio system with Snapdragon Audio
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• 520Hz touch-sensitive shoulder triggers
• Programmable sliding button
• Twin SIM
• NFC
• Bluetooth 5.4
• GPS
• Wi-Fi 7
• LTE
• 7,050mAh battery
• 100W quick charging capabilities
• 80W charger included
• USB-C charging port
• 163.4mm x 76.1mm x 8.9mm 
• 229g