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RedMagic
RedMagic 8S Pro
RedMagic’s latest flagship continues to deliver the fastest smartphones money can buy. It has a unique version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that makes it faster than anything we’ve tested before.
Goodness- Faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- The best way to cool down
- Nice new design
- Additional game software features
evil- Very similar to the old version
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RedMagic
RedMagic 8 Pro
RedMagic 8 Pro was one of the first phones launched in 2023, and it did very well by being the fastest phone on the market, at that time. Six months later, it’s still a powerful force, with few phones coming close to its performance.
Goodness- The main display is similar to the speakers
- But very quickly
- Glossy design (in matte)
- You can see the discount
The latest gaming powerhouse from RedMagic has arrived, but with the same design and the same processor at its core, what has changed?
The RedMagic 8 Pro it was very fast a sports phone which we tested when we tested it earlier this year, now it looks like its successor is also aiming for the top spot.
We’ve delved into the specification sheets, as well as testing the device’s performance, to see how it compares. Let’s get into it.
Description, pricing and availability
The RedMagic 8 Pro was launched globally on January 16 2023 with a retail price of $649 and has been available for purchase ever since.
The Redmagic 8S Pro was launched on July 18 2023 with an MSRP of $649 and is available for purchase now.
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RedMagic 8S Pro RedMagic 8 Pro SoC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (optional) Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Show it 6.8-inch 120Hz FHD+ AMOLED 6.8-inch 120Hz FHD+ AMOLED Ram 12GB / 16GB 12GB / 16GB Storage 256GB / 512GB 156GB / 512GB Battery 6000 mAh 6000 mAh Ports USB-C, headphones USB-C, headphones Operating system RedMagic OS 8.0 RedMagic OS 6.0 Front camera 16MP under display 16MP under display Rear cameras 50MP + 8MP + 2MP 50MP + 8MP + 2MP Dimensions 164×76.3×9.5 mm 164.5x77x9.5 mm Species Midnight / Platinum / Aurora Matte / Matte / Titanium Weight 228g per 228g per Payment 65W wire 65W wire
Creation
The RedMagic 8 Pro is Redmi 8S Pro sharing the same shape, size and weight, and both devices feel the same in the hand. The difference is found on the back panel, with the 8S Pro featuring a new 3D nano-etched design that reminds us of the grooves on a vinyl record.
The new finish is available in Midnight (black) and Platinum (silver) colors, but RedMagic’s signature semi-transparent Aurora colourway is also available on this phone. Another new feature is that the transparent colors have a transparent area that shows the LED fans, while the matte version of the RedMagic 8 Pro (matte) does not have LED fans.
In terms of lighting, it is the same for both devices. We have already mentioned the LED fans, which are red, blue, green and yellow on both devices and cannot be changed by the user – outside of lighting and blocking the lighting.
There are also lighting components below each trigger, as well as the central RedMagic logo. You can choose the color of these LEDs and change the way they look when playing, watching or when you have a notification. The features available are the same on both phones, as are the color options.
The design of the buttons, vents and triggers are the same, as are the connections. Either way, you still get a 3.5mm headphone jack, and we’re always happy to see this included in a gaming phone.
Show and speakers
The display and speakers are the same on both the phones. This means you get a beautiful 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate with a very bright 1300 nits display.
It is a sharp display with 2480×1116 resolution and 400 PPI pixel density. It is very accurate, covering 100 percent of the DCI-P3 wide gamut. If you are sensitive to vibration, these phones also benefit from DC dimming, and this should help reduce eye strain.
What’s unique about these RedMagic devices is that they use non-display selfie cameras, so there are no notch or punch-hole cameras to interfere with your gaming experience.
Supporting impressive presentations and other impressive speakers. It’s clear, has good stereo sound, and has more feedback than your average smartphone. Our only complaint is that they aren’t very loud around, but on the plus side, there isn’t any distortion.
Performance and programming
All these phones work on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, and both have a second RedMagic Red Core chip to help them with gaming. However, the 8S Pro has a special version of 8 Gen 2, which runs 2.5 percent faster on the CPU and 5.7 percent faster on the GPU.
To be honest, you may be hard-pressed to tell the difference in gaming or day-to-day use, but the performance improvements are noticeable in benchmarks. That’s enough to make the RedMagic 8S Pro the fastest phone we’ve ever tested, and to top the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme leaderboard. Impressive bragging rights.
The cooling solution has been updated on the 8S Pro, too. Most notable to us is that the cooling fan now adjusts its speed as needed, rather than just running at full speed all the time. But there are also other improvements, such as a new cooling plate in the vapor chamber, and a layer of graphene under the display to draw heat away from your fingers.
The 8S Pro runs on the latest version of RedMagic OS, and comes with additional gaming features to enhance your experience. This includes a new 4D atmospheric vibration mode, which mimics the feeling you can get from PlayStation controllerit’s pretty cool.
In other places, the form is the same, as it appears. We found the new OS to be more stable than the old one, but otherwise, the features are the same. It doesn’t stray too far Stock Android until you open Game Space, where you will find more information about games and plugins.
Cameras
The cameras are the same on both phones, and are the weakest point of both devices. The main camera is good for good lighting, with a 50MP Samsung GN5 sensor, which has proven to be strong on many other devices. However, RedMagic’s image processing leaves something to be desired, and the resulting images are no better than standard models.
Supporting cameras are an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro camera. The 8MP macro lacks detail and sharpness compared to the main lens, and the 2MP macro is rarely used by anyone – it’s just too low.
The selfie camera is hidden under the display, which is pretty cool technology, but it also means it’s one of the worst selfie cameras around. As a standard it is very soft, it looks like there is Vaseline smeared on the lens, and when you hit the shutter a sharper is used to deal with this. The following images are unappealing, and we don’t think they will be useful to most people.
The end
The two phones are very similar, the main difference is the performance boost, cool upgrade, software and design of RedMagic 8S Pro.
The new model is the fastest phone we’ve tested so far, and if that’s what you’re looking for, then this is the model for you. We think the new nano-etched design looks great, and the cool upgrade is a welcome change.
RedMagic
However, if you already have RedMagic 8 Pro, there is no real reason to upgrade. The new version is very similar in performance and appearance. Likewise, if you see more on the 8 Pro, we advise you to do so, don’t lose more by choosing an older device.
RedMagic
Either way, you’re getting one of the fastest phones money can buy, well-designed and packed with useful and gaming features.