nubia Red Magic 6R review

Alternatives

Gaming phones are a niche that was overlooked for quite a while, but it's been gaining momentum ever since competitive games like PUBG and Fortnite came to be. Of course, there are many high-quality game titles with console-like graphics and engaging stories that will do better on a dedicated gaming phone with more hardware and software than your mainstream smartphone can offer. And that's the sort of market that product series like Asus ROG, Black Shark and nubia Red Magic like to tap into.

The Red Magic 6R is a reworked version of the Red Magic 6 that is €100 cheaper. The original model has a 165Hz notch-less screen, stereo speakers, a hardware switch for Game Space, a built-in cooling fan and a 3.5mm jack. That's a lot, obviously. But the Red Magic 6R is a thinner and lighter model, we found out it can go without active cooling (though it gets hot), and after all, a €100 difference is enough to tip the scales one way or the other.

The Black Shark 4 costs the same as the Red Magic 6R - €499. It has a similar 144Hz AMOLED and camera kit, but trumps the Red Magic with stereo speakers, physical trigger buttons instead of pressure-sensitive ones, and much faster charging. There is a catch, of course, the Black Shark 4 runs on the Snapdragon 870 5G chip - an improved version of the 2020 flagship Snapdragon 865+ and not the fully-fledged SD888. We'd say being the second-best performer on the market isn't bad at all, but it's up to you to decide.

The €799 ROG Phone 5 is, well, better at everything, but that's what €300 on top of the Red Magic 6R should be buying, correct? Well, if you have the cash to spare, the ROG 5 has a notch-less 144Hz AMOLED, much better speakers, a larger battery with some noticeably better endurance, faster charging, Gorilla Glass Victus protection, and you even get an RGB light panel on the back. The pressure-sensitive triggers and the motion controls are flawless on this phone, and there is an abundance of accessories to help you while gaming. Not to mention - the ROG phone has been enjoying the longest list of supported high refresh rate game titles out there.

ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 • Xiaomi Black Shark 4 • Asus ROG Phone 5

The verdict

The nubia Red Magic 6R is a good gaming phone with universally likable aesthetics and powerful hardware. It has gaming triggers and suitable software to handle everything gaming- and performance-related. The charge-separation feature is quite a thoughtful addition, too. The 144Hz OLED screen, even with that tiny punch hole, is a joy to use and one of the best treats you can have today on a phone no matter what you are going to use it for - gaming, streaming, browsing, working.

It's not the best gaming phone, that's for sure - it omits stereo speakers and a 3.5mm jack, the battery life is not impressive, and it could benefit from an improved software package.

No phone, especially priced at €499, needs to be perfect. It needs to be good enough for the price, and the nubia Red Magic 6R is more than good enough - it has the best Qualcomm chip, one of the best screens on the planet, and useful gaming triggers. We recommend giving it a chance for its all-around package - the Red Magic 6R is a good phone for any purpose, gaming included.

Pros

• Universally appealing design, thin and lightweight body.
• Excellent AMOLED display, 144Hz, 1B colors.
• Top-notch performance, excellent sustained performance.
• Gaming triggers work as advertised, rich software customizations.
• Fast to charge.
• Camera improvements across the board compared to the Red Magic 6.
• Great 4K videos from the main camera.

Cons

• Uninspiring battery life.
• The software is still plagued by awkward translation.
• No stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack or built-in cooling fan like the Red Magic 6.
• Switching to the ultrawide cam is convoluted and it can't record video either.
• Under load, a couple of spots along the frame get unbearably hot.