nubia Red Magic 9S Pro review

Design, build quality, handling

The Red Magic 9S Pro's design was a blend of the 8/8S Pro and the 7/7S Pro. The same design language is being carried forward to the Red Magic 9S Pro. It has the blocky structure of the 8 Pro, but the back is once again glass.

We loved how the slab of metal felt and looked like in the 8th and 7th series. Having said that, the 9 Pro still looks and feels pretty premium. The phone officially comes in a total of four colors - Sleet (Black), Snowfall (Silver), Cyclone (Transparent Black), and Frost (White). We have the Frost version with its transparent look. While you don't quite see the phone's internals since everything is covered with different patterned surfaces, you get to see the screws, which makes for a very industrial look that works well. Of course, if that isn't to your liking, you can always get one of the variants that don't feature a transparent back.

ZTE nubia Red Magic 9S Pro color options

The best thing about the back design is probably the camera module. It's completely flush and sits behind the glass panel, so the back of the device is almost perfectly flat. There's just a small protrusion for the LED flash, which elevates the camera island area just a little so it doesn't scratch when placing the handset on its back.

While the triple circular ring stack in a vertical orientation initially suggests a triple camera setup, that is not exactly the case. The Red Magic 9S Pro has a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultrawide, while the third circle is a window to show off the cooling fan. There is a third camera (well sort of - a 2MP depth sensor) on the rear, but it is the pinhole below the LED flash.

While the Red Magic 9S Pro's back is busy with plenty of patterns and text, we wouldn't call the design over the top. In fact, we think it is quite subdued overall, all things considered. Not many elements light up, either. You do get an RGB LED ring around the ran on the rear.

Another RGB LED element is on the back in the relatively small "9S" text next to the camera. It is actually synced with the small RGB LED strips that sit inside the capacitive triggers on the side frame of the phone. The two things together are caller "Competitive Atmosphere LED."

LED ligting

Finishing off the back of the phone, the official specs don't specify exactly the type of glass used. It doesn't gather too much dust, and fingerprints don't seem to show too much, which is good. It is worth noting that some of the Red Magic 9S Pro color variants have what nubia calls metal synthetic rear cover. Also, the fan RGB lighting is available in all color versions of the product.

The front of the Red Magic 9S Pro is finished with Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The frame is made from aviation-grade aluminum. Understandably, given the cooling fan the phone lacks an official ingress protection rating. There is still a nice rubber gasket on the SIM slot, so some waterproofing is present - you will just do well not to count on it.

Overall, the phone is well-built and feels solid in the hand. The two glass sheets meet the side frame without forming any awkward ridges.

There is pretty much nothing standard about the control layout and control set of the Red Magic 9S Pro. Practically everything is designed and positioned in a way to facilitate gaming. The power button and volume rocker are basically in the center of the right-hand side so they don't get in the way or get accidentally pressed during gaming. Still, both controls are convenient-enough location-wise and nice and clicky with excellently tactile feedback. We also like the circular shape of the power button, as it makes it easier to distinguish when reaching for it.

The right side of the frame is a bit overcrowded as it holds not just the touch-sensitive shoulder triggers but also the hardware switch/slider for the Gaming Space Center and one of the two air vents for the fan.

Red Magic 9S Pro from all angles

There is another air vent on the opposite side of the frame and pretty much nothing else.

The bottom houses the SIM card tray, USB-C connector and the loudspeaker grille. The top holds the 3.5mm audio jack, the second speaker grille, and, interestingly enough, an IR blaster.

Going around the frame, we noticed three microphones. The additional microphone is on the frame's right side, just below the Game Space switch.

The front is unchanged from the 9S Pro. A 6.8-inch full-screen display sits behind a Gorilla Glass 5 sheet. It is perfectly flat and square with no rounded edges, all in the name of a better gaming experience. Thin and symmetrical bezels surround it while the selfie camera is once again under the display. This tech has advanced enough to make it virtually impossible to spot. The same goes for the light and proximity sensors, which are also under the display.

The Red magic 9S Pro has an under-display optical fingerprint reader. It is not particularly large, so you do have to aim carefully, but on the plus side, it is both snappy and reliable. We have no complaints about it.

While we like the design, and the ergonomics are pretty nice for gaming purposes, there's no denying that the 9S Pro is a big and hefty device. It weighs in at 229 grams and is nearly 9mm thick. But with all that hardware, cooling and an impressive 6,500 mAh battery, that's no surprise.

Finally, we should mention that the Red Magic 9S Pro has an enhanced large 0815 super linear motor inside. It provides a 38% increase in vibration intensity per the maker. A 4D shock joint adjustment feature also allows you to fine-tune the vibration intensity.