RedMagic is still active in the production of smartphones focusing on mobile games. The latest to be sold in Malaysia is the RedMagic 9 Pro. This device is not only powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, but also with a Red Core R2 Pro chip. If that's not enough, the physical fan and shoulder touch buttons and the full bezel-less front screen with a hidden selfie camera are sure to provide the ultimate gaming experience. This article is based on usage for the first few hours.
SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
RedMagic 9 Pro
6.8-inch OLED BOE Q9+ screen, 2480 x 1116,
120Hz, 1600 nits, Netflix SD
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor (4nm)
Red Core 2 Pro
1x 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 chip
5x 3.2 GHz Cortex-A720
2x 2.3 GHz Cortex-A520
Adreno 750 Graphics Chip
RAM 12/16 GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 256/512 GB UFS 4.0
Main Camera 50 MP, OIS (Wide Angle)
8 MP, (Ultra Wide Angle)
2 MP, (Macro)
16 Megapixel Front Camera, UDC 2.0
6500 mAh battery
80W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM Nano /5G
NFC Yes
Infrared Yes
Waterproof None
Fingerprint Scan System under the screen
Selling Price RM3699 12/256 GB
RM4499 16/512 GB
(Global set, unofficial)
Every year RedMagic is sure to come up with something unique and different from the competition. The RedMagic 9 Pro this time only uses a transparent design on the fan, with the back being completely flat without any camera bump. The design of the device also changed from elegant to increasingly minimalist. An example here is the limited RGB lighting on the number 9 on the back, shoulder buttons and on the fan only.
The screen of the device is also one of the most beautiful and sexiest because there is no frame, notch or camera hole. It's a bit strange that it still doesn't support 144Hz or 165Hz refresh rate and is limited to 120Hz only unlike other gaming phone competitors. But for an unparalleled immersive experience, here's the real Pro screen.
On top of the device there is a speaker grill, an infrared sensor, a microphone hole and a 3.5mm audio jack. The right side only has a grid for heat out, on the left there is another same grid, volume adjustment button, power button, primary mode switch, another microphone hole and two touch buttons as shoulder buttons in primary. Finally, below there is another microphone hole, another speaker grill, a SIM card slot and also a USB-C port.
USAGE – REDMAGIC OS 9, ANDROID 14
The screen of the device looks beautiful and is quite fast. It supports HDR but only on YouTube because on Netflix it is limited to SD resolution only. As far as several hours of use go, the RedMagic 9 Pro's screen looks bright, has good colors and is quite fast – standard for a gaming phone.
The completely flat design is appreciated as the device can be placed flat on the table without it tipping over. It's just that this kind of design doesn't provide a good grip for long-term use. The Cyclone color I tested is quite slippery, so a protective frame is mandatory. I don't like this, but rather than falling and breaking it's better to have an ugly frame that scratches easily.
What surprised me this time was the software used. Redmagic OS 9 based on Android 14 is one of the most perfect RedMagic has ever developed. Many stock Android elements are included, the use is also easy for me because there is no need to search for hidden important settings and the customization features are also quite numerous and interesting.
Among the interesting ones are;
RAM capacity
Virtual memory that adds up to 12GB on top of the 16GB already in use.
Using the November 2024 security patch.
Usually RedMagic uses a version two-three months back.
Turbo charge and Charge separation
A fast charging system that follows the state of the device and the first charging-while-playing feature that does not affect the health of the battery.
Cooling fan
Physical cooling fan with 59-blades that spins at a rate of 22,000 RPM.
SyncMind
Pinntar 5G features, Z-SmartSidebar and Floating Window for more efficient productivity.
DTS Sound
DTS audio system for the ZTE ecosystem.
Enhanced display mode and Tiny screen adjustment
Makes the screen more beautiful as well as the small screen manual control that protects the selfie camera.
Light strips
RGB control, many specific to the number 9 – logo on the back of the device.
Gopher
Accessory control under the RedMagic ecosystem.
Mora
An anime character as RedMagic's mascot and user's digital assistant.
PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARKS – SNAPDRAGON 8 GEN 3 + RED CORE R2 PRO
Since the RedMagic is a flagship device with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, in this performance comparison I will compare it with the iQOO 12 and also the vivo X100 Pro. The benchmarking software is AnTuTu 3D, Geekbench 6 and also 3DMark with Solar Bay and Wild Life Xtreme.
This test is based on a newly set up device with all the apps I use already installed. I also turned on prime and fan mode to get the most optimal score.
Geekbench 6
RedMagic 9 Pro – 2153/6775
iQOO 12 – 2181/6631
vivo X100 Pro – 2071/5032
Antutu 3D
RedMagic 9 Pro – 2,114,787
iQOO 12 – 2,075,821
vivo X100 Pro – 1,852,552
3D Mark Wildlife Extreme
RedMagic 9 Pro – 31.33 FPS
iQOO 12 – 30.22 FPS
vivo X100 Pro – 24.35 FPS
3D Mark Wildlife Extreme
RedMagic 9 Pro – 33.10 FPS
iQOO 12 – 32.43 FPS
vivo X100 Pro – 26.35 FPS
It should also be noted that many of my accounts are still not synchronized and many applications are no longer running in the background. As far as testing the benchmark application and playing Asphalt 9 first, the RedMagic 9 Pro did not experience any heating issues and the device still operated very smoothly. It may change in the coming weeks. Apparent heating occurs only during fast charging.
CONCLUSION
In my opinion, if you buy this device at a promotional price such as a global set of RM2949 for 12/256 GB, it is definitely the most worthwhile. But the RedMagic 9 Pro doesn't offer a good camera, good software but no future guarantees, mediocre speakers and a design that might not appeal to everyone – it's hard for this device to compete with the ROG Phone 8 which will surely be better. Stay tuned for a full review for more info after I've been using it for a few weeks.
PRO
Unique design with a sexy screen.
A real fan cooling system that competitors don't have.
Terrible performance with interesting software.
Useful shoulder buttons with other buttons that are nice to press.
There is still a 3.5mm audio jack.
CONS
Software no update guarantee.
The speaker is only standard.
A camera that is not worth the selling price.
Dimming RGB lights.
Uncertain price because one is sold by ZTE Global and one by ZTE Malaysia.