Is the Nubia Red Magic 5G Worth Having?

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The Nubia Red Magic 5G is making its name in the gaming phone industry. Nubia, a Chinese company, has released a number of phones under the Red Magic name back then. However, none of those phones ever left a lasting impression. And while the 2019’s Red Magic 3 was an excellent gaming phone, it is mediocre in terms of daily use. But Nubia was able to release a phone that has a specs sheet that can make people look twice.

The Specs of the Nubia Red Magic 5G

The Red Magic 5G, obviously, has 5G connectivity. This is paired with a Snapdragon 865 chipset and an Adreno 650 graphics processor. Interestingly, this is the very first smartphone in the world to have a 144Hz refresh rate display. Considering these specs, the Nubia Red Magic 5G’s price of $600 is a good bargain.

Each of the Red Magic 5G’s aspects is created with gaming in mind. Apart from the impressive specs, this gaming phone possesses an internal fan that has vents on either side of the display. In addition, it has liquid cooling, loud dual stereo speakers, shoulder buttons that make mobile game controlling easier, and RGB lighting on the back.

That being said, the Nubia Red Magic 5G should be considered as one of the best gaming phones on the market right now. But the question is, does it?

Moreover, the Red Magic 5G became available in April 2020. Buyers can choose between four models — the Eclipse Black and Hot Rod Red versions. These models have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

In addition, the Eclipse Black has a slightly higher spec version, which has 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage.

The last Nubia Red Magic 5G model is the blue and red Pulse model. Just like the higher-spec version of Eclipse Black, this one has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

It is worth noting that none of the aforementioned models have expandable storage.

A Better Look At the Design

The Red Magic 5G can be described as a chunky phone. It boasts a big and bright 6.65-inch AMOLED display. In addition, it has a deep body that allows it to accommodate all its internals. This makes it heavier compared to most smartphones out there. The phone weighs 218g.

Still, the Nubia Red Magic 5G does not feel too heavy. As mentioned, this phone is created with gamers in mind. Of course, when you flip the phone to its side to play a game, you will want it to feel substantial and solid in the hand. The Red Magic 5G’s weight is able to give just that.

Moreover, this phone has busy sides. It has two shoulder buttons and a power button located on the right side. One of the fan vents, as well as the volume rocker, is also placed on the right-hand side of the device.

On the other hand, the left edge contains the other fan vent, a toggle switch for Game Space, and a port for a docking station. Notably, Game Space is the dedicated game launcher of Nubia.

The bottom of the phone houses one of its speakers, a USB-C charging port, and the SIM tray. On the top, you will see the headphone jack. Meanwhile, the second speaker sits just at the top of the screen.

You can see the triple camera setup on the back of the Red Magic 5G. These cameras are arranged in a vertical line. In addition, there is a customizable RGB lighting strip, as well as a Red Magic icon on the back of the device.

The Display

The most unique feature of the Nubia Red Magic 5G is its 144Hz refresh rate display. As mentioned, it is the first smartphone to ever have such a high refresh rate. The highest refresh rate that the smartphones before Red Magic 5G was 120Hz, as seen on the OnePlus 8 Pro and Razer Phone ll.

Moreover, a higher refresh rate means that your device’s screen will update more often, leading to a smoother picture. So, with the Nubia Red Magic 5G’s refresh rate, you will experience wrinkle-free scrolling across UI. It also provides silky performance during games.

In addition, the 6.65-inch AMOLED display is vibrant and bright. There are three options you can choose from in terms of display — colorful mode, the standard DCI-P3 mode, and the sRGB mode.

However, the Red Magic 5G’s screen is not the most detailed one. So, do not expect Samsung levels of display. The Red Magic 5G has a Full HD+ display with a 1080 x 2340 resolution. It works out at 387.5 pixels per inch. Such is less than phones such as the OnePlus 7T. For this reason, if you are into a phone’s sharpest possible image, you might get a little disappointed.

Final Thoughts

The Red Magic 5G is undeniably Nubia’s best phone so far. The features and specs that the company integrated into this device is no doubt for mobile gamers. With a screen size of 6.65 inches, it will be able to host any game that you want to play.

In addition, the 144Hz refresh rate is an assurance that the Red Magic 5G will run smoothly no matter how heavy your chosen game’s memory is. The chunk, flashy, and customizable RGB lights scream gamers at first glance. The buttons are properly placed around the phone, making sure that users will not get interrupted when they are in the middle of a game.

In terms of the price, the Nubia red Magic 5G is a lot cheaper than most gaming phones. Yet, it does not disappoint when it comes to performance. In fact, it even has something that other gaming phones do not have — the 144Hz refresh rate.

Needless to say, the Nubia Red Magic 5G is a phone worth having. The price you will pay is worth it with all the features that this gaming phone has, which is why it still ranks in our overall #1 spot. It maintains the same specs as the ASUS ROG Phone 3, which costs TWICE it’s the price at a whopping $1000.