Nubia Red Magic 5G v/s ASUS ROG Phone 2
What's the story
With mobile games picking up steam, smartphone makers are bringing desktop-grade hardware to our handheld devices.
The latest offering to grab our attention is the Nubia Red Magic 5G which comes with a 144Hz AMOLED display, up to 16GB RAM, sophisticated active air-cooling system, and the latest Snapdragon 865 flagship chipset.
But is it better than ASUS's best-selling gaming handset, the ROG Phone 2?
Design
Red Magic 5G v/s ROG Phone 2: At a glance
Both handsets come with hole-less, notch-less conventional screens with slim bezels. However, the dual-tone color finish and graphics on the Nubia handset look more attractive than the monochrome metallic chassis of the ROG Phone 2.
The phones also sport touch-sensitive shoulder buttons for improved gaming experience, some RGB LED fitments, and a built-in cooling system for thermal management.
Winner: Red Magic 5G.
Display
All about the screen
The Nubia Red Magic 5G sports a 6.65-inch AMOLED screen with a full-HD+ (1080x2340 pixels) resolution. The display supports 144Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch-sensing for smooth scrolling, animation, and gaming (of course, on supported titles).
In comparison, the ROG Phone 2 has a 6.59-inch full-HD+ AMOLED screen with a good 120Hz refresh rate.
Winner: Red Magic 5G for its higher screen refresh rate.
Cameras
For the shutterbugs turned gamers
The Red Magic 5G sports a triple-lens rear camera including a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and another 2MP macro lens. For selfies, it offers an 8MP camera.
The ROG Phone 2, on the other hand, offers a dual-camera system comprising a 48MP primary sensor and 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens. On the front, it packs a solid 24MP selfie shooter.
Winner: You decide.
Internals
Under the hood
The Red Magic 5G is powered by the latest Snapdragon 865 chipset, combined with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage. For connectivity, it gets Wi-Fi 6 and 5G support.
In this battle, the ROG Phone 2 trails with last year's Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, up to 12GB RAM and 256GB/512GB of storage.
Winner: Red Magic 5G.
Nitty-gritty
Battery to biometrics
The Nubia flagship phone promises to offer lengthy gaming sessions. It packs a solid 4,500mAh battery which supports 55W fast charging. In comparison, the ROG Phone 2 gets a mighty 6,000mAh battery but with slower Quick Charge 4.0 technology.
Further, both the handsets feature optical in-screen fingerprint sensors for secure biometric authentication.
Winner: Red Magic 5G for its decent battery capacity and faster charging.
Pocket-pinch
Pricing: The key factor
The Red Magic 5G starts at CNY 3,799 (approximately Rs. 40,300) for the entry-level 8GB/128GB variant and goes up to CNY 4,999 (roughly Rs. 53,000) for the 16GB/256GB model.
In comparison, the ROG Phone 2, which is currently out of stock in India, starts at Rs. 37,999 for the entry-level 8GB/128GB configuration and goes up to Rs. 59,999 for the maxed-out 12GB/512GB model.
Our verdict
How things stack up?
Some nine months back, there was no phone like the ROG Phone 2. It was a spec-monster, packing a 120Hz display, 12GB of RAM, 6,000mAh battery and an overclocked processor.
However, the Red Magic 5G has arrived as the new benchmark with its 144Hz AMOLED screen, flagship performance, gaming-oriented design, latest connectivity options, and an attractive price tag.
Winner: Nubia Red Magic 5.