The RedMagic 8 Pro is one of the latest gaming phones to hit the market, and it promises to deliver a lot of power and performance for mobile gamers. But does it live up to its hype, or does it fall short in some areas? I’ve been using the RedMagic 8 Pro for a few weeks, and here are my thoughts on this device.
Design and Display
The RedMagic 8 Pro has a sleek and stylish design, with a rectangular body and sharp corners. The back of the phone features a glass panel with a gradient color scheme, a triple camera module, an RGB logo, and two vents for the cooling fan. The phone also has two ultrasonic shoulder triggers on the right side, which can be customized for different games.
The front of the phone is dominated by a 6.8-inch FHD AMOLED display, which has no notch or hole-punch cutout. Instead, the phone uses an under-display camera for selfies, which is barely visible when the screen is on.
The display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes everything look smooth and fluid. The colors are vibrant and bright, and the contrast is excellent. The display also has an in-screen fingerprint sensor, which works fast and reliably.
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The RedMagic 8 Pro has a headphone jack on the top, a USB-C port on the bottom, and dual stereo speakers on both ends. The speakers are loud and clear, and they support Dolby DTS: X Ultra audio for an immersive sound experience. The phone also has a dedicated switch on the left side, which activates the Game Space mode, where you can access all your games and gaming settings.
Performance and Battery
The RedMagic 8 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is one of the most powerful processors available for Android phones. The phone also has 12GB or 16GB of RAM, and 256GB or 512GB of internal storage. The phone can handle any game or app you throw at it, without breaking a sweat. The phone also has a built-in cooling fan, which keeps the temperature low even under heavy load.
The phone runs on Android 12 with RedMagic OS 5.5 on top. The software is mostly stock Android, with some added features and customization options. However, the software also has some issues with translation and optimization, which can affect the user experience. Some menus and settings are poorly translated or hard to understand, and some apps don’t run smoothly or crash occasionally.
The RedMagic 8 Pro has a massive 6,000 mAh battery, which can last for a long time on a single charge. The phone also supports 65W fast charging, which can fully charge the battery in about an hour. However, the phone does not support wireless charging or reverse wireless charging, which are common features in other flagship phones.
Cameras
The RedMagic 8 Pro has a triple camera setup on the back, consisting of a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro camera. The main camera can take decent photos in good lighting conditions, with good details and colors. However, the camera struggles in low-light situations, producing noisy and blurry images.
The ultra-wide camera can capture more of the scene, but it also suffers from distortion and loss of quality at the edges. The macro camera can take close-up shots of small objects, but it has a very narrow focus range and low resolution.
The front camera of the RedMagic 8 Pro is hidden under the display, which gives the phone a seamless look. However, this also compromises the quality of the selfies. The front camera produces soft and grainy images, with poor exposure and colors. The camera also has difficulty detecting faces and applying effects or filters.
The RedMagic 8 Pro can record videos up to 4K resolution at 60fps with the rear cameras, and up to 1080p resolution at 30fps with the front camera. The video quality is decent for casual use, but it lacks stabilization and dynamic range.
Verdict
The RedMagic 8 Pro is a gaming phone that delivers on its promise of power and performance. The phone has a stunning display, a long-lasting battery, a great cooling system, and plenty of gaming features. However, the phone also has some problems with its software and cameras, which can affect its overall appeal. The phone is also not widely compatible with all US carriers, which limits its availability.
If you are looking for a gaming phone that can handle any game you want to play, and you don’t mind the software and camera issues, then the RedMagic 8 Pro is a good option for you. However, if you are looking for a more well-rounded phone that can also take good photos and videos, and you want a better software experience, then you might want to look elsewhere.
The RedMagic 8 Pro is available for $649 / £579 for the 12GB/256GB model, and $769 / £699 for the 16GB/512GB model. You can buy it from the RedMagic store or Amazon.
