Nubia Redmagic 6R Review and Specs

Analysts will be watching how the public reacts to Nubia’s new Redmagic 6R phone eagerly as a test-case for the popular adoption of a hitherto niche smartphone sector. If the 6R manages to draw in customers who wouldn’t dream of purchasing a $1000 gaming phone, you can expect to see Asus, Lenovo and Blackshark to quickly put out their own budget gaming devices. What’s more, with the latest rumors that Samsung is preparing to wade into the gaming phone market with a device of its own, the gaming phone may be on the verge of popular acceptance with devices like the 6R leading the charge.

We take a look at the Redmagic 6R and consider why it could be a game-changer in more ways than one.

A gamechanger

The Redmagic 6R is the latest device to emerge from Nubia’s Redmagic line of gaming phones. These powered up smartphones are designed from the ground up to be gaming devices capable of rivalling the likes of the PlayStation Vita or Nintendo Switch Lite. Though they are optimized for playing everything from classic online casino games to ARK: Survival Evolved, they have been causing a stir outside of the Esports world due to their impressive spec-sheets. The Redmagic 6, alongside Lenovo’s Legion Duel 2 and the Asus ROG Phone 5 are some of the most powerful phones ever built, and now Redmagic is taking aim at customers who may be seeking some of that performance without the price tag to match.

Accordingly, the new 6R represents a small departure for the Redmagic phones by pitching itself as the “lite” alternative to its flagship gaming devices. It achieves this by shipping with a slimmer design and slightly decreased performance. Don’t mistake this phone for a slouch though, as for its $599 retail price it punches well above its weight class. It features the top of the line Snapdragon 888 processor seen in all flagship Android devices in 2021 as well as 12GB of Ram and 256GB storage.

The 6R naturally has to cut corners somewhere in order to reach its budget price-tag, and this is evidenced in the exclusion of the on-board active cooling fan that ships with the Redmagic 6. Instead, the 6R has a special vapor chamber design to assist in cooling the device cool and preventing thermal throttling.

Incredible specs

The display has also experienced a downgrade from the 6, with the size of the OLED display shrinking from 6.8 inches down to 6.67. The refresh rate has also taken a hit, but in the grand scheme of things it manages to retain a faster display than most flagship devices, including the forthcoming iPhone 13. That device, which is set to include Apple’s ProMotion display technology, will feature a 120hz refresh rate. The 6R boasts a 144hz display, down from the 6’s ludicrous best-in-class 165hz.

The 6R also takes a hit on battery capacity, its 4200mAh battery comes in at 16% smaller than the 6’s 5050mAh. This is a mixed blessing that belies the intention of this device however, as big batteries add disproportionate amounts of mass and weight to a device’s footprint versus other components. As the 6R is attempting to be the “everyman’s” gaming phone, it is understandable that it would cut the over-size battery in a bid to make a sleeker, more portable phone. This lets the 6R come in at 34 grams lighter and 1.9mm thinner than its predecessor.

One aspect of the gaming phone sector that has distinguished it is the novelty and creativity behind their design. With the growth in popularity of Esports and computer gaming over the past decade, brands such as Razer and Asus’ Republic of Gamers have become household names due to their successful range of gaming laptops and peripherals. In responding to the demand by their customers for gaming-oriented smartphones, these computer manufacturers have made a disruptive entry into the smartphone market.

By building phones to meet the needs of gamers, they have led the charge in prioritizing battery size, display speeds and thermal efficiency. This has led to the sector becoming a test-bed for high-performance components, with the latest display tech, RAM capacity and battery tech surfacing first on gaming phones before filtering out into the general smartphone market.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or the management of EconoTimes