We’re at a stage where we take the modern smartphone for granted. These devices are so good at doing what is expected of them, that manufacturers have little to improve with each update cycle. As a result of the shrinking headroom for vertical growth, companies are looking at differentiation to help their products stand out. This is where the gaming phone comes into the picture. As mobiles follow the path charted by laptops before them, specialised devices targeted at gamers have begun to emerge. We got a chance to try out one of these gamer-centric phones: the Nubia Red Magic.
First impressions
Nubia has sold a few phones in India before, but largely flew under the radar in the hotly-contested budget category. The Red Magic is cut from a different cloth than previous Nubias, right from the slick black packaging and contrasting red logo. Opening the box reveals the sleek device, some basic documentation, a SIM ejector tool, and Red Magic stickersa nice touch. We did find the bland white power adapter and cable a bit of a dampener. A dash of colour here would have really helped . The cable is USB Type-C, so the Red Magic does not have to worry on the future-proofing front.
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On to the phone itself, Nubia has produced a solid device. The metal build of the Red Magic lends it substantial heft, despite not having a huge footprint. This may put off some, but we liked it. What is not as likeable is the profile. For a gaming-centric device, which is likely to be used in landscape mode a lot, its edges tend to cut into the palms during long sessions. The narrow fingerprint sensor on the back also appears to defy utility, but in our experience, it worked fine. The design makes the Red Magic stand out, particularly the red accents on the corners and a dedicated red button for gaming mode. There’s only a single camera at the back, but Nubia did throw in a vertical LED light strip with customisable colour combinations and patterns below it. This is, after all, a gaming phone.
Does it game?
The Red Magic is not all show and no stuff. Yes, it runs a generation-old Snapdragon 835 SoC, and has a plain IPS LCD display with a normal refresh rate. That processor is backed by 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, however. Together, this makes the phone capable of delivering smooth frame rates in modern games. There is also a substantial 3,800 mAh battery and a near-stock build of Android 8.1. The slider on the side of the phone triggers Game Boost mode, which optimises settings for gaming, and allows notifications and the navigation buttons to be disabled.
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Day in day out
Aside from some ergonomic discomfort, the Red Magic is a good gaming phone. Yet, even in this very small niche it occupies with competitors like the Asus ROG phone, the Razer Phone and Xiaomi’s Black Shark, it does not do anything, well, magical. Yes, there is a customisable LED light strip and funky colours, but missing are innovative additions like a high refresh rate display, or the ‘air trigger’ functions of the ROG. There is not much of an ecosystem around the phone at present, though Nubia seems to be making efforts internationally, where it sells a few basic accessories (and a red-and-black USB cable!). The company has announced more phones in the Red Magic line, so this could signal positive developments in future.
Sensible shooter
The Red Magic makes do with a 24MP rear camera and an 8MP front-facing one. The large sensor allows the phone to take some impressive shots outdoors, but tricky lighting sometimes trips up the image processing, leading to some washed-out tones. Pictures are generally neutral, and not over-saturated. The selfie camera also does a serviceable job, and the app itself is pretty barebones. There is a Pro Mode and a section for some software-based video trickery. The Red Magic also shoots 4K video, which, like everything else about the camera, is par for the course.
Should you get it?
The Nubia Red Magic is not a bad phone, neither is it a spectacular one. At a price of ₹29,999, it is hard to dock points for it not having some features offered by its more expensive competitors. That said, with Nubia working on its ecosystem, it might be prudent to wait and see what the company has up its sleeve for future iterations.