With a great gaming experience, decent cameras, huge battery life and a cool design, is the Redmagic 9 Pro one of the best bargains in tech?
Best Prices Today: Redmagic 9 Pro
Nubia has updated its smartphone gaming line again with the new Redmagic 9 Pro. It looks like we’re just getting one model globally, with no sign of the Redmagic 9 Pro+ being released outside China.
So, are there improvements in terms of speed and cooling that make it worth upgrading from predecessors? And is this the new best gaming phone you can buy? I load up some games and see how it handles the chaos. Design & Build
Solid, but big and heavy
No waterproofing
Cool lights
If you’re familiar with the Redmagic smartphones, the 9 Pro will look instantly recognisable. It shares much of the design aesthetic used on the previous Redmagic 8S Pro and Redmagic 8 Pro. This means you get a smartphone that will fill your hand and then some. Here’s how the last few Redmagic devices compare in their dimensions:
Redmagic 9 Pro: 164 x 76.4 x 8.9mm / 6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 inches; 229g
Redmagic 8S Pro: 164 x 76.4 x 9.5mm / 6.46 x 3.01 x 0.37 inches; 228g
Redmagic 8 Pro: 164 x 76.4 x 8.9mm / 6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 inches; 228g
The 9 Pro is quite an angular device, with square edges on the aluminium frame that surrounds the 6.8-inch display. The right flank has a lot going on, as it’s home to the two 520Hz touch-sensitive trigger controls you can use for gaming.
You’ll also find a volume button, power button and red sliding switch (used to enable the dedicated gaming mode). If that’s not enough, there’s also a vent for the built-in cooling system, with an identical one on the opposite side.
Due to the latter, you still don’t get any waterproof rating on the Redmagic 9 Pro (just like previous generations). The need to expel air via the fan and vents means you can’t secure the unit from water getting in. If you’re going to be playing out in the rain, then maybe invest in an umbrella.
On the top and bottom edges there are the speakers that make up the stereo system, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack if you want a more immersive (and neighbour-friendly) audio experience. A USB-C charging port is standard these days, so it doesn’t look out of place on the Redmagic 9 Pro, and it’s same story for the dual (Nano) SIM card slot.
The 9 Pro has the cool, futuristic design we’ve come to associate with Redmagic devices. My review sample bears the Snowfall livery, which is a mixture of white and silver and looks like a panel from some sci-fi spaceship. The Redmagic 9 Pro is also available in Sleek (black and silver) or Cyclone (black and gold), all of which look great.
On all models, there are various LEDs under the casing which emit coloured lights through the trigger buttons and an ’09’ printed on the back of the phone. These can be customised in several colours and patterns, making it easy to personalise them when they come on as you’re playing games. They also double as notification lights, so you’ll easily be able to see when you get any messages.
Accompanying these is the transparent fan with multi-colour lights underneath, which is another staple of the Redmagic range. When you’re playing games, the fan will light up as the phone cools itself, giving a kind of light show on the rear panel. It’s one of those things where a potential annoyance (a fan spinning up) is turned into a feature instead. Personally, I think it’s a lot of fun, even if the player themself doesn’t get to see the lights.
One design departure from the Redmagic 8 Pro is that the cameras no longer line up in the middle of the rear panel, but instead form a vertical column in the upper left section, with the fan at the bottom. This is better, as the previous camera bump fell right where your fingers would be when playing a game. That’s not an issue any more thanks to the redesign.
Those with eagle eyes will realise that this means one of the cameras has been dropped from the team, which is correct. The 2MP macro lens is no more, which is no great loss as they are pretty much useless on most phones.
As with most gaming phones, the Redmagic feels more comfortable in the hands when held in a landscape orientation. Otherwise, the heavy and tall layout can be a bit of a beast if you’re using the phone for a while. You get a slimline protective case with the phone, but it’s quite flimsy and I definitely worried about dropping the 9 Pro – there isn’t a lot of grip available. Screen & Speakers
6.8-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
Under-display selfie camera
Stereo speakers and 3.5mm headphone jack
Sticking with the formula from the previous couple of Redmagic phones, the 9 Pro comes with a 6.8-inch, FHD+ (2480×1116) AMOLED panel.
As with those models, there’s also an under-display fingerprint sensor in the lower third, plus an under-display selfie camera at the top, meaning the entire panel is uninterrupted by buttons or notches. That means it’s a perfect screen for gaming or enjoying streamed video content, as there’s nothing to distract your view.
It’s also a nice display to look at, with good colours, smooth transitions thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, sharp details and solid off-angle views.
