After 6 Months: ZTE Nubia Red Magic 3s Review

ZTE Nubia Red Magic 3s

Red Magic 3s, a gaming phone that is probably new to most people compared to the well known brands like ROG or Black Shark. I got this phone December 13, 2009 and have been using it since then. This phone has all the specs of a flagship from 2019. Here's what under the hood (https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_nubia_red_magic_3s-9839.php)

	Dimensions	171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm (6.76 x 3.09 x 0.38 in)
	Weight	215 g (7.58 oz)
	Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), aluminum back, aluminum frame
	SIM	Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
		RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones Built-in cooling fan

	Type	AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	6.65 inches, 108.6 cm2 (~80.5% screen-to-body ratio)
	Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~388 ppi density)
	Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 4
		90Hz refresh rate

	OS	Android 9.0 (Pie), Redmagic 2.0
	Chipset	Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm)
	CPU	Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485)
	GPU	Adreno 640 (700 MHz)

	Card slot	No
	Internal	256GB 12GB RAM
		UFS 3.0

		Non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh battery
	Charging	Fast charging 18W Quick Charge 4+

This phone has specs that can rival gaming phones Php 20K higher than it. Along with a very good interior, the phone's aesthetic also include what you can see in all other high end gaming phones. You can find RGB lights that are customizable. This phone is also equipped with left and right touchpads that you can assign game function when you switch the game mode on (physical button found on the upper left side of the phone). 

PROS

What I like about the Nubia Red Magic 3s is how seamless it is when you use it. I haven't encountered any lags or any hiccups probably because of the Snapdragon 855+ and the 12 gigs of RAM. This phone can also multitask, without crashing the apps or pages opened. Red Magic 3s also has a very good cooling because of a physical fan installed at the back of the phone controllable on its game center. The game center also displays the phone's temperature, fan speed, RGB light presets and screen recording. 

The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, has an 80.5% screen to body ratio and has a 388 pixel per inch (ppi) and has a 90Hz screen refresh rate. The phone is bright and you can use it under direct sunlight. Sounds are also very clear and loud with two front facing speakers located both at the top and the bottom part of the screen. Battery life is large at 5000mah and has very good fast charging capability. It also has an 18 watts charge with the box. 

The build of the phone is compact and made of aluminum so it feels really solid in your hands. You may also purchase additional items that you can use with this phone (a controller, a deck where you can connect a LAN cable, etc.). I purchased the Bluetooth controller for around Php2K. 

 

CONS

The cons that I can see using this phone for the past 6+ months is mainly in the UI. Red Magic 3s is still running on an Android 9 Pie with Red Magic 2.0 skin on top of it. I also noticed that the "Phone Name" reverts back to a default "Red Magic 3s" even though you already change it. I also found online that there is already an Android 10 OTA released in China, I still cannot find any news for a global update online. I also find the UI very "basic" looking with a limited option when it comes to personalizing the themes. 

The support for the phone is also a little difficult, I tried asking questions on their website regarding the Android update, but I haven't got any reply. 

Another cons about this phone is there is absolutely no Water/Dust resistance, because of the fan exhaust installed on the phone. 

The camera of the phone is so-so, sporting a single 48mp f/1.7 main camera at the back with an LED flash that takes decent pictures. 

VERDICT

ZTE Nubia Red Magic 3s is a very good solid phone, especially if you are into games. I tried playing Moonton's Mobile Legends Bangbang and experienced no Lag. I also played heavy graphics game like Black Desert Mobile on it, and the game looks good and the game play is seamless. After six (6) months of using this, I am amazed of the battery life and the user experience. It is still snappy and responsive with all the apps running in the background. 

I am just hoping to have this phone upgraded to Android 10 sooner than later so I won't get bored with it and to give it a new UI overhaul.  After six months, I give this phone the following ratings: 

Performance: 9/10

Graphics: 9/10

Battery Life: 9/10

UI: 7/10

Camera: 7/10

Overall: 8/10

Customizable RGB Lights at the back

Game Mode activated via a physical button at the left side of the phone