Redmagic 9S Pro review – “Great for games, not for selfies”

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Redmagic 9S Pro review - "Great for games, not for selfies"

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I have seen gaming phones evolve from bulky, expensive devices to sleek and affordable powerhouses like the Redmagic 9S Pro. Having spent countless hours testing various gaming phones, I can confidently say that this device has left me impressed in many ways but also left me scratching my head in others.

I’ve been given the chance to evaluate the Redmagic 9S Pro gaming phone and compare it with my current one. Here, I’ll share why this device has left me impressed, demonstrating that high-quality gaming phones don’t always have to cost a fortune. In this review, you’ll discover all the reasons that make the Redmagic 9S Pro stand out!

I thought I should go with a title that sounds like it’s been ripped right out of a movie – but with a twist. That’s exactly how my view of this device is, because while it is great, it has some features that leave room for improvement. I’m going to go through every single one of them so you can make an educated choice.

Oh, and for the sake of argument, I have compared this phone with my ROG Phone 6D Ultimate – similar to the ROG Phone 6 Diablo Immortal Edition – which we’ve already talked about.

Redmagic 9S Pro review - "Great for games, not for selfies"

The good

Top-tier hardware

Hardware-wise, this phone is a beast. Just by taking a look at its specs, you can tell. All that is amazing when it comes to performance but, as a gamer, I’m looking for something a little extra – something that can further enhance my gaming experience.

I believe that’s where the “Red Switch” comes into play. It’s something I haven’t seen integrated this way into a gaming phone, and it intrigued me the most.  

The red control is situated next to your phone’s power key on one side of the device. It stands out quite noticeably. Once you activate this switch, you can enter the GameSpace – essentially the phone’s platform for gaming. Here, you’ll find a variety of features to customize your gaming experience.

Primarily, we have Gravity X – a versatile tool that enables connecting various devices (like keyboards, TVs, mice, or controllers) to the Redmagic 9S Pro, offering complete customization for an optimized gaming experience. I discovered the perfect pairing with my GameSir G8+ Bluetooth controller, making them an ideal duo.

AI for gamers – is it cheating?

Something else I noticed – which made me raise some questions – is that there’s a customizable AI companion called Mora. She’s pretty cool, and she brings a library of plugins and little widgets and options to help in-game.

As a seasoned programmer with years of experience under my belt, I’ve tackled countless challenges and created numerous digital solutions. However, when it comes to programming characters within a game, I must confess that I’ve never ventured down that path. Nonetheless, based on my expertise in coding and understanding the intricacies of game mechanics, I am convinced that it is possible for me to program Mora to execute tasks within the game. It remains to be seen whether I will take on this new challenge or not, as my personal preferences have always leaned towards creating the games rather than playing them. But rest assured, if given the opportunity, I could certainly bring my programming skills to bear in this exciting endeavor.

Well, considering the prevalence of AI in our current world, carrying such an AI device, particularly tailored for gaming, can feel quite empowering. Yet, one might question whether this could be seen as an unfair advantage, akin to cheating.

Good display, good sound

As you might expect, the display is perfect, and the sound is too. I had no issue running anything on max graphics, and with the sound on, it really felt like I was immersed in the games.

Cooling system without a need for other tech

In the beginning, I mentioned I had my own ROG Phone that I used for comparison – well, the Redmagic beat it by a mile when it came to the cooling system. Unlike the ROG Phone, the Redmagic 9S Pro doesn’t need any other piece of tech to turn on the cooling system.

Instead of cranking up the heat on your device while playing games, you can easily activate it within the Settings and continue enjoying your gaming experience without worry. Trust me, this feature has never failed me – not even with a wide variety of games I’ve tested extensively to see if I could make it overheat.

Redmagic 9S Pro review - "Great for games, not for selfies"

The bad

We’ve talked about a lot of pros that come with this phone, but there is one
bad
that I simply cannot understand – that is the front camera.

In simpler terms, the environment here can become quite outdated and unattractive. If you’re okay with using technology that seems like it’s from 2003 during video calls, then you might not mind. However, if you wish to take a high-quality selfie, you may need to use another device because the one here only has a 2MP camera.

The front camera on this phone appears seamlessly designed, but unfortunately, its performance falls short – it seems like a relic from the year 2000, with jerky movement at best. Despite having no camera bump or notch, and being elegantly embedded within the screen, it disappointingly doesn’t perform as well as I had hoped.

In our current times, it’s commonplace to make video calls every day. However, the idea of a front camera on the 9S Pro producing an image that appears almost pixelated just doesn’t add up. Fortunately, the rear camera performs quite well.

… And the pretty!

If the front camera was bad, the same can’t be said for the back camera. It takes wonderfully detailed pictures, and it is so much better than I expected from a gaming phone. To put it into perspective, having a good camera is not something a lot of gaming phones pride themselves on.

The Redmagic 9S Pro is capable of achieving that, as its camera offers numerous adjustable settings, transforming ordinary photos into expert-level shots.

Redmagic 9S Pro review - "Great for games, not for selfies"

Sleek design, flashy lights!

I left the best for last. The phone’s design is simply sleek at first, but once you start using it, you’ll discover that it has a lot of fun little features that definitely make it look the part. It is a gaming phone through and through.

Although the Redmagic 9S Pro lacks the flashy back display found on the ROG Phone, it offers a sleek design that is accentuated by illuminated trigger buttons, along with its logo and cooling fan. Its elegant appearance caters to those who prefer a more minimalist phone style, making it an excellent choice for such individuals.

You can purchase the Redmagic 9S Pro from the official website at €649.00 for the 12GB+256GB version, or €799.00 for the 16GB+512GB version.

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2024-08-19 05:48