Smartphones have easily become one of the most popular gaming platforms in the market. That’s thanks to popular competitive titles like Mobile Legends and Call of Duty Mobile. They are so competitive that they are now getting their own tournaments and events.
That’s also the reason behind gaming smartphones — devices that offer not just extreme power to handle demanding apps, but also flashy and edgy designs that every gamer would love.
Actually, gaming smartphones have been around for years. So long that we now have devices like the Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro.
Since the first Black Shark, this line of top-caliber smartphones offer a lot of things that you rarely find on regular smartphones. And we’re expecting nothing less from this year’s iteration.
But other than Xiaomi’s Black Shark brand, Nubia is also known for its Red gaming smartphones. And for 2020, they launched the new Nubia Red Magic 5G — a smartphone that will go head-to-head with Xiaomi’s offering.
Today, here in our Nubia Red Magic 3 5G versus Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro specifications and features comparison, we’ll see which between these feature-packed gaming smartphones is really the best handset for you.
| Nubia Red Magic 5G | Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro | |
| Operating System | Android 10 Red Magic OS | Android 10 Joy UI 11 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.65-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution ~388ppi 144Hz refresh rate 240Hz touch-sensing 100% DCI-P3 Corning Gorilla Glass | 7.1-inch QHD+ AMOLED 3120 x 1440 pixel resolution ~483ppi HDR10+ 90Hz refresh rate 270Hz touch-sensing MEMC 2.0 display processor |
| Processor | 2.84GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core Air-Cooling fans Liquid pipes | 2.84GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core Dual Heatsink |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB/16GB | 8GB/12GB |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 650 |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.0 non-expandable | 256GB/512GB UFS 3.0 non-expandable |
| Front camera | 8-megapixel | 20-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 64-megapixel (f/1.8) 8-megapixel (ultra-wide) 2-megapixel (macro) PDAF LED flash | 64-megapixel (f/1.8) 13-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.25) 5-megapixel (depth sensor) PDAF LED flash |
| Audio | Headphone jack Stereo speakers | Headphone jack Stereo speakers |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner Face unlock | In-display fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NAVIC USB Type-C Magnetic pins | 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NAVIC USB Type-C Magnetic pins |
| Others | Physical trigger buttons | Physical trigger buttons |
| Dimensions | 168.56 x 78 x 9.75mm | 177.9 x 83.29 x 10.1mm |
| Weight | 218g | 253g |
| Battery | 4,500mAh 55W air-cooled fast charging Dock charging | 5,000mAh 65W fast charger Magnetic 18W charger (sold separately) |
| Colors | Black Cyber Neon Mars Red Transparent Edition | Lightning Black Armor Gray |
| Price | 8GB/128GB: CNY3,799 (~Php27,700) 12GB/128GB: CNY4,099 (~Php29,900) 12GB/256GB: CNY4,399 (~Php32,100) 16GB/256GB: CNY4,999 (~Php36,500) Transparent Edition: 12GB/256GB: CNY4,599 (~Php33,600) 16GB/256GB: CNY5,199 (~Php37,900) | 8GB/256GB: CNY4,699 (~Php34,300) 12GB/256GB: CNY4,999 (~Php36,400) |
The table above clearly shows that the Nubia Red Magic 5G and Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro are some of the most interesting devices today. But I guess that’s given since they are gaming smartphones.
Both phones are equally powerful and well-equipped if you plan on doing hardcore gaming on them. Plus, there are other features that make them great for other non-gaming stuff.
However, if performance and speed is really your top priority, you might find the Nubia Red Magic 5G more tempting.
But if you want a more balanced, the Black Shark 3 Pro has flagship-like extras that the former lacks.
For starters, Nubia’s bet features a faster 144Hz refresh rate, which can natively make watching movies and playing games smoother.
Although, the Black Shark 3 Pro does come with a bigger 7.1-inch screen, 270Hz touch-sensing for better responsiveness, a dedicate display processor, and HDR 10+.
Both devices come with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core processor with Adreno 650 GPU. However, you can get the Red Magic 5G with a whopping 16GB of RAM, while the Black Shark 3 maxes out at 12GB.
Nubia even went ludicrous mode and installed a spinning air-cooling fan on this thing. It ramps up when gaming and charging at high wattage to prevent overheating. Easily outshining two heatsinks that sandwiches the motherboard on the Black Shark 3 Pro.
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- Xiaomi Black Shark 3 vs Black Shark 3 Pro: What’s the difference?
But as I said earlier, the Black Shark 3 Pro has other flagship-caliber features that are better than the competition.
For one, it has a better 20-megapixel selfie (vs 8-megapixels) and 13-megapixel ultra-wide (vs 8-megapixel) cameras. Albeit they share the same 64-megapixel main shooters.
Xiaomi’s offering also has a 5,000mAh battery with 65W fast charging support. That’s obviously better than the 4,500mAh battery and 55W fast charging of the Nubia Red Magic 5G.
Although, the Nubia phone’s air fans shall do a better job in handling thermals to prevent overheating.
But other than that, it looks like the Nubia Red Magic 5G takes the win on this one. The best part is, you can boast all the hardware inside it by getting the Transparent Edition. Pricing-wise, Nubia’s product is also cheaper by a couple of thousands compared to Black Shark.