Nubia just officially announced the Red Magic 6S Pro, ahead of a global release on 27 September. As is often the case with Red Magic handsets, the device has an incredible spec sheet when you consider its mid-range price point.
Among the upgrades here is the move to a Snapdragon 888+, Qualcomm’s latest and greatest 5G-enabled chipset. The gains are relatively minor compared to the regular 888 in the Red Magic 6 and 6 Pro but performance should be a key strength once again. The phone now comes with a minimum of 12GB of RAM too.
All signs point to the 6S Pro being another excellent device for mobile gaming, especially when you consider that 165Hz refresh rate display, combined with a much-improved 720Hz touch sampling rate, meaning the buttery-smooth visuals look set to be another highlight.
The display itself is still a 6.8in AMOLED panel, at a resolution of 1080×2400. Nubia opted for a notch with the Red Magic 6R, but that’s not the case here and as such the 6S Pro sticks its front camera back into the bezels around the display while maintaining a respectable 85.1% screen-to-body ratio.
Not opting for 1440p or 4K resolution should also help battery life, with the 5050mAh capacity of the 6 Pro unchanged here. 120W fast charging is only available on the Chinese model, meaning you’re limited to just 66W on the global version. At that wattage, you can expect a full charge in 65 minutes, however, there’s only a 30W adapter in the box.
The design of the 6S Pro is similar to previous Red Magic phones, with one key exception. The standard black colourway is joined by a new transparent finish, which exposes the inner workings of the device. It’s a unique look, but you’ll only find it on the top-spec 16GB RAM/256GB model.
Image: Nubia
Aside from a slightly larger 64Mp main sensor, the camera setup remains unchanged. That means you’ll find an 8Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro on the back, alongside an 8Mp selfie camera. Unlike many other areas of the phone, don’t expect these snappers to rival those of flagship phones.
That front-facing sensor still supports face (RGB) unlock, although most people are more likely to use the optical in-display fingerprint sensor. Other features of note include a new customisable trigger on the back of the phone (adding to the existing shoulder triggers) and an enhanced cooling system.
The 6S Pro is priced very similarly to the Red Magic 6, starting at £519/€599/US$599 for 12GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The high-end transparent model mentioned earlier will set you back £629/€729/US$729, though.
Look out for an early bird offer on 18 September, ahead of the phone going on sale from 27 September. It will be available globally via the Red Magic website.
How will it compare to the other great handsets in our best gaming phone chart? Only time will tell.
