RedMagic 10 Pro gaming smartphone: Class-leading performance with cutting-edge tech
Performance Pictures: Redmagic An Pro 10 Level Elite With Redmagic Of Gaming Smartphone
After two weeks of hands-on experience with the RedMagic 10 Pro, I’ve been in awe of what gaming smartphones can achieve. This 10th-generation device promises to break barriers, boasting industry firsts like liquid metal cooling and an ultra-narrow bezel. But does it live up to the hype? Here’s an in-depth look at how this device performs in daily use and gaming scenarios.
I’ve been a massive fan of the RedMagic line of gaming phones, and while the latest model stays true to its DNA, I love the subtle upgrades they’ve made to the RedMagic 10 Pro. The flat back is a unique feature by today’s design standards, eliminating the camera bump for a sleek, uninterrupted surface. The rear panel incorporates customisable RGB lighting, including a ring of RGB lights around the built-in fan, giving the phone a futuristic look. This phone was designed with gamers in mind, ensuring comfort during extended gaming sessions.
The front and back are flat, but a subtle curve around the edges enhances the device's comfort. My review unit was the Dusk black model, which looks stunning with its transparent back that reveals small details like metal screws, some of the electronics and panels with varying textures.
The 10 Pro weighs about the same as an iPhone 16 Pro Max, but it has a much larger battery and no camera bump. Its flat back not only looks great but also means there's no wobble when you lay it on a table, and it works much better in peripherals like slide-open game controllers.
The 10 Pro retains many signature hardware features, including the 3.5mm headphone jack, an IR blaster for controlling remotes, a dedicated red gaming slider button on the right-hand side, and capacitive shoulder triggers.
However, things that are still missing are an official water and dustproof rating and wireless charging.
The 6.85-inch BOE x RedMagic AMOLED display is a showstopper. With a 1.5K resolution and a remarkable 95.3% screen-to-body ratio, it delivers vibrant colours, razor-sharp details, and a seamless viewing experience. The under-display camera allows for a truly immersive full-screen look, free of distractions.
Its 144Hz refresh rate and an instantaneous 2,500Hz touch sampling rate ensure ultra-smooth gameplay and responsiveness, evident in every swipe and tap. I didn’t think the 144Hz display would be noticeable, but when I directly compared it to the 120Hz of the RedMagic 9 Pro, I could see how much smoother the faster refresh rate was. However, it’s less noticeable in actual gameplay. It’s also worth noting that not all games support 144Hz or even 120Hz. However, I’m not a competitive gamer, and I’m sure those who are will appreciate the improved latency and responsiveness.
Even outdoors, the display impresses with its peak brightness of 2,000 nits, making it readable under direct sunlight. Watching videos or gaming on this screen feels almost cinematic without compromising clarity or colour accuracy.
At the heart of the RedMagic 10 Pro is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, clocked up to 4.32GHz. This phone is a beast, with up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage. My review unit had 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
Multitasking is a breeze, and loading times for heavy games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty: Mobile are virtually nonexistent.
RedMagic also includes its proprietary Red Core 3 chip, which is dedicated to optimising gaming performance. The chip enhances haptic feedback, sound effects, and lighting while improving power management. During my testing, frame rates remained stable, even during resource-intensive sessions, showcasing the phone's ability to handle demanding tasks easily.
As I do with all phones I test, I put the 10 Pro through a series of benchmarks, and the boost in performance was, well, elite. Geekbench multi-core scores were the best I tested on any smartphone, including the iPhone 16 Pro.
Non-gaming phones are notorious for heating up under pressure, but the RedMagic 10 Pro tackles this with its groundbreaking ICE-X cooling system. It’s the first smartphone to incorporate liquid metal cooling, a technology typically reserved for gaming laptops. The system features an 11-layer structure, including advanced materials like graphene, a vapour chamber, and a high-speed turbofan that runs at 23,000 RPM.
In the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme stress test, which repeats 20 consecutive stress tests, the 10 Pro managed the highest score I’ve recorded for a phone, and it maintained its performance from test one to 20 without thermal throttling with a 99.7% stability score.
The device stays surprisingly cool during extended gaming, maintaining peak performance. The fan operates quietly, and the RGB lighting adds a subtle yet captivating visual effect. This cooling system enhances performance and prolongs the phone's lifespan by reducing heat-related wear and tear. Hardcore gamers will appreciate a phone that won’t start grinding to a halt at critical stages in their game due to thermal throttling.
The RedMagic 10 Pro houses a massive 7,050mAh battery, a first in the industry. On a full charge, the device lasted me nearly two days with moderate usage, including several hours of gaming, video streaming, and social media.
When it’s time to recharge, the 100W fast charging ensures the battery goes from 0 to 100% in about 30 minutes. However, the included charger — yes, there’s a charger in the box — is 80W, which is slightly slower. Like all chargers, it only charges at the maximum wattage at the start, and it slows down in the middle of the cycle to about 55W. Then, it will slow down to a trickle as it gets closer to 100%.
RedMagic’s charge separation technology is another bonus addition. It allows the phone to run directly on power without affecting the battery. This feature is especially useful during marathon gaming sessions, as it helps maintain battery health over time.
The RedMagic 10 Pro is packed with gamer-centric features, including dual 520Hz shoulder triggers, which are a delight, offering customisable controls that make FPS and MOBA games much more engaging. The triggers respond instantly, and the tactile feedback feels natural, almost like using a console controller.
Game Space, RedMagic’s dedicated gaming hub, provides access to tools to optimise gameplay. It allows you to adjust performance modes, monitor CPU and GPU stats, and customise RGB lighting. Features like frame rate boost and resolution upscaling to 2K make gaming smoother and more immersive.
The RedMagic 10 Pro's camera system isn’t its main focus, but it holds its own. The dual 50MP rear cameras capture vibrant and detailed photos, with the main sensor equipped with optical image stabilisation for low-light scenarios. The ultra-wide camera produces excellent landscape shots with minimal distortion thanks to advanced correction algorithms.
The under-display 16MP front camera is a marvel of engineering and is the main reason the front display is so immersive. While it delivers decent selfies, it sacrifices some image quality for the seamless full-screen experience. However, RedMagic has improved the image quality compared to the 9 Pro. I could see more detail and contrast in selfies. Overall, the cameras are good enough for most people, but if photography is your priority, this might not be the device for you.
Dual stereo speakers deliver rich, immersive sound with noticeable improvements over the 9 Pro. Occasionally, I covered the speaker grilles during use, but this was a minor issue.
It includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, a huge bonus for those seeking zero-latency audio. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and a fingerprint sensor with heart rate detection. Z-Smart Cast enables low-latency screen mirroring at 120fps, which performed flawlessly during testing.
Running on Android 15 with RedMagic OS 10, the software feels modern and optimised. However, the phone does come with a fair share of bloatware, which might be off-putting for users who prefer a clean experience.
The RedMagic 10 Pro is a stunning gaming smartphone that I would be happy to use even if I wasn’t a gamer. It offers class-leading performance, the latest in cooling tech, and a stylish design in a market full of camera bumps. Its vibrant display, robust battery life, and gamer-focused features make it a dream device for mobile gamers. While the cameras and software could see some refinement, they don’t detract significantly from the overall experience.
The RedMagic 10 Pro will be available for early bird purchase starting December 12, 2024, with a starting price of €649 at its official stores. eu.redmagic.gg