RedMagic 9S Pro: An affordable mobile gaming powerhouse
RedMagic 9S Pro gaming smartphone. Picture: Noel Campion.
The RedMagic 9S Pro is a dedicated gaming phone that is a more affordable alternative to the high-end Asus ROG Phone 8. While the 9S Pro is not a massive departure from its predecessor, the RedMagic 9 Pro, introduces several refinements that enhance the overall gaming experience.
Despite the similarities to the RedMagic 9 Pro, the 9S Pro feels fresh with a few aesthetic tweaks. The impressive AMOLED display fills the front screen thanks to the under-display selfie camera.
The metal frame is busy on the right edge with a circular power button, volume controls, vents, shoulder triggers, and a bright red gaming mode switch. The left edge is minimalist, housing just a vent and the SIM tray.
The phone's back is a flat piece of glass, thanks to the lack of a camera bump. The transparent design showcases some internal components and the RGB lighting.
I love the flat back, which makes it more comfortable to hold while gaming. It also sits much better in mobile controllers, even with the protective case on.
The RedMagic 9S Pro includes a protective cover, a distinctive bright red USB charging cable, and a 65W power adapter. The phone has flat iPhone-style edges and a brushed metal frame.
The 6.8-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display is perfect for gaming, watching video, and general media consumption. It offers crisp visuals and punchy colours, and the 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth gameplay and navigation.
Good visuals are important, but sound matters too. The 9S Pro sports stereo speakers with loud and clear audio, and the DTS Ultra certification provides an immersive in-game audio experience. The inclusion of a headphone jack is a welcome feature for wired audio enthusiasts who prioritise low latency and sound quality.
What makes the 9S Pro so unique is its gaming mode, activated by the physical red slider switch. This mode provides quick access to games and settings like cooling system control and performance modes.
The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Leading Version, a slightly overclocked version of Qualcomm's popular flagship chipset. This powerhouse is coupled with up to 16GB of RAM, ensuring smooth performance even in the most demanding games. My review unit came with 16GB of RAM (LPDDR5X) and 512GB (UFS 4.0) of storage, but a 12GB with 256GB version is also available.
The new CPU and GPU deliver a noticeable performance boost, with the CPU now at 3.4GHz and the GPU at 1GHz. Impressively, power consumption is down by 34% for the CPU and 38% for the GPU, making it an energy-efficient choice for all-day use.
The 9S Pro is the pinnacle of performance in terms of pure raw power. The device also features the Red Core R2 chip, handling gaming features like haptics and cooling.
The 9S Pro's cooling system has been upgraded from Ice 13.0 to 13.5, featuring a massive heat dissipation surface, a vapour chamber, and a small but powerful fan. The phone does get warm after prolonged gaming sessions, but not to the point of discomfort or performance throttling. The only time it was too hot to handle was during the latter stages of the 3D Mark stress tests, which consisted of 20 consecutive 3D torture tests in a row. In real-world gaming, I couldn’t get the phone more than warm to the touch.
The RedMagic 9S Pro houses a massive 6,500mAh battery in its slim frame. Although it comes with a 65W charger, it actually supports 80W fast charging, so you can quickly top up the battery when needed. The fan comes on automatically to ensure the fast charging doesn’t heat the phone or battery, optimising performance and battery health.
The battery bypass feature allows gaming while plugged in without overheating the phone. Since it's bypassed, you don’t affect battery life.
The RedMagic 9S Pro runs on RedMagic OS 9.0 on Android 14. The user-friendly software offers plenty of customisation options, including interactive wallpapers and fingerprint sensor animations. The RGB lighting on the back can be personalised, but like the rest of the design, it doesn’t scream ‘gaming phone’.
The 9S Pro's camera setup includes two 50MP sensors (wide and ultrawide) with optical image stabilisation and various modes, such as night and portrait. The main shooter is f/1.9, while the ultrawide is f/2.2, and both are pixelled binned down to 12.5MP by default. You can shoot using the full 50MP resolution, although this will disable Auto HDR and AI.
While the camera isn't the main focus of this gaming phone, it performs adequately for casual photography.
You can capture video up to 8K at 30fps on the main camera and 4K at 60fps while using the ultrawide.
The 16MP under-display selfie camera delivers subpar quality, making it a secondary consideration for gamers who prioritise gameplay over selfies. Video capture is also limited to 1080P.
Not everyone cares about a good selfie camera. Gamers are more interested in the advantage of an uninterrupted display with no camera cutout distractions.
The RedMagic 9S Pro is a solid choice for gamers looking for a high-performance device without breaking the bank. Its powerful chipset, impressive cooling system, and immersive display make it formidable. While it doesn't offer drastic improvements over the RedMagic 9 Pro, the refinements and features it brings to the table ensure a satisfying gaming experience. If you're seeking an affordable alternative to the Asus ROG Phone 8, the RedMagic 9S Pro is worth considering.
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