Redmagic 8 Pro Review – Outstanding performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Battery

I normally run the PCMark battery test to give a basic idea of the battery performance in relation to other phones. Unfortunately, the test failed to run when I tried it, and I will update the review when I successfully complete it.

However, I have been happy with the battery performance of this phone. You have a huge 6000mAh battery which is 20% larger than the previous generation.

I can comfortably get a full day of moderate use out of this phone with a bit of gaming thrown in as well. Prolonged gaming sessions will inventively burn through the battery quite quickly.

In PCMark, the Red Magic 7S Pro achieved a moderately impressive 10 hours 9 minutes. This is roughly 2 hours 30 minutes longer than the Red Magic 7 Pro with the same sized battery. I’d expect that the 8 Pro should get a significantly higher score.

In my benchmarks post, I did some rough (and likely inaccurate) maths showing that the Redmagic 8 Pro used 720mAh during the stress test. The Redmagic 7S Pro used 900mAh, and the Redmagic 7S Pro used 900mAh.

For the global models of this phone, you get 65W wired PD3.0 charging, which matches the previous generations. The Chinese models have higher charge speeds though it has been reduced from 135W down to 80W for this phone.

While 65W wired charging isn’t headline news nowadays, I love the fact that this phone uses PD3.0 rather than some propriety charging standard. I rarely use the included charger for phones, so I’d sooner have a slower PD3.0 vs something like 240W on the Realme GT3.

Software

One area where Redmagic has always received criticism is the somewhat unrefined UI. It has been known to be glitchy and often has translation mistakes in it.

I feel like things have been improving over time, I can’t say I noticed many issues when using the phone, but a lot of these things only come up over long-term usage.

There is barely any bloatware on the phone, certainly much less than competing Chinese brands. The main app they include is the NextWord browser, but Chrome is still included as default./

It was reported that Google Pay was unsupported at launch. I have been able to add my Monzo card to Google Pay, but I have not tested if the payments work yet.

Gaming

There are a significant number of gaming enhancements for this phone which makes it more appealing compared to competing brands targeting the less gaming focussed mainstream market.

Using the dedicated switch to go into the game space, you gain access to many software features to improve your gaming.

You have options for adjusting touch sensitivity, frame rate, fans, and shoulder triggers.

There are also various settings to minimise disturbances during gaming, you can block calls, prevent WiFi switching and also lock the screen brightness.

When in a game, you can swipe from either side of the screen to access functions for adjusting refresh rate, fans, RGB settings, app shortcuts, and more.

You can also view CPU and GPU stats, start screen recordings, and enable a moveable in-game overlay that lets you check the time, FPS, and battery life at a glance.

All of the above, combined with the shoulder triggers and incredible performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mean that this phone is delightful to play games on.

Regmagic is also launching various peripherals and a monitor, allowing you to have a full desktop gaming experience. The new Redmagic Studio will also allow you to play mobile games on your PC or laptop directly from your phone.

Price and Alternative Options

At the time of writing, I haven’t been provided with the official price of the Redmagic 8 Pro in Titanium. It is the same specification as the Void colourway, so I’d expect it to be around the same price:

• 12GB+256GB / Matte: £579
• 16GB+512GB / Void: £708

I think that’s attractively priced, and there are no other gaming phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, yet.

The ROG Phone 6 was launched in July 2022, so you likely have a few more months before its successor is announced. It also costs around £1,000, making it hard to recommend over the Redmagic 8 Pro.

For other Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones, you have:

OnePlus 11 5G 8GB/128GB for £729 or 16GB/256GB for £799. I would say this is the best alternative option and probably the best all-around phone (rather than gaming) that’s good value for money.

The Xiaomi 13 is about £850 and has an inferior spec to the OnePlus 11, but it is a good option if you want something smaller.

The cheapest Samsung Galaxy S23 is £849 and is even smaller than the Xiaomi 13.

Overall

The Redmagic 8 Pro is a superb gaming phone, and it is currently the only gaming phone to have been launched with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

You have your usual performance upgrades that come from the latest flagship chipset, and this year, I think Qualcomm has done a particularly good job (in comparison to the last two lacklustre years).

I also feel like the Redmagic phones are maturing and becoming more refined. You still have the gamer aesthetic, but this looks much better than the previous generations. It feels like a premium phone.

Redmagic OS is still less refined than competing brands, but it does seem to be getting better each time I use a new Redmagic phone, or maybe I am just getting used to it.

Photography is one of the weaker aspects of the phone, which is to be expected with an attractively priced gaming phone. That being said, the main camera can still take good photos.

With the new desktop gaming options, there is also a lot more reason to choose this over competing brands if you are a keen gamer.

Overall, this is highly recommended for a gaming phone.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.