Side-by-side technical data
ZTE nubia RedMagic 3S vs ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S vs ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s
Comparison between ZTE nubia RedMagic 3S, ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S and ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s: camera, battery, fast charging, display, performance and colors, side by side. More phones from ZTE.
NeoTeo's verdict
Which of the two is the better buy
The ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s is the gaming pick: it combines a 165Hz display with the Snapdragon 888+ and the largest usable surface. The RedMagic 5S is the more balanced option, with the better camera, 5G and 55W charging. The 3S trails and is only worth choosing if it costs less.
The 6s pulls ahead for display and performance: it offers 165Hz versus 144Hz on the 5S and 90Hz on the 3S, with 85.1% usable surface versus 82.5% and 80.5%. Its Snapdragon 888+ and 5nm process put it ahead of the Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 855 Plus; RAM is 12GB on the 3S and 16GB on both newer phones.
The RedMagic 5S is the most complete for cameras and connections: its 64MP main camera uses a 1/1.72″ sensor, versus 64MP and 1/1.97″ on the 6s and 48MP and 1/2″ on the 3S. The 5S and 6s add an ultrawide camera and 5G, which the 3S lacks. For charging, the 5S leads with 55W, ahead of 30W on the 6s and 18W on the 3S.
ZTE nubia RedMagic 3S
The ZTE nubia RedMagic 3S is the better buy only if it costs less than the 5S and 6s.
ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s
The ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s is the better gaming buy thanks to its 165Hz display and Snapdragon 888+.
The verdict
Your pick: ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S, ahead on Design & display, Camera and Connectivity. Unless Performance & hardware or Battery & charging decides it for you.
| Category | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 6.2 | 7.1 | 6.8 |
| Performance & hardware | 6.6 | 6.3 | 8.3 |
| Camera | 4.8 | 6.9 | 5.8 |
| Connectivity | 4.9 | 6.8 | 5.7 |
| Battery & charging | 5.4 | 5.1 | 5.7 |
Which one is for you?
ZTE nubia RedMagic 5S, if you care about…
- AnTuTu Score
- 557,056
- against 495,229
- Peak Display Brightness
- 1,000 nits
- against 700 nits
- Fast Charge Power
- 55 W
- against 18 W · 30 W
ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s, if you care about…
- Display Refresh Rate
- 165 Hz
- against 90 Hz · 144 Hz
- Usable Surface
- 85.1 %
- against 80.5 % · 82.5 %
- OS Version
- 11
- against 9 · 10
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ |
| Processor Process Size | 7 nm | 7 nm | 5 nm Best value |
| Graphics GPU | Qualcomm Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Qualcomm Adreno 650 | Qualcomm Adreno 660 |
| Storage Type | UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 2.96 GHz | 2.84 GHz | 3 GHz Best value |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 256 GB | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| AnTuTu Score | 495,229 | 557,056 Best value | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | — | 1,117 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | — | 3,274 | — |
| CPU Description | Octa-core CPU with Kryo 485 cores: 1x2.96 GHz, 3x2.42 GHz and 4x1.8 GHz. | Octa-core: 1×2.84 GHz Cortex-A77, 3×2.42 GHz Cortex-A77, and 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55. | Octa-core CPU with 1 Cortex-X1, 3 Cortex-A78, and 4 Cortex-A55 cores. |
| Processor Type | Octa-Core | Octa-Core | Octa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | — | Yes | — |
| RAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB Best value | 16 GB Best value |
| RAM Type | — | LPDDR5 | — |
| AnTuTu version | v8 | v8 | — |
Design
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Silver, Black | Silver, Pulse, Ice | Black, Transparent |
| Body Thickness | 9.7 mm | 9.8 mm | 9.5 mm Best value |
| Body Width | 78.5 mm | 78 mm | 77.2 mm |
| Body Height | 171.7 mm | 168.6 mm | 169.9 mm |
| Weight | 215 g Best value | 220 g | 215 g Best value |
| Usable Surface | 80.5 % | 82.5 % | 85.1 % Best value |
| Body Materials | Glass, Aluminium Alloy | Glass, Aluminium Alloy | Glass, Aluminium Alloy |
| Resistance Features | RGB Light Strip, Pressure-Sensitive Zones, Built-In Cooling Fan | Pressure-Sensitive Zones, Built-In Cooling Fan | Pressure-Sensitive Zones, Built-In Cooling Fan, RGB Light Strip |
| Unfolded thickness | — | 9.8 mm | — |
Battery
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 5,000 mAh | 4,500 mAh | 5,050 mAh Best value |
| Battery Type | Li-Polymer | Li-Polymer | Li-Polymer |
| Fast Charge Power | 18 W | 55 W Best value | 30 W |
| Battery Features | Fast Charging | Fast Charging, Non-Removable, Battery Level Indicator, Rechargeable | Fast Charging |
Display
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 | 20:9 |
| Display Technology | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Peak Display Brightness | — | 1,000 nits Best value | 700 nits |
| Display Diagonal | 6.65″ | 6.65″ | 6.8″ Best value |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,080 px | 1,080 px | 1,080 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,340 px | 2,340 px | 2,400 px Best value |
| Display Pixel Density | 388 ppi Best value | 388 ppi Best value | 387 ppi |
| Display Refresh Rate | 90 Hz | 144 Hz | 165 Hz Best value |
| Touch Sampling Rate | — | 240 Hz | — |
| Display Contrast Ratio | — | 100,000 :1 | — |
| Display Features | Gorilla Glass 4 | Gorilla Glass, DCI-P3, DC Dimming, TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort Certification, LED Notifications, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant | Gorilla Glass, AMOLED |
Sensors
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint Sensor Placement | Rear | Under Display | Under Display |
Sensor
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass, Light Sensor, RGB Sensor, Cooling System, Gaming Buttons | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass |
Software
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 9 | Android 10 | Android 11 |
| OS Family | Android | Android | Android |
| OS Version | 9 | 10 | 11 Best value |
| Google Services | — | Yes | — |
Connectivity
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual Nano-SIM | Dual Nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual Nano-SIM |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1800, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, LTE B28, 4G LTE B30, 4G LTE B66 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 2G CDMA BC0, 2G CDMA BC1, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 3G UMTS B1, 3G UMTS B2, 3G UMTS B4, 3G UMTS B5, 3G UMTS B8, 3G UMTS B19, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79, 2G GSM B2, 2G GSM B3, 2G GSM B5, 2G GSM B8 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE bands unspecified, 5G NR bands unspecified |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE, 5G Best value | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE, 5G Best value |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/6, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Best value | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/6 Best value |
| Wi-Fi Features | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Display, MIMO | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.1 Best value | Bluetooth 5.1 Best value |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, aptX, LE | A2DP, aptX, LE | A2DP, aptX, LE |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo Best value | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
| Connectivity Features | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, USB Type-C, USB OTG | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, NFC, USB Type-C, USB OTG, USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 3.1, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Tethering, VoLTE | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, NFC, USB Type-C, USB OTG |
| USB Version | USB 3.1 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 |
| Max. download speed | — | 2,000 Mbps | — |
| Max. upload speed | — | 318 Mbps | — |
Audio
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microphone Count | — | 2 | — |
| Audio Features | aptX, A2DP, LE, Stereo Speakers, 32-bit/384kHz Audio, Hi-Res Audio | Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS:X, Noise-Cancellation Microphone, 32-bit/384kHz Audio, A2DP, LE, aptX | Stereo Speakers, aptX, A2DP, LE, Hi-Res Audio |
Technical
| Specification | nubia RedMagic 3S | nubia RedMagic 5S | nubia RedMagic 6s |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model numbers | NX629J_V1S | — | — |
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