Redmagic 10S Pro Smartphone Review and Unboxing: The Tweaked Beast!
Table of Contents
- Introduction: What's New with the 'S'?
- Unboxing the Redmagic 10S Pro
- Design and Build: Familiar Yet Refined
- Performance and Cooling: The Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version
- Display: Smooth and Bright
- Software: Redmagic OS 10.5
- Audio and Haptics
- Gaming Experience: Triggers and Game Space
- Battery and Charging: Power Through Your Sessions
- Camera Performance: Gaming Phone Optics
- Pros and Cons
- Conclusion: Is the Redmagic 10S Pro Worth It?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Introduction: What's New with the 'S'?
Welcome to our comprehensive Redmagic 10S Pro Smartphone Review and unboxing! The 'S' models from Redmagic are always the tweaked, slightly upgraded versions of their flagship releases, and the 10S Pro is no exception. It aims to push the boundaries of mobile gaming performance even further. Let's dive in to see what this beast has to offer.
Image Source/Credit: Redmagic
The core of the upgrade lies in a further refined Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which Redmagic calls the "Leading Version." This means even higher clock speeds for both the CPU and GPU, promising a slight edge in raw power. Coupled with an improved cooling system, Redmagic aims for sustained peak performance for longer gaming sessions.
Unboxing the Redmagic 10S Pro
It's always great to see manufacturers still including essential accessories. Inside the Redmagic 10S Pro box, you'll find:
- The Redmagic 10S Pro smartphone itself.
- An 80W GaN charger (compact and powerful).
- A distinctive red Type-C to Type-C cable.
- A plastic hard case, designed to protect the corners while keeping the shoulder triggers accessible.
- SIM ejector tool and documentation.
Redmagic 10S Pro unboxing
The included case is a nice touch, offering basic protection without hindering the gaming-specific features like the triggers and allowing the cooling fan to breathe.
Design and Build: Familiar Yet Refined
The Redmagic 10S Pro maintains the signature gaming aesthetic of the series. The back features a glimpse into the internal components, including the cooling fan, which now spins at an impressive 23,000 RPM. The phone feels solid, weighing in at around 229 grams with a thickness of 8.9mm. Essential ports like the 3.5mm headphone jack are thankfully still present, a must-have for latency-free gaming audio. It also features a Type-C port with video-out capabilities and three microphones for clear communication.
Performance and Cooling: The Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version
This is where the Redmagic 10S Pro truly shines. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite (Leading Version) chipset. Compared to the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite:
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version
- The CPU's max turbo is 150MHz faster.
- The GPU is 100MHz faster, clocking up to 1200MHz.
Redmagic has also upgraded its cooling to Liquid Metal 2.0 and the ICE X cooling system. This includes the aforementioned 23,000 RPM fan. Redmagic claims this results in up to 5°C lower temperatures on average during gaming. In stress tests, the phone showed good stability (around 77.4%), maintaining constant performance after an initial dip around the 5-minute mark. However, it can still get quite hot to the touch (up to 54°C internally), especially around the frame, during extended, demanding gaming sessions. Despite the heat, it throttles less than many other Snapdragon 8 Elite phones thanks to its active cooling.
Storage is UFS 4.1, delivering very fast read and write speeds, contributing to the overall snappy performance. AnTuTu scores are impressive, hovering around the 2.8 million mark, with particularly strong GPU performance.
AnTuTu benchmark score of Redmagic 10S Pro
Display: Smooth and Bright
The Redmagic 10S Pro boasts a flat 144Hz screen, which is fantastic for gaming, offering an incredibly smooth visual experience. There's no notch or cutout, thanks to the Under-Display Camera (UDC), providing an uninterrupted viewing area. The display can reach up to 2000 nits peak brightness, making it reasonably legible in direct sunlight, though not the absolute brightest on the market. Touch responsiveness is excellent with an instant sampling rate of 2500Hz and a constant sampling rate of 960Hz. Crucially, there's no noticeable PWM flicker, which is great for eye comfort. You also get options for 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz refresh rates, not just the extremes, which is a welcome feature for balancing performance and battery life.
Software: Redmagic OS 10.5
The phone runs on Redmagic OS 10.5, based on Android 15. The experience is close to stock Android with gaming-centric additions. The software is stable, and I encountered no significant bugs after a recent update. Bloatware is minimal, which is always appreciated. The OS also includes Redmagic AI features and settings to control the cooling fan and light strips.
Audio and Haptics
A standout feature for gamers is the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack, ensuring zero-latency audio. The stereo speakers are quite good for a gaming phone, offering decent volume, a hint of bass, and clear mids – Redmagic has clearly made improvements here. Haptics are reasonably strong and precise, enhancing the gaming experience, though perhaps not the absolute best in the market. Call quality is also solid, with active noise cancellation seeming to work effectively.
Redmagic 10S Pro speaker and audio jack
Gaming Experience: Triggers and Game Space
The dedicated gaming switch instantly launches you into the Redmagic Game Space, a hub for all your games and performance tweaks. Here, you can customize game profiles, manage notifications, and configure the excellent 520Hz shoulder triggers. These triggers are highly responsive and can be mapped to emulate on-screen touches, offering a significant advantage in FPS games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile. I typically map one trigger to aim (scope) and the other to fire. This setup is intuitive and frees up your thumbs for movement and other actions. Performance in games like Genshin Impact (at top settings) and PUBG Mobile (at 120fps) is incredibly smooth and fluid.
Gaming on Redmagic 10S Pro
Battery and Charging: Power Through Your Sessions
7050mAh Dual Battery, 80W GaN Charger, Up To 100W Fast Charging
The Redmagic 10S Pro is equipped with a massive 7050mAh battery (though some apps report it slightly lower, likely due to dual-cell design). With the included 80W charger, the phone charges from 0 to 100% in about 35 minutes, which is excellent. In terms of battery life, expect around 9 hours in PCMark's fixed test at 144Hz. Real-world usage can yield 6.5 to 7 hours of screen-on time at 144Hz, which is decent considering the powerful chipset and high refresh rate display. Lowering the refresh rate will, of course, extend this further.
Camera Performance: Gaming Phone Optics
Cameras are typically not the primary focus of gaming phones, and the Redmagic 10S Pro follows this trend. It features a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 2MP sensor primarily for portrait depth information. The front camera is a 16MP Under-Display Camera (UDC).
- Front Camera (UDC): Selfies and video quality are subpar due to the UDC technology. Even with improved algorithms, images and videos can look blurry or smudged, especially in challenging lighting. Not ideal for vloggers.
- Rear Cameras:
- The 50MP main camera can capture good, detailed shots in daylight, like the photo of Snow (the cat). However, colors can sometimes be oversaturated (e.g., red hibiscus) with some clipping.
- The 50MP ultrawide offers a wider field of view, but there's a noticeable drop in quality and color consistency compared to the main sensor. It also tends to overexpose shots.
- Portrait mode stitching is okay but can struggle with beautifying effects if left on. Turning beautifying off yields better results.
- Night shots tend to be grainy and not flagship-grade.
- Video recording is available up to 8K@30fps and 4K@60fps from the main camera. However, you can't switch to the ultrawide on the fly while recording at 4K. Stabilization on the front camera video is poor.
Image Source/Credit: gsmarena
Overall, the cameras are serviceable for a gaming phone but don't compete with camera-focused flagships. The phone also supports Widevine L1 for HD streaming and Camera2 API Level 3.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Slightly tweaked CPU/GPU clocks and improved cooling.
- Throttles far less than other Snapdragon 8 Elite phones thanks to the 23,000 RPM fan.
- Massive 7050mAh battery with fast 80W charging.
- Flat 144Hz screen with no cutout or notch (great for gaming).
- 3.5mm headphone jack is still present!
- Excellent shoulder triggers and gaming software.
- Very fast UFS 4.1 storage.
- Minimal bloatware.
Cons:
- Bad front camera quality due to UDC technology.
- Rear cameras are not flagship grade; should be better for the price.
- Can get quite hot to the touch (50+ degrees C) during extended gaming, especially on the frame.
- Software updates can be slower than mainstream brands.
Conclusion: Is the Redmagic 10S Pro Worth It?
The Redmagic 10S Pro is essentially the same fantastic gaming phone as the Redmagic 10 Pro, but with minor, incremental improvements. It offers top-tier performance, excellent cooling that minimizes throttling, a superb gaming display, and features that gamers will love, like the 3.5mm jack and responsive shoulder triggers.
If you already own the Redmagic 10 Pro or even the 9S Pro, there's no compelling reason to upgrade to the 10S Pro. The differences are marginal in real-world use. However, if you're in the market for a new, dedicated gaming smartphone and prioritize raw performance, an uninterrupted display, and gamer-centric features over camera prowess, the Redmagic 10S Pro is a formidable contender. It delivers an exceptional gaming experience, though be prepared for it to get warm and don't expect flagship-level photography.
The Redmagic 10S Pro is for the serious mobile gamer who wants peak performance and features tailored for gaming, and is willing to compromise on camera quality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What are the main improvements in the Redmagic 10S Pro over the 10 Pro?
A: The 10S Pro features slightly higher CPU and GPU clock speeds from its "Leading Version" Snapdragon 8 Elite, an improved Liquid Metal 2.0 cooling system which Redmagic claims reduces temperatures by up to 5°C on average, and minor software tweaks including an updated AI algorithm for the front camera and storage optimizations.
Q: How is the camera quality on the Redmagic 10S Pro?
A: The rear main 50MP camera can take good shots in daylight but can oversaturate colors. The ultrawide is decent but shows a quality drop. The front Under-Display Camera (UDC) provides poor quality for selfies and video, a common trade-off for an uninterrupted screen. Overall, cameras are not flagship-level.
Q: Does the Redmagic 10S Pro overheat during gaming?
A: While the active cooling system with its 23,000 RPM fan does an excellent job at preventing significant performance throttling, the phone's frame and screen can still get quite hot (potentially over 50°C) during long, intensive gaming sessions. This can be uncomfortable for some users.
Q: Is the Redmagic 10S Pro good for everyday use, not just gaming?
A: Yes, it's a very capable phone for daily tasks thanks to its powerful processor, ample RAM, fast storage, and large battery. However, its bulkier design and subpar cameras might not appeal to everyone as a primary non-gaming device.
Q: Does the Redmagic 10S Pro have a 3.5mm headphone jack?
A: Yes, it thankfully retains the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a big plus for gamers seeking latency-free audio.
No comments:
Post a Comment