IFA 2019 just kicked off and two gaming phones have already debuted. The first is the Nubia Red Magic 3S, an upgraded version of the Red Magic 3 with improved specifications. The second one is the global version of the Asus ROG Phone 2 which now comes with up to 1 TB of internal storage (in its Ultimate Edition) and the best memory configuration you can expect on a mobile phone in 2019. Given that two gaming phones just debuted, we naturally couldn’t overlook a gaming phones comparison. We included a third phone in the comparison because it is yet another gaming-centric device to sport the most powerful Qualcomm’s chipset, the SD855+. The third candidate is none other than the Black Shark 2 Pro.
Nubia Red Magic 3S vs Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro vs Asus ROG Phone 2
| Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro | Asus ROG Phone 2 | Nubia Red Magic 3S | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 163.6 x 75 x 8.8 mm, 205 grams | 171 x 77.6 x 9.7 mm, 240 grams | 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm, 215 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, AMOLED
60Hz display refresh rate 240Hz touch sampling rate |
6.59 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 391 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, AMOLED
120Hz display refresh rate 240Hz touch sampling rate |
6.65 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 388 ppi, AMOLED
90Hz display refresh rate 240Hz touch sampling rate |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus, octa-core 2.96 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB | 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB – 12 GB RAM, 1 TB | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie, ROG UI | Android 9 Pie, Nubia Red Magic 2.1 OS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Dual 48 + 12 MP f/1.8 and f/2.2 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 48 + 13 MP f/1.8 and f/2.4 24 MP f/2.2 front camera |
48 MP f/1.7 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4000 mAh, Fast Charging 27W | 6000 mAh, Fast Charging 30W, Reverse charging 10W | 5000 mAh, Fast Charging 27W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
Gaming phones usually have aggressive gaming-centric aesthetics and they are all but elegant. So which look should you choose depends on your personal taste. Asus ROG Phone 2 has a better build quality, it has AirTriggers and other physical keys for gamers, and it even supports a lot of external accessories. That is why it is definitely the best choice for gaming when it comes to aesthetics. On the other hand, Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro remains interesting as it is the most compact one. The Red Magic 3S also supports external accessories, but overall, there’s no denying that ROG Phone 2 looks beautiful.
Display
Despite having the most interesting aesthetics for a public of gamers (or republic, lol), the Asus ROG Phone 2 is also equipped with the best display. It has the highest refresh rate (120 Hz), a high touch-sensing (240 Hz) and even the best color reproduction, thanks to an excellent AMOLED panel which supports both the HDR10 technology and a 108 percent DCI-P3 coverage.
Nubia Red Magic 3S offers 240Hz touch sensing and a high refresh ratio (90 Hz). The Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro has a better touch-sensing (240 Hz) but limits the refresh rate to just 60Hz. On paper, the Red Magic 3S triumphs the BS2P in the display department.
Specs & Software
The amazing Snapdragon 855+ chipset (the best you can actually find in the Android market) and up to 12 GB of RAM are common on all the phones in this trio. What makes the difference is the internal storage (besides the cooling system, but each of them has a very efficient cooling system): Asus ROG Phone 2 will debut in the global market with up to 1 TB of storage (UFS 3.0), while Nubia Red Magic 3S and Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro stop at 256 GB. Further, Asus ROG Phone II allows switching between a stock Android user interface and a custom UI, and it is the only gaming phone that allows you to do this.
But for a gamer on a budget, you end up getting larger storage on the Black Shark 2 Pro instead of the Red Magic 3S at a similar price tag. However, in terms of sheer specs, all three smartphones will handle everything you throw at it without any hiccups.
⇒ RELATED: Nubia Red Magic 3S Pricing & Availability: All you need to Know
Gaming Features
The ASUS ROG Phone 2 is undoubtedly the king of mobile gaming with 2 x USB Type-C ports, Air triggers, a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack, and support for a slew of accessories like a heat sink, ROG Active Cooler II, Mobile desktop dock, and even a TwinView Dock II.
However, if you look at the Red Magic 3S, it doesn’t lag very far behind. Nubia’s new phone also features virtual buttons on the side for additional controls (you can even use the fingerprint sensor as a button during gameplay), liquid and active fan cooling, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and separate pins for special accessories like the e-sport RedMagic docking station.
Unfortunately, the Black Shark 2 Pro doesn’t have a separate port/ pins for docking accessories. It doesn’t even have AirTriggers or virtual buttons on the side, so you have to rely on its Master touch 2.0, which is basically customized touch zones on the left and right side of the screen. You do have a few accessories like portable gamepads, but both Red Magic 3S and ROG Phone II does better when it comes to gaming-centric features.
Camera
The camera is the weakest point of gaming phone and these are no exception. Nubia Red Magic 3S is equipped with just a single camera on its rear side and that is a bit disappointing, while Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro and Asus ROG Phone 2 sport dual camera configurations. The former has a secondary telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, while the latter has an ultrawide sensor. However, the differences between camera quality will be marginal.
Battery
The 6000 mAh battery on board of the Asus ROG Phone 2 will provide the longest battery life. Nubia Red Magic 3S has a 5000 mAh battery but it has to manage a real cooling fan, so we do not believe it will be at the same level as the ROG Phone 2 in any scenario. You should also consider that Asus ROG Phone 2 is the only to support reverse charging (not wireless) and it can be used as a power bank to charge other devices.
Black Shark 2 Pro has the smallest battery among in this trio, so it shouldn’t be at par as the ROG Phone 2 or even the Red Magic 3S.
Price
Overall, Asus ROG Phone 2 wins this comparison because of its better display, long-lasting battery and more additional features. But it costs more: in the global market, it is debuting with a $509/€460 price tag. However, it is worth spending a bit more to get a way better phone.
The value for money prize goes to the Nubia Red Magic 3S and its $420/€380 price tag. Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro is available at the same starting price, but Nubia’s flagship has slightly more interesting features (air cooling system, 4D vibration feedback, 3D surround sound, pressure-sensitive zones, and more).
⇒Read More: Oppo’s updated SuperVOOC features 50w+ fast charging, coming soon
Nubia Red Magic 3S vs Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro vs Asus ROG Phone II: PROs and CONS
Nubia Red Magic 3S
PROs
- Huge battery
- Air cooling with a real fan
- Wide display
- High refresh ratio
CONS
- Single-camera
Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro
PROs
- High performance
- High touch responsiveness
- Affordable price
- Pretty nice cameras
CONS
- Nothing particular
Asus ROG Phone 2
PROs
- Best hardware
- Reverse charging
- Huge battery
- A lot of external accessories
CONS
- Higher price
