RedMagic 8 Pro Review: A Hot Android Gaming Value Phone

We started the year with a new Qualcomm flagship SoC, and like clockwork, Chinese phone manufacturer RedMagic released a new gaming phone based on the platform. The RedMagic 8 Pro ($649), which launched back in January, packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a 20,000rpm cooling fan, and a stunning new design. But it’s really no surprise. Every year, the company releases an affordable new gaming handset as soon as Qualcomm announces a new top-tier chip.

And, as has historically been the case, RedMagic’s new gaming phone delivers outstanding performance, and comes to the US with proper 5G support and excellent value. Unfortunately, while the company’s hardware is always fantastic, the software often has room for improvement. So, what’s new with this gaming handset? Is the hardware still hot? Is the software any better? I’ve been using the RedMagic 8 Pro for a few weeks, and will share my impressions here...

When it comes to design, I’m usually not a big fan of garish gaming phones (or gaming laptops for that matter). The loud, over-the-top, “made-for-gamers” aesthetic just isn’t my thing. But the RedMagic 8 Pro is different. While it’s mostly black and features an RGB LED strip, the usual stencils and accents are more subdued, and most importantly, it loses all the rounded corners and chiseled surfaces of its predecessors.

Basically, the RedMagic 8 Pro is a perfectly rectangular glass slab, with flat aluminum sides. It’s even more rectangular than Sony’s Xperia phones and closer in appearance to the monolith from 2001, A Space Odyssey. What’s particularly striking is this handset’s almost bezel-less, all-screen design. The 6.8-inch display stretches across the entire front, uninterrupted.

Like the RedMagic 7 Pro and 7S Pro, the RedMagic 8 uses an under-display selfie camera, and this time around, it’s almost invisible. But what absolutely steals the show is the RedMagic 8 Pro’s ultra-thin bezels (1.68mm on top, 1.48mm on the sides, and 2.28mm at the bottom) and unapologetically square corners. Samsung and Apple’s flagship have thin, even bezels all around as well, but nothing quite like this.

Around the back, the design varies depending on the model. The Matte version is matte black with silver accents, the Void model (our review unit) is black with a transparent back and gold stencils, and the Titanium version is silver with a transparent back and black accents. Like before, the transparent back reveals the cooling fan, screws, and faux parts, which mimic some of the actual components inside, like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

Regardless of model, the only protrusions on the RedMagic 8 Pro are the three individually rimmed shooters (50MP, 8MP, and 2MP) that stick out about 2mm each, and are mounted vertically and centrally in the back. As I already mentioned, the stenciled text is more subtle this year, and says “win more games” and “08 generation gaming phone”, with “right to shoot” and “left to shoot” next to the shoulder buttons

On the Void and Titanium models, the 20,000rpm fan is backlit with green, yellow, red, and blue LEDs (ie. the Google colors), just like with last year’s RegMagic 7 series. What’s rather surprising is that, despite its aggressively rectangular design, the RedMagic 8 Pro feels great in hand. Sure, it’s a big handset – it’s almost the exact same size (164 x 76.4 x 8.9mm) and weight (228g) as Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra – but it’s still manageable.

In terms of controls and ports, the two 520Hz capacitive shoulder buttons, fan exhaust, power / lock key, third mic, and red game mode switch all live on the right side. The left side is home to the fan intake and volume rocker. Along the bottom, you’ll find a speaker, USB Type-C port (USB 3.1), primary mic, and SIM tray (no microSD), while the other speaker, secondary mic, and headphone jack are located on top.

Between the superb craftsmanship, quality materials, and standout design, it’s hard not to fall in love with the RedMagic 8 Pro’s hardware. The only downside here is the lack of any kind of dust or water resistance, which is to be expected considering the open vents for the cooling fan.

Before we continue, take a look my RedMagic 8 Pro unboxing video:

The RedMagic 8 Pro’s 6.8-inch AMOLED display (2480 x 1116 pixels, 400ppi) is the centerpiece of this phone’s spectacular design. As I mentioned above, it’s completely flat with square corners, almost bezel-less, and void of any camera holes or notches. This 10-bit screen features a 20:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz refresh rate (switchable to 90 and 60Hz), and a 960Hz touch sampling rate. Plus, it’s covered in Gorilla Glass 5.

Clearly, this is a high quality panel. It delivers punchy colors, inky blacks, and excellent viewing angles. While some of today’s flagships have brighter displays, 1300 nits (peak) is quite respectable, and makes this screen easy to read in direct sunlight.

Imaging is usually an afterthought on most gaming phones, but things have improved with the RedMagic 8 Pro. While the previous camera system was built around a generic 64MP main sensor, you’re now getting better hardware and software, including a 50MP f/1.9 1.0-micron main shooter with PDAF (no OIS). The 8MP f/2.2 1.12-micron 120-degree ultrawide, and the useless 2MP f/2.4 macro (no AF) remain unchanged.