Flagship phones want your money; the RedMagic 10S Pro just wants to game. Here’s why this powerhouse might be the best value play of 2025.

Most people wouldn’t guess it, but I’m a mom by day and a gamer by night. Yes, once the kids head to bed, you’ll find me curled up on the sofa, deep in Cyberpunk 2077 on my Switch 2. I enjoy my after-hours gaming sessions, but lately I’ve been craving something more intense, which is why I jumped at the chance to do this RedMagic 10S Pro review.

This 6.85-inch gaming beast is a slight upgrade from its predecessor, the RedMagic 10 Pro. Featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Edition chip, the latest flagship offers some of the best performance and battery life in 2025.

But specs on paper don’t always translate to high-quality gaming IRL, am I right? So does the RedMagic 10S Pro actually deliver? And how does it compare to another flagship, the ROG Phone 9 Pro? Let’s find out.

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: Design & Build

After opening the shipping box, I found not just the RedMagic 10S Pro, but also the Cooler 06 Pro and bracket. Thanks, RedMagic, for the bonus items!

At first glance (and hold), the RedMagic 10S Pro has a boxy silhouette with corners that are slightly rounded. You immediately know it’s a gaming phone (Nubia’s not messing around). The mix of glass and metal gives it a sturdy, premium feel, and at 229g (roughly half a pound), it’s hefty. Definitely not a phone to use one-handedly, but in landscape mode, that weight actually gives it a solid, balanced feel during gaming sessions.

Other reviews have dismissed the back design as boring, but I liked it. My model came in the Transparent Black Dusk colorway, and the slightly see-through back is an elegant contrast with the more mechanical shape. The flat back feels comfortable in the hand, and the RGB lighting accents bring the buttons and vents to life.

While the size makes carrying it a challenge, it’s definitely a phone made for gaming first.

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: Display and OS

Display is important, especially when it comes to gaming phones. I want the images to practically jump out at me. The RedMagic 10S Pro is a pleasant surprise, boasting a 6.85-inch AMOLED display and a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz; specs I’d expect to find in a more expensive phone. The multi-touch sampling rate is up to 960 Hz, and the resolution is high.

I find the colors vibrant and lifelike; it’s as if I’m carrying mini versions of my favorite characters in my hands while I play. Meanwhile, the response times were very fast. The phone worked well with heavier games like Call of Duty and Rules of Survival…I experienced no lag and played as if I were on a console. Total win for this gaming mom!

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: Software and UI

The RedMagic 10s Pro runs RedMagic OS10.5 layered over Android 15. So I get the familiar look of Android plus plenty of gamer tweaks. Now, there’s a lot I like here, including a gaming dashboard, and software that runs smoothly. Customization options are many; I can select themes, icon packs, performance modes and visual prefrences.

Other reviews have called the UI “clunky” and I think I know why. There are some extraneous, pre-installed apps when first using the device. Some are useful, others are not. You’ll likely spend the first hour uninstalling or disabling various things. But once that’s done, you’ll have a nice, clean interface to play on. Parts of the interface still suffer from wonky English phrasing and inconsistent wording. This can make navigation confusing.

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: Performance

Gaming phones earn their rep by their performance, and the RedMagic 10S Pro flexes serious muscle in that area. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Edition, paired with LPDDR5T RAM and UFS 4.1 storage, makes this thing feel like it’s running on rocket fuel. Benchmarks back it up; Notebookcheck found that it scored among the fastest Android phones they’ve ever tested, and TechRadar noted that even in sustained stress tests, it held onto about 85% of its performance over time. That’s impressive considering how hard it’s working.

In practice, it shows. I ran Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile at max graphics, and the RedMagic 10S Pro locked at 60/120 fps without stutter. Even after an hour, frame pacing stayed smooth; no jarring dips. Yes, it gets warm, but the internal cooling system (plus the optional clip-on Cooler 06 Pro fan) kept it from becoming uncomfortable to hold. Note that the thermals can get warm in long marathons, but honestly, I was more impressed by how long it sustained performance for the price point.

Compared to the pricier ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro, the gap isn’t as wide as you’d expect. Sure, ASUS wins in optimization, but RedMagic is delivering flagship-level gameplay for hundreds less. For me, that’s a huge selling point.

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: Shoulder Triggers

Now let’s talk about one of my favorite parts: the shoulder triggers. They’re not actual buttons (which surprised me) but virtual ones; touchpads with capacitive touch sensors built in that act as controls. I find the reactions to be near instant, and they really gave me an advantage in games like Wuthering Waves.

That said, ergonomics are a mixed bag. With smaller hands, I found the boxy edges can dig into the palms during long sessions, something other reviewers have mentioned. Still, I’d take that tradeoff over smudging up the screen with my thumbs any day.

The ROG Phone 9 Pro, for its part, uses mechanical AirTriggers that offer more tactile feedback. Personally, I didn’t miss the click on the RedMagic 10S Pro, but some gamers may prefer the ROG’s feel.

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: Battery Life and Charging

If there’s anything a gamer mom hates, it’s gear that runs out of battery quickly. RedMagic 10S Pro has won me over in this area, too. It boasts a 7,050mAh battery (gi-normous for a phone), which translates to about two full days of moderate use. Yes, I can use the 10S Pro as my regular phone and a gaming device for two whole days without having to charge it. That’s a beautiful thing.

The included wall charger delivers fast 80W charging, which brings the phone to 100% in approximately 40 minutes. Additionally, the “charge separation” feature lets me power the phone directly while I game. This reduces heat/battery wear.

On the downside, the RedMagic 10S Pro doesn’t support wireless charging. As a gaming-first device, however, this isn’t a huge deal. Likely, RedMagic skipped it to improve thermal management, speed, and cost.

Overall, battery life is a strong point for the RedMagic 10S Pro. The 7,050 mAh pack outlasts the ROG Phone 9 Pro, though ASUS counters with extras, including wireless charging.

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: Cameras

Cameras are a weak point for RedMagic 10S Pro, as many reviewers have noted. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a dealbreaker. The spec sheet says you get a dual-rear setup with two 50 MP sensors (main wide with OIS at f/1.9, and an ultra-wide at f/2.0), plus an under-display selfie camera for a clean, notch-free screen. Sounds impressive, right? Let’s look a little closer.

In good lighting, the main camera does fine. Shots look sharp and detailed, with balanced exposure and decent dynamic range. Even night mode surprised me; images came out clear enough for casual snaps. The ultra-wide is where things fall apart: colors look flat, edges get mushy, and the overall image feels like a downgrade from the main camera.

Video is more solid. At 4K/60 fps, footage looks smooth and stabilized, and it’s perfectly usable for recording family moments or gameplay clips. Yes, there’s 8K/30 fps support, but unless you enjoy burning through storage and battery, I wouldn’t use it regularly.

The real Achilles’ heel is the selfie camera. Because it’s hidden under the display, images come out soft and hazy. I even noticed a watermark sneaking into shots until I toggled it off in settings.

Bottom line: the 10S Pro’s cameras are good enough for the occasional snap or social post, but if photography is a big part of your life, look elsewhere. This phone was built to frag enemies, not capture sunsets. Meanwhile, the ROG Phone 9 Pro has a slightly stronger camera setup…but neither is winning any photography awards here.

RedMagic 10S Pro Review: The Verdict

The RedMagic 10S Pro isn’t trying to be the perfect everyday flagship, and that’s exactly why I like it. It knows its lane and sticks to it. You’re getting blistering performance, a massive battery, a gorgeous display, and those handy shoulder triggers that genuinely give you an edge in competitive games. Yes, the UI needs tidying, the cameras lag behind the competition.

But! For hundreds less than a ROG Phone 9 Pro or a Galaxy Ultra, this device nails what matters most to gamers. It’s a phone that doesn’t apologize for being a gaming-first machine. For me, a mom who sneaks in sessions once in a blue moon, it feels like a well-deserved treat.

If your priorities are frames per second, battery stamina, and a screen built for immersion, the RedMagic 10S Pro delivers. If your priorities are vacation photos or TikTok-ready selfies… maybe keep looking.

RedMagic 10S Pro Price & Availability

The Nubia RedMagic 10S Pro is available for $699 on the manufacturer’s website, where it’s also available in different colors. At the publish date, the device was no longer available on Amazon (US). In comparison, the ROG Phone 9 Pro costs $1,200 on Amazon.