Nubia Crimson Magic 7S Professional assessment

Devoted gaming telephones have skilled a exceptional rise lately, with one firm main the best way.  

Nubia doesn’t essentially make the very best gaming handsets, however it does take advantage of. In simply over 4 years, a staggering 16 Crimson Magic branded telephones have come to market. Most of those have been launched globally, which means there’s at all times a brand new mannequin simply across the nook. 

However Nubia’s 2022 replace cycle is aggressive even by its requirements. The Crimson Magic 7S Professional launched globally simply three months after its predecessor, making substantial upgrades extremely unlikely. 

Regardless of that includes Qualcomm’s newest and best chipset underneath the hood it appears to be like, feels, and performs virtually identically to the 7 Professional.

Design and construct

• Extra muted design than earlier Crimson Magic telephones
• Heavy and ponderous
• Underwhelming fingerprint sensor

Nubia launched a barely completely different design with the Crimson Magic 7 Professional, so it’s no shock to see it keep the identical right here. It makes use of a mix of glass and aluminium, supplies we’ve come to affiliate with flagship telephones. 

Probably the most eye-catching distinction in comparison with common handsets is a big metallic plate which extends down the center of the again of the cellphone. Nubia says that is to enhance warmth dissipation, though it provides considerably to the 7S Professional’s complete weight. 

It’s equivalent to the 7 Professional at 235g, however nonetheless one of many heaviest telephones you should buy. This isn’t an issue for lengthy gaming classes however does change into uncomfortable if utilizing one handed for an prolonged interval. 

Inside that warmth dissipation plate, you’ll discover a rectangular rear digital camera module, consisting of three lenses and a flash. The 7S Professional is comparatively thick at 10mm, which means it sits virtually flush with the again of the cellphone.

It’s apparent from the rear design that it is a gaming cellphone, however the Obsidian (black) mannequin I examined is extra muted than previous Crimson Magic handsets. There’s additionally a silver model, however the clear mannequin doesn’t make it onto the worldwide model. In case you’re in search of a wacky design or vibrant colors, the 7S Professional isn’t the cellphone for you. 

On each variations, Nubia has carried out a superb job of concealing the built-in fan. Apart from a few grilles and the audible whirring when it’s in motion, you wouldn’t realize it was there. 

The Crimson Magic 7S Professional retains a big 6.8in show, however it’s extra compact than you may count on. That’s as a result of the cellphone makes use of an under-display selfie digital camera, which means there’s no want for a notch. The lens remains to be nearly seen, however an 87.1% screen-to-body ration is mightily spectacular. Hopefully, all telephones will seem like this earlier than too lengthy. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Happily, you don’t have to depend on the front-facing digital camera for face unlock. The in-display fingerprint sensor will deal with that for you, however I used to be disillusioned with the way it carried out. Setup is straightforward, however it typically took a number of tries for the cellphone to recognise me. It additionally requires an extended press to unlock the 7S Professional than you could be used to. 

Nothing has modified on the perimeters of the cellphone, however it’s nonetheless very completely different to common handsets. Energy and quantity controls are joined by one of many fan grilles and twin shoulder triggers, making it very clear which method to make use of the cellphone in panorama mode. On the alternative facet, you’ll solely discover the bodily slider for turning on Recreation House, Nubia’s software-based gaming mode. 

It’s nice to see the headphone jack retained on the prime, alongside one in every of two audio system. You’ll discover the opposite on the backside, alongside a twin SIM card tray and USB-C charging port. The latter’s positioning could show problematic whereas gaming, as charging whilst you play can get awkward. Asus’s ROG Telephones get round this utilizing a second side-mounted port, however Nubia has determined towards it. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

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Show and audio

• 6.8in Full HD+ AMOLED show
• 120Hz refresh charge, 960Hz contact sampling
• Above common twin audio system

The show adjustments Nubia made with the Crimson Magic 7S Professional had been controversial, however nothing has modified on its successor. Meaning it stays a transparent step down from the very best cellphone screens in 2022, one thing you wouldn’t count on from a tool at this value. 

You continue to get a 6.8in, 1080×2400 AMOLED panel, giving it the more and more widespread 20:9 side ratio. It’d be good to have a better decision, however different show traits are extra related for gaming. 

They embrace a excessive refresh charge, one thing the 7S Professional possesses. However you’re restricted to 120Hz right here, whereas many gaming telephones go for 144Hz or 165Hz as a substitute. Nubia’s legitimate counterargument could be that many video games don’t assist these refresh charges, however the cheaper Crimson Magic 7S nonetheless has a class-leading 165Hz show. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

You’ll be able to manually drop this all the way down to 60Hz or 90Hz to preserve battery life, however the refresh charge nonetheless can’t alter routinely relying on what you’re doing.  

To assist offset this, the 7S Professional has the very best contact sampling charge of any smartphone. It’s 960Hz, which means it could possibly register as much as 960 occasions each second. It makes the show ultra-fluid and responsive, which might make all of the distinction in FPS video games – particularly when paired with the 520Hz shoulder triggers. I definitely felt extra assured whereas taking part in fight video games equivalent to Name of Obligation: Cell and PUBG: Cell. 

However even probably the most avid gamer received’t be taking part in on a regular basis. I’m happy to say the show is great for on a regular basis utilization, delivering vibrant colors and loads of element. It additionally has a powerful vary of viewing angles, regardless of being extremely reflective.  

Nevertheless, I used to be disillusioned with the brightness, or lack thereof. I recorded simply 252 nits on the most, far beneath most different smartphones. Utilizing the cellphone outdoor could be very troublesome consequently – I used to be typically squinting to make out something when the solar was out. 

As alluded to earlier, the 7S Professional has twin audio system. The stereo sound they produce is considerably higher than the typical smartphone – punchy audio with a satisfying hit of bass. Additionally they get impressively loud, however many particulars are misplaced at excessive volumes. 

These assist to ship an immersive gaming expertise, though many players will want to attach headphones as a substitute. 

Specs and efficiency

• Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and 12/18GB of RAM
• Stellar efficiency throughout the board
• Fan can get loud

There are a handful of small upgrades on the Crimson Magic 7S Professional, however the processor is undoubtedly probably the most vital. It’s powered by the brand new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Qualcomm’s newest flagship chip. Good points in comparison with the common 8 Gen 1 are minor, however it maintains the Crimson Magic model’s popularity for top-tier efficiency.  

The mannequin I examined combines it with 12GB of RAM, however there may be the choice for 18GB in case you want any extra energy. I doubt it, contemplating the stellar efficiency the 7S Professional already delivers. 

Gaming on this cellphone is a pleasure, with quick, easy visuals and glorious responsiveness. I examined a number of the most demanding titles on the Play Retailer, together with Name of Obligation: Cell, PUBG Cell, and Asphalt 9, with no slowdown by any means. With the 120Hz refresh charge and 960Hz contact sampling, it felt like I had an important benefit over gamers utilizing a daily smartphone. 

The one caveat is the fan, which kicks in as quickly as you load a sport and will get fairly loud. It means the cellphone solely ever will get barely heat to the contact, however it may be distracting until you drown it out with audio. I attempted turning off the fan fully, however the cellphone quickly bought extremely popular – I wouldn’t advocate this. 

As ordinary, nice gaming efficiency interprets into real-world utilization. Widespread apps equivalent to Chrome, Gmail, Maps and YouTube all run impeccably, even when split-screen multitasking. In actuality, it affords much more efficiency than you’ll ever want for any fundamental duties. 

However the 7S Professional can rival any smartphone by way of efficiency, which the benchmarks replicate:

In China you’ll discover the choice for 1TB of storage, however that’s not accessible on the worldwide model. However 256GB or 512GB ought to be lots for most individuals, even when there’s no microSD enlargement. 

Cameras and video

• Triple rear cameras
• Primary lens is respectable, ultrawide and macro much less spectacular
• Poor under-display selfie digital camera

Like many earlier Crimson Magic telephones, the 7S Professional has a set of triple rear cameras. Nevertheless, the 64Mp predominant sensor is doing a lot of the heavy lifting right here.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

It’s the cellphone’s finest lens by a great distance, delivering photographs you wouldn’t usually affiliate with a gaming handset. The lens is especially suited to obviously outlined topics, whether or not it’s buildings, individuals or pets. 

I used to be additionally actually impressed with the standard of portrait-style photographs it produced. The sting detection isn’t excellent, however the delicate background blur it delivers is spectacular. 

Night time mode additionally depends on software program, and it improves low-light photographs with out making them look artificially shiny. Nevertheless, many key particulars are nonetheless misplaced. 

The latter additionally impacts panorama photographs, with overexposure one other widespread problem. You could be tempted to modify to the 8Mp ultrawide sensor in these eventualities, however the drop-off in high quality means it’s not price it. That’s an actual disgrace, as the flexibleness of a 120° subject of view is a superb choice to have. 

Issues are even worse in relation to the 2Mp macro lens, which provides nothing to the digital camera expertise. For close-up photographs, I managed to get higher colors and extra element utilizing the principle lens as a substitute.  

Nevertheless, the selfie digital camera stays the only most disappointing factor in regards to the 7S Professional. Not solely is it embedded underneath the show, Nubia has additionally downgraded it to an 8Mp sensor on the worldwide model. 

Predictably, the outcomes are considerably worse than a daily front-facing lens. Selfies are inclined to look grainy and washed out, with virtually all particulars within the background misplaced. It’s advantageous for the occasional video name, however even for images with pals you’ll need one thing higher. 

The gallery beneath showcases a few of these inconsistencies, but in addition the 7s Professional’s means to take some good photographs. It simply can’t be relied on as your predominant digital camera for something greater than informal use.

On the video facet, the Crimson Magic 7S Professional is able to footage as much as 4K at 30fps, however the default 1080p at 30fps is extra practical for on a regular basis use. It does a powerful job of preserving key particulars, however with out OIS (optical picture stabilization), video could be very juddery when transferring round. 

Battery and charging

• 5000mAh battery
• Comfortably all-day battery life
• Respectable 65W quick charging

The Crimson Magic 7S Professional is provided with a 5000mAh battery. That’s a good capability, though it does should take care of a big, high-refresh charge show and loads of demanding apps.  

Battery life is stable consequently, albeit one step down from the very best you’ll discover on any smartphone. With the brightness set to 200 nits, I recorded 10 hours and 37 minutes in PCMark’s battery check. This goals to replicate real-world utilization by simulating a wide range of duties, however demanding video games depletes the battery far more shortly. 

Nonetheless, it’s doable to get the gadget to final a really very long time. With the refresh charge set to 60Hz, I spent round 12 hours away from the charger and nonetheless had round 70% battery left. That was regardless of ceaselessly utilizing cell knowledge and GPS, plus retaining brightness near the utmost. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Nevertheless, it’s price noting that some digital camera options are restricted when the battery could be very low. At underneath 5%, each portrait and evening modes received’t work, however common images and video are unaffected. 

If you do lastly run out of cost, a 65W charger is included in a field. Once more, it is a huge step down from 135W adapter accessible with the Chinese language model of the cellphone, however it’s not sluggish by any means. In underneath half-hour, the battery is totally charged, though there’s nonetheless no wi-fi charging. 

Software program and updates

• Crimson Magic OS 5.5 over Android 12
• Recreation House and different helpful software program tweaks
• Just one new Android model assured

As anticipated, the 7S Professional runs Crimson Magic OS over Android 12. That is model 5.5 of Nubia’s customized pores and skin, though not a lot has modified. Notable additions embrace a house display wallpaper rotation (full hyperlinks to common articles) and the branding of gaming enhancements as ‘Crimson Magic Drive’. 

The latter works in tandem with Recreation House, Nubia’s devoted mode for taking part in video games. That is nonetheless accessible by way of a bodily slider on the facet of the cellphone, though the principle web page has been redesigned. Core performance is unchanged although, which means it could possibly nonetheless be used to tweak efficiency and management notifications. 

Whereas video games could be launched from the principle residence display, it’s good to have this mode that’s separate from the remainder of the gadget. Utilizing it as a daily smartphone is pleasant, regardless of the addition of a number of widgets and numerous redesigned inventory apps.  

Loads of acquainted Google options are nonetheless right here, together with the Messages app, Digital Wellbeing instruments and the Uncover feed to the left of the house display. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Nevertheless, you may discover that many pre-installed apps can’t be uninstalled. There’s additionally no choice to alter the default launcher, one thing most Android telephones can help you do. 

Nubia doesn’t make any particular replace commitments for the Crimson Magic model, however dad or mum firm ZTE’s coverage is disappointing. It ensures only one main model replace for Android, which means Android 13 might be the one one the Crimson Magic 7S Professional will get.  

The corporate doesn’t say something about how lengthy you’ll be able to count on safety updates. Contemplating the speed at which new Crimson Magic telephones are launched, it is a actual concern. 

Worth and availability

This could be a ‘Professional’ cellphone, however its pricing doesn’t essentially replicate that. The Crimson Magic 7S Professional begins at $729/£669 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage – that is the mannequin I examined.

There’s additionally the choice to step as much as 18GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $899/£809, however these are your solely two choices outdoors China.

The cellphone isn’t fairly accessible but, however shall be quickly – pre-orders begin on 2 August, and the cellphone is formally on sale from 9 August.

It isn’t fairly flagship cellphone pricing, however it isn’t far off. The 7S Professional is most probably to go head-to-head with the Asus ROG Cellphone 6, with the 6 Professional considerably costlier. However there are many nice alternate options in our gaming cellphone chart, together with the Crimson Magic 7 Professional. 

There’s little or no room for error at this value level, and 7S Professional nonetheless makes sacrifices in some key areas. Consequently, you’ll discover higher worth for cash elsewhere. 

Verdict

The Crimson Magic 7S Professional is a superb gaming cellphone, however there are many causes to hesitate earlier than shopping for one. 

Gaming efficiency from the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is great, particularly when mixed with class-leading 960Hz contact sampling and a 120Hz OLED display. However the cheaper common 7S has a better 165Hz refresh charge and avoids the headache of an under-display fingerprint sensor.  

Battery life is spectacular, however you miss out on the ultra-fast 135W charging in China and there’s nonetheless no wi-fi charging. The cameras are additionally unreliable, whereas the muted aesthetic and ponderous design received’t please everybody. 

Even in case you’re set on shopping for a gaming handset, the Crimson Magic 7S Professional is just the precise choice in case you use your cellphone in a really particular method. For everybody else, there are higher alternate options. 

Specs

• Android 12 with Crimson Magic OS 5.5
• 6.8in FHD+ (1080×2400) AMOLED show, 120Hz refresh charge, 720Hz contact sampling 
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 
• 12/18GB RAM 
• 256/512GB inner storage (non-expandable) 
• 64Mp predominant lens
• 8Mp ultrawide lens with 120° subject of view
• 2Mp macro lens 
• 8Mp selfie lens (under-display)
• Fingerprint scanner (in-screen) 
• Bluetooth 5.2 
• GPS 
• NFC 
• 5G 
• Twin-SIM 
• 5,000mAh non-removable battery
• 65W wired charging 
• 166.3 x 77.1 x 10 mm
• 235g