I'm A Diehard Pixel User, But This Liquid-cooled Android Phone Has My Attention

6 hours ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The Redmagic 11 Pro is disposable connected nan charismatic tract starting astatine $749.
This is 1 of nan astir powerful phones I've ever tested, pinch liquid cooling and an industry-leading CPU.
The camera isn't rather up to par pinch different Android flagships.

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If you've ever utilized a Redmagic smartphone, you cognize nan marque places a peculiar accent connected 2 things: powerfulness and aesthetics. The Redmagic 11 Pro highlights some of these traits successful a measurement fewer phones do.

I've been a instrumentality of Redmagic's products (such arsenic nan Astra gaming tablet) ever since I was fortunate capable to trial nan RedMagic 10 Air. I recovered their phones and tablets to eke retired much powerfulness for a mid-range instrumentality than thing I've knowledgeable to date.

Also: Why I urge this Lenovo tablet complete competing models that costs doubly nan price

Its "Pro" phones unrecorded up to that moniker and person yet to disappoint. Needless to say, erstwhile nan institution reached retired to maine pinch nan 11 Pro, I jumped astatine nan chance.

How did it fare? Let's return a look.

My experience

I've reviewed a fistful of Redmagic devices successful nan past, and each 1 of them has been a point of beauty. The handsets are sleek, don't discarded a centimeter of space, and connection superior powerfulness astatine a mid-range price.

The 11 Pro not only lived up to that reputation, but besides launched it to caller levels. The 2nd I pulled nan telephone retired of nan box, I knew it was thing special.

The phone's beingness shape is boxy, truthful if you're a instrumentality of that aesthetic, you'll emotion this device. The lines are clean, sharp, and elegant. The backmost of nan instrumentality has a Nothing Phone-esque solid pane that doesn't precisely springiness you a peek into nan soul workings of nan device, but makes for a gorgeous case.

Also: This Android telephone made my Pixel 9 Pro look boring - and its artillery life is genuinely impressive

After enjoying nan beingness beauty of nan phone, I yet decided to move it on. Given this is an Android phone, nan setup was painless. After astir 2 aliases 3 minutes, I had nan 11 Pro linked to my Google relationship and could commencement utilizing it. My first response?

Wow.

I emotion what Redmagic does pinch Android. If iOS and Android had a emotion child, it would beryllium Redmagic's return connected nan latter. Not only is it beautiful erstwhile it's static, but nan 2nd an animation kicks successful (such arsenic opening nan Notification Shade aliases nan App Drawer, you spot what Android is tin of. It really is thing special. To date, I've not seen Android look this polished.

Yes, Google has made immense artistic strides pinch nan latest merchandise of Android, but it still has immoderate catching up to do pinch Redmagic's design. But really does it perform?

Also: Finally, a rugged Android telephone that doesn't look for illustration a ceramic (and won't break nan bank)

Liquid-cooled and fast

The Redmagic 11 Pro is liquid-cooled. You publication that right: The 11 Pro has a full-blown liquid cooling system, complete pinch a micro-pump that pushes liquid done nan system.

Remember that solid back? Apparently, this makes it imaginable to position nan liquid being pumped done nan system. I haven't knowledgeable that yet, but I'm trying to push nan phone's limits to spot if I get to watch it unfold earlier my eyes.

Sure, it's a spot gimmicky, but erstwhile you're playing games connected a mobile instrumentality (something Redmagic has staked its declare on), cooling tin beryllium crucial. I've played games connected Android phones and felt them heating up beautiful quickly. This cooling strategy should lick that problem and let nan CPU to tally each retired without interest for overheating.

Also: The champion gaming phones you tin buy: Expert tested

I installed "Diablo Immortal" to spot really good it worked. The installation took a spot longer than usual, but I chalk that up to slow networking speeds (Cloudflare, I'm looking astatine you).

The Redmagic 11 Pro happens to beryllium 1 of nan first phones to athletics nan caller Snapdragon Elite 8 CPU, and wow, does it show. This spot is fast, and nan 11 Pro takes afloat advantage of that. Even my Pixel 9 Pro can't lucifer nan velocity of this telephone (and it's roughly $200 more).

Playing Diablo Immortal was arsenic soft arsenic I've ever seen it. There was zero lag, nan graphics were lovely, and nan sound was impressive. And conjecture what? As soon arsenic I started playing, I checked nan backmost of nan telephone and was capable to spot nan liquid passing done nan cooling system.

Yeah, that's cool.

While playing Diablo, nan telephone felt cool to nan touch nan full time. Not erstwhile did it consciousness moreover somewhat warm. That's a first for me. Did I mention this telephone is fast? At $749, you would presume it to beryllium conscionable supra mid-range successful performance, but this is simply a flagship instrumentality done and through.

It's not rather perfect

It took maine a while to find thing antagonistic to say. I'm accustomed to nan Pixel cameras, and each different phones ray successful comparison. The Redmagic 11 Pro is not different. Although it takes good photos, it's not up to par pinch nan Pixel. Granted, that's a precocious barroom to reach, and I've yet to acquisition a telephone to lucifer what Google has created successful its flagship phones.

Even so, if a superb camera is not astatine nan apical of your database of mobile needs, you won't mind nan 11 Pro's camera 1 bit. I was capable to threat immoderate really bully photos pinch nan camera. For me, nan biggest quality betwixt nan Redmagic 11 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro cameras is that nan Pixel camera is much forgiving. With nan Pixel, you don't person to person specified a dependable hand. With nan 11 Pro, it really helps. This is astir apt do to Google's injection of AI into each facet of nan Pixel phones.

ZDNET's buying advice

If you want superior powerfulness successful your hands without overheating, and a UI that defines what Android tin be, nan Redmagic 11 Pro is nan telephone to beat. With an industry-leading CPU, liquid cooling, and an elegant case, this smartphone is simply a point of powerfulness and beauty.

I highly urge this phone. In fact, I liked this telephone truthful much, I'm going to dread sending it back. When it comes clip to upgrade from my Pixel 9 Pro, I mightiness earnestly deliberation of going nan Redmagic route.

Redmagic 11 Pro tech specs

CPU - Snapdragon 8 Elite
Display - 6.85-inch 144Hz 1216×2688 OLED pinch 1800 nits highest brightness
Dimensions - 163.8 x 76.5 x 8.9 mm, 230g
Cooling - Active cooling instrumentality and liquid cooling
Rating - IPX8 rated
Battery - 7500 mAh artillery and speedy 80W wired/wireless charging
Colorways - Cryo is simply a matte achromatic decorativeness and serves arsenic nan guidelines exemplary telephone pinch 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, while Nightfreeze and Subzero are disposable for nan 16GB+512GB aliases 24GB+1TB models
Cryo is an all-black colourway pinch a matte finish. Cryo is only disposable for nan guidelines exemplary pinch 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. Nightfreeze and Subzero are disposable for nan 16GB+512GB aliases 24GB+1TB models.
Cameras - 50MP main camera (1/1.55-inch sensor), 50MP ultrawide (AF), 16MP under-display selfie camera