Smartphone Comparison: ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 vs. Nothing Phone (2)
1. Specifications Comparison
Design
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 169.9 × 77.2 × 9.7 mm | 162.1 × 76.4 × 8.6 mm | The Nothing Phone (2) is more compact and thinner, making it generally more comfortable to hold and carry. The Red Magic 6 is larger and bulkier. |
| Weight | 220g | 201.2g | The Nothing Phone (2) is noticeably lighter, which is better for extended use and portability. |
| Build | Standard | Standard | Both are standard smartphones without foldable mechanisms. |
Display
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Size | 6.8" | 6.7" | Minimal difference, both offer large screens suitable for media consumption and gaming. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1080x2412 | Virtually identical sharpness, the difference is not noticeable in everyday use. |
| PPI | 387 | 394 | Very similar pixel density, both screens look sharp. |
| Technology | AMOLED | OLED | Both technologies deliver vibrant colors and deep blacks, providing a premium viewing experience. |
| Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | The Red Magic 6 has a higher refresh rate, providing smoother animations and a more fluid experience, particularly in gaming. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 1600 nits | The Nothing Phone (2) offers significantly better outdoor visibility due to its much higher brightness. The Red Magic 6’s brightness is unknown which makes outdoor use unpredictable. |
Performance
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | The Nothing Phone (2) has a newer, more efficient chipset, offering better performance and power efficiency. |
| Antutu Score | N/A | 1,135,786 | No benchmark score is available for the Red Magic 6, making it hard to gauge performance comparison directly. However, the score of Nothing Phone 2 suggests very good performance. |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 730 | The Nothing Phone (2) has a newer and more powerful GPU, providing better performance in graphically intensive applications and games. |
Battery
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Capacity | 0mAh | 4700mAh | The Nothing Phone (2) has a significantly larger battery. The Red Magic 6 has unknown battery capacity, making it impossible to compare battery life. |
| Charging | Standard Charging | 45W Fast Charging | The Nothing Phone (2) supports fast charging, allowing for quicker replenishment of the battery. |
| Features | Standard Features | Reverse charging, Non-removable, 15W wireless charging, 5W reverse wireless | The Nothing Phone (2) offers more charging options and features including wireless charging and reverse charging capabilities, while the Red Magic 6 features are unknown. |
Camera
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Standard Camera | Not Available | 50MP, f/1.88, 1/1.56" Sony IMX890 | Nothing Phone (2) has a capable standard camera for everyday photography. The Red Magic 6 lacks a standard camera. |
| Selfie Camera | Not Available | 32MP, f/2.45, 1/2.74" Sony IMX615 | The Nothing Phone (2) has a high-resolution front-facing camera for detailed selfies. The Red Magic 6 lacks a selfie camera. |
| Wide Angle + Macro Camera | Not Available | 50MP, f/2.2, 1/2.76" Samsung S5KJN1 | The Nothing Phone (2) offers versatility with its wide-angle and macro lens. The Red Magic 6 lacks a wide-angle and macro camera. |
| Video Recording | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; No stabilization | 4K@30/60fps with HDR, OIS, EIS, 1080p@30/60fps with HDR, OIS, EIS, Slow-motion: Yes, 240 fps | The Red Magic 6 can record in 8K, but lacks image stabilization, which may cause shaky footage. Nothing Phone (2) offers advanced video stabilization for smoother and more professional videos and supports slow-motion recording |
| Camera Features | | Time-Lapse, 4K Video, Digital zoom, Dual camera, Digital image stabilization, Optical Stabilization (OIS), Autofocus, Touch focus, Phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Continuous shooting, Geotagging, Panorama, HDR, Face detection, White balance settings, ISO settings, Exposure compensation, Scene mode, Self-timer, Night Mode | The Nothing Phone (2) has more advanced features like OIS and various shooting modes, offering more control and versatility in photography. The Red Magic 6 features are unknown. |
Software
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Operating System | Android 11 | Android 13 | The Nothing Phone (2) has a more recent Android version with the latest features and security updates. The Red Magic 6’s Android 11 is now dated. |
| Max OS Version | Unknown | Android 16 | The Nothing Phone (2) is guaranteed software updates up to Android 16, while the Red Magic 6’s support is unknown. |
Connectivity
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| WiFi | Unknown | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Dual band, Hotspot, Direct, Display, MIMO | Nothing Phone (2) has support for modern Wi-Fi standards and has extra functionalities, offering better speed and stability. The Red Magic 6’s WiFi capabilities are unknown. |
| Bluetooth | Unknown | Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, APT-x, LDAC, SBC, AAC | Nothing Phone (2) has modern Bluetooth standard with advanced audio codec support for superior sound quality. The Red Magic 6’s Bluetooth capabilities are unknown. |
| GPS | Unknown | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, Galileo, GPS (L1+L5), NavIC System | Nothing Phone (2) supports more satellite systems, offering more accurate positioning. The Red Magic 6’s GPS capabilities are unknown. |
| SIM | Unknown | Dual SIM Dual Standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM) | Nothing Phone (2) provides dual-SIM functionality allowing to use two SIMs at the same time. The Red Magic 6 SIM capabilities are unknown. |
Storage & Memory
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Internal Storage | Unknown | 128GB/256GB/512GB | The Nothing Phone (2) comes with more storage options, allowing users to store more files and apps. The Red Magic 6’s storage options are unknown. |
| RAM | Unknown | 8GB/12GB | Nothing Phone (2) has greater RAM for smoother multitasking and better performance. The Red Magic 6’s RAM is unknown. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone supports expandable storage, which requires careful selection of the internal storage variant needed for Nothing Phone 2. |
Audio
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Audio Quality | Basic | Hi-Res Audio, Stereo Speakers, 3 microphones | The Nothing Phone (2) provides a more immersive audio experience with higher quality audio playback and improved sound capture. The Red Magic 6’s audio quality is unknown. |
Security
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Features | Fingerprint Sensor | Fingerprint Sensor | Both phones have fingerprint sensors for basic biometric security |
Build Quality
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Screen Protection | Unknown | Unknown | Screen protection quality for both devices is unknown. |
Sensors
| Feature | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 | Nothing Phone (2) | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Sensors | Basic Sensors | Fingerprint, Proximity, Light, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Gravity | The Nothing Phone (2) has a more comprehensive sensor suite for enhanced functionality including gaming and AR apps. The Red Magic 6’s sensors are unknown. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 Advantages:
- Higher Refresh Rate Display: 165Hz refresh rate for smoother gaming and animations.
- 8K Video Recording: Support for 8K video recording.
Nothing Phone (2) Advantages:
- Newer Chipset: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 offers better performance and power efficiency than the Snapdragon 888.
- Brighter Display: Much higher brightness (1600 nits) for better visibility in bright sunlight.
- Superior Camera System: Includes a standard camera, a selfie camera, and a wide-angle/macro lens and has OIS, EIS, and more camera features.
- Better Battery & Charging: Larger battery capacity, 45W fast charging, wireless charging and reverse charging capabilities.
- More Recent Software: Ships with Android 13 and is guaranteed updates to Android 16.
- More Storage and RAM Options: Comes in 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB configurations with 8GB or 12GB of RAM.
- Enhanced Audio: Hi-Res Audio, stereo speakers, and 3 microphones.
- Comprehensive Sensor Suite: Includes fingerprint, proximity, light, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, and gravity sensors.
- Advanced Connectivity: Supports modern WiFi standards, modern Bluetooth standard and more satellite systems for accurate positioning.
Trade-offs:
- The Red Magic 6 lacks essential camera features, and has unclear battery, sensors, connectivity, software information which is a major downside.
- The Nothing Phone (2), despite its superior camera system, does not offer 8K video recording.
- The Red Magic 6 has a higher refresh rate for smoother gameplay but an unknown screen brightness which can impact user experience in outdoor conditions.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6:
- Ideal User: Gamers who prioritize ultra-smooth display refresh rate and video recording resolution.
- Use Cases: Mobile gaming (if the battery capacity and performance is sufficient), video recording (if the lack of stabilization is not an issue).
- Limitations: Unclear specs make it difficult to gauge its price-to-value ratio. The lack of a standard camera system and unclear sensor suite are a big downside.
Nothing Phone (2):
- Ideal User: Users who want a well-rounded device with good performance, a versatile camera system, and modern software support with advanced connectivity features.
- Use Cases: Everyday use, general photography, social media, media consumption, moderate gaming and has modern features such as wireless charging and reverse charging.
- Strengths: The superior camera system, higher brightness, fast charging, and more reliable battery life make it a good all-rounder.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- Is camera quality and versatility a priority? If yes, the Nothing Phone (2) is the better choice.
- Is a high refresh rate for gaming essential, and are you okay with the risk of having an unknown screen brightness and an unknown battery capacity? If yes, the Red Magic 6 might be considerable.
- Do you prefer a modern operating system and guaranteed software updates? If yes, then Nothing Phone (2) is the ideal choice due to its guaranteed updates to Android 16.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Photography Enthusiast: Choose the Nothing Phone (2) for its versatile camera system, image stabilization, and advanced features.
- Mobile Gamer (Budget-Conscious): The Red Magic 6 might be considered for its higher refresh rate, but only if all the other missing specs are not a concern. Otherwise, the Nothing Phone (2) offers an excellent gaming experience.
- Everyday User: The Nothing Phone (2) is the better all-rounder with its brighter screen, modern software, better camera, and fast charging capabilities.
My Choice
Given the available information, I would choose the Nothing Phone (2). The Red Magic 6 has critical missing information about the battery capacity, display brightness, sensors, and cameras which is very important to consider while comparing smartphones. The Nothing Phone (2) provides better camera versatility, a superior chipset, a brighter display, faster charging, more battery options, modern software, and a more feature-rich experience. It addresses a broader range of user needs with fewer compromises making it the superior choice. The fact that the Red Magic 6 is missing so much information, while being older, makes it very difficult to recommend.
