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Starting at $749, the REDMAGIC 11 Pro is an Android-based phone that brings a very different experience to the table compared to last year’s 10 Pro and the popular 10 Air. I reviewed both of those phones recently, and what I found with the 11 Pro is that its extra thickness and candy bar feel make it stand out from other alternatives on the market. If you are into gaming and want a phone that stays cool with an excellent overall build quality, this is the direction to go. As an iPhone user whose Android days are mostly behind me, I found this device super cool to use and touch, even if it requires a bit of an adjustment period. That’s not to suggest iPhones are boring; rather, an unapologetic gaming phone is a drastically different take that I enjoyed getting my hands on.
Design and Display
The phone is substantial, weighing in at 230 grams with a mostly metal frame. It features Corning Gorilla Glass on both the front and the back, which makes it a bit slippery, but it looks incredibly premium. The cooling system is gorgeous and works incredibly well. More on that soon.
The display is a massive 6.85-inch Full HD+ screen running a variable refresh rate of up to 144Hz. It features a unique 20:9 aspect ratio, a 3000Hz touch sampling rate, and a 360Hz multi-finger sampling rate. One of the biggest highlights for me is the 800 nits peak brightness. When I reviewed the 10 Pro in the summertime, using my iPhone outside was tough because the screen would dim and the phone would get hot, but the 11 Pro gets super bright and keeps pretty cool.
Cooling System and Gaming Features
The cooling on this phone is fantastic. They call it the Aqua Core cooling system, and it is easily one of the neatest features I’ve seen. When you plug the phone in or push it hard, you can actually see the liquid moving through the back of the device, accompanied by a fan that spins up and customizable blue LED lighting. You can activate the cooling fan via a widget on the home screen, which plays a cool sound and animation.
For gaming, there is a dedicated orange-red toggle switch on the side of the phone. Flipping this switch launches the game lobby, where you can pick your games, adjust controller settings, manage streaming options, and change your themes. The system will even detect your games automatically and offers a bit of behavioral AI learning to adapt to how you use your controls.
Performance and Software
Under the hood, this thing is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. You have options to configure the RAM up to 24GB and the storage up to a full terabyte. It is running on Android 16 with a pretty clean Red Magic launcher overlay. There is some bloatware out of the box, like Facebook, TikTok, and Booking.com, which I immediately wanted to get rid of, but it also comes with a game called Block Blast which is super addictive.
The phone also heavily integrates the Red Magic AI. It includes an AI wallpaper generator, one-tap privacy sticker masking, Google Translate integrations, and an AI notepad that can take an idea and spit out an article or summary.
Battery Life
Just like the 10 Pro, the battery life is looking to be fantastic. It houses what the manufacturer lists as a 75 milliamp hour battery, and it supports fast charging up to 80 watts. Best of all, they actually include the fast charger right in the box.
Technical Specifications
- Price: Starts at $749
- Dimensions: 164 mm height, 76.5 mm width, and just under 9 mm depth
- Weight: 230 g
- Build: Metal frame with Corning Gorilla Glass on the front and back
- Display: 6.85-inch Full HD+ (2688 x 1216 resolution)
- Refresh Rate: Variable up to 144Hz
- Touch Sampling: 3000Hz touch sampling rate, 360Hz multi-finger sampling rate
- Brightness: 800 nits peak brightness
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- RAM Options: 12GB, 16GB, or 24GB LPDDR5T
- Storage Options: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB UFS 4.1 Pro
- Cameras: 16-megapixel front camera with AI algorithm enhancements
- Network: Dual nano SIM support for 5G, 4G, 3G, and 2G (No eSIM support)
- Battery and Charging: 75 milliamp hour battery with 80-watt fast charging (charger included)
- Operating System: Android 16 with Red Magic AI features
- Security: Fingerprint reader and Face ID recognition
- Cooling: Aqua Core cooling system with visible liquid cooling and an active fan
Overall, if you want a phone with a nice big screen, intense specs, and a completely different aesthetic, the REDMAGIC 11 Pro is an excellent choice. Be aware of the slippery glass on the back. It’s available, in multiple configurations, starting at $749.