The first phone with 24GB of RAM and an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is here

The nubia REDMAGIC gaming phones are often the most powerful smartphones in a given year, owing to top-flight internals and fantastic cooling features. Now, the company has launched the REDMAGIC 8S Pro, and this looks like the most powerful smartphone of 2023.

The brand confirmed last week that the new phone is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Leading Version, which is virtually identical to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC seen in the Galaxy S23 series. That means you’re getting a peak 3.36GHz CPU clock speed and 719MHz GPU speed, compared to the standard chip’s 3.2GHz and 680MHz respectively.

The phone also features a so-called ICE 12.0 cooling system, consisting of measures like 3D vapor chamber cooling and a graphene heat sink. But the most notable measure here is a built-in fan. We previously noted that the REDMAGIC 8 Pro was able to deliver strong sustained performance thanks to its cooling fan, so we’re expecting similar results here.

The chipset isn’t the only area to receive a monster upgrade, as nubia is also offering a Pro Plus variant with up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The RAM figure in particular is overkill for gaming and most other demanding tasks, but that 1TB of storage will come in handy if you store loads of games and/or media on your phone.

REDMAGIC 8S Pro: What else are you getting?

Endurance is important for a gaming phone too, and nubia is touting a 6,000mAh battery with 80W wired charging speeds. However, the Pro Plus variant comes with a 5,000mAh battery and 165W wired speeds. So you’re trading endurance for faster charging times if you go for the Pro Plus model.

You’re getting a typical gaming phone aesthetic here in terms of design though, complete with a circular RGB light on the back and a pair of capacitive shoulder triggers. In saying so, the phone is equipped with a 16MP under-display selfie camera, allowing for an uninterrupted full-screen experience.

The device also packs a triple rear camera system. The firm only disclosed a 50MP GN5 main camera, but we’re guessing that it’s also equipped with an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro/depth lens as well.

Other notable features include a 3.5mm port (!), dtsX Ultra support, three microphones, and Wi-Fi 7.

REDMAGIC 8S Pro price and availability

The new gaming phone is available in China for 3,999 yuan (~$552) for the base 8GB/128GB model. If you want a 24GB/1TB variant, you’ll need to pay 7,499 yuan (~$1,036) for the top-end REDMAGIC 8S Pro Plus.

There’s no word on global availability just yet, but most previous REDMAGIC devices were available outside China. So we’re optimistic about a wider release.

Nubia is also offering a Transformers Bumblebee edition REDMAGIC 8S Pro Plus (seen above), complete with themed accessories like the charger and cooling fan. You’ll be paying 6,499 yuan (~$897) for this model, which packs 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage.