I would like to clarify that there are several versions, depending on the countries in which it is marketed. They differ in frequency bands and hardware configuration. I have the European version with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage in black, although it is also available in red. There is a version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in various color scales between gray and black that imitate camouflage. It is currently available at an unbeatable price.
Another thing I would like to comment on, despite not having tried it this time, is that you can purchase a base and a gamepad to provide better gameplay. With this, you can connect it to a monitor or television and use the Nubia Red Magic 3 as if it were a console control. The smartphone comes in a large black box with the RedMagic logo in red. On the back, there is a sticker where the characteristics of the smartphone appear, the recycling and European Conformity seals, and the IMEI numbers of the SIMs.
When removing the cover, on cardboard and one side is the Nubia Red Magic 3 covered by transparent plastic. Next to it is the manufacturer’s logo and its website. Below there are three boxes where there is a 5V 2A European charger, a 1 meter long USB to USB Type-C cable, the quick start guide (in several languages such as Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, etc.), some brand stickers and the pin to access the nano SIM card holder.
Design and Screen
The Nubia Red Magic 3 has a careful design and the same “gaming” aesthetic as the Nubia Red Magic Mars. It is made of aluminum which gives it strength and hardness. The back has straight lines and reddish colors, and a vast multicolored LED strip runs through the terminal’s verticals. It also has an air outlet for the fan. Maintaining this disruptive aesthetic with LED lights and straight lines are becoming fashionable.
How could it be otherwise? It has a “unibody” body that makes it impossible to replace the battery without first disassembling the smartphone and losing any guarantee we could have.
It’s a giant smartphone. It has 78.5 mm long x 171.7 mm high x 9.7 mm thick and weighs 215 grams. Despite the weight, it didn’t feel like a clunky smartphone to me, probably because of how big it was. It fits nicely in our hands, but we must hold it firmly since aluminum has a soft touch that can cause it to slip from the hands.
This Nubia Red Magic 3 has one of the best screens I have been able to test to date. It mounts a **6.65-inch AMOLED ** panel with a Full HD + resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels in a 19.5: 9 format. The density of pixels per inch is 388, and the brightness is 430 nits. It has a screen with HDR10 (high dynamic range) technology, a refresh rate of 90Hz similar to that of the OnePlus 7 Pro, and touch response of only 40ms (240Hz).
These “gaming” smartphones do not seem to join the trend of front cameras in the “Notch” but have noticeable margins that make the valuable surface only 80%. It’s also coated with Corning Gorilla Glass to make it more challenging against bumps and scratches. As I have said, it is a perfect screen with good viewing angles and a more than acceptable brightness, with which it will be pleasant to play any game. I believe it!
Both in the lower and upper front are the powerful stereo speakers that provide a surround sound DTS 7.1 and DTS: X of the highest quality and in addition to a sound with more volume than we are used to.
The selfie camera, the multi-color notification LED, and the ambient light sensor are on the left side of the front.
On the left side is a small red slider button, with which the game mode interface will be activated. Next is the tray for the dual nano SIMs card and a 7-pin connection to join in with the base and see the images on a monitor or television.
The primary ** camera is centered on the back of the device is the primary ** camera ** centered, and above it is a powerful LED flash. Below is the air outlet for the fan and the fingerprint reader with a narrow and elongated shape. This works well, is fast and accurate, and has nothing to envy for the new fingerprint readers on the screen. In addition, as I have mentioned, it has a multi-color and configurable LED strip in the center of the terminal and just below the RedMagic logo.
I want to go into more detail and explain the cooling system that this Nubia Red Magic 3 has. AppaAccording to the manufacturer is the first smartphone with a fan to dissipate as much heat as possible, being 500% more effective than other “gaming smarsmartphoneshanks to this dual system of liquid cooling and fan, it can reduce the temperature of the processor by 16ºC.
Software
This Nubia Red Magic 3 has Android 9.0 Pie with a customization layer called RedMagic OS in version 3.0, reminding me of a certain extent of a Google “Android One” type customization layer.
I want to clarify that I have the European version, which comes with most languages such as Spanish, English, Portuguese, German, etc. Also, it comes with the “Google Play Store” app store and Google services. As you will see in the images I will leave you below; it practically does not come with pre-installed applications, which is to be appreciated and taken into account.
Nubia has incorporated two applications worth highlighting, which is the most interesting. The first one is called “LED Strip Editor,” and it is used solely and exclusively to change the colors, the intensity of brightness, and the frequency of color change of the LED strip on the back of the device.
The second one is called “Game Launcher” and is activated by sliding Nubia Red Magic 3’s red button on the side. It is the only way to run the said application, which I wouldn’t know I liked because if that button is broken, we are left without this functionality. Continuing with the application, it’s a game interface where all the games are grouped to access quickly. Also, allow you to configure if we want it to start dissipating heat or the fan’s speed. I recommend using the “Smart Adjust” option that sets the rate depending on whether you need it or not. And finally, and indeed one of the most important of this application, is that it allows you to link the “gamepad” and map its buttons or the L1 and R1 triggers on the side of the terminal on the screen.