Red Magic 6
Price: £509 from fave.co/3n4Vikw
Since the introduction of the Razer Phone in 2017, a wealth of smartphones specifically designed for mobile gaming have emerged. Chinese heavyweights Xiaomi (Black Shark) and Lenovo (Legion Phone) are among the leading players in this sector, and Asus has borrowed the ROG branding for its dedicated gaming handsets. All three have launched new phones in 2021, although they were beaten to the punch by Nubia. A subsidiary of Chinese giant ZTE, the company’s Red Magic brand has typically offered class-leading specs and a distinct gamer aesthetic for a relatively affordable price. Now in its seventh generation, the Red Magic 6 series has seen the introduction of a Pro model for the first time. However, the focus of this review is the regular version, which aims to upgrade the core gaming experience fans of the Red Magic line have come to expect. Has Nubia succeeded in producing the best gaming phone of 2021? Read on to find out.
DESIGN
The Red Magic 6 is a gaming phone through and through, and its design makes that very obvious. Nubia has always been comfortable with an industrial build and comparatively large bezels, although the Eclipse Black model is more muted than we’ve come to expect. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it blends in with regular smartphones, but it definitely doesn’t stand out in the same way as the vibrant ‘Pulse’ model of the Red Magic 5S.
