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I generally like using Redmagic phones; they always have outlandish designs, incredible performance, and innovative cooling solutions. I reviewed the Redmagic 10S Pro just six months ago, and the brand is now detailing its latest flagship, the Redmagic 11 Pro.
Redmagic didn’t change too much with the design of the phone, but there’s a novel new addition: liquid cooling. The Redmagic 11 Pro has the distinction of being the only phone to use liquid cooling, and it also retains the dedicated cooling fan. The battery is even bigger now at 7,500mAh, outmatching the OnePlus 15 — this is the biggest battery you can get in a phone in North America.
Redmagic 11 Pro: Pricing and availability
Redmagic unveiled the 11 Pro on November 3, and the phone is going on sale starting November 19 in all markets where the brand has a presence. The base variant of the phone comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and it costs $699/£629/€699, which is a pretty great value when you consider the caliber of hardware you’re getting.
There’s also a 16GB/512GB edition that costs $799/£709/€799, and a 24TB/1TB model retailing at $999/£879/€999 if you want to go all-out. I’m using the 16GB/512GB model in the Subzero color option, and I think this model does a great job highlighting the design and liquid cooling.
|
Category |
Redmagic 11 Pro |
|---|---|
|
Display |
6.85-inch 144Hz AMOLED, 2688×1216, 2,000 nits max, Gorilla Glass 7i |
|
OS |
Redmagic OS 11 based on Android 15 |
|
Chipset |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Adreno 840, 3nm |
|
RAM |
12GB/16GB/24GB LPDDR5X |
|
Storage |
256GB/512GB/1TB UFS 4.1 |
|
Rear camera 1 |
50MP f/1.9, OIS |
|
Rear camera 2 |
50MP f/2.2 wide-angle lens |
|
Ingress protection |
IPX8 water resistance |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 5G bands, NFC, dual-band GPS |
|
Security |
Ultrasonic in-screen sensor |
|
Audio |
USB-C, stereo sound, 24-bit/192kHz, Snapdragon Sound, AptX HD, AptX Adaptive, AptX Lossless |
|
Battery |
7,500mAh silicon battery, 80W charging |
|
Dimensions |
163.8 x 76.5 x 8.9mm, 230g |
|
Colors |
Subzero, Nightfreeze, Cryo |
Redmagic 11 Pro: Design
I’m not going to talk too much about the design, as the Redmagic 11 Pro is nearly identical to its predecessor. I like that there’s no camera protrusion, and the fully-flat design feels great — just like the Pixel 9a. Of course, the styling is unlike any other phone today, and the LED lighting along with visible screws and brushed metal aesthetic underneath the glass make the phone stand out quite a bit.
I also like that the visual nature of the liquid cooling system; you can see the fluid move around when it’s engaged, and it’s very cool. In a similar vein, you can tell when the built-in fan is active, and it gets LED lighting as well. This is a phone that demands (and gets) instant attention, and I like that Redmagic has its own visual identity now — that wasn’t the case in the past.
Redmagic sells the phone in three colors: Cryo, Nightfreeze, and Subzero. The silver Subzero is the model that attracts the most amount of attention, and the Nightfreeze is also quite decent considering it shows off the liquid cooling module.
The 11 Pro has an aluminum mid-frame with a glass rear, and while I have no doubt that the “aviation-grade” aluminum is sturdy, I’m not taking any chances with the back glass. The rear pane of glass on my 10S Pro broke without much effort — it just slid down the couch and landed on the floor — so it’s a good thing that Redmagic bundles a case with the phone. Now, while it is a disservice to cover up that design, I’d suggest doing so as the glass doesn’t really handle tumbles well.
Other than that, the only notable change is that the fingerprint module is in a decent location, and the phone gets IPX8 water resistance. While it isn’t as good as IP68 or IP69, it’s much better than the IP54 that Redmagic went with on the 10S Pro.
Redmagic 11 Pro: Panel
The 11 Pro has the exact same panel as the 10S Pro; the 6.85-inch AMOLED screen gets 144Hz refresh, brightness going up to 2,000 nits, and 2592Hz PWM dimming as standard. It has good colors out of the box, and you get to customize the balance as needed. What I like the most is that there isn’t a visible cutout, and this makes a huge difference while streaming content or playing games on the device.
The stereo sound isn’t the most detailed, but what I like in this area is that you get an actual 3.5mm jack, and it’s just effortless to connect IEMs or earbuds to the device. Gaming is a joy as well, and Redmagic is doing a good job ensuring the phone sustains high refresh rates while playing demanding games.
Redmagic 11 Pro: Hardware and battery
Anything other than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 would not do on a gaming phone, and thankfully, Redmagic went with Qualcomm’s latest silicon. Having tested the chipset, I found it to be faster than the Dimensity 9500, but at the cost of overheating. While it isn’t as evident in daily use, extended gaming sessions make the phone quite toasty, and I even had instances where I was doing 3DMark stress testing where the phone basically shut down.
Thankfully, it isn’t as big an issue in general gaming scenarios. This is where Redmagic’s unique cooling solution is handy; the 11 Pro gets a piezoelectric ceramic micropump that circulates coolant into “ultra-fine liquid channels” at the back, and it has a high threshold, working anywhere between -40 to 70 degrees Celsius. Combined with the built-in fan and dedicated vapor chamber, the Redmagic 11 Pro has the most extensive cooling solution of any phone available today.
|
Category |
Redmagic 11 Pro |
Redmagic 10S Pro |
Vivo X300 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Geekbench 6 (single-core) |
3614 |
3133 |
3391 |
|
Geekbench 6 (multi-core) |
10785 |
9479 |
10085 |
|
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (score) |
7105 |
6954 |
6546 |
|
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (FPS) |
42.55 |
41.64 |
39.2 |
|
3DMark Solar Bay (score) |
13449 |
12379 |
13588 |
|
3DMark Solar Bay (FPS) |
51.14 |
47.07 |
51.67 |
It needs that to handle the heat generated by the Qualcomm silicon, and to Redmagic’s credit, there isn’t much in the way of throttling even with extended gaming. The downside is that the phone gets a bit hot, but it is manageable, and it doesn’t heat up anywhere as much as its immediate rivals that use the same silicon.
Other niceties include a gaming mode that lets customize trigger actions and tweak the settings. There’s eSIM connectivity, and I didn’t have any problem with cellular or network-related connectivity whatsoever on the device.
Another difference is the battery; thanks to a huge 7,500mAh battery, the Redmagic 11 Pro lasts a day and a half without breaking a sweat. I got the device to last up to two days with medium use, and it takes just under an hour to charge the sizeable battery thanks to the bundled 80W charger.
Redmagic 11 Pro: Cameras
Cameras have always been a bit of an afterthought on Redmagic phones, and that’s no different on the 11 Pro. The phone has a 50MP main camera paired with a 50MP wide-angle lens, and it doesn’t even get a dedicated zoom lens. There isn’t much in the way of versatility either, but at least you get 4K60 video.
Image 1 of 5
The phone takes pretty decent photos in daylight, but you can see the limitations in challenging situations. The wide-angle lens is also good enough at times, but the cameras in general aren’t anywhere as good as traditional mid-rangers like the Vivo V60.
Redmagic 11 Pro: Software
Redmagic isn’t changing much with the software; the 11 Pro comes with Android 16 out of the box, and it doesn’t have much in the way of overt styling. This is a good thing, as you get a fluid UI that’s great to use, and there’s plenty of customization should you need it.
There are some quirks with stability and errant crashes, but other than that, I didn’t see any issues while using the 11 Pro. There’s some bloatware out of the box, but all of it can be uninstalled, and it is in line with what you’d find on most Chinese phones anyway.
Annoyingly, the Redmagic 11 Pro will get just two software updates alongside five years of security updates, and that’s just not enough. It’s clear that the brand doesn’t have the engineering resources to deliver long-term updates, and it is a similar position as ASUS in this regard where it’s unable to provide updates even though the hardware is designed to last.
Redmagic 11 Pro: The alternatives
The OnePlus 15 is a viable alternative if you need better cameras. It has the same Qualcomm silicon, and while I’m not a fan of the design, it is good to hold and use. It is costlier at $899, but you’re getting better cameras with greater versatility, and the 7,300mAh battery lasts two days.
Redmagic 11 Pro: Should you buy it?
You should buy this if:
- You need the best hardware available right now
- You want a powerful gaming phone
- You need a phone that lasts two days
You shouldn’t buy this if:
- You need great cameras
- You want the best software features
Like its predecessors, the Redmagic 11 Pro utterly dominates when it comes to the hardware. It is one of the best gaming phones around if you just need raw power and are interested in a high-end gaming phone with great thermal management. The addition of liquid cooling gives the 11 Pro a definite advantage, as it allows the phone to stay cooler as the silicon heats up, and while it has a higher thermal threshold, you don’t notice any throttling.
The dedicated ultrasonic triggers and game-focused software extras also make a difference, and I like that the phone doesn’t have a visible cutout — it is a big deal while gaming. The bigger battery is great to see as well, and thankfully, Redmagic didn’t mess with the software — you still get a clean UI with good optimization.
Ultimately, the 11 Pro is all about hardware prowess; the cameras aren’t that great, and Redmagic doesn’t try to hide that fact. So if you need a powerful gaming phone with average cameras, this is without a doubt the best choice. There’s no arguing the value, and at $699, you’re paying considerably less than all other flagships while still getting the latest internals, and that in itself is a win.
The Redmagic 11 Pro is an unbeatable value if you want a high-end gaming phone with all the extras. The liquid cooling is a decent enough differentiator, and you get the best battery life of any phone around today.
FAQ
Just how good is the battery life of the Redmagic 11 Pro?
Thanks to a 7,500mAh battery, the phone lasts two days between charges with medium use, and even with extended gaming sessions, you’ll easily get a day and a half. There’s an 80W charger bundled in the box as well, and it takes just under an hour to fully charge the massive battery.
How is the Redmagic 11 Pro as a gaming phone?
I test dozens of phones a year, and the Redmagic 11 Pro is stands right at the top if you’re looking to get a gaming phone. The dedicated liquid cooling module along with the fan and thermal management solution allow it to deliver consistent framerates even in extended gaming sessions, and it doesn’t throttle.
How is the software?
Redmagic cleaned up its software a few years ago, and Redmagic OS 11 on the 11 Pro is clean, doesn’t have any clutter, and is fluidic in regular use. Honestly, it’s better than most Android skins, and I like that it doesn’t have much in the way of gamer-focused styling; you still get plenty of customizability though.
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