Black Shark 2 v/s Red Magic 3: Better gaming phone?
Making a debut in the lesser-explored gaming smartphone market in India, Xiaomi-backed Black Shark has launched the Black Shark 2 today. However, rivaling Black Shark's flagship model, ZTE-owned Nubia has confirmed to launch its Red Magic 3 gaming phone in India in mid-June. So, should you wait for Nubia's offering or buy the Black Shark 2? Let's find out.
Black Shark 2 v/s Nubia Red Magic 3: Design
Both Black Shark 2 and Red Magic 3 feature a conventional display with slim top-and-bottom bezels, customizable LED fitments, and dedicated liquid cooling system. However, the vector design on the Nubia phone is pretty attractive and the air vents on the rear and side of the metal body and capacitive shoulder buttons are quite functional. Winner: Red Magic 3 for an overall better design.
All about the screen
The Black Shark 2 offers a 6.39-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with 240Hz touch response rate and Magic Press technology that lets you configure pressure sensitivity on the display. In comparison, the Red Magic 3 features a 6.65-inch AMOLED HDR display with a full-HD+ resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and DC Dimming for a flicker-free experience. Winner: Red Magic 3 for its higher refresh rate.
For gamers turned photographers or vice versa
The dual-lens rear camera on the Black Shark 2 comprises a 48MP (f/1.75) primary sensor and a 12MP (f/2.2) telephoto sensor which offers 2x optical zoom. Up front, it has a 20MP (f/2.0) selfie camera. On the other hand, the Red Magic 3 offers a single 48MP (f/1.7) rear camera and a single 16MP (f/2.0) front-facing camera for selfies. Winner: Black Shark 2.
Under the hood
Both phones are powered by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, paired with upto 12GB of RAM and upto 256GB of storage. They also offer stereo speakers and run forked versions of the latest Android Pie OS. However, thanks to the combination of liquid and air cooling, the Red Magic 3 offers better thermal management essential for long gaming sessions. Winner: Red Magic 3.
Battery and Biometrics
The Black Shark 2 houses a 4,000mAh battery with support for 27W fast charging whereas the Red Magic 3 offers a bigger 5,000mAh battery with the same fast charging speed as its opponent. Further, the Black Shark flagship comes with an in-trend in-screen fingerprint sensor whereas the Nubia offering gets the good old rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Winner: You be the judge here.
Both phones offer all the standard connectivity options and sensors
Both phones offer all the standard sensors and connectivity options including Dual-SIM 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11a/c, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. However, the Red Magic 3 has an upper hand, thanks to NFC support and a headphone jack.
Pricing: The key factor
The Xiaomi Black Shark 2, set to go on sale in India starting June 4, costs Rs. 39,999 for the base-end 6GB/128GB model and goes upto Rs. 49,999 for the top-end 12GB/256GB variant. In comparison, the Red Magic 3, set to launch in mid-June, is expected to launch at a starting price of Rs. 30,000 for the base-end 6GB/64GB model.
How things stack up?
Without a doubt, both phones are tailored for pure gaming experience and will deliver on all fronts, given their top-of-the-line performance. While the Red Magic 3 trails the Black Shark 2 in the camera department, it has an upper hand with a better display, improved thermal management, a bigger battery, and of course, a headphone jack. Winner: Red Magic 3.
