The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset is known for its exceptional performance in flagship smartphones, and the REDMAGIC 9 Pro is no exception. This combination of the latest Qualcomm processor and ZTE’s advanced handset has been praised for maintaining noteworthy performance, especially with an effective cooling system in place. However, when it comes to running intensive AAA games such as Red Dead Redemption 2, the smartphone struggles, delivering less than 10 frames per second (FPS).
This surprising performance issue isn’t due to any hardware incapability of the REDMAGIC 9 Pro, but rather the method used to run the game. The action-adventure title by Rockstar Games is not natively available for Android, leading users to resort to emulation to play such games. The Windows emulator Mobox was used for this particular test, and despite the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the resulting gameplay was subpar with an average of only 10FPS.
It’s important to note that tests also revealed the game ran at low settings, with a resolution of 1280 x 720, which is quite modest by today’s gaming standards. The underwhelming gaming experience underscores the limitations of current emulation technology on Android devices rather than the capabilities of the smartphone itself.
In contrast, Apple’s mobile chipset, the A17 Pro, powers the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, showcasing the ability to natively support and run high-end games like Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and Death Stranding, enhanced with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and MetalFX upscaling technology. However, it should be clarified that Red Dead Redemption 2 is not supported natively on this chipset either, preventing a direct comparison between the two platforms as of this time.
Despite this, it’s evident that certain mobile chipsets, like the A17 Pro, are beginning to bridge the gap between mobile and console gaming capabilities. Android platform and Qualcomm developers may take a cue from this to potentially enhance AAA gaming experiences on Android flagships in the future.
Nevertheless, the 10FPS performance while playing Red Dead Redemption 2 through an emulator does not encapsulate the true prowess of the REDMAGIC 9 Pro. The device, especially considering its price point and offered specifications such as 12GB RAM and 256GB storage configuration, remains a competitive option for consumers seeking a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 flagship device.
It’s also worth mentioning that Red Dead Redemption 2 is a notoriously demanding game, and it has historically challenged even the most advanced desktop and notebook GPUs before technology caught up enough to manage it smoothly at high settings. Therefore, the gaming experience resulting from emulation should not deter users from recognizing the strong performance potential that the REDMAGIC 9 Pro possesses.
For followers of gaming and tech developments, this case highlights the growing ambitions and current limitations of mobile gaming, and how it stands poised at the precipice of future advancements that could revolutionize the way we play AAA titles on the go.
