I used Redmagic's 10S Pro for two weeks — this gaming phone has unbelievable battery life

Redmagic has proven over the years that it can deliver standout gaming phones, and it's continuing that with the 10S Pro. A mid-cycle refresh of the Redmagic 10 Pro that debuted at the end of last year, the 10S Pro isn't too different to the standard model — it has the same panel, same cameras, same battery, and a similar design.

It also uses the same Qualcomm silicon, but it now goes up to 4.47GHz, with Redmagic calling it the Leading Version (basically a higher-binned version of the platform). What hasn't changed is the value, and coming in at $649, it significantly undercuts what ASUS is offering, and other flagships.

That's a high-level overview of what you're getting with the 10S Pro, so if you need a phone with powerful internals and a better value, this is a viable choice.

Redmagic 10S Pro: Specs, price, and availability

Redmagic unveiled the 10S Pro on June 5, 2025, and the device is slated to go on sale globally starting June 18. Just like the regular 10 Pro, the 10S Pro starts at $649, making it one of the most affordable choices if you want to get your hands on the latest Qualcomm silicon.

The 10S Pro comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage with the base model, and it is also available in a 16GB/512GB edition and a 24TB/1TB model. I'm using the 16GB/512GB configuration, and I think this hits the sweet spot both with pricing and storage.

Redmagic 10S Pro: Design

I like gaming phones because they're flamboyant, and the 10S Pro is no different. Redmagic had its share of ostentatious designs in the past, but I like how clean the 10S Pro looks; the see-through aesthetic isn't as bold as Nothing's devices, but it still allows the 10S Pro to stand out visually.

Like the best gaming phones, the 10S Pro gets RGB lighting at the back. There are two lighting zones — a stylized X next to the camera island and Redmagic logo at the bottom — and you can easily customize the colors. The white model I'm using looks fabulous, and a key design differentiator is the fully flat back — there's no visible camera protrusion.

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Google got plenty of praise with the Pixel 9a because of a similar design decision, and Redmagic did just as well with the 10S Pro; if anything, the Chinese brand deserves more credit as it's using a larger sensor at the back. I've gotten so used to phones with oversized camera modules that it's a refreshing change of pace to go back that doesn't protrude, and I like what Redmagic did with the overall design.

A side-effect of the design is that the 10S Pro slides off any surface that isn't flat; it took nearly a dozen tumbles from the couch in the 10 days I used it, which in itself is a new record. Annoyingly, one of those tumbles led to a microfracture at the edge of the panel, and the 10S Pro joins the unwelcome list of phones that broke during routine use — the ASUS Zenfone 12 Ultra is the only other device that did so in the last seven years.

All of this is to say that if you're eyeing this phone, I'd suggest using it with a case. While I like the design, it clearly isn't as durable as the Vivo X200 Pro or any of the other Chinese flagships I used this year, and it is quite blocky and unforgiving; you don't get much bevels on the sides, so it digs into your palm. The phone gets Gorilla Glass 7i covering the panel and Gorilla Glass 5 at the back.

Also, Redmagic went overboard with the buttons; there are just too many on the right, and the brand should have moved the volume rocker to the left. As it stands, it's hard to access the power button as it sits too low on the side. Then there's the gaming toggle; it's located just where you'd position the phone on a car mount, and it constantly triggered gaming mode while I was navigating.

The 10S Pro has a built-in fan at the back, and there are vents that serve as the intake and exhaust. This isn't just a gimmick either; I tested the exhaust via a Fluke thermal camera, and it makes a difference in extended gaming sessions. Because of the vents, the 10S Pro is limited to IP54 ingress protection, and you miss out on IP68. The plus side is that the 3.5mm jack is intact.

Redmagic 10S Pro: Screen

A clear advantage to using the 10S Pro is that you don't get a cutout at the front; the phone has a selfie camera hidden beneath the panel, and unless you're using it outdoors, you can't even make it out. This is a big deal while gaming and watching multimedia, and I like what Redmagic did in this area.

It nailed the rest of the details as well: the device gets a good AMOLED panel with 144Hz refresh, and it has all the gaming extras you need. Demanding games go up to 120fps, and the phone is an absolute joy to use. A lot of that has to do with the fluidity; it is one of the fastest phones I've used yet.

Thanks to the 3.5mm jack, you can easily plug in IEMs if that's your preferred choice of audio gear. The phone gets loud stereo sound, and it has good balance and doesn't miss out on detail even when you increase the volume. HDR content is handled well, and I didn't see any issues using the panel in bright sunlight.

Redmagic 10S Pro: Hardware and battery

Redmagic is positioning the 10S Pro as one of the fastest devices around today, and after nearly two weeks of use, I have to agree. The phone doesn't have any slowdowns or lag whatsoever, and the brand did a good job optimizing the software to take advantage of the beastly Qualcomm silicon.

The result is that the 10S Pro absolutely flies; it doesn't matter whether you're playing a demanding game or just browsing social media, the phone is fluid like few other devices you can buy today. Coming from the X200 Pro, the difference was immediately noticeable.

You also get gaming-focused extras; the ultrasonic shoulder triggers are easily customizable, and they let you assign in-game actions with relative ease. So if you like playing shooters, the triggers are a good way to gain an advantage. I didn't see any issues in extended gaming sessions either; the phone tends to run hot, but that is the case with all 2025 devices featuring Qualcomm silicon, and after 30 minutes of gaming, it didn't exceed 48 degrees.

Weirdly enough, I had problems with connectivity. Internet was rock-solid on my home network, but every time I switched over to cellular data, it just wouldn't load sites even though it showed a strong signal. I'm using the U.S. variant of the device, and even though it has the requisite 5G bands, it still didn't connect reliably. I'm attributing this to my unit and not the device in general, but it's an annoying bug nonetheless.

The phone has a huge 7,050mAh silicon-carbon battery, and even with heavy use, it lasted a day and a half. Most of the time, you'll only need to charge the 10S Pro every two days on average, and when you need to plug it in, there's 80W charging.

Redmagic 10S Pro: Cameras

The 10S Pro comes with a 50MP main camera and a 50MP wide-angle lens, and it's clear that the cameras are an afterthought on this device. I have no problem with that; the 10S Pro is billed as a gaming phone, and it does a brilliant job in that regard. The camera interface is pretty basic, and you get the shooting modes, toggles, and the usual filters.

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The main camera does a decent enough job in brightly-lit conditions, producing photos with high contrast and vibrant colors. It doesn't quite deliver in low-light situations, with resultant shots having visible noise. You don't get much in the way of versatility either as the auxiliary camera is a wide-angle lens; I would have preferred a tele module instead as that sees more usage — particularly with portrait shots.

On that note, the camera has issues dialing in on a subject at times, and portrait shots don't have accurate segmentation. It's still an average camera, but if you intend to take plenty of videos and photos, you should consider getting the Vivo X200 or Xiaomi 15 instead.

Redmagic 10S Pro: Software

I'm not going to talk too much about the software, because there isn't much to fault. Redmagic cleaned up its software efforts a few years ago, and the result is that the 10S Pro has an interface that's as close to vanilla as possible in 2025. It is fluid, doesn't have any issues in regular use, and while you don't get as much customizability as other brands, the basics are covered.

It's ironic that you'll need to buy a gaming phone to get a clean software with good optimization. Both ASUS and Redmagic are doing a stellar job in this area, and I'd like to see other manufacturers go this route — but that's just wishful thinking on my part.

The 10S Pro will get three years of Android OS and security updates, and that is good to see — it outmatches ASUS in this key area. As an added bonus, Redmagic is extending the guarantee to include five Android OS and security updates, but this is limited to customers in the E.U. and U.K. I would have liked all global units to get the same, but it is a start.

Redmagic 10S Pro: The alternatives

ASUS' ROG Phone 9 Pro is the gaming phone to beat in 2025, and the 10S Pro holds its own against it. ASUS went with a mainstream design this year, so the phone doesn't stand out quite as much as the 10S Pro. That said, it is just as fast, and the AMOLED panel is fabulous. The only annoyance is ASUS' inability to deliver more than two software updates; that intentionally hobbles what is one of the best hardware packages.

If you don't want an overt gaming phone, the iQOO 13 is my recommendation. It does a great job in regular use as well as gaming, and it has much better cameras as well.

Redmagic 10S Pro: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if:

• You need a gaming phone
• You want the best battery life
• You need a vibrant AMOLED without any cutout
• You need clean software

You shouldn't buy this if:

• You don't like using a phone with a case
• You need great cameras

On the whole, Redmagic did all the right things with the 10S Pro. It is much better than its predecessors, and the design is a standout — both at the front and back. The flat back is great to use, and active cooling ensures it doesn't overheat. While this is a giant slab of a phone, it doesn't have the same durability as other devices, and you'll need to use a case at the least.

The cameras aren't that great either; while you get decent shots, they don't measure up to true flagships. But if that's not a key consideration and you need a phone with the absolute best internals, the 10S Pro gets my vote — this is one of the best gaming phones I've used in a long time.