RedMagic Unveils Sleeker, Budget-Friendly Gaming Phone Despite Asus Stepping Back from the Market

Asus may have stepped back from the competition for the top gaming phone, but RedMagic is right on its heels. With the ROG Phone 9 Pro exiting the scene, RedMagic is poised to be your go-to for high-performance gaming on the go. Just days after the ROG brand made its exit, RedMagic has unveiled its latest device in China.

The RedMagic 11 Pro stands as the brand’s flagship, delivering some of the fastest speeds seen in a gaming phone, having launched towards the end of last year.

The 11 Air is a sleeker, more budget-friendly alternative to the RedMagic 11 Pro, which dominated my benchmark tests late last year, priced at 3,699 RMB (approximately $530). It features the same Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, complemented by the brand’s Redcore R4 chip, and sports the same impressive 144Hz OLED display.

To keep costs down, the RedMagic 11 Air scales back RAM speeds from LPDDR5T to LPDDR5X and forgoes the liquid cooling system found in the Pro model.

RedMagic has revamped its cooling system, introducing a new 24,000 RPM fan that boosts airflow by 21% while reducing noise by half. The 4D Cooler VC system has also seen enhancements, now utilizing a thicker Ice-Stage VC model that improves thermal efficiency by 47%, though it’s unclear if this is a direct comparison to the 11 Pro.

The launch price of 3,699 RMB could translate to a $549 MSRP when the RedMagic 11 Air hits the western market on January 29. For context, the 11 Pro debuted in China at 4,999 RMB ($717 USD) and later became available for $749. This competitive mid-range pricing puts pressure on the OnePlus 15R, which at $699.99 lags behind the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s performance while lacking the advanced cooling features.

Overall, this is a compelling offer: high-end performance in a more compact design at a lower price. The RedMagic 11 Air is now available in China, with options in both black and white, and configurations ranging from 12GB+256GB to 16GB+512GB. More details on its wider release will be announced on January 29.