Nubia teases new affordable RedMagic gaming phone set to rival OnePlus 15

OnePlus launched its first Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 flagship phone, the OnePlus 15. It is the first phone with this top-end SoC that features a display with a 165 Hz refresh rate. This, combined with the other gaming-centric features, makes the device a great pick for competitive gamers, at least on paper.

Of course, the OnePlus 15 isn't all about gaming. The company made it stand as an all-around phone that's also good for serious gamers, especially for the rear AG glass that's paired with a scratch-resistant coating. As Nubia's General Manager, Zhang Lei points out, this design element makes the new flagship smartphone more appealing to users who prefer not to use cases on their phones, who are often gamers.

Zhang adds that Nubia is working on an affordable gaming phone that will use the same back panel technology. What's more important is that Nubia's General Manager states that it will be a better fit than the OnePlus 15 (Chinese 256 GB curr. $693.54 on TradingShenzhen) for gamers, as it will come with both software and hardware optimizations for games.

It's worth noting that Nubia already offers a current-gen flagship gaming phone line, the RedMagic 11 Pro series. This Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 smartphone lineup will even see a global rollout soon, but it's evident that Zhang wasn't referencing this phone series on the specific Weibo post.

Instead, Zhang noted that the affordable gaming phone will be fully unveiled by the end of 2025. Another thing that's worth noting is that, as it will be a gaming-focused smartphone, it could very well be released under the RedMagic branding. More details about the device should emerge soon.