Redmagic upgrades its liquid-cooled gaming phone with extra RGBs

The starting price for Redmagic's latest gaming phone has increased by $200, making advanced cooling and RGB features a more expensive proposition.

Redmagic has released its new 12 Pro gaming phone, featuring an upgraded liquid cooling system with integrated RGB lighting within the transparent cooling loop. The phone incorporates multiple RGB elements, including lights around the cooling loop, camera, shoulder buttons, and chassis. While the cooling system's output pressure has increased by 85% to 130kPa, the RGB lights struggle to produce accurate colors due to the inherent blue tint of the fluorescent liquid used in the cooling loop. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor, available with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. It includes an 8,400mAh battery, 80W charging, an IP69 rating with a noted weakness around the fan, and a 185Hz under-display selfie camera. Notably, the 3.5mm headphone jack has been removed, and the cameras are basic. The Redmagic 12 Pro starts at $949, a $200 increase from its predecessor, with preorders beginning November 12th.

The Redmagic 12 Pro attempts to fuse aesthetic RGB lighting with functional liquid cooling, but the execution is hampered by the color of the cooling fluid, leading to compromised visual effects. This highlights a common challenge in product design where innovative features must contend with practical limitations and material properties. The company's efforts to enhance cooling performance with a significant pressure increase, combined with a fan and vapor chamber, underscore the ongoing competition to manage heat in high-performance mobile devices.

Despite the visual shortcomings of the RGB integration, the phone's upgraded cooling and powerful internals cater to a niche market prioritizing gaming performance. However, the removal of the headphone jack and the premium pricing suggest a strategic shift towards sacrificing legacy features for cutting-edge, albeit imperfect, innovations and higher profit margins. The inclusion of a specific 185Hz refresh rate with an under-display camera, while a technical achievement, exemplifies how manufacturers are pushing niche specifications to differentiate their products in a saturated market.