Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs Samsung Galaxy S9
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, while the Samsung Galaxy S9 (2018) runs on the Samsung Exynos 9810; launch prices were $499 and $720. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads — 72/100 vs 33/100 (a 39-point difference). Key differences: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 3000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 12 MP; the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is faster in AnTuTu (3,448,524 vs 583,956); the Samsung Galaxy S9 is noticeably lighter (163g vs 215g).
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
Samsung Galaxy S9
- Higher AnTuTu: 3448524 vs 583956
- Better Geekbench Single: 3041 vs 769
- Better Geekbench Multi: 9494 vs 2000
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 3000 mAh
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
- Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 60Hz
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $720
- Higher performance (93/100 vs 44/100)
- Better camera (35/100 vs 10/100)
- Longer battery life (68/100 vs 15/100)
- Better display (93/100 vs 51/100)
- Lighter: 163g vs 215g
- Better portability (76/100 vs 50/100)
Comparing the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs the Samsung Galaxy S9, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air scores 39 points higher (72/100 vs 33/100). In the "performance" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (93/100 vs 44/100). In the "camera" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (35/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (68/100 vs 15/100). Value score: Nubia Red Magic 11 Air — 70/100, Samsung Galaxy S9 — 0/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (93/100 vs 44/100). In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (93/100 vs 51/100). In the "camera" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (35/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (68/100 vs 15/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S9 notably outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (76/100 vs 50/100).
| Specification | Nubia Red Magic 11 Air | Samsung Galaxy S9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Samsung Exynos 9810 | |
| AnTuTu | 3448524 | 583956 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3041 | 769 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9494 | 2000 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 5.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2688x1216 | — | |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz | 60 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 3000 mAh | |
| Charging | 80W | — | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 12 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 8 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 4GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | — | |
| Brightness (peak) | 1800 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP54 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.8×76.5×8.0 mm | 158.1×73.8×8.5 mm | |
| Weight | 215 g | 163 g | |
| Launch price | $499 | $720 |
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy S9
- Main: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2688x1216
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S9
- 5.8" AMOLED
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 80W
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S9
- 3000 mAh
- Wireless: supported, wattage unknown
We compared Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and Samsung Galaxy S9, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads Samsung Galaxy S9 by 490.5% in our overall performance rating.
Launch price difference: $221. Nubia Red Magic 11 Air was $221 cheaper at launch.
performance
In the "performance" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (93/100 vs 44/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (93/100 vs 51/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (35/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 (68/100 vs 15/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S9 notably outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (76/100 vs 50/100).
Which is better: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S9?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S9 by 39 points (72/100 vs 33/100).
What is the rating of the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and the Samsung Galaxy S9?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has a MobileRank rating of 72/100, the Samsung Galaxy S9 — 33/100.
Which has the better camera: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S9?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads on camera score (35/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S9?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads on performance (93/100 vs 44/100).
Should you choose the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air over the Samsung Galaxy S9?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a better fit for gamers and power users. The Samsung Galaxy S9 is a better fit for everyday use.