The latest gaming phone introduces Qualcomm’s new flagship processor and a larger battery, accompanied by higher launch prices.
RedMagic announced its latest flagship gaming handset, the RedMagic 12 Pro, on Tuesday, introducing a massive 8,400mAh battery alongside Qualcomm’s newest mobile processor. The device will be sold globally, with open retail availability scheduled to begin on November 18, 2026.
The new model pairs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset with high-end display specifications, but it arrives with noticeable price increases over its predecessor, CNET reported. RedMagic also maintained an under-display camera design to keep the screen free of cutouts, though the phone retains a relatively short software update policy for its category.
Price hikes and configurations
The phone arrives with higher price tags across all storage tiers, though outlets reported differing base figures. According to TechRadar’s review, the RedMagic 12 Pro starts at $899 or £799 (around AU$1,290) for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, marking a $250 or £170 increase over the RedMagic 11 Pro. S1 noted that step-up models cost $999 (£889) for 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and $1,199 (£1,059) for 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
CNET reported different pricing for the United States market, stating the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage edition starts at $949. For expanded storage, CNET listed the 16GB of RAM and 512GB tier at $1,049, while matching the $1,199 price for the 1TB model. CNET noted that the higher pricing across the electronics industry is likely tied to an ongoing shortage of RAM.
The price increase marks the second cost adjustment from the brand within a single year. In June, the company released the RedMagic 11S Pro at a starting price of $849 or £709.
Upgraded internals and battery capacity
Battery life serves as the centerpiece of the hardware changes. The built-in 8,400mAh battery is a notable step up from the 7,500mAh cell found inside the RedMagic 11 Pro and substantially larger than the 5,000mAh packs common in mainstream devices like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. The phone supports 80W charging across both wired and wireless connections.
The device uses a 6.85-inch BOE X11 AMOLED panel with a 1.5K resolution of 2688 by 1216 pixels. Peak brightness reaches 1,900 nits, up from 1,800 nits on the earlier generation, while the refresh rate climbs from 144Hz to 185Hz. Select games like PUBG Mobile are capable of running at the full 185Hz rate, while titles such as Genshin Impact and Asphalt Legends have been optimized for higher visual settings.
Photography hardware remains largely unchanged from past models. The rear camera setup includes a 50-megapixel Samsung OV50J main camera with optical image stabilization and a 50-megapixel Samsung OV50D40 ultrawide sensor. The front-facing camera uses a 16-megapixel sensor placed completely beneath the screen.
Design, cooling and software support
The phone measures 163.03 by 75.96 by 8.55 millimeters and weighs 223 grams, making it 7 grams lighter and 0.35 millimeters thinner than the RedMagic 11 Pro. It comes in two color finishes: Nightfreeze and Subzero.
To manage processor thermals, the phone uses an active cooling fan spinning at 25,500rpm alongside an expanded liquid cooling channel that routes blue fluid across the chassis. Open ventilation vents sit on the edges. In press materials quoted by TechRadar, the manufacturer explained the ingress ratings: “IP68 and IP69 ratings apply to the device, while the cooling fan area is rated IPX8 due to its independent airflow channel design.”
The right edge features capacitive shoulder triggers alongside standard power and volume keys. A push-style button replaces the former slider switch to activate the gaming interface, which can also be remapped to trigger actions like the flashlight or camera. Audio is delivered through upgraded Dolby Atmos stereo speakers using 1115E drivers.
Software features include Android 17 under RedMagic OS 12. RedMagic commits to two years of operating system updates and three years of security updates, which is substantially shorter than the seven-year policies offered on flagship devices by Google and Samsung.
What happens next
RedMagic will open an early bird voucher period starting November 12. Customers who participate can place their official orders on November 17.
General open sales begin worldwide on November 18, 2026, across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia.
