REDMAGIC 11 Air & Cryo Cooler 8 Pro Review

The REDMAGIC 11 Air is priced aggressively, but still boasts everything you would want from a gaming phone. Pair it with the company’s new Cryo Cooler 8 Pro, and gamers looking to push mobile gaming performance to the maximum will have a strong combination. At least, that is what the spec sheets and product descriptions tell us, but how have these products performed during my real-world testing? Here is my review.

REDMAGIC 11 Air review

After spending time using the REDMAGIC 11 Air for both daily life and gaming, what stands out most is how focused it feels. REDMAGIC has not tried to turn this into an all-purpose flagship with a few gaming extras added on. It is a gaming phone first, and in daily use that approach mostly works in its favour.

The display is one of its best features. The 6.85” OLED panel looks excellent in use, and the 144Hz refresh rate gives supported games a smooth, responsive feel. Stereo speakers and excellent haptics help as well, giving the whole experience a bit more impact.

Performance was consistently strong during testing. The Snapdragon 8 Elite and RedCore R4 gaming chip give the 11 Air more than enough power for demanding games, and it never felt short on speed in general use either. A great gaming phone also makes a great phone for video and photo editing, which is a nice plus.

REDMAGIC’s gaming software is also one of the better parts of the package. The extra controls and performance options feel genuinely useful rather than there for show. It’s clear that real mobile gamers are involved in the design process, which is something I appreciate.

The biggest improvement is cooling. In use, the built-in fan and upgraded cooling system help the phone stay more comfortable during longer sessions, and performance feels more consistent as a result. You’re less likely to see massive frame drops over time, as can be the case in other non-gaming-focused phones.

The 7,000 mAh battery is another real strength. It takes a lot of the stress out of mobile gaming, and 80W charging means topping up does not take too long. This also makes it a great daily driver phone, as it should survive the day even with extremely heavy usage.

There are still compromises. As is now expected of REDMAGIC phones, the cameras are just fine, and the under-display selfie camera still gives up some image quality for the sake of a cleaner screen. Software is also feature-rich rather than especially polished, which has been a familiar REDMAGIC weakness for a while. Still, the 11 Air gets the important things right, and at a very competitive price.

REDMAGIC Cryo Cooler 8 Pro Review

The Cryo Cooler 8 Pro is a more specialized product, but after testing it extensively in games like Call of Duty: Mobile, PUBG, and Red Dead Redemption, I can see the appeal. It is clearly aimed at people who play for long stretches, record gameplay, or want the most stable performance possible, and in that context it makes sense.

In use, it feels like more than a gimmick. It cools quickly, it is easy to attach, and it does make a noticeable difference during extended sessions. More importantly, it helps the phone hold higher performance for longer before thermal throttling starts to creep in, which is really the main reason to buy something like this.

The cooler does add obvious bulk once attached, but thankfully it does not get in the way while gaming. The magnetic mount is convenient, the back clip is useful for wider compatibility, and the quieter modes are helpful if you are recording or streaming.

Though it’s still a niche accessory that most people will not need, it feels genuinely worthwhile for its target audience.

Disclosure: Review sample provided by REDMAGIC.