RedMagic 11S Pro tests as a gaming beast with awkward value math

The RedMagic 11S Pro is exactly the kind of phone that makes spec sheets stand up straighter. It has a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Leading Version chip, a 6.85-inch 144Hz AMOLED display, a 7,500mAh battery and enough gaming-focused extras to make normal phones look like they came to class without homework.

The problem is value. Reviews suggest it performs brilliantly, but the uplift over the previous RedMagic 11 Pro is relatively small while the price is higher. That leaves buyers with the ancient gamer hardware dilemma: do you want the absolute latest number, or do you want the number that makes financial sense? Your FPS may know. Your wallet definitely does.