RedMagic 11 Air Leak Reveals Cooling Fan as Liquid‑Cooled RedMagic 11 Pro Shines in Early Reviews

Published: November 29, 2025

Nubia’s RedMagic gaming phone lineup is moving fast. While the RedMagic 11 Pro — the world’s first mass‑market liquid‑cooled smartphone — is now on sale globally and racking up detailed reviews, a fresh leak today has effectively confirmed its slimmer sibling: the RedMagic 11 Air.

New images published by Chinese regulator TENAA and picked up by outlets including NotebookCheck show a redesigned RedMagic 11 Air chassis with visible vents that strongly suggest a built‑in cooling fan, plus a more industrial, screw‑studded back. ^[1] At the same time, recent regulatory filings and reports from Gadgets360, Gizmochina and others fill in an almost complete spec sheet for the upcoming “Air” model. ^[2]

On the flagship side, reviewers at NotebookCheck, TechRadar and others have now fully tested the RedMagic 11 Pro, confirming blistering Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance, a huge battery and a genuinely active liquid‑cooling loop with a micro‑pump and fan — a first in a shipping phone. ^[3]

Below is everything you need to know today about the RedMagic 11 Air leak, how it compares to the RedMagic 11 Pro, and whether it’s worth waiting for the cheaper model or jumping on the liquid‑cooled flagship.

RedMagic 11 Air: leaked images confirm fan vents and aggressive new design

TENAA photos show vents, new triggers and a “mechanical” back

The latest RedMagic 11 Air story started when TENAA, China’s telecom regulator, added photos for a device with the model number NX799J, widely believed to be the RedMagic 11 Air. NotebookCheck’s report on the listing highlights several important design changes compared to the RedMagic 10 Air launched in April: ^[4]

More camera rings: The back now shows four circular camera rings, all slightly raised, even though the spec sheet still lists only two rear cameras (50MP main + 8MP secondary).
Flipped flash: The LED flash has moved to the bottom of the camera cluster instead of the top, giving the module a fresher layout.
Patterned back with exposed screws: Two‑thirds of the rear is covered by geometric lines and visible screws, giving the phone a CMF‑like “industrial” look similar to Nothing’s CMF Phone 2 Pro. ^[5]
New “Magic Key” shape: The side‑mounted Magic Key has changed from a circle to a pill-shaped button, matching the new aesthetic. ^[6]
Redesigned shoulder triggers: The classic pill‑shaped capacitive triggers from the 10 Air are gone; in their place are longer rectangular shoulder buttons that should be easier to hit during gameplay. ^[7]

The most intriguing detail, however, is a set of slits on the right-hand side of the frame. TENAA’s images show these cut‑outs exactly where previous RedMagic phones vent air from their internal cooling fans. NotebookCheck points out that the RedMagic 10 Air did not have a fan, while these new openings look very much like exhaust vents — strongly hinting that the RedMagic 11 Air will bring back active fan cooling. ^[8]

MIIT certification: flat sides, under‑display camera and 5G details

A second Chinese regulator, MIIT, has also certified the NX799J, with a separate listing surfaced today by The Tech Outlook. That filing confirms the following: ^[9]

The phone is registered as a “5G digital mobile phone” with support for 2G/3G/4G/5G networks, 5G‑enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), 5G inter‑network roaming and dual‑SIM dual‑standby.
The design renders show an overall boxy look with a flat display, flat back and flat side rails with slightly rounded corners.
Just like the 10 Air, the 11 Air appears to use an under‑display selfie camera, maintaining an uninterrupted full‑screen look.
The rear features:
- A mechanical, screw‑accented design,
- A circular RedMagic logo element,
- Three visible camera circles and a ring LED flash,
- Vertical “RedMagic” branding along the lower edge.
On the right side you can clearly see two shoulder triggers, an air vent, volume rocker and power button; the left side houses an extra “functional” key — likely the dedicated gaming switch RedMagic uses to jump straight into its game hub.

The MIIT render also shows a white and dark‑grey two‑tone color scheme, but more colors are almost certain at launch. ^[10]

RedMagic 11 Air specs: 7,000 mAh battery inside a sub‑8 mm gaming phone

Although Nubia hasn’t officially announced the RedMagic 11 Air yet, multiple regulatory databases and news outlets now agree on most of its core hardware.

Display and cameras

According to the TENAA data summarized by Gadgets360, Gizmochina, Pepelac and others, the RedMagic 11 Air is expected to ship with: ^[11]

6.85‑inch OLED display
Resolution: 1,216 × 2,688 pixels
16MP under‑display selfie camera
Rear cameras (expected):
- 50MP main sensor
- 8MP ultra‑wide
- A third rear module is visible in renders, but most listings only name two cameras. NotebookCheck describes this as a “mysterious” extra camera which could end up being a macro or depth sensor. ^[12]

Interestingly, that rear camera setup is a step down on paper from the RedMagic 10 Air, which offered dual 50MP rear cameras. Several outlets, including Gadgets360 and Gizmochina, frame this as a deliberate trade‑off: Nubia seems to be prioritising performance and battery life over photography in its more affordable Air model. ^[13]

Processor, RAM and storage

The TENAA listing describes an octa‑core processor clocked at up to 4.2GHz, but doesn’t explicitly name the chip. Most reports say: ^[14]

The SoC is an unnamed 4.2GHz flagship‑class chip;
NotebookCheck believes this is a MediaTek Dimensity 9500, while other sites stay neutral and simply call it a high‑end 4.2GHz chipset;
RAM configurations are expected to start at 12GB, scaling up to 24GB;
Storage should run from 256GB to 1TB.

Taken together, it’s clear Nubia intends to keep the 11 Air firmly in gaming territory, even if it sits below the full‑fat 11 Pro.

Battery, size and OS

Battery and dimensions are where the “Air” branding really stands out. TENAA and multiple news summaries agree on: ^[15]

Battery: 6,780 mAh rated, marketed as ~7,000 mAh typical
Thickness: 7.85 mm
Weight: about 207 g
Dimensions: 163.82 × 76.54 × 7.85 mm

Cramming a ~7,000 mAh battery into a sub‑8 mm chassis is a serious engineering flex — NokiaMob notes that this combination of thickness and capacity could set a new bar for battery density in slim gaming phones. ^[16]

On the software side, the phone is expected to run Android 16 with RedMagic OS 11 (or a similar version) on top, matching the RedMagic 11 Pro’s platform. ^[17]

Charging speeds, however, are still a mystery. No reliable leak has yet pinned down wattage for the 11 Air, though Italian site TecnoAndroid expects Nubia to pair the big battery with modern fast charging, in keeping with the brand’s previous gaming devices. ^[18]

Launch window: likely December 2025 or early 2026 in China

With TENAA and MIIT certifications now public, the RedMagic 11 Air looks close to launch. Gadgets360, Gizmochina and other tracking sites point out that the RedMagic 10 Air debuted in China in April 2025, and suggest that the 11 Air will arrive earlier in its lifecycle: ^[19]

Earliest realistic window: December 2025 in China
Fallback window: First quarter of 2026 if Nubia slips the initial plan

So far there’s no solid global rollout roadmap for the 11 Air. If Nubia follows its usual pattern, the phone will likely launch in China first, then reach select global markets via direct online sales some weeks or months later.

RedMagic 11 Pro: liquid‑cooled flagship with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

While we wait for the 11 Air, the RedMagic 11 Pro is already available in China and internationally — and it’s not just another gaming phone. Multiple sources, including The Verge, Liliputing and NotebookCheck, confirm that it’s the first widely‑sold smartphone with a true active liquid‑cooling loop, not just a standard vapor chamber. ^[20]

Core specs at a glance

From RedMagic’s global launch details and NotebookCheck’s full review, here’s what the 11 Pro brings to the table: ^[21]

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
GPU: Adreno 840
RAM: 12GB, 16GB or 24GB (LPDDR5T)
Storage: 256GB, 512GB or 1TB (UFS 4.1)
Display:
- 6.84–6.85″ AMOLED (marketing varies slightly)
- 2,688 × 1,216 resolution, 144 Hz refresh
- Up to ~1,800 nits brightness, 3,000 Hz touch sampling
- Under‑display 16MP selfie camera (no punch‑hole)
Rear cameras: 50MP main + 50MP ultra‑wide + 2MP macro
Battery:
- China: 8,000 mAh with 120W wired charging
- Global: 7,500 mAh with 80W wired and up to 80W wireless charging
Cooling:
- Active liquid‑cooling loop with micro‑pump
- 24,000 RPM internal fan
- Large vapor chamber, plus copper/graphene plates
Extras: 3.5mm headphone jack, dual speakers, 520 Hz shoulder triggers, USB‑C with DisplayPort output, IPX8 water resistance (no dust rating).

Prices and availability

International pricing varies slightly by region, but broadly looks like this: ^[22]

Europe: from €699 for the entry‑level Cryo (matte black) model
US: from $749 (also for the base 12GB/256GB configuration)
Canada: around $999 CAD

NotebookCheck notes that global pricing undercuts many other Snapdragon 8 Elite flagships, which regularly cross the $1,000 line. ^[23]

How good is the RedMagic 11 Pro? What reviewers are saying

With retail units in hand, several major outlets have now published full reviews. Taken together, they paint a consistent picture: phenomenal gaming performance, outstanding battery life and cooling that’s clever but not perfect — all wrapped in polarising software and average cameras.

NotebookCheck: blazing gaming phone with heat issues, 87% overall

NotebookCheck’s in‑depth review scores the RedMagic 11 Pro at 87% overall, praising its performance, battery and display while criticising its temperature management. ^[24] Key points from their testing include:

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Adreno 840 GPU deliver top‑tier benchmark results and excellent frame rates in demanding games.
The 6.84″ 144 Hz AMOLED panel reaches over 2,200 cd/m² peak HDR brightness in some scenarios, making it easy to use outdoors. ^[25]
The 7,500 mAh battery in the global model lasted roughly 25 hours in their Wi‑Fi web‑browsing test — among the best results they’ve recorded for a high‑end phone. ^[26]
Despite the advanced cooling, surface temperatures under sustained load can hit the mid‑50s °C, much higher than the average modern flagship, which could be uncomfortable during extended gaming sessions. ^[27]

NotebookCheck ultimately calls it a “high‑performance gaming smartphone with useful additional features” that still “suffers from potentially high heat build‑up” — very much a specialised tool for gamers rather than a mainstream all‑rounder. ^[28]

TechRadar: “value gaming phone champ”

TechRadar’s review is similarly enthusiastic about raw horsepower but more blunt about the compromises. Writer Jon Mundy describes the RedMagic 11 Pro as “one of the fastest phones on the market” at launch and picks out the huge, long‑lasting battery and aggressive pricing as its standout strengths. ^[29]

Their pros and cons list can be summarised as:

Pros ^[30]

Among the fastest Android phones available right now
Massive battery that can last multiple days with lighter use
Strong value for money compared to other gaming and mainstream flagships

Cons ^[31]

Loud, “in‑your‑face” gamer aesthetic that won’t suit everyone
Cluttered, clunky RedMagic OS with lots of bloat and rough edges
Rear camera quality is only okay; under‑display selfie camera is considered outright poor

TechRadar concludes that if you simply want maximum gaming performance for the lowest possible price, the 11 Pro is “out on its own” — but warns that camera and software snobs should probably look elsewhere. ^[32]

IGN and others: great hardware, familiar gaming‑phone trade‑offs

IGN’s social posts summarising its review say the RedMagic 11 Pro “makes the typical sacrifices of a gaming phone but delivers exceptional performance and hardware for a fair price.” ^[33] That neatly echoes the NotebookCheck and TechRadar verdicts:

Hardware and performance are excellent for the money,
But you’re accepting compromises in design subtlety, camera quality and day‑to‑day software polish to get there.

Meanwhile, YouTube and specialist sites like Liliputing and The Verge are mostly fascinated by the phone’s cooling system, which teardown footage shows as a real liquid loop with flexible tubes, a piezoelectric micro‑pump and a fan‑cooled “radiator” section — essentially a miniaturised PC water‑cooling setup squeezed into an 8.9 mm chassis. ^[34]

RedMagic 11 Air vs RedMagic 11 Pro: how do they fit together?

With all of this information, a rough picture of Nubia’s RedMagic 11 lineup is emerging:

What the RedMagic 11 Pro targets

The RedMagic 11 Pro is clearly the no‑holds‑barred flagship: ^[35]

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Up to 24GB RAM and 1TB storage
144 Hz AMOLED with under‑display camera
Active liquid cooling + fan
7,500–8,000 mAh battery with very fast charging
IPX8 water resistance and a 3.5mm jack

It’s built for people who spend serious time gaming on their phone and are willing to live with aggressive styling, heavy software and mid‑tier cameras to get desktop‑like performance and endurance.

Where the RedMagic 11 Air fits

Based on today’s certifications and leaks, the RedMagic 11 Air looks like a slimmer, cheaper but still high‑end gaming phone, positioned as a more accessible alternative to the Pro: ^[36]

Same 6.85‑ish inch OLED size and resolution
Likely still has under‑display selfie camera
Huge 7,000 mAh class battery in a thinner 7.85 mm body
High‑end 4.2GHz octa‑core chip (probably Dimensity 9500) instead of Snapdragon 8 Elite
Up to 24GB RAM and 1TB storage remain options
Rear camera module is simpler (50MP + 8MP vs the Pro’s 50 + 50 + 2MP), and a downgrade from the 10 Air
Probably fan‑cooled but almost certainly without the full liquid loop of the 11 Pro

Italian coverage today explicitly describes the 11 Air as a more affordable gaming phone in the RedMagic 11 family, designed to balance serious gaming performance with a more practical, lightweight form factor. ^[37]

Expected pricing (speculation, not yet leaked)

Nubia hasn’t leaked or announced official pricing for the RedMagic 11 Air. However, looking at previous generations and the current Pro prices, it’s reasonable to expect:

The 11 Air will likely undercut the 11 Pro by at least a few hundred dollars/euros at like‑for‑like storage tiers;
It may launch in China first at an aggressive price to compete with other “lite” gaming phones;
Global availability, if it happens, would probably follow the Pro’s pattern of direct online sales rather than carrier partnerships.

These are informed guesses based on the RedMagic 10 Air’s positioning and the 11 Pro’s current pricing — treat them as speculation until Nubia shares official numbers. ^[38]

Should you wait for RedMagic 11 Air or buy the 11 Pro now?

If you’re in the market for a gaming phone today, you basically have three choices regarding Nubia’s latest lineup:

Buy RedMagic 11 Pro now if…

You want the fastest possible Android phone for gaming right now.
You’re okay with flashy gamer aesthetics, RGB, and a heavy‑handed Android skin.
Camera performance is “nice to have” rather than a top priority.
You’re comfortable ordering direct from RedMagic instead of buying through a carrier.

Current reviews suggest you’ll get class‑leading performance, stellar battery life and a genuinely unique cooling system for less money than many mainstream flagships. ^[39]

Wait for RedMagic 11 Air if…

You’d prefer a thinner, slightly lighter gaming phone that still has a gigantic battery. ^[40]
You’re hoping for a significantly lower price than the 11 Pro.
You’re happy with slightly trimmed‑down cameras and potentially less exotic cooling in exchange for a more accessible package.

The main downside to waiting is uncertainty: the 11 Air isn’t official yet, its chipset and charging speed aren’t fully confirmed, and we don’t know if it will get a fast global rollout or remain China‑only for a while. ^[41]

The bottom line

As of November 29, 2025, the RedMagic 11 story looks like this:

RedMagic 11 Pro is already on sale globally as a liquid‑cooled gaming monster, earning strong reviews for performance, battery and value — but taking criticism for its hot chassis, rough software and weak cameras. ^[42]
RedMagic 11 Air has effectively been leaked in full via TENAA and MIIT, with today’s images confirming a fan‑vented frame and more aggressive industrial design, plus a huge battery and slim body. ^[43]
Launch timing for the 11 Air points to December 2025 or early 2026 in China, with specs clearly aimed at gamers who want flagship‑level performance in a more affordable, thinner phone. ^[44]

If your priority is maximum frames per second today, the RedMagic 11 Pro is already the gaming phone to beat. If you’re more price‑sensitive — or simply curious how far Nubia can push battery and cooling in a sub‑8 mm chassis — the RedMagic 11 Air is now firmly on the radar as one of the most interesting upcoming gaming phones to watch.

This Water Cooled Phone is the Fastest We’ve Tested

Watch this video on YouTube.

References