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This thin and light gaming phone picks up where ASUS left off
- The REDMAGIC 11 Air is a new gaming phone with a relatively slim form factor.
- It packs a Snapdragon 8 Elite, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
- Global sales start on February 12 at $499 for the 12+256 version, or $599 for the 16+512GB version.
The gaming phone landscape is looking pretty grim in 2026, with ASUS stepping back from the smartphone market and newer flagship chips suffering from poor thermal performance. The REDMAGIC 11 Pro is one of the last gaming phones on the market (and our top pick for the best gaming phone), but now it’s set to get a cheaper, more pocketable sibling.
The REDMAGIC 11 Air is a slightly slimmed-down version of the 11 Pro, but not by much. The company writes that it’s “12% thinner and 10% lighter” than its larger sibling, with the same 6.85-inch 144Hz AMOLED panel. It’s still roughly as thick as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra at 8mm, but the flat back means there’s no camera bump to get in your way while you game.
The REDMAGIC 11 Air has little competition, but it's still priced very aggressively.
However, the 11 Air drops the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in favor of its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It also loses the cool liquid cooling feature on the back of the 11 Pro, instead relying on a compact 24,000 RPM fan and an upgraded vapor chamber. REDMAGIC says this is a “significant leap in both thermal efficiency and sustained performance” over the previous 10 Air, but it stops short of comparing it to the 11 Pro.
As expected from a dedicated gaming phone, it also features 520Hz shoulder triggers set up for horizontal gaming. It also packs a 7,000mAh battery, with quick top-ups thanks to 80W fast charging. On the software side, it has a variety of AI-assisted gaming tools, such as a Tactical Coach to provide in-game tips for PUBG Mobile and other supported titles.
While cameras have never been the strong suit of REDMAGIC’s gaming phones, it comes with a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 16MP front-facing camera hidden beneath the screen.
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Pricing for the REDMAGIC 11 Air starts at $499 for the 12+256GB version, with the 16+512GB version upping the price to $599. That’s surprisingly affordable with the recent spike in RAM prices, and it’s a full $250 cheaper than the same specs on the REDMAGIC 11 Pro.
If you are interested in buying one, the company is running a special Early Bird voucher program from February 5-10. By spending $1, you can secure a $30 discount and a complementary gift. You can also put your order in a day earlier than the general public, hopefully ensuring one of the units in the first batch.
Early Bird orders start on February 10, with general global sales slated for February 11. Head over to the official website to learn more.
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