RedMagic 11 Air Review: The Slim Phone for Gamers

With dimensions of 163.82 x 76.54 x 7.85mm and a weight of 207 grams, the RedMagic 11 Air isn’t exactly iPhone Air territory, but it’s certainly thinner than you might expect. The frame is made of aluminum alloy, the front uses Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, and the back is a transparent panel Gorilla Glass 5. IP54 gives you dust and splash resistance, which is nice, although it’s a notable drop from phones that have higher ratings for actual submersion.

Part of what makes the RedMagic 11 Air’s design unique is its gamer-focused back panel, but that back panel isn’t as eccentric as some of RedMagic’s other phones, at least based on the color you get. The decorative plate under the glass features simplified thermal components and RedMagic branding, with a customizable RGB ring around the internal fan. It’s distinctly “gamer”, and although it seems a bit nerdy at times, it’s relatively reserved. Some people like this approach to design.

There is one major design element that differs from some other RedMagic phones, and that is the lack of a physical slider on the side. It hasn’t been permanently removed from RedMagic devices, but you won’t get one on this device. Instead, you will get another control in the characteristic red color, which is a button to activate RedMagic’s playspace. I prefer the slider, but it doesn’t really matter.

The controls and ports, aside from that Game Space button, are more or less where you’d expect them to be. There’s a power button and volume rocker on the right edge, as well as a USB-C port at the bottom. The camera module sits completely flush with the rear panel, and it’s this detail that really matters in daily use. No wobbling on a table, no cramping fingers in the scenery, no annoying ridge digging into your palm during a long session. For a gaming phone, flat is the right choice, and RedMagic is fully committed to it.

The phone comes in Black Phantom and White Prism, and I got the Black Phantom color. It’s not over the top colorway-wise, but you’ll still get unique accents like the RedMagic branding on the back and the red button on the left edge. Like some other RedMagic phones, you’ll also get touch-sensitive surfaces on the left and right sides of the phone’s right edge, which can be used as trigger buttons in games.

Generally speaking, the Red Magic 11 Air feels reasonably thin but not dramatically so, and while the back panel picks up fingerprints very easily, I don’t mind the phone’s overall appearance.