The RedMagic 11 Pro and 11 Pro+ gaming smartphones have been kicked out of UL Solutions’ 3DMark rankings – due to benchmark manipulation. As internal tests show, the devices automatically activated their high-performance mode when benchmark apps were recognized, which significantly distorted the results. Nubia has responded to the allegations, but was unable to refute the criticism.
- Up to 24% better results in the public 3DMark compared to an internally renamed, unrecognized test version
- Automatic activation of “Diablo” mode when recognizing known benchmark apps – without user intervention
- Surface temperatures above 50 °C in Diablo mode, which RedMagic itself explicitly does not recommend for continuous operation
- Delisting from several 3DMark tests, including Solar Bay, Steel Nomad Light and Slingshot Extreme
What UL Solutions has proven
UL Solutions conducted parallel tests with two versions of 3DMark: a publicly available version and an internally renamed version that could not be identified as a benchmark app by the RedMagic devices. The result was clear: In the public test, the device automatically jumped into the so-called “Diablo” mode – the highest performance mode offered by RedMagic. In the renamed version, however, the device ran in the normal profile. This difference was reflected in a performance advantage of around 24%.
According to UL Solutions’ guidelines, the use of optional performance modes in benchmarking is generally permitted – but only if these modes are deactivated by default and have to be activated manually by the user. This was not the case here: the smartphones recognized the benchmark app by its name and switched on the high-performance mode fully automatically. UL Solutions classifies this behavior as a clear violation of the rules and has subsequently removed the entire RedMagic 11 Pro series from its rankings.
Nubia defends itself – with limited persuasiveness
Nubia, the parent company of RedMagic, responded to the allegations with a statement in which the company described the performance profiles of its smartphones as a legitimate feature for user control – not as an unethical practice. However, this defense falls short: Nubia did not address the crucial point, namely the automatic activation of Diablo mode when detecting benchmark apps without user knowledge. A voluntary high-performance mode is one thing – a secret, software-controlled optimization of results during testing is quite another.
To make matters worse, RedMagic itself warns in its own documentation against using Diablo mode for longer periods of time. UL Solutions measured housing temperatures of over 50 °C in its own tests. User reports also confirm that the devices are prone to instability, crashes and severe overheating under sustained load in Diablo mode.
Not an isolated case in the industry
Unfortunately, benchmark manipulation is not uncommon in the smartphone segment. Manufacturers such as Huawei and Oppo have already been removed from 3DMark rankings in the past for similar practices, and MediaTek has also come under fire for deviating from thermal specifications in recognized benchmarks. The pattern is always the same: devices behave differently in the test than in real everyday use, which distorts comparisons with competitor products and undermines confidence in benchmark results overall.
For buyers, this means that benchmark values should never be used as the sole reason to buy, but should always be considered in the context of practical tests and long-term experience. Independent reviews that deliberately test devices without recognizing them as a benchmark tool gain even more importance as a result.
Conclusion
The RedMagic 11 Pro case is an example of how manufacturers can inflate benchmark results through targeted software tricks – with 24% better scores in the recognized test, a significant difference. The official response from Nubia remains unsatisfactory. RedMagic 11 Pro and 11 Pro+ are currently available from around 650 euros; it is currently unclear if and when the devices will be included in the UL Solutions rankings again.
Source: UL Solutions
