Nick Fernandez / Android Authority
TL;DR
- JerryRigEverything tore down the REDMAGIC 11 Pro, calling it “the most powerful phone on the planet.”
- The teardown reveals the full circulating coolant loop and the largest vapor chamber he has seen in a phone.
- It survived all durability tests, booted up afterward, and even includes oil in the coolant for a lava lamp visual effect.
Some people might see a phone with visible coolant sloshing around inside it as an accident waiting to happen. However, Zack Nelson of JerryRigEverything proves that the new REDMAGIC 11 Pro is anything but, as he reveals the secrets to what he calls “the most powerful phone on the planet.”
In his new video, Nelson dismantles what REDMAGIC calls the world’s first mass-produced liquid-cooled smartphone. The 11 Pro’s blue coolant can actually be seen circulating the back when the phone is switched on, pumped by a microscopic piezoelectric motor that pushes liquid through a sealed loop. The system works in tandem with a 24,000 RPM internal fan and what Nelson describes as the largest vapor chamber he’s ever seen in a phone.
One surprise to Nelson was just how much of the system is hidden. Despite the transparent back and visible coolant channels, most of the loop is covered by a brushed metal plate, masking what Nelson called “alien technology.” When he peeled everything away, the inside looked more like a desktop cooling setup than anything you’d expect from a gaming phone. We agree with him that, if anything, REDMAGIC has missed a trick here — this system would look even better displayed in all its glory.
The coolant itself is particularly interesting. REDMAGIC says it’s a server-grade, fluorinated liquid that won’t freeze, but Nelson noticed that the fluid appears to include little bubbles of what looks like oil. The effect is a bit like a lava lamp, with the droplets breaking up and reforming as the phone heats up or cools down. It might have a functional use, but the blobs also make it easier to see the flow of the liquid in motion. This visual flair is undoubtedly deliberate.
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The teardown also confirmed that the phone’s unusual construction doesn’t come at the cost of durability. The screen easily survived Nelson’s lighter test, the frame didn’t bend or crack under pressure, and the massive 7,500mAh battery was firm in place. Even more impressively, after being completely disassembled and reassembled, the phone booted up perfectly, and the coolant started flowing again.
Other touches also caught Nelson’s attention: the under-display selfie camera, a completely flat rear design with no camera bump, and a proper headphone jack for wired gaming audio. The REDMAGIC 11 Pro also carries an IPX8 water-resistance rating, which is no mean feat for a phone with moving parts and actual liquid inside it.
The REDMAGIC 11 Pro starts at $749 and will begin shipping globally on November 19. If you want to see what a real liquid-cooled smartphone looks like on the inside, this is definitely one of Nelson’s more fascinating teardowns.
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