While some smartphone makers are just getting onto the Air hype train, Redmagic is already on its second take. The gaming smartphone brand of nubia introduced its first Air model right around the time Samsung officially unveiled its thinnest phone yet, the Galaxy Edge, in May last year. Fast forward to January 2026, and Redmagic has officially revealed the second-generation “Air,” the Redmagic 11 Air.
Now, it may be called an “Air,” but “Air” here is relative, and largely a category. It is the thin-and-light category, and by “thin and light,” we are comparing it to Redmagic devices. So no, it is not interested in the ongoing, unofficial thin Olympics.
Speaking of thickness and weight, the new Redmagic 11 Air is 7.85 mm thin and weighs 207 g. Clearly far from being the thinnest and lightest, but to be fair, here’s the thing: it is roughly the same thickness as its predecessor, yet it now has an active cooling fan, which the 10 Air did not. That alone is quite an engineering feat.
But never mind the thin race, because Redmagic is touting another thin, and that’s the 1.25 mm-thin bezel. At its thinnest, it is barely perceptible at arm’s length. That’s not to mention the phone’s corners now have a significantly smaller radius, allowing gamers to see more.
The obvious star feature of any Redmagic device is none other than active cooling, which, as mentioned earlier, is new to the Air series. It uses the same Yufeng 4.0 active heat dissipation fan found in the flagship Redmagic 11 Pro series, spinning at up to 24,000 RPM. The fan works in conjunction with Redmagic’s ultra-thick ice-level VC cooling system, boasting an ultra-high-density capillary structure.
The device also touts a Redmagic-exclusive built-in PC emulator that allows you to play AAA PC games smoothly on your phone. Redmagic says the emulator supports over 200 popular PC titles, including Tomb Raider (2013), Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and more.
As per Redmagic tradition, it is equipped with a vibrant display devoid of any camera cutout, thanks to the under-display camera. At its core is a dual gaming chipset setup featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite and Redmagic’s self-developed RedCore R4 gaming chip. This is further bolstered by the Redmagic CUBE 3.0 gaming engine, super-fast LPDDR5X Ultra memory, and UFS 4.1 storage.
Wrapping up the gaming-centric features are Redmagic-exclusive professional gaming shoulder triggers boasting a staggering 520 Hz touch sampling rate. And did I mention those triggers come with sweat-resistance algorithms? Yep. They do.
In the less-of-a-concern-for-gamers department, namely imaging, the 11 Air is equipped with a 50 MP ultra-sensitive main camera featuring OIS, low-light night scene mode, HDR mode, and high-speed focus, along with an 8 MP super-wide-angle camera. It also has a ring flashlight on the back. Around the front, hidden under the display, is a 16 MP selfie camera.
Being the AI age, the device naturally comes with a suite of AI features, including object recognition, gaming strategy coaching, the AI assistant MORA, and more.
Other notable features include a transparent design across the entire back, a first for a Redmagic device, paired with a subtly curved 3D glass panel; a power-bank-sized 7,000 mAh battery with 120 W Redmagic fast charging; RGB lighting on the active fan and Redmagic logo; a 6.85-inch 1.5K 144 Hz display; SGS low blue light eye protection certification; 2,592 Hz high-frequency PWM/DC dimming; a 4D X linear haptic motor; Wi-Fi 7; an IR blaster; and master-grade stereo dual speakers.
The Redmagic 11 Air launched in China last week with a starting price of 3,699 yuan [CH] (about US$530). Global availability begins January 29 at 7 AM EST.
Images: Redmagic.
