This phone currently occupies the top of our phone rating table, and I decided to make it my daily driver and see how this top score translates into daily experience. But that’s yet another editorial you’ll need to click away to read. I know, a rollercoaster.
Your phone as a conversation starter
Over the past week, ALL of my friends have asked me the same thing: “Hey, what phone is that?” Then comes the inevitable “Can I see it?” The reactions were not completely unexpected given the striking looks of the RedMagic 11 Pro, but it all still felt a bit like participating in a social experiment.
Even strangers met me on the street to ask the same questions, something that hasn’t happened in years. And I often notice the look on people’s faces when I’m talking on the phone. They look curious, surprised. And that’s when it hit me: we’ve lost this kind of interaction.
I’m not that naive to think that every single person should care about tech, or that smartphones should be icebreakers between strangers. But the fact that this used to happen (and now almost never does) says something about how uniform smartphones have become.
The current state of popular smartphones
Well… that’s just boring… | Image by PhoneArena
Take the latest iPhone, Galaxy, and Pixel phones. Hide the camera bump and logos, and from a distance, you’d struggle to tell them apart. This unification in design has reached a peak point in 2025, and mainstream flagship phones are more similar than ever.
Flat sides, nearly identical buttons, slightly round edges, hole-punch cameras, and painted glass backs. I won’t call them boring, but let’s be honest: these phones are not sparking excitement either.
So why does this particular phone break through the sea of sameness?
What’s so special about the RedMagic 11 Pro
The RedMagic 11 Pro looks like alien tech | Image by RedMagic
The magic is on the back. Which is kind of understandable, given the front of modern smartphones is just a rectangular display.
RedMagic leans into the transparent back trend, which is not entirely new, but what’s under the glass is where it shines.
A ring exposes the blue, server-grade liquid coolant, giving it a look straight out of a sci-fi movie. Add the industrial silver metal accents, exposed screws, plates, and a faux chip in the top left corner, and you end up with a design that genuinely turns heads.
That brings us back to the key question: do we really need this or is it just for flair?
Do we need more RedMagic phones in our lives?
Phones used to look wild!
Today, most smartphones are purely utilitarian. Gone are the days of iPhones being a status symbol—they are so common now, and some are even cheaper than Androids. Nobody blinks at an iPhone 17 Pro Max anymore.
Sure, if you want to stand out, you could buy a flashy case. That works, but where does this leave us on the RedMagic 11 debate?
Uniformity rarely excites anyone, and this applies to smartphones as well.
There’s nothing wrong with using your phone as a tool, but if you want a device that sparks curiosity, inspires a conversation, or just looks cool, phones like the RedMagic 11 are just that.
The real problem is when uniformity and trends erase variety entirely. That’s why we should encourage different designs and at least not frown upon them.
Conclusion
So, in a smartphone world, where you can’t tell models apart anymore, the RedMagic 11 is a breath of fresh air. To some people it might be an over-the-top, unnecessary, flashy, and weird-looking phone, but the important part is that it exists.
For all of those who don’t like uniformity and for the sake of variety itself. I personally enjoy the attention and the conversations this phone sparks and will keep using it as my daily driver for the time being. For everyone else, there’s nothing wrong with the regular Galaxy, iPhone and Pixel phones.
#staring #phone #hit #Weve #lost #key #modern #flagships
