Snapdragon 8 Elite + 7,000mAh: The RedMagic 11 Air Specs Are Out

Saturday, 17 January 2026 at 17:15

RedMagic just dropped the specs for the RedMagic 11 Air, and the engineering is honestly a bit weird. They’re trying to sell a "slim" phone that’s only 7.85mm thick, but they shoved a 24,000 RPM active fan inside. Usually, "Air" models are the weak siblings of the Pro line, but this 2026 version is basically a Pro in a corset.

Key points

Powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite and a dedicated Red Core R4 gaming chip.
First slim "Air" model to feature a high-speed active cooling fan.
Rated to run PC titles like Tomb Raider at 60fps via built-in emulation.
Features a 7,000mAh battery with 80W charging in a 7.85mm body.
6.85-inch "true full-screen" display with 144Hz and no notches.

The Big Claims: PC Games in Your Pocket?

The wildest part of the announcement isn't the hardware—it's the software. RedMagic claims this thing can run Tomb Raider (2013) and Need for Speed: Most Wanted at a stable 60fps.

How? They built a dedicated PC emulator directly into the OS.
The Catch: Running a PC title on a mobile chip (even the Snapdragon 8 Elite) is a thermal nightmare.
The Reality: Expect that fan to scream. 24,000 RPM in a tiny chassis isn't going to be quiet.

Under the Hood: The "Red Core R4"

They aren't just relying on Qualcomm. There’s a second chip called the Red Core R4. This isn't for graphics; it’s for the "grunt work"—handling the 520Hz shoulder triggers, the RGB lighting, and something they call frame interpolation. It’s supposed to fake a 144Hz feel in games that only support 60fps natively.

Quick Spec Sheet:

Battery: 7,000mAh (huge for a phone this thin).
Charging: 120W (0 to 100% in roughly 20 mins).
Screen: 6.85-inch OLED. No notch. No punch-hole. Just a flat slab.
Storage: UFS 4.1 (the latest 2026 standard).

It weighs about 207g, so it’s not exactly a feather, but compared to the "bricks" RedMagic usually makes, it’s a massive design shift. The launch is set for January 20, and we’ll see if that fan actually keeps the 8 Elite from melting the glue off the backplate.