The gaming smartphone category was defined by Razer, but ZTE's Nubia has unveiled the Red Magic comes with hopes to take down the market leader.

Built for gaming, the Red Magic features hexagonal cutouts for the camera and fingerprint sensor, aggressively red vents and details, and the glowing LED strip on the back. This RGB strip on the rear of the smartphone can output up to 16 million colors and 4 different lighting effects.

The smartphone is packing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset (not the latest Snapdragon 845) with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and dual-lane 128GB UFS 2.1 storage. According to ZTE, the device flies through intensive games and applications while reducing power draw by 40%. And what's more GameBoost, ZTE's proprietary tuning software, is freeing up memory-intensive resources to provide higher frame rates. Optimizations and a stand-alone, customizable game button actively engage(s) and learns about your personal preferences and applies them.

On the display side, you'll find a 6-inch screen with a 2,160 x 1,080-pixel resolution ( 403 PPI, 1500:1 contrast ratio). Nubia has bundled 8GB inside the handset. It also has the option of 64GB or 128GB of storage. And as you might expect, the smartphone runs Android. In terms of cameras, you get EIS stabilization technologies, a 24MP sensor with f/1.7 aperture and the built-in NeoVision 7.0 Imaging Engine, which offers a dedicated professional mode to enable SLR-like features.

In addition, the smartphone uses a new air convection cooling system that dissipates heat effectively across its diamond-cut design without compromising on performance. Comprising three layers of graphite and three grille vents, the heat sink inside the smartphone regulates the device's temperature to remain at optimal levels. The anodized unibody structure is also coated with heat-absorbent materials.

Other features include a 3,800 mAh battery inside, which offers up to 7 hours playing Arena of Valor. For the audiophile, DTS Technology and a Smart Amplifier system offers clarity and bass.

Nubia's Red Magic will be available on pre-order on April 25. The base model will cost customers 2,499 yuan ($397). The higher-end option will set you back 2,999 yuan ($477). Over at Indiegogo, you can get the Red Magic for $399 on early bird pricing.

Between last year's Razer Phone, the Xiaomi-backed Black Shark, and now the Nubia Red Magic, it's safe to say that gaming phones are having a moment.