RedMagic 11 Pro Delisted from 3DMark for Cheating

RedMagic 11 Pro Delisted from 3DMark for Alleged Benchmark Cheating

Leak Highlights

The RedMagic 11 Pro and 11 Pro Plus have reportedly been removed from the official 3DMark benchmark database.
Sources suggest the delisting is due to the devices allegedly running the benchmark in an unauthorized, higher-performance "Diablo" mode, potentially inflating scores by up to 24%.
The situation remains unconfirmed by the manufacturer, but an official statement from UL Solutions, the maker of 3DMark, indicates the scores should not be used for comparison.

Disclaimer: All information in this article is based on leaks, rumors, and unverified sources. Details may change before official announcement. Do not make purchasing decisions based on leaked information.

Here's a phone scandal that isn't about a bad camera or a broken screen. It's about cheating on a test. The company behind 3DMark, one of the most trusted tools for measuring graphics performance, just kicked Nubia's upcoming RedMagic 11 Pro phones off its leaderboard. That doesn't happen often. When it does, it means someone got caught bending the rules to make their numbers look better than they should.

About This Leak

This isn't a fuzzy rumor from an anonymous tipster. On April 11, 2026, UL Solutions published a news article on its own website saying it removed certain REDMAGIC models from its rankings. That's the source. Tech sites like Gizmochina and Mezha.ua picked up the story, and then it blew up on Reddit's r/Android forum. So the delisting itself is a hard fact. The *why* behind it, the part about a secret "Diablo" mode, comes from the analysis that followed UL's official move.

The 3DMark Delisting: Official Action & Alleged "Cheating"

UL Solutions says it took down the RedMagic 11 Pro and Pro Plus scores "following benchmark compliance testing." In plain English, their software caught the phones doing something they shouldn't. The widespread report, backed by sites like The PC Enthusiast, is that the phones automatically switch into a special high-power mode only when they detect 3DMark is running. Think of it like a car that secretly injects high-octane fuel only when it's on a dyno test, not when you're driving it home.

UL is very clear that this mode switch happens without any user input. It's baked into the phone's software. Because of that, the company says you shouldn't run their stress test on these devices and that the now-deleted scores are useless for comparing against other phones. That reported 24% performance boost? It's a hollow number, engineered for a chart.

Community Reaction and Conflicting Interpretations

Of course, the internet had a fight about it. On one side, you've got people saying, "If the phone can actually hit that performance level, who cares how it got there?" Their argument is that if a user can manually enable a "Diablo" mode for gaming, then the score might reflect a real, if extreme, capability.

But that misses the point. The other side, which includes UL Solutions, sees this as a fundamental breach of trust. Benchmarks have rules so everyone plays the same game. When a device detects the benchmark app and fires up a secret sauce mode, it's not playing the same game anymore. It's presenting a best-case, unsustainable scenario as if it's the normal, everyday performance. That's misleading. It turns a tool for comparison into a marketing prop.

Here's the core conflict laid out:

Feature	Version A (UL/Standard View)	Version B (Alternative View)	Assessment
Benchmark Mode Activation	An unfair, non-compliant optimization that automatically triggers only for benchmarks.	A demonstration of the device's peak, hardware-capable performance in a dedicated mode.	The core fact—automatic activation during the benchmark—is not disputed. The ethical interpretation of that action is the conflict.
Result Validity	Scores are invalid for comparison and were rightly delisted.	Scores may represent a "true" hardware potential, even if not default.	UL Solutions, as the arbiter of its own benchmark, has enforced Version A by removing the scores.

What This Means for the RedMagic 11 Series

We don't have the full spec sheet from this leak, but we learn a lot about Nubia's approach. First, they're almost certainly keeping an extreme "Diablo" mode, a trademark for their gaming phones. Second, whatever that mode does during 3DMark is so aggressive that UL felt compelled to remove the phones entirely. That's a major red flag for benchmark integrity.

Now, Nubia hasn't said a word about any of this. Maybe they'll issue a patch for the final retail units. Or maybe they'll just shrug. But their silence right now is pretty loud.

India Launch Expectations & Market Context

REDMAGIC usually brings its phones to India, so what can we guess about the 11 Pro's chances?

BIS Certification: This is the first concrete step. No one has spotted the RedMagic 11 Pro or Pro Plus on the BIS certification website yet. Until that happens, any launch date talk is just a guess.

Expected Pricing & Availability: Look at the past. REDMAGIC prices its phones to compete with ASUS ROG and Lenovo Legion in India. If the global price is low, expect the same here. And for where to buy, bet on Amazon India. They've done exclusive launches there before, and they'll probably do it again.

India-specific Variants: Don't expect one. The model sold here will likely be the same global version, just with support for Indian networks.

What We Still Don't Know

The official response from Nubia/REDMAGIC regarding the 3DMark delisting.
Whether retail units will feature the same benchmark-detection behavior or if it will be patched out via software update.
The full, official specifications of the RedMagic 11 Pro and 11 Pro Plus.
The official global and India launch dates and pricing.
The complete color options and variant lineup (e.g., RAM/storage configurations).
The official battery capacity, charging speed, and detailed camera specifications.
The status of BIS certification for the Indian market.

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is this leak?

The delisting is a confirmed fact from UL Solutions. The reasons for it are based on their statement and subsequent reporting, which is very credible.

When are the RedMagic 11 Pro phones expected to be announced?

There's no date, but the fact they're being benchmarked at all means an announcement is probably not far off.

Should I avoid buying these phones because of this?

Don't avoid it, but be skeptical. This is about a synthetic test, not necessarily how it'll play your games. Wait for full reviews of the final product.

Will the final product be different?

It could be. Manufacturers sometimes change software between testing and release, especially after a controversy like this.

Will the RedMagic 11 Pro launch in India?

It's likely, but it's not confirmed. Watch for that BIS certification to pop up.

The Bigger Picture

This whole mess is a perfect example of why you should ignore leaked benchmark scores. They're easily gamed. A phone that scores 24% higher in a controlled, optimized test might stutter and thermal throttle five minutes into your actual gaming session. For anyone in India looking at gaming phones, this is your reminder: wait for the real reviews that test sustained performance, not the flashy, possibly fake, numbers that leak first. The story here isn't that the RedMagic 11 Pro is powerful. It's that we still can't trust how that power is being measured and sold to us.