The ZTE Red Magic 6—a gaming phone that has been through a lot, and I mean a lot—has endured some serious damage. The back is obliterated from the impact, the frame is bent, and yet, miraculously, the display remains unharmed. It almost feels like it has stories to tell—stories of intense gaming sessions and more than a few fits of rage.
How did this phone come to be in such a state, and can it be fixed? I recently purchased this Red Magic 6 as part of a five-phone lot for just $145. That brings the per-unit price to a jaw-dropping $29. Yes, you read that correctly. A Snapdragon 8 chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $29. Even in its broken condition, this was quite the bargain. But here’s the real question: can I repair it?
The Damage: A Closer Look
The ZTE Red Magic 6’s condition is rough, to say the least. The back is shattered, and the frame is bent. There’s also a fault with the ultra-wide camera—an obvious dark spot in the corner of every shot, and a generally hazy picture. The external lens is broken, and dirt has gotten inside. The logical first step? A clean with alcohol and a cotton swab. But that didn’t work.
So, it’s time to dig deeper.
Removing the Back Panel: Heat and Precision
With the phone in such a battered state, I knew removing the back panel would be tricky. While a suction cup is usually the go-to for this kind of repair, the broken edges make it impossible to lift the glass cleanly. A Jimmy tool is the best option to pry up the glass without causing further damage to the frame.
Upon removing the back panel, I was greeted by a red liquid indicator—a sign of moisture ingress, likely from the broken camera lens. But after removing the NFC module, there were no immediate signs of water damage. We now had access to the cameras, and it was clear which one was the problem: the ultra-wide lens.
The challenge? I couldn’t find a replacement camera. Sure, there were some listings for the main camera, but not the ultra-wide lens. This is a niche gaming phone, and finding parts is a real challenge. So, what to do?
The Camera Lens: To Clean or Not to Clean?
The lens on the ultra-wide camera is scratched, which is causing the hazy effect in pictures. My first attempt to clean it didn’t work. After removing the lens, I thought maybe a little plastic IC polish could smooth things out. After several minutes of polishing, it looked a little shinier, but there was no significant improvement.
In fact, things got worse.
How? Polishing a scratched lens often makes the issue worse, as it introduces even finer scratches, which, while hard to see with the naked eye, show up clearly on the camera sensor. It became evident that the lens was irreparably damaged. Replacing the lens was no longer an option—so I had to get creative.
Ultra-Wide Camera Delete: A Surprising Workaround
With no ultra-wide lens replacement in sight, I decided to try something radical: I deleted the ultra-wide camera.
How does that work? Well, when you switch to the 0.5x zoom mode, the phone simply loads no camera at all. But, after toggling it off and on, I noticed that the phone started using the macro lens instead. This isn’t an ideal solution, but it’s a functional one. The macro lens has a fixed focal length, meaning it’s blurry for distant subjects but incredibly sharp up close. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than a broken, dirt-filled ultra-wide lens.
Back to the Frame: A Cosmetic Issue
The next challenge was the bent frame. I’ve straightened bent devices before, including an iPad, by bending them back carefully. But this frame wasn’t budging. No matter how much I tried, it seemed like the frame was about to snap, and I didn’t want to risk that—especially when the display was still intact and I’d have to shell out $250 for a replacement.
So, I decided to leave the frame as is. It’s a cosmetic issue, after all, and doesn’t impact functionality. To ensure the back panel stays securely in place, I used liquid adhesive, which is flexible enough to mold to the frame’s imperfections. After removing the old adhesive, I re-applied thermal paste over the motherboard shield (as originally designed) to ensure proper heat dissipation.
Reassembling: The Final Touches
With the back panel and camera setup sorted, it was time to put everything back together. I transferred the LED flash and lighting elements to the new back panel, making sure to position them just right. Once all components were in place, I used clamps and rubber bands to ensure the back glass cured to the frame properly.
Finally, I removed the plastic protective film and cleaned up any excess glue residue that seeped out during the curing process. The end result was a clean, functional, and far more presentable Red Magic 6.
The End Result: A Functional Gaming Phone
At the end of the day, I had a ZTE Red Magic 6 for just $49. It’s far from perfect—there’s still the scratched frame, the non-functional ultra-wide camera, and the odd macro lens workaround. But considering I paid so little for it, I’m calling this a win. The phone still has fantastic hardware, a smooth and fast display with an ultra-high refresh rate, and performance that would put most phones to shame.
Even without the ultra-wide camera, the phone is still more than capable of delivering a solid gaming experience. The macro lens works for close-ups, and the overall performance of the phone remains top-notch, thanks to its Snapdragon 8 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.
Final Thoughts: A Bargain Well Worth the Effort
In the end, this repair journey wasn’t just about fixing a broken phone—it was about the challenge and the satisfaction of breathing new life into something that seemed beyond repair. Sure, the ultra-wide camera may be gone, and the frame isn’t perfect, but for $49, this phone is a steal. If you’re into mobile gaming and don’t mind a few cosmetic imperfections, the ZTE Red Magic 6 still holds its ground.
If you enjoyed this repair journey and want to see more restoration projects like this one, be sure to check out my restoration playlist and subscribe for future videos. And if you’re looking for some great deals on used devices, make sure to visit my online store (link in the description).
