ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

83 out of 100

73 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.8-inch ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2) that was released on December 26, 2022, against the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus, which is powered by Exynos 2100 and came out 24 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Differences
Review
Specs
Benchmarks
Battery life
Camera
Comments

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro

82% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1530K versus 839K)
Comes with 1200 mAh larger battery capacity: 6000 vs 4800 mAh
Shows 29% longer battery life (39:09 vs 30:26 hours)
Newer Bluetooth version (v5.3)
Supports higher wattage charging (65W versus 25W)
Compatible with the latest Wi-Fi 7 wireless networks
The phone is 2-years newer
Faster storage type - UFS 4.0 versus UFS 3.1
14% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1632 and 1429 points
Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
Handles wireless charging up to 15W
Optical image stabilization
The rear camera has a 1.1x optical zoom
Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
Reverse charging feature
Supports Dolby Atmos sound technology
Weighs 28 grams less
The front-facing camera can record video at 4K
Ready for eSIM technology

Review

Evaluation of ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	AMOLED	Dynamic AMOLED
Size	6.8 inches	6.7 inches
Resolution	1116 x 2480 pixels	1080 x 2400 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	20:9
PPI	400 ppi	394 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	120 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	500 nits	1300 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR	1300 nits	-
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	Yes, HDR10+
Screen protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Gorilla Glass Victus
Screen-to-body ratio	89.1%	88.3%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display - DC Dimming	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

RGB color space	98.7%	98.9%
PWM	60 Hz	240 Hz
Response time	1 ms	6.2 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	163.88 mm (6.45 inches)	161.5 mm (6.36 inches)
Width	76.35 mm (3.01 inches)	75.6 mm (2.98 inches)
Thickness	9.47 mm (0.37 inches)	7.8 mm (0.31 inches)
Weight	228 g (8.04 oz)	200 g (7.05 oz)
Waterproof	No	IP68
Advanced cooling	Active fan	-
Rear material	Glass	Glass
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	Black	Black, Silver, Gold, Red, Purple
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Samsung Exynos 2100
Max clock	3200 MHz	2840 MHz
CPU cores	8 (1 + 2 + 2 + 3)	8 (1 + 3 + 4)
Architecture	- 3 cores at 2 GHz: Cortex-A510 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A710 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A715 - 1 core at 3.2 GHz: Cortex-X3	- 4 cores at 2.2 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 3 cores at 2.81 GHz: Cortex-A78 - 1 core at 2.91 GHz: Cortex-X1
L3 cache	8 MB	-
Lithography process	4 nanometers	5 nanometers
Graphics	Adreno 740	Mali-G78 MP14
GPU shading units	2560	896
GPU clock	680 MHz	854 MHz
FLOPS	~3481.6 GFLOPS	~1530.4 GFLOPS

CPU	384073	244088
GPU	592577	269299
Memory	274819	159004
UX	278228	164833
Total score	1530494	839148

Max surface temperature	34.2 °C	41.5 °C
Stability	99%	67%
Graphics test	80 FPS	33 FPS
Graphics score	13386	5538

RAM size	8, 12, 16 GB	8 GB
Memory type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR5
Memory clock	-	2750 MHz
Channels	4	2

Storage size	128, 256, 512 GB	128, 256 GB
Storage type	UFS 4.0	UFS 3.1
Memory card	No	No

Operating system	Android 13	Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)
ROM	Redmagic OS 6	One UI 5.1
OS size	12 GB	27.2 GB

Capacity	6000 mAh	4800 mAh
Max charge power	65 W	25 W
Battery type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	No	Yes (15 W)
Reverse charging	No	Yes, (wireless)
Fast charging	Yes (92% in 30 min)	Yes (54% in 30 min)
Full charging time	0:37 hr	1:12 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	13:43 hr	09:17 hr
Watching video	18:16 hr	15:27 hr
Gaming	05:55 hr	05:07 hr
Standby	123 hr	101 hr

Main camera
Matrix	50 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	8160 x 6120	4000 x 3000
Zoom	Digital	Optical, 1.1x
Flash	LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Digital	Optical
8K video recording	Up to 30FPS	Up to 24FPS
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	240 FPS (1080p)	960 FPS (720p)
Angle of widest lens	120°	120°
Lenses	3 (50 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP)	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP)
Wide (main) lens	- 50 MP - Aperture: f/1.9 - Focal length: 25 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/1.57", Samsung ISOCELL S5KGN5 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.76", Sony IMX555 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization
Telephoto lens	-	- 64 MP - Aperture: f/2.0 - Focal length: 28 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.72", Samsung Bright S5KGW2 (ISOCELL Plus CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization
Ultra-wide lens	- 8 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/4.0" (CMOS)	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Sony IMX563 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel)
Macro lens	- 2 MP - Aperture: f/2.4	-
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	-	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	16 megapixels	10 megapixels
Image resolution	4608 x 3456	3872 x 2592
Aperture	f/2.0	f/2.2
Focal length	-	26 mm
Pixel size	1.12 microns	1.22 microns
Sensor type	PureCel	Exmor-RS CMOS
Sensor size	1/2.8"	1/3.24"
Video resolution	1080p (Full HD) at 60 FPS	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 7 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5.3	5
Bluetooth features	LE	LE, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.2	3.2
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - USB-Host mode - OTG
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
NFC *	Yes	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Number of SIM *	2	2
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
Multi SIM mode	Standby	Standby
eSIM support *	No	Yes
Hybrid slot	No	No
LTE Cat *	20	24
5G support	Yes	Yes

Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone audio jack	Yes	No
FM radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	No	Yes

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	December 2022	January 2021
Release date	December 2022	February 2021
SAR (head)	-	0.54 W/kg
SAR (body)	-	1.33 W/kg
Sensors	- Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint
Bundled charger	Yes, 65 W	-

ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

Key differences

Review

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Memory

Software

Battery

Camera

DxOMark camera tests

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion