Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro is the clear winner, offering superior cooling, faster charging, and gaming-centric features. However, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G provides a more polished, versatile experience with a class-leading camera and brighter display, making it the better choice for mainstream users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G998U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G998U1 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G998B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 10 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, July 02 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.41 in) | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.5 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 238 g (8.40 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) Touch sensor; ROG Vision color PMOLED display (on the back) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 72mm (telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm, 125˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama, HDR | HDR |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with DTS:X stereo speakers (2 dedicated amplifiers) | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 6000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Glossy Black | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1A079IN | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 680 EUR | $ 240.01 / C$ 353.20 / £ 202.99 / € 264.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.71 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 384.99 |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 998.00 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | - | $ 1,179.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 459.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro
- Significantly faster 65W charging
- Superior cooling system for sustained gaming
- Gaming-centric features like AirTriggers
- Less versatile camera system
- Potentially bulkier design
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Exceptional camera performance
- Brighter and potentially more efficient display
- More refined software experience
- Slower 25W charging
- Exynos variant may exhibit more thermal throttling
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a peak brightness of 1023 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s display specs aren’t explicitly provided, its focus on gaming suggests a high refresh rate panel. The S21 Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of AMOLED displays, delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. The S21 Ultra’s display technology is likely LTPO, enabling variable refresh rates for improved power efficiency, a feature not confirmed for the ROG Phone 5 Pro. This makes the S21 Ultra the better choice for media consumption and outdoor use.
Camera Comparison
The S21 Ultra’s camera system is a significant strength, offering a versatile setup with multiple lenses and advanced image processing. While specific sensor details are missing, the S21 Ultra’s reputation for photographic excellence is well-established. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s camera is likely competent, but it’s not the primary focus of the device. The S21 Ultra’s superior image processing and potentially larger sensors (implied by its camera reputation) will result in better low-light performance and overall image quality. The inclusion of features like 8K video recording further solidifies the S21 Ultra’s camera advantage.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset in some regions (USA/China for both). However, the international S21 Ultra uses the Exynos 2100. While both are 5nm chips, the Snapdragon 888 generally exhibits slightly better sustained performance and thermal efficiency. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s advanced cooling system is a key differentiator, allowing it to maintain peak performance for longer gaming sessions. The S21 Ultra’s CPU clocks slightly higher (2.9 GHz vs 2.84 GHz on the USA/China S21 Ultra and ROG Phone 5 Pro’s primary core), but this difference is unlikely to be noticeable in real-world usage. The ROG Phone 5 Pro’s focus on gaming means it’s optimized for sustained performance, potentially mitigating any theoretical CPU advantage of the S21 Ultra.
Battery Life
Both devices have an endurance rating of 114 hours, suggesting comparable battery life under similar usage conditions. However, the ROG Phone 5 Pro’s 65W wired charging is significantly faster than the S21 Ultra’s 25W charging. The ROG Phone 5 Pro can reach 70% charge in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes, while the S21 Ultra takes considerably longer. The ROG Phone 5 Pro also offers 10W reverse wired charging, while the S21 Ultra provides 4.5W reverse wireless charging. This faster charging capability gives the ROG Phone 5 Pro a practical advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5 Pro if you prioritize uncompromising gaming performance, need the fastest possible charging speeds, and value features like AirTriggers and a high refresh rate display for competitive gaming. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you want a premium all-rounder with an exceptional camera system, a stunning display, and a more refined software experience for everyday use and content creation.