Asus ROG Phone 5 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 is the clear winner, offering superior cooling and gaming-centric features. However, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G provides a more versatile experience with a brighter display, more refined camera system, and broader appeal for everyday use.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus ROG Phone 5 | 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 - Version 1 | 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 - Version 1 | 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 - Version 1 | 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, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 2, Version 3 | 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, April 26 | 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) |
| RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | 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 | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 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 | Phantom Black, Storm White | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | ZS673KS, ZS673KS-1B048IN, ASUS_I005DB, ASUS_I005DA, I005DA, I005DB | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 370 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 110h | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -24.0 LUFS (Very good) | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 718864 (v8) GeekBench: 14536 (v4.4), 3745 (v5.1) GFXBench: 72fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus ROG Phone 5
- Significantly faster 65W charging
- Superior cooling for sustained gaming performance
- Gaming-centric features (AirTriggers, etc.)
- Less versatile camera system
- Lower peak display brightness
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- More versatile and advanced camera system
- Premium build quality and design
- Slower 25W charging
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G boasts a significantly brighter display at 1023 nits compared to the ROG Phone 5’s 806 nits, making it more visible outdoors. Both feature an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, typical of high-end OLED panels. While both offer excellent viewing experiences, the S21 Ultra’s higher peak brightness and potentially better color calibration (based on Samsung’s display expertise) give it an edge for media consumption. The ROG Phone 5’s display, while still excellent, is tuned more for gaming, potentially prioritizing response time over absolute color accuracy.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the clear winner in camera versatility. While both phones offer photo and video capabilities, the S21 Ultra’s advanced camera system, including its larger main sensor and sophisticated image processing, delivers superior image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The ROG Phone 5’s camera is competent, but it’s not a primary focus of the device. The S21 Ultra’s multiple lenses and advanced features like Space Zoom provide a wider range of creative options.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset (in USA/China variants of the S21 Ultra), but the S21 Ultra’s CPU clocks slightly higher at 2.9 GHz versus the ROG Phone 5’s 2.84 GHz. However, the ROG Phone 5’s superior cooling system – a key design element – is likely to sustain peak performance for longer durations during demanding gaming sessions, mitigating potential throttling. The S21 Ultra’s performance will be excellent, but the ROG Phone 5 is engineered to maintain maximum clock speeds under sustained load. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the ROG Phone 5’s cooling advantage is the critical differentiator.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve similar endurance ratings – 110 hours for the ROG Phone 5 and 114 hours for the S21 Ultra – despite the ROG Phone 5’s faster 65W charging. The S21 Ultra offers 25W wired charging, significantly slower. The ROG Phone 5 can reach 70% charge in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes, while the S21 Ultra takes considerably longer. The ROG Phone 5 also offers 10W reverse wired charging, while the S21 Ultra provides 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The ROG Phone 5’s charging speed is a significant advantage for users who need to quickly top up their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5 if you prioritize raw gaming performance, extended play sessions without throttling, and unique gaming accessories. You'll benefit from the 65W fast charging and dedicated gaming features. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you value a premium camera experience, a brighter and more color-accurate display, and a more polished, all-around smartphone experience. It's the better choice for content creators and users who demand versatility.