Asus Zenfone 7 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Detailed Comparison
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a stunning display and versatile camera system, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the superior choice. However, the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro offers a compelling blend of performance and value, especially for those seeking a more compact form factor and aren't willing to pay a premium for Samsung's ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus Zenfone 7 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) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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, 28, 38, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G998U1 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1800/150 Mbps, 5G 3.6 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 | 2020, August 26. Released 2020, September 01 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165.1 x 77.3 x 9.6 mm (6.5 x 3.04 x 0.38 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 | 230 g (8.11 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED , 90Hz, HDR10+, 700 nits (HBM) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.10 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 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 SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 12, ZenUI | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB 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 | Dual-LED flash, HDR, auto panorama (motorized rotation) | 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), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 113˚, 17mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, auto panorama (motorized rotation) | HDR |
| Single | - | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Triple | Motorized flip-up main camera module | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS, HDR | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1+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 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), 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 | 30W wired, PD3.0, 60% in 34 min, 100% in 93 min Reverse wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aurora Black, Pastel White | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | ZS671KS, ASUS_I002DD | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 670 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 99h | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.6 LUFS (Good) | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 602934 (v8) GeekBench: 3302 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus Zenfone 7 Pro
- More affordable price point
- Compact and ergonomic design
- Excellent performance for the price
- Less vibrant and brighter display
- Inferior camera system compared to S21 Ultra
- Slower charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Stunningly bright and vibrant display
- Versatile and high-quality camera system
- Longer battery life and wireless charging
- Higher price tag
- Larger and heavier form factor
- Potential for Exynos overheating (depending on region)
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1023 nits compared to the Zenfone 7 Pro’s 741 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels, but the S21 Ultra’s larger size and higher resolution contribute to a more immersive viewing experience. While neither spec sheet details refresh rate, the S21 Ultra is known to support adaptive 120Hz, a feature absent on the Zenfone 7 Pro, resulting in smoother scrolling and animations. The S21 Ultra’s panel is also likely LTPO, allowing for more granular refresh rate control and improved power efficiency.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the S21 Ultra excels in zoom capabilities. While both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the S21 Ultra’s larger main sensor and advanced image processing algorithms deliver superior image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The S21 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom lens provides significantly greater reach than any zoom lens on the Zenfone 7 Pro. The Zenfone 7 Pro’s camera system is still capable, but lacks the sheer versatility and refinement of the S21 Ultra’s setup. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on the Zenfone 7 Pro is largely inconsequential, offering limited practical benefit compared to the S21 Ultra’s more robust camera array.
Performance
The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s chipset varies by region, utilizing either the Exynos 2100 (5nm) or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The Zenfone 7 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7nm+). The 5nm process node of the S21 Ultra’s chips offers improved power efficiency and transistor density compared to the Zenfone’s 7nm+ node. The S21 Ultra’s CPU, featuring a Cortex-X1 prime core, provides a performance edge over the Zenfone 7 Pro’s Cortex-A77 prime core. However, both devices feature 12GB of RAM in certain configurations, mitigating potential performance bottlenecks. The Zenfone 7 Pro’s thermal management, given its smaller chassis, may be more prone to throttling under sustained load, while the S21 Ultra’s larger size allows for more effective heat dissipation.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 114-hour endurance rating surpasses the Zenfone 7 Pro’s 99-hour rating, indicating longer battery life in real-world usage. While the Zenfone 7 Pro supports 30W wired charging, achieving 60% charge in 34 minutes and 100% in 93 minutes, the S21 Ultra’s 25W charging is slightly slower. However, the S21 Ultra adds 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Zenfone 7 Pro. The S21 Ultra’s larger battery capacity, combined with the more efficient chipset, contributes to its superior endurance.
Buying Guide
Buy the Asus Zenfone 7 Pro if you need a powerful, compact flagship with excellent performance for the price, and appreciate a more understated design. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you prefer a larger, brighter display, a more comprehensive camera system with advanced zoom capabilities, and integration with the Samsung ecosystem.