Honor 70 Pro+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21 5G: A Detailed Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Honor 70 Pro+ boasts blazing-fast 100W charging and a powerful Dimensity 9000 chipset. However, the Galaxy S21 5G offers a more refined overall experience with a brighter display, established software support, and a generally more polished feel, despite its older hardware.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor 70 Pro+ | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | 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, 8, 19, 28, 34, 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-G991U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G991U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G991B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, May 30 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, June 17 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.9 x 74.6 x 8.2 mm (6.45 x 2.94 x 0.32 in) | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 192 g (6.77 oz) | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) (5.96 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1200 x 2652 pixels (~429 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 111.4 cm2 (~91.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.05 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | 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 | Mediatek MT6983 Dimensity 9000 (4 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-G710 MC10 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 12, Magic UI 6.1 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 50 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Triple | 54 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.49", PDAF 8 MP. f/2.4, (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), AF | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 50 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | 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/6, 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) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 100W wired, 60% in 15 min (advertised) 5W reverse wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Green, Gold | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink |
| Models | HPB-AN00 | SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS, SM-G991U, SM-G991U1, SM-G991W, SM-G991N, SM-G9910, SM-G991Q, SCG09 |
| Price | About 600 EUR | € 194.00 / $ 153.58 / £ 149.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.74 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.46 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 249.00 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 289.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 317.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 93h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.4 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 584055 (v8) GeekBench: 3238 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor 70 Pro+
- Blazing-fast 100W charging
- Powerful Dimensity 9000 chipset
- Competitive price
- High-resolution main camera sensor
- Software support may be less extensive than Samsung
- Display brightness not as high as S21 5G
- Battery life potentially shorter
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Established Samsung software ecosystem
- Excellent battery life (93h endurance)
- Premium build quality
- Slower charging speed (25W)
- Older chipset compared to Honor 70 Pro+
- Higher price
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G takes the display crown with a measured peak brightness of 856 nits, offering significantly better outdoor visibility than the Honor 70 Pro+. While the Honor 70 Pro+ has a vibrant display, it doesn't match the S21 5G's brightness and color accuracy. Both offer excellent contrast.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems. The Galaxy S21 5G benefits from Samsung's established image processing algorithms, delivering consistently good results. The Honor 70 Pro+ likely has a higher resolution main sensor, potentially capturing more detail, but image quality is subjective and depends on the specific scene. Video recording capabilities are comparable.
Performance
The Honor 70 Pro+'s Dimensity 9000 chipset provides a noticeable performance edge over the Galaxy S21 5G's Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888, especially in demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The Dimensity 9000's architecture and newer manufacturing process contribute to its superior efficiency and power.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S21 5G boasts an impressive endurance rating of 93 hours, suggesting exceptional battery life. The Honor 70 Pro+'s battery capacity is likely smaller, and while its 100W charging is a game-changer, it doesn't compensate for potentially shorter battery life between charges.
Buying Guide
The Honor 70 Pro+ is ideal for users prioritizing charging speed, raw performance, and a more budget-friendly price. The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is a better choice for those seeking a premium experience, a brighter display, and the reliability of Samsung's software ecosystem, even if it means sacrificing some charging speed.