Honor Magic3 vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: Which Flagship Delivers More?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G emerges as the more polished and versatile flagship. While the Honor Magic3 offers competitive performance and blazing-fast 66W charging, the S21 Ultra’s superior display, more refined camera system, and broader software support justify its higher price for those prioritizing a premium experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Magic3 | 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, 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-G998U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G998U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G998B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 12 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 20 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back or vegan leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.8 x 74.9 x 8.99 mm (Glass) / 9.5 mm (Vegan Leather) | 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 | 203 g (Glass) / 202 g (Vegan Leather) (7.16 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| IP54, dust and water resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1344 x 2772 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~456 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.76 inches, 115.7 cm2 (~94.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ | 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, Magic UI 5 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| - | 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 |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 64 MP, f/1.8, (monochrome) 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 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 | 13 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide) | 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 | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, 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/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 | 66W wired 5W reverse wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4600 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Golden Hour (Vegan Leather), Blue Hour (Vegan Leather), Black, White | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | ELZ-AN00 | 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 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) |
Honor Magic3
- Blazing-fast 66W wired charging
- Competitive Snapdragon 888 performance
- Potentially more affordable price point
- Less established brand reputation
- Limited software support compared to Samsung
- Display specifications are less impressive
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Superior display brightness and quality
- More versatile and refined camera system
- Longer software support lifecycle
- Slower 25W wired charging
- Exynos variant may experience thermal throttling
- Higher price tag
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1023 nits, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the Honor Magic3. While both likely utilize OLED technology, the S21 Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a more sophisticated panel. The S21 Ultra’s larger size and higher resolution contribute to a more immersive viewing experience. The Honor Magic3’s display specs are less detailed, making a direct comparison challenging, but Samsung’s display technology is generally considered industry-leading.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped with advanced camera systems, but the S21 Ultra’s specifications suggest a more comprehensive offering. While both are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the S21 Ultra’s larger sensors and more sophisticated image processing algorithms likely deliver superior image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The S21 Ultra’s multi-camera array offers greater versatility, including advanced zoom capabilities. The Honor Magic3’s camera details are less specific, making a detailed comparison difficult, but Samsung’s camera reputation is well-established.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) in some regions, but the Galaxy S21 Ultra also features the Exynos 2100 (5nm) in international markets. The S21 Ultra’s CPU configuration (2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 vs 2.84 GHz on the Magic3 and USA/China S21 Ultra) offers a slight clock speed advantage, potentially translating to marginally faster single-core performance. However, the Exynos 2100 has historically faced thermal throttling concerns, potentially negating this advantage under sustained load. Both devices feature ample RAM (12GB in comparable configurations), ensuring smooth multitasking. The Honor Magic3’s thermal management performance relative to the S21 Ultra’s Exynos variant remains a key question.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra achieves an impressive endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating excellent battery life. While the Honor Magic3’s battery capacity is not specified, its 66W wired charging significantly outperforms the S21 Ultra’s 25W charging. This means the Magic3 can replenish its battery much faster, potentially mitigating any capacity disadvantage. The S21 Ultra also supports 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features the Magic3 matches with 5W reverse wired charging, but lacks wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor Magic3 if you prioritize charging speed and are comfortable with a less established software ecosystem. Its 66W wired charging is a significant advantage for power users. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you value a best-in-class display, a more versatile camera system with extensive features, and a longer software support lifecycle. It’s the safer bet for those seeking a complete premium experience.