Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G emerges as the stronger choice. Its 65W charging dramatically outperforms the S21+'s 25W, and the Dimensity 1200 provides comparable performance to the Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100, all while often being available at a lower price point. The S21+ retains an edge in display brightness and brand recognition.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 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, 38, 39, 40, 41 - International | 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-G996U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G996U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 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 |
| 1, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G996B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, May 27 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 05 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 160 x 73.1 x 7.6 mm (6.30 x 2.88 x 0.30 in) | 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm (6.36 x 2.98 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 177 g (6.24 oz) | 200 g (Sub6), 202 g (mmWave) (7.05 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~88.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 800 nits (HBM) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 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 | Mediatek Dimensity 1200 (6 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 12, ColorOS 12 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 - International UFS 3.1 - China | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Triple | - | 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, HDR | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Panorama | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | 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 (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) | 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) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Aurora, Majestic Gold, Diwali Edition | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | PEPM00, CPH2249 | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | About 120 EUR | $ 162.99 / £ 185.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | 1.17 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) | 0.65 W/kg (head) 0.95 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.54 W/kg (head) 1.33 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 622276 (v8) GeekBench: 3476 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G
- Significantly faster 65W charging
- Potentially better thermal management due to 6nm Dimensity 1200
- Often available at a lower price point
- Display likely not as bright as the S21+
- Camera system may not be as refined as Samsung's
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Established Samsung camera ecosystem
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower 25W charging
- Potential for thermal throttling with Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100
- Generally more expensive
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ boasts a brighter display, peaking at 883 nits measured, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight. While the Reno6 Pro 5G’s display specs aren’t explicitly stated, it’s likely to be slightly dimmer. Both feature infinite (nominal) contrast ratios, typical of OLED panels. However, the S21+’s panel is likely to have a higher refresh rate, contributing to smoother scrolling and animations. The S21+’s display is a key advantage for outdoor use and media consumption.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer capable camera systems, but details beyond 'Photo/Video' are limited. The S21+ likely benefits from Samsung’s established image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes. The Reno6 Pro 5G’s camera performance will depend heavily on its sensor and lens choices, which aren’t specified. It’s reasonable to assume the S21+ has a more refined and versatile camera experience, particularly in low-light conditions, given Samsung’s history. The inclusion of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is expected on both, but the effectiveness will vary based on implementation.
Performance
The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets. The Samsung Galaxy S21+ utilizes either the Exynos 2100 (international) or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (USA/China), both fabricated on a 5nm process. The Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G employs the Mediatek Dimensity 1200, built on a 6nm process. While the Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100 have a slight theoretical CPU advantage with their Cortex-X1 cores (2.9/2.84 GHz vs 3.0 GHz on the Reno6 Pro’s Cortex-A78), the Dimensity 1200’s architecture, with its three Cortex-A78 cores, provides strong multi-core performance. Critically, the 6nm process of the Dimensity 1200 generally translates to better thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads compared to the 5nm chips in the S21+. Both phones feature ample RAM, likely LPDDR5, ensuring smooth multitasking.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ achieves an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the Reno6 Pro 5G’s charging speed is a game-changer. With 65W wired charging, it can replenish the battery from 0-100% significantly faster than the S21+'s 25W charging (and its additional 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless options). While the S21+’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the Reno6 Pro’s faster charging mitigates any potential capacity disadvantage. This means less downtime and more time using the phone.
Buying Guide
Buy the Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G if you prioritize blazing-fast charging, a smooth user experience for everyday tasks, and excellent value for your money. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G if you absolutely require the brightest possible display, prefer the Samsung ecosystem, or find a significantly discounted price that outweighs the charging and thermal advantages of the Oppo.