Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G emerges as the stronger value. Its Snapdragon 870 delivers excellent performance, coupled with blazing-fast 65W charging. While the S21+ boasts a brighter display and potentially a more refined software experience (depending on preference), the Reno6 Pro+ offers a compelling package for the price.
| 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, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China | 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, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | 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, 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), glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 72.5 x 8 mm (6.33 x 2.85 x 0.31 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 | 188 g (6.63 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 (~88.8% 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 (HDR), 1100 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585) | 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-AC Snapdragon 870 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 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 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm 2 MP (macro) | - |
| 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@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 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, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | 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 | 5.0, 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 | Arctic Blue, Lunar Grey | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | PENM00 | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | About 520 EUR | $ 162.99 / £ 185.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | - | 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
- Excellent thermal management with Snapdragon 870
- Strong value for money
- Display likely less bright than S21+
- Less established brand recognition
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Established brand and software ecosystem
- Potential for thermal throttling with Exynos/Snapdragon 888
- Slower 25W wired charging
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G holds a clear advantage in display brightness, reaching a measured 883 nits. While the Reno6 Pro+’s display specs aren’t explicitly stated, it likely falls short of this peak. The S21+’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a high-quality AMOLED panel. However, the Reno6 Pro+ may offer a higher PWM dimming rate, potentially reducing eye strain for sensitive users. Both utilize AMOLED technology, delivering vibrant colors, but the S21+’s higher peak brightness is crucial for outdoor use.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but details beyond 'Photo/Video' are limited. The Reno6 Pro+’s camera system is likely tuned for vibrant, social media-ready images, a common Oppo trait. The S21+’s camera benefits from Samsung’s extensive image processing expertise, aiming for a more natural look. Without sensor size specifics, it’s difficult to declare a clear winner. However, the S21+’s reputation for video quality and potentially more advanced computational photography features give it a slight edge. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on either device is largely inconsequential.
Performance
The chipset battle is nuanced. The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G utilizes either the Exynos 2100 (international) or Snapdragon 888 (USA/China), both fabricated on a 5nm process. The Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G features the Snapdragon 870 5G, built on a 7nm process. While the Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888 boast higher clock speeds (2.9GHz vs 3.2GHz on the Reno6 Pro+’s Kryo 585 prime core), the 7nm process of the Snapdragon 870 often translates to better thermal efficiency and sustained performance. The Snapdragon 888 is known to throttle under prolonged heavy loads, a potential issue the Reno6 Pro+ mitigates. The S21+'s CPU architecture (Cortex-X1, A78, A55) is more modern, but real-world performance differences are often minimal for typical tasks.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G boasts an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G’s 65W wired charging is a game-changer. It can fully charge the device in under 30 minutes, a significant advantage over the S21+’s 25W charging. While the S21+ offers 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, the Reno6 Pro+ prioritizes speed. The difference in charging speed dramatically impacts usability, especially for users who frequently need to top up their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G if you prioritize fast charging, sustained performance under load, and value for money. It’s ideal for power users and gamers who demand responsiveness without breaking the bank. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G if you prefer a more established brand ecosystem, a brighter display for outdoor visibility, and wireless charging convenience, and are willing to pay a premium for those features.