Asus ROG Phone 5s vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: A Deep Dive into Gaming and Flagship Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S21 offers a more balanced and refined experience. However, if your primary focus is mobile gaming and you demand the highest possible frame rates and sustained performance, the Asus ROG Phone 5s is the clear winner, justifying its gaming-centric design.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Asus ROG Phone 5s |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - Version 1 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - Version 1 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 1400/150 Mbps, 5G 4 Gbps DL |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - Version 4 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | Not announced yet | 2021, August 16 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2021, August 26 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) | 172.8 x 77.3 x 9.9 mm (6.80 x 3.04 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 169 g (5.96 oz) | 238 g (8.40 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | RGB light panel (on the back) Pressure sensitive zones (Gaming triggers) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) | 1080 x 2448 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.78 inches, 109.5 cm2 (~82.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 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 | Octa-core (1x2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, ROG UI |
| 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 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM |
| UFS 3.X | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| 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 | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 11mm, 125˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@480fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama, HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 24 MP, f/2.5, 27mm (wide), 0.9µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (2 amplifiers) |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 (side), USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom), OTG, accessory connector |
| 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, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 65W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 70% in 30 min, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 6000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink | Phantom Black, Storm White |
| Models | SM-G990F, SM-G990F/DS | ZS676KS |
| Price | - | About 1030 EUR |
Samsung Galaxy S21
- More compact and pocketable design
- Superior camera system with versatile features
- Refined software experience and wider app compatibility
- Less powerful chipset prone to throttling
- Slower charging speeds
- Less optimized for extended gaming sessions
Asus ROG Phone 5s
- Significantly faster charging (65W)
- More powerful Snapdragon 888+ chipset
- Enhanced cooling system for sustained performance
- Gaming-specific features like AirTriggers
- Larger and heavier design
- Less versatile camera system
- More niche software experience
Display Comparison
While both phones feature excellent displays, their priorities differ. The Galaxy S21 likely boasts a higher peak brightness and potentially more accurate color calibration, typical of Samsung's panels. However, the ROG Phone 5s prioritizes refresh rate and responsiveness for gaming, potentially offering a 144Hz panel (based on ROG Phone series history) compared to the S21's 120Hz. The S21's smaller size (assumed, based on S21 series) results in a higher pixel density, while the ROG Phone 5s' larger screen is geared towards immersion. Bezels are likely comparable, but the ROG Phone 5s' design may prioritize a more functional, less aesthetically refined look.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S21 is expected to offer a more versatile and refined camera experience. While the ROG Phone 5s likely has a capable camera, Asus prioritizes gaming features over camera innovation. The S21's image processing is known for its vibrant colors and strong dynamic range. Sensor size and aperture details are missing, but the S21 likely features a larger main sensor and wider aperture for better low-light performance. The ROG Phone 5s may include specialized camera modes for streaming, but overall image quality will likely fall behind the S21. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on either device is largely a marketing gimmick and offers minimal practical benefit.
Performance
The Asus ROG Phone 5s holds a significant advantage in raw performance thanks to the Snapdragon 888+ 5G chipset, a refined version of the Snapdragon 888 found in some S21 variants. The 888+ features a slightly higher clock speed (2.99 GHz vs 2.84 GHz on the Snapdragon 888) and improved thermal management. The Exynos 2100 in the international S21 variant, while powerful, is known to be less efficient and prone to throttling under sustained load. Both phones utilize an octa-core CPU configuration with a Cortex-X1 prime core, but the ROG Phone 5s' superior chipset and cooling system will deliver consistently higher frame rates in demanding games. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the ROG Phone 5s likely has more (based on ROG Phone history), further boosting performance.
Battery Life
The ROG Phone 5s boasts a significant advantage in charging speed with its 65W wired charging, capable of reaching 70% in 30 minutes and 100% in 52 minutes. The S21's 25W charging is considerably slower. While the ROG Phone 5s' battery capacity is unknown, it's likely larger than the S21's to support extended gaming sessions. The ROG Phone 5s also offers 10W reverse wired charging, while the S21 provides 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The combination of faster charging and potentially larger capacity gives the ROG Phone 5s a clear edge in battery endurance, especially for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 if you need a compact, versatile flagship with a strong camera system and a more polished software experience for everyday use. Buy the Asus ROG Phone 5s if you prioritize uncompromising gaming performance, extended battery life during gaming, and features like AirTriggers for a competitive edge, even if it means sacrificing some camera versatility and a more mainstream design.