Tecno Phantom X vs Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G: A Detailed Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a brighter, more color-accurate display and a smoother overall experience, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G remains the superior choice. However, the Tecno Phantom X offers a competitive battery life and acceptable performance for everyday tasks, making it a strong contender for budget-conscious buyers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Tecno Phantom X | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 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 | - | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G996U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | 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, June 24 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, July 06 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back (Gorilla Glass 5) | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.5 x 73.8 x 8.7 mm (6.44 x 2.91 x 0.34 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 | 201 g (7.09 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 Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~91.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 90Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 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 MT6785V/CD Helio G95 (12 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, HIOS 7.6 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 48 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm 8 MP, f/2.2, 105˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | - |
| Features | Laser AF, Quad-LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.3", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF 13 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.3, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm, 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@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 48 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm 8 MP, f/2.2, 105˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash | HDR |
| Single | - | 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 | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | 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 b/g/n/ac, 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 | 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 | 33W wired, 70% in 30 min | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4700 mAh | Li-Ion 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Starry Night Blue, Monet Summer | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | AC8 | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | About 470 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 122h | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.7 LUFS (Good) | -25.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 309055 (v8) GeekBench: 1670 (v5.1) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 622276 (v8) GeekBench: 3476 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Tecno Phantom X
- Competitive battery endurance (122h)
- Faster charging speed (33W)
- More affordable price point
- Less powerful processor (Helio G95)
- Dimmer display (405 nits)
- Lacks wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Brighter, more vibrant display (883 nits)
- Significantly faster processor (Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888)
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slightly lower battery endurance (114h)
- Higher price
- Slower wired charging than Phantom X
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 883 nits compared to the Tecno Phantom X’s 405 nits. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both phones feature an 'Infinite' contrast ratio (typical for AMOLED panels), the S21+'s higher peak brightness and likely superior color calibration (though not specified in the data) provide a more vibrant and accurate visual experience. The Phantom X's contrast ratio is nominal, suggesting it may not achieve the same deep blacks as the S21+.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but the context data lacks specifics to make a definitive judgment. However, given Samsung’s established camera expertise and the S21+'s likely superior image signal processor (ISP), it’s reasonable to expect better image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The absence of sensor size information makes a direct comparison difficult, but Samsung typically employs larger sensors in its flagship devices. The Phantom X’s camera performance will likely be adequate for social media sharing, but the S21+ is expected to deliver more detailed and dynamic images.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Galaxy S21+ 5G, depending on the region, utilizes either the Exynos 2100 (5nm) or the Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm). Both are built on a more advanced 5nm process compared to the Tecno Phantom X’s 12nm Mediatek Helio G95. This process node advantage means the S21+ chips are more power-efficient and capable of sustaining higher performance for longer periods. The S21+'s CPU configuration, featuring a Cortex-X1 prime core, provides a substantial performance uplift over the Phantom X’s Cortex-A76 cores, particularly in single-core tasks. While the Phantom X’s octa-core setup is adequate for daily use, the S21+ excels in demanding applications like gaming and video editing.
Battery Life
The endurance ratings are surprisingly close, with the Tecno Phantom X at 122 hours and the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G at 114 hours. This suggests that despite a potentially less efficient chipset, the Phantom X’s battery optimization and lower power draw from its display contribute to comparable battery life. However, the S21+ offers faster charging at 25W (with PD3.0 support) compared to the Phantom X’s 33W, and adds the convenience of 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging – features absent on the Phantom X. The Phantom X claims 70% charge in 30 minutes, while the S21+’s 25W charging will likely achieve a similar result, though potentially with less overall efficiency.
Buying Guide
Buy the Tecno Phantom X if you need a large-screen phone with decent battery life and are willing to compromise on peak performance and display quality to stay within a tight budget. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G if you prioritize a premium display, faster processing speeds for demanding applications, and a more refined camera experience, and are willing to pay a premium for it.