iQOO 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: A Deep Dive into Speed, Power, and Photography
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing charging speed and peak performance, the iQOO 8 Pro is the clear winner. Its 120W charging is unmatched, and the Snapdragon 888+ delivers excellent power. However, the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a more polished camera system and broader availability, making it the better choice for mainstream users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo iQOO 8 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 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 / HSPA / 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-G998B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 17 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 26 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 75.2 x 9.2 mm (6.50 x 2.96 x 0.36 in) | 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 | 205 g (7.23 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~518 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.78 inches, 111.0 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1500 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.99 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, OriginOS 1.0 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone 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 | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide) | - |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, gimbal OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 60mm (telephoto), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 0.8µm, AF | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide) | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with dual speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | Yes | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 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 | 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 | 120W wired, 100% in 18 min 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White (BMW M branding), Black, Pilot Edition | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | V2141A, I2017 | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 660 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) |
vivo iQOO 8 Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W wired charging
- Snapdragon 888+ offers superior performance
- 50W wireless charging is a significant advantage
- Limited availability compared to Samsung
- Camera system may not match the S21 Ultra's versatility
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Versatile and highly-rated camera system
- Wider availability and brand recognition
- Excellent display with high peak brightness
- Significantly slower 25W charging
- Exynos variant (international) may exhibit lower performance
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a measured peak brightness of 1023 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the iQOO 8 Pro’s display specs aren’t explicitly provided, it’s likely competitive, but the S21 Ultra’s contrast ratio, described as 'Infinite (nominal)', suggests superior black levels. The S21 Ultra’s adaptive refresh rate (LTPO) likely contributes to better power efficiency, though the iQOO 8 Pro’s display quality is still expected to be high-end.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera system is a significant strength, offering a versatile array of lenses and advanced image processing. While specific sensor details are missing for the iQOO 8 Pro, the S21 Ultra’s focus on photo and video quality, combined with its established reputation, gives it an edge. The S21 Ultra’s larger main sensor (likely) and sophisticated software algorithms will deliver more consistent results across various lighting conditions. The iQOO 8 Pro may excel in specific scenarios, but the S21 Ultra offers a more well-rounded photographic experience.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 series, but the iQOO 8 Pro steps up to the Snapdragon 888+ 5G (5nm). This variant features a slightly higher peak CPU clock speed (2.99 GHz Cortex-X1 vs 2.9 GHz on the standard 888) and improved thermal management. The S21 Ultra’s performance varies; USA/China models receive the Snapdragon 888 5G, while international versions use the Exynos 2100 (5nm). The Exynos 2100, while capable, has historically shown slightly lower sustained performance and thermal efficiency compared to the Snapdragon variants. Both devices feature 12GB of RAM, but the iQOO 8 Pro likely benefits from optimized software for its chipset.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S21 Ultra has an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the iQOO 8 Pro’s 120W wired charging is a game-changer, achieving a full charge in just 18 minutes. The S21 Ultra’s 25W charging, while supporting PD3.0, is significantly slower. The iQOO 8 Pro also offers 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging, vastly exceeding the S21 Ultra’s 15W wireless (Qi) and 4.5W reverse wireless capabilities. The iQOO 8 Pro prioritizes minimizing downtime, while the S21 Ultra focuses on maximizing overall battery longevity.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo iQOO 8 Pro if you are a power user who frequently runs out of battery and values the fastest possible charging speeds, alongside top-tier gaming performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you prioritize a versatile camera system, a more established brand ecosystem, and wider availability, even if it means sacrificing the absolute fastest charging.