iQOO 8 vs Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing charging speed and raw performance, the iQOO 8 is the clear winner. Its 120W charging dramatically reduces downtime. However, the Galaxy S21+ 5G offers a more refined software experience and potentially better long-term support, making it ideal for those valuing ecosystem integration.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo iQOO 8 | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 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 | 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, 5, 8, 3, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 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 / 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-G996B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 17 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 24 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159 x 75.1 x 8.6 mm (6.26 x 2.96 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 | 200 g (7.05 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 2376 pixels (~398 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.56 inches, 104.6 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10 | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 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 | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | - |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 50mm (telephoto), PDAF 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide) | 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@30fps | 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/2.5, (wide) | 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, 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 | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | 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/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 | 120W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4350 mAh | Li-Ion 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | White, Orange, Black | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | V2136A | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | About 500 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) |
vivo iQOO 8
- Blazing-fast 120W charging
- Potentially optimized thermal management for gaming
- Snapdragon 888 offers strong performance
- Camera specs are unknown
- Software support may be less extensive than Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Refined software experience with One UI
- Excellent display quality with high brightness
- Versatile camera system with strong image processing
- Slower 25W charging
- Exynos variant may exhibit more thermal throttling
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ boasts a measured peak brightness of 883 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the iQOO 8’s display specs aren’t provided, it’s likely comparable. Both devices feature an 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal) typical of AMOLED panels. The S21+'s display is known for its color accuracy, and the absence of LTPO technology means it doesn't dynamically adjust refresh rates for power saving like some newer panels. The iQOO 8’s display quality is a potential unknown, but given vivo’s focus on multimedia, it’s likely a strong performer.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific details. The iQOO 8’s camera system is not detailed, making a direct comparison difficult. The S21+ is known for its versatile camera system, including a capable main sensor and strong image processing. The absence of sensor size information for the iQOO 8 makes it hard to assess its low-light performance. It’s safe to assume the S21+ benefits from Samsung’s extensive camera software expertise.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) in some regions (USA/China), but the international S21+ uses the Exynos 2100 (5nm). While both are powerful, the Snapdragon 888 generally exhibits slightly better sustained performance and thermal management. The S21+’s CPU clocks slightly higher at 2.9 GHz (vs 2.84 GHz on the iQOO 8’s Cortex-X1), but this difference is unlikely to be noticeable in everyday use. The iQOO 8’s focus on gaming suggests optimized thermal solutions to maintain peak performance during extended sessions. RAM speed (LPDDR5x) is not specified for either device, but is a critical factor in overall responsiveness.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S21+ achieves an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. The iQOO 8’s battery capacity is not specified, but its standout feature is 120W wired charging. This allows for incredibly fast charging times – a full charge from 0-100% is significantly faster than the S21+'s 25W charging (and even its 15W wireless charging). While the S21+ offers reverse wireless charging (4.5W), the iQOO 8’s charging speed is its primary advantage, mitigating any potential battery capacity disadvantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo iQOO 8 if you need the absolute fastest charging available and prioritize gaming performance. Its Snapdragon 888 and 120W charging are unmatched in this price bracket. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G if you prefer a more balanced experience with a well-established brand, a refined software experience, and a potentially wider range of accessories and support options.