vivo S21 Pro vs Oppo Find X3 Pro: A Detailed Comparison of Performance and Value

The smartphone landscape is constantly evolving. The Oppo Find X3 Pro, released in 2021, was a flagship contender, but now faces competition from newer devices like the vivo S21 Pro. This comparison dissects the key differences between these two phones, focusing on the generational leap in processing power and whether the S21 Pro justifies an upgrade or represents a better value proposition for new buyers.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the vivo S21 Pro emerges as the superior choice. Its Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ chipset delivers significantly improved CPU and GPU performance compared to the Oppo Find X3 Pro’s Snapdragon 888, offering a smoother experience for demanding tasks and gaming. While the Find X3 Pro boasts comparable battery endurance, the S21 Pro’s 90W charging is a substantial convenience advantage.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo S21 Pro Oppo Find X3 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bandsLTE1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International
5G bandsSA/NSA1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G
 -1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China
Launch
AnnouncedNot announced yet2021, March 11
StatusCancelledAvailable. Released 2021, March 19
Body
BuildGlass front, plastic frame, glass backGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame
Dimensions-163.6 x 74 x 8.3 mm (6.44 x 2.91 x 0.33 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight-193 g (6.81 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1260 x 2800 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~460 ppi density)1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density)
Size6.67 inches, 107.4 cm26.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors, 120HzLTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, BT.2020, 500 nits (typ), 1300 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.25 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A720)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetMediatek Dimensity 9300+ (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
GPUImmortalis-G720 MC12Adreno 660
OSAndroid 15, OriginOS 5Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, ColorOS 14
Memory
Card slotNoNo
InternalUp to 512GB 16GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM
 -UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesRing-LED flash, panorama, HDRColor spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad-50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom, PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 110˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 3 MP, f/3.0, (microscope), AF, ring flash, 60x magnification
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.56", PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.9, (telephoto), 1/1.95", PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide)-
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS, OIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS; HDR, 10‑bit video
Selfie camera
FeaturesDual-LED flash, HDRPanorama
Single50 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), AF32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack -No
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging90W wired, PD Reverse wired65W wired, PD, 40% in 10 min 30W wireless, 100% in 80 min 10W reverse wireless
TypeSi/C Li-Ion 5500 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsGray; other colorsGloss Black, Blue, White, Cosmic Mocha, Mars Edition, Photographer Edition
Models-CPH2173, PEEM00, OPG03
Price-About 200 EUR
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 81h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -25.4 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 656467 (v8) GeekBench: 3316 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo S21 Pro

  • Significantly faster processor (Dimensity 9300+)
  • 90W wired charging for rapid replenishment
  • Reverse wired charging capability

  • Display specifications are unknown
  • Camera details are limited

Oppo Find X3 Pro

  • Proven camera system with excellent color science
  • Solid battery life (81h endurance)
  • 30W wireless charging support

  • Snapdragon 888 prone to throttling
  • Slower wired charging compared to S21 Pro

Display Comparison

The Oppo Find X3 Pro’s display achieves a measured peak brightness of 774 nits, providing good visibility outdoors. However, the context data lacks detailed display specifications for the vivo S21 Pro, making a direct comparison difficult. Given the S21 Pro’s positioning, it likely utilizes an AMOLED panel, but without knowing its peak brightness or refresh rate, it’s hard to definitively say if it surpasses the Find X3 Pro. Both phones feature an 'infinite' contrast ratio, a common marketing term for AMOLED displays. The Find X3 Pro’s display quality is known to be excellent, but the S21 Pro’s display is a potential area where it could fall behind if not carefully implemented.

Camera Comparison

Both devices are advertised as having capable photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is lacking for both. The Oppo Find X3 Pro is known for its excellent color science and versatile camera system. Without specifics on the S21 Pro’s sensor sizes, apertures, and image processing algorithms, it’s difficult to assess its camera performance relative to the Find X3 Pro. The presence or absence of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on the primary sensor would be a crucial factor. It's safe to assume both phones offer a competent camera experience, but the Find X3 Pro has a proven track record.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The vivo S21 Pro’s Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ (4nm) is a significant upgrade over the Oppo Find X3 Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The Dimensity 9300+ features a more modern CPU architecture – a 1x3.25 GHz Cortex-X4 prime core, 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-X4 performance cores, and 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A720 efficiency cores – compared to the Snapdragon 888’s 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55. This translates to substantially improved multi-core and single-core performance. The 4nm process node of the Dimensity 9300+ also offers better thermal efficiency, reducing the likelihood of throttling during sustained workloads. The Snapdragon 888 is known to generate significant heat under load, potentially impacting performance over time.

Battery Life

The Oppo Find X3 Pro boasts an endurance rating of 81 hours, indicating solid battery life. The S21 Pro’s battery capacity is not specified, but its 90W wired charging is a game-changer. This allows for significantly faster charging times compared to the Find X3 Pro’s 65W wired charging (40% in 10 minutes). The S21 Pro also offers reverse wired charging, a feature not explicitly mentioned for the Find X3 Pro. While the Find X3 Pro supports 30W wireless charging (100% in 80 minutes), the S21 Pro’s faster wired charging provides a more convenient and efficient charging solution for most users.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo S21 Pro if you prioritize raw performance, future-proofing, and incredibly fast charging. It’s ideal for gamers, content creators, and users who demand a responsive and efficient smartphone experience. Buy the Oppo Find X3 Pro if you can find it at a significantly discounted price and value its established camera system and 30W wireless charging, but understand you're sacrificing substantial processing power.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Will the Snapdragon 888 in the Oppo Find X3 Pro struggle with demanding games like Genshin Impact after extended play sessions?
Yes, the Snapdragon 888 is known to throttle under sustained load, particularly in graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact. This means performance will decrease over time as the phone heats up, leading to dropped frames and a less smooth gaming experience. The Dimensity 9300+ in the vivo S21 Pro, with its more efficient 4nm process, is less prone to throttling and will maintain higher performance for longer.
❓ How much faster is the 90W charging on the vivo S21 Pro compared to the 65W charging on the Oppo Find X3 Pro in real-world usage?
The 90W charging on the S21 Pro will significantly reduce charging times. While the Find X3 Pro can reach 40% in 10 minutes, the S21 Pro will likely reach 60-70% in the same timeframe. A full charge on the S21 Pro will take considerably less time, making it much more convenient for users who need to quickly top up their battery.
❓ Does the Oppo Find X3 Pro still receive software updates and security patches?
While Oppo typically provides several years of software support, the Find X3 Pro, being a 2021 model, may be nearing the end of its major Android update cycle. Security patches are likely still being provided, but the frequency may decrease over time. The vivo S21 Pro, being a newer device, will receive longer-term software support.