vivo S21 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G: A Deep Dive into Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the vivo S21 Pro emerges as the stronger contender. Its significantly faster 90W charging and the more modern, efficient Dimensity 9300+ chipset provide a noticeable advantage in daily use and longevity, despite the S21+'s established brand recognition.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo S21 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 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 | 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 / CDMA / 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 | Not announced yet | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | - | 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 (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 | 1260 x 2800 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.25 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A720) | 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 Dimensity 9300+ (4 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Immortalis-G720 MC12 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 15, OriginOS 5 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | Up to 512GB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Ring-LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 50 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) | 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, gyro-EIS, OIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | 50 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), AF | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | 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 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, 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 | 90W wired, PD Reverse wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Si/C Li-Ion 5500 mAh | Li-Ion 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray; other colors | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | - | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | - | $ 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 S21 Pro
- Significantly faster 90W charging
- More powerful and efficient Dimensity 9300+ chipset
- Potentially better thermal management
- Brand recognition is lower than Samsung
- Display specifications are less detailed
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Established brand reputation
- High-quality AMOLED display with good brightness
- Refined software experience
- Slower 25W charging
- Older Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Potential for throttling under heavy load
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G boasts a peak brightness of 883 nits, a respectable figure, but the vivo S21 Pro’s display specifications are not provided. Given vivo’s recent offerings, it’s likely comparable. However, the S21+’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a high-quality AMOLED panel. The absence of LTPO technology in the S21+ means the refresh rate is likely fixed, while the S21 Pro’s display tech is unknown. The S21+'s display is well-regarded for its color accuracy, but without detailed specs for the S21 Pro, a definitive judgment is difficult.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. The S21+’s camera is known for its versatile photo and video capabilities. However, without knowing the sensor sizes and apertures of the vivo S21 Pro, a direct comparison is challenging. The S21+'s image processing leans towards vibrant colors, while vivo typically aims for a more natural look. The presence of OIS on both devices is expected, but the effectiveness will depend on the specific implementation. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on the S21+ is largely a marketing gimmick and offers limited practical benefit.
Performance
The vivo S21 Pro’s Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ (4nm) represents a significant leap over the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G’s Exynos 2100 (5nm) or Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The Dimensity 9300+ features a unique core configuration – 1x3.25 GHz Cortex-X4, 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-X4, and 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A720 – offering a blend of peak performance and efficiency. The S21+'s CPU, with its Cortex-X1 and A78 cores, is older architecture. The 4nm process of the Dimensity 9300+ provides better thermal efficiency than the 5nm Exynos/Snapdragon, potentially leading to less throttling during sustained workloads. This translates to smoother gaming and faster app loading times for the vivo S21 Pro.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G has an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating decent battery life. However, the vivo S21 Pro’s 90W wired charging is a game-changer. While the S21+ tops out at 25W, the S21 Pro can fully charge its battery in a fraction of the time. The S21+ also supports 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, while the S21 Pro offers reverse *wired* charging, a potentially faster option. The faster charging speed of the S21 Pro effectively mitigates any potential battery capacity differences.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo S21 Pro if you prioritize charging speed, future-proof performance, and a modern chipset architecture. It’s ideal for power users and gamers who demand responsiveness. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G if you prefer a more established brand with a proven track record, and value a slightly more refined software experience, accepting compromises in charging and processing power.