vivo X60 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G: Which Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-day battery life and a more refined software experience, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G is the better choice. Its significantly higher endurance rating (114h vs 91h) and faster charging capabilities offset the X60 Pro’s strengths in camera processing.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo X60 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 - International | 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, 3, 7, 28, 40, 41, 78 SA/NSA - International | 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, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G996B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 22 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, April 02 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Schott Xensation Up), glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 73.2 x 7.6 mm (6.24 x 2.88 x 0.30 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 | 179 g (6.31 oz) | 200 g (Sub6), 202 g (mmWave) (7.05 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Schott Xensation Up | 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 (~90.1% 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 (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585) | 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 SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, Funtouch 11.1 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, color spectrum sensor, Pixel Shift, LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.5, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, gimbal OIS 13 MP, f/2.5, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Triple | - | 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@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 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 | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC | 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, 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, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Virtual proximity sensing | 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 | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4200 mAh | Li-Ion 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Midnight Black, Shimmer Blue | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | V2046 | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | About 570 EUR | $ 162.99 / £ 185.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | 0.53 W/kg (head) 0.81 W/kg (body) | 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 91h | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.6 LUFS (Good) | -25.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 734811 (v8) GeekBench: 3749 (v5.1) GFXBench: 62fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 622276 (v8) GeekBench: 3476 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo X60 Pro
- Zeiss-tuned camera for natural image processing
- Snapdragon 870 offers strong sustained performance
- 33W fast wired charging
- Lower battery endurance (91h)
- Software experience may be less refined than Samsung’s
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Superior battery life (114h endurance)
- Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888 offers top-tier performance
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Samsung’s image processing can be overly saturated for some
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load (Exynos variant)
Display Comparison
Both the vivo X60 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G boast 'Infinite' contrast ratios, typical of OLED panels. However, the S21+ marginally edges out the X60 Pro with a measured peak brightness of 883 nits compared to the X60 Pro’s 818 nits. This difference, while not massive, translates to slightly better visibility under direct sunlight. Both devices likely employ PWM dimming for low-brightness control, but specific frequencies weren't provided, making it difficult to assess potential flicker-related issues for sensitive users. The S21+’s 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, while not explicitly stated for the X60 Pro, is a common feature in this class, offering smoother scrolling and animations.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are equipped with versatile camera systems, but their approaches differ. While both offer photo and video capabilities, detailed sensor information is lacking. The X60 Pro is known for its partnership with Zeiss, emphasizing natural color science and image processing. The S21+ leans towards Samsung’s signature vibrant and saturated look. Without specific sensor size details, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but the X60 Pro’s Zeiss tuning often appeals to photographers seeking a more realistic aesthetic. The inclusion of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on both devices is crucial for stable video recording and low-light photography.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipset: the vivo X60 Pro utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G (7nm), while the Galaxy S21+ 5G ships with either the Exynos 2100 (5nm) or Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) depending on the region. The Exynos 2100 and Snapdragon 888, built on a smaller 5nm process, theoretically offer better power efficiency and thermal performance than the 7nm Snapdragon 870. The S21+'s Cortex-X1 prime core provides a performance boost in single-threaded tasks, while the X60 Pro’s Kryo 585 architecture focuses on sustained performance. Real-world performance differences will be application-dependent, but the S21+ generally holds an advantage in demanding tasks. The S21+’s RAM configuration (likely LPDDR5) is also a factor, contributing to faster app loading and multitasking.
Battery Life
This is where the S21+ truly shines. Its endurance rating of 114 hours significantly surpasses the X60 Pro’s 91 hours. While the X60 Pro offers 33W wired charging, the S21+ supports 25W wired charging with PD3.0, 15W wireless charging (Qi), and even 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The S21+'s larger battery capacity (not specified in the data, but typically around 4800mAh) combined with the more efficient 5nm chipset contributes to its superior battery life. The X60 Pro’s faster wired charging can mitigate some of the battery life difference, but the S21+ offers a more consistently reliable all-day experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo X60 Pro if you prioritize a unique camera experience with a focus on natural color reproduction and are comfortable with a potentially less polished software experience. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G if you value all-day battery life, a more mature and feature-rich software ecosystem, and broader compatibility with accessories and services.