ZTE Axon 30 Pro 5G vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a stunning display and established brand reputation, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G remains a strong choice. However, the ZTE Axon 30 Pro 5G delivers nearly identical performance with the Snapdragon 888 and faster 55W charging, making it the superior value proposition for budget-conscious buyers.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE Axon 30 Pro 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 4, 12, 17, 20, 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, 28, 41, 78 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 / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA 800 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G998B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, April 15 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, April 26 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.6 x 75.3 x 7.9 mm (6.44 x 2.96 x 0.31 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 | 186 g (6.56 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 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 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, MyOS 11 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB 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 flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 64 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | 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, (wide) | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, (wide) | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, 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, 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 | 55W wired, QC4 | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Pink | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | A2022 | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 400 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) |
ZTE Axon 30 Pro 5G
- Faster 55W charging significantly reduces charge times.
- Generally more affordable price point.
- Snapdragon 888 offers consistent performance.
- Display likely inferior to the S21 Ultra in brightness and color accuracy.
- Camera system likely less refined than Samsung’s.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Brighter, more vibrant display with excellent color accuracy.
- More polished camera experience with advanced features.
- Established brand reputation and ecosystem benefits.
- Significantly higher price.
- Exynos variant may experience thermal throttling.
- Slower 25W wired charging.
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a superior display, reaching a measured peak brightness of 1023 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Axon 30 Pro’s display specs aren’t detailed, Samsung’s panel technology and contrast ratio (Infinite nominal) provide a more vibrant and immersive viewing experience. The S21 Ultra’s adaptive refresh rate, likely utilizing LTPO technology (though not explicitly stated), further enhances smoothness and power efficiency, a feature not confirmed on the Axon 30 Pro.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are equipped for excellent photo and video capture, but the S21 Ultra likely holds an edge due to Samsung’s established image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes (specs not provided). The S21 Ultra’s camera system benefits from advanced features like Space Zoom and Single Take, enhancing versatility. While the Axon 30 Pro’s camera specs are not detailed, the inclusion of a 2MP macro camera suggests a focus on versatility at the expense of overall image quality; such sensors are often underwhelming. The S21 Ultra’s OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is likely more sophisticated, resulting in sharper images and smoother video, particularly in low-light conditions.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) in certain regions (USA/China), but the international S21 Ultra variant features the Exynos 2100 (5nm). While both chipsets are comparable, the Exynos 2100 has historically shown a slight tendency towards thermal throttling under sustained load, potentially impacting long gaming sessions. The Axon 30 Pro, consistently equipped with the Snapdragon 888, benefits from Qualcomm’s optimized thermal management. Both devices feature an octa-core CPU configuration with 1x Cortex-X1 prime core, 3x Cortex-A78 performance cores, and 4x Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, but the S21 Ultra’s international variant has slightly higher clock speeds on the A78 and A55 cores (2.80 GHz vs 2.42 GHz and 2.2 GHz vs 1.80 GHz respectively).
Battery Life
The Galaxy S21 Ultra achieves an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the Axon 30 Pro compensates with significantly faster 55W wired charging (QC4 compatible) compared to the S21 Ultra’s 25W wired (PD3.0) charging. This translates to a much quicker 0-100% charge time for the Axon 30 Pro. The S21 Ultra also offers 15W wireless charging (Qi) and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features not explicitly mentioned for the Axon 30 Pro.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE Axon 30 Pro 5G if you need a powerful Snapdragon 888-powered phone without breaking the bank, and prioritize fast charging speeds. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you prefer a brighter, more color-accurate display, a more refined camera experience, and the ecosystem benefits of the Samsung brand, and are willing to pay a premium.