Choosing a new smartphone can be overwhelming, especially with such a vast range of options. Today, we're pitting a budget-friendly contender, the ZTE Blade A31 Lite, against a powerhouse flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. This comparison will help you understand which phone best suits your needs and budget.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is the clear winner, offering vastly superior performance, camera capabilities, and display quality. However, the ZTE Blade A31 Lite provides a surprisingly capable experience for a fraction of the price, making it a solid choice for budget-conscious users.
| 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 | 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-G991U1 |
| 5G bands | - | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G991U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G991B |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2021, June | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 137.3 x 67.5 x 10.5 mm (5.41 x 2.66 x 0.41 in) | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 143 g (5.04 oz) | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) (5.96 oz) |
| | - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 480 x 960 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~215 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.0 inches, 64.5 cm2 (~69.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT LCD | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| | - | Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.4 GHz | 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 | Unisoc SC9832E (28 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-T820 MP1 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11 (Go edition) | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | No |
| Internal | 32GB 1GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 5 MP | - |
| 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 | 720p@30fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 2 MP | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | - | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 32-bit/384kHz audio
Tuned by AKG |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | Unspecified | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer | 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) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 25W wired, PD3.0
15W wireless (Qi)
4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 2000 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Gray, Blue | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink |
| Models | - | SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS, SM-G991U, SM-G991U1, SM-G991W, SM-G991N, SM-G9910, SM-G991Q, SCG09 |
| Price | About 80 EUR | € 194.00 / $ 153.58 / £ 149.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.74 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.46 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing |
|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 249.00 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 289.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 317.00 |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 93h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-26.4 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 584055 (v8)
GeekBench: 3238 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE Blade A31 Lite
- Affordable
- Decent battery life for light use
- Lightweight design
- Expandable storage (likely via microSD)
- Weak performance
- Basic display
- Mediocre camera
- Outdated chipset
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
- Exceptional performance
- Stunning display
- Excellent camera system
- Fast charging
- Premium design
- Expensive
- Battery life could be better for heavy users
- No microSD card slot
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G boasts a stunning Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 856 nits, offering vibrant colors and smooth scrolling. The ZTE Blade A31 Lite features a more basic LCD display, likely with lower resolution and brightness, resulting in a less immersive viewing experience. Contrast ratio is significantly better on the S21.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G's camera system is a standout feature, offering exceptional image quality, versatile shooting modes, and impressive video recording capabilities. The ZTE Blade A31 Lite's camera is adequate for basic snapshots but lacks the detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance of the S21.
Performance
The Galaxy S21 5G's Exynos 2100 (or Snapdragon 888) chipset and ample RAM (8GB) deliver blazing-fast performance, effortlessly handling demanding games and multitasking. The ZTE Blade A31 Lite's Unisoc SC9832E chipset and quad-core CPU struggle with more intensive tasks, resulting in noticeable lag and slower app loading times.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S21 5G offers excellent battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 93 hours. While the ZTE Blade A31 Lite's battery capacity is likely smaller, it may still provide a decent amount of usage for light users. The S21 also supports faster charging (25W wired, 15W wireless) and reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
The ZTE Blade A31 Lite is ideal for users on a tight budget who prioritize basic functionality like calls, texts, and light social media use. The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is perfect for power users, photographers, and anyone who demands top-tier performance and features.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the ZTE Blade A31 Lite good for gaming?
No, the ZTE Blade A31 Lite's chipset is not powerful enough for demanding games. It can handle basic games, but expect lag and low frame rates.
❓ Does the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G have expandable storage?
No, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G does not have a microSD card slot. You'll need to rely on the internal storage (128GB or 256GB).
