ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Deep Dive
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 Pro is the clear winner, offering superior cooling, faster charging, and gaming-centric features. However, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G remains the better all-around device for users who value camera quality, a polished software experience, and broader functionality.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | 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, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 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, 38, 41, 78 SA/NSA | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G998U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G998B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 04 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 11 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 169.9 x 77.2 x 9.7 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.38 in) | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.5 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 220 g (7.76 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (400Hz touch-sensing) Built-in cooling fan | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus support | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~387 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 111.6 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, 630 nits (typ) | 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, Redmagic 4.0 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB 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 | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 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 | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | - |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP, (macro) | - |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0, OTG, accessory connector | 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 | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 50% in 5 min (China) 66W wired, PD3.0, QC5 (International) | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable - International modelLi-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable - China model | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Moon Silver | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | NX669J-P | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 960 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 nubia Red Magic 6 Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W charging (China)
- Active cooling system for sustained performance
- Dedicated gaming features (shoulder triggers, game space)
- Camera quality is not a priority
- Software experience may be less polished than Samsung’s
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Exceptional camera system with versatile lenses
- Bright and color-accurate display
- Refined software experience with long-term support
- Slower charging speeds (25W)
- Can experience thermal throttling under heavy load
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a brighter display, peaking at 1023 nits measured, compared to the Red Magic 6 Pro’s unspecified peak brightness. While the Red Magic 6 Pro likely has a high brightness, the S21 Ultra’s panel offers superior visibility in direct sunlight. Both utilize 5nm chipsets, but the S21 Ultra’s display technology is more advanced, offering a variable refresh rate (likely LTPO) for improved efficiency. The S21 Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a superior OLED panel, while the Red Magic 6 Pro prioritizes a high refresh rate for smoother gaming visuals.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra dominates in camera versatility. While both phones offer capable cameras, the S21 Ultra’s sensor array and image processing are significantly more advanced. The S21 Ultra’s larger main sensor (spec not provided, but typically larger than Red Magic’s) and sophisticated image stabilization (OIS) deliver superior image quality, especially in low-light conditions. The Red Magic 6 Pro’s camera is likely geared towards acceptable social media sharing, but lacks the professional-grade features and image quality of the S21 Ultra. The S21 Ultra’s video capabilities are also far more robust, offering 8K recording and advanced stabilization.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset in some regions (USA/China for both), but the S21 Ultra also offers an Exynos 2100 variant internationally. The S21 Ultra’s CPU clocks slightly higher (2.9 GHz vs 2.84 GHz on the Red Magic 6 Pro’s Cortex-X1), but the difference is unlikely to be noticeable in most real-world scenarios. The Red Magic 6 Pro’s active cooling system – a key differentiator – allows it to sustain peak performance for longer periods, mitigating thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. Both devices feature ample RAM (12GB in comparable configurations), but the Red Magic 6 Pro’s focus on gaming suggests optimizations for lower latency and faster asset loading.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has an endurance rating of 114 hours, indicating solid battery life. However, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 Pro’s 120W wired charging (66W internationally) is a game-changer. It can reportedly charge from 0-50% in just 5 minutes (China version), significantly reducing downtime. While the S21 Ultra offers 25W wired and 15W wireless charging, it can’t compete with the Red Magic 6 Pro’s charging speed. The Red Magic 6 Pro’s larger battery capacity (spec not provided, but likely larger than the S21 Ultra to support the power draw) combined with its fast charging makes it ideal for users who need to quickly top up their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6 Pro if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, need the fastest possible charging speeds, and appreciate features like shoulder triggers. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you value a top-tier camera system, a vibrant and color-accurate display, and a more refined, feature-rich software experience with broader ecosystem integration.