ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Deep Dive for Power Users
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For dedicated mobile gamers, the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro is the clear winner, offering superior cooling, a higher refresh rate display, and blazing-fast 120W charging. However, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G remains the more well-rounded choice for users who value camera quality, battery endurance, and a polished software experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s 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 - China | 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, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China | 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, September 06 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, September 27 | 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 9.5 mm (6.69 x 3.04 x 0.37 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 | 215 g (7.58 oz) | 227 g (Sub6), 229 g (mmWave) (8.01 oz) |
| Pressure sensitive zones (450Hz touch-sensing) Sliding trigger on the back Built-in cooling fan RGB Light | 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, 165Hz, 700 nits (typ) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 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 4.5 | 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 | 5.2, 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/6e, 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, heart rate | 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, 100% in 17 min (China) 66W wired, PD3.0, QC5, 100% in 65 min (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, Transparent, White | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | - | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 600 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 97h | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -21.4 LUFS (Excellent) | -25.5 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 758329 (v8), 870708 (v9) GeekBench: 14612 (v4.4), 3664 (v5.1) GFXBench: 62fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 657150 (v8) GeekBench: 3518 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro
- Blazing-fast 120W charging (China)
- Superior cooling system for sustained gaming
- High refresh rate display for smooth gameplay
- Lower battery endurance rating
- Camera likely inferior to S21 Ultra
- Gaming-focused design may not appeal to everyone
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Versatile and high-quality camera system
- Excellent battery life and endurance
- Premium build quality and design
- Slower charging speeds (25W)
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
- Exynos variant may offer slightly lower performance
Display Comparison
Both devices feature 'Infinite' contrast ratio displays, but their strengths diverge. The S21 Ultra boasts a measured peak brightness of 1023 nits, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors. While the Red Magic 6s Pro’s peak brightness isn’t specified, its focus is on a high refresh rate for smoother gaming. The S21 Ultra’s display is likely more color accurate and benefits from Samsung’s excellent display calibration. The Red Magic 6s Pro’s display is optimized for gaming responsiveness, potentially at the expense of color fidelity.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra dominates in camera capabilities. While the Red Magic 6s Pro’s camera specs aren’t provided, it’s unlikely to match the S21 Ultra’s sophisticated system. The S21 Ultra features a versatile multi-camera setup with advanced features like Space Zoom and 8K video recording. Its larger sensors and superior image processing algorithms deliver consistently high-quality photos and videos in various lighting conditions. The Red Magic 6s Pro likely prioritizes functionality over outright image quality, focusing on features useful for streaming or capturing gameplay.
Performance
The performance battle is nuanced. Both phones utilize the Snapdragon 888+ (in some S21 Ultra variants) or the Snapdragon 888, but the Red Magic 6s Pro’s cooling system is significantly more robust, featuring an active fan. This allows it to sustain peak performance for longer periods, mitigating thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. The S21 Ultra’s Exynos 2100 (International variant) or Snapdragon 888 (USA/China) is powerful, but may exhibit more throttling under sustained load. The Red Magic 6s Pro’s CPU, with its Cortex-X1 clocked at 3.0 GHz, offers a slight edge in single-core performance, while the S21 Ultra’s CPU clocks vary slightly depending on the region.
Battery Life
The S21 Ultra boasts an endurance rating of 114 hours, while the Red Magic 6s Pro achieves 97 hours. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. The Red Magic 6s Pro compensates with incredibly fast charging: 120W wired (in China) or 66W internationally, achieving a full charge in as little as 17 minutes. The S21 Ultra’s 25W charging is comparatively slow. The S21 Ultra’s larger battery capacity provides longer overall runtime, but the Red Magic 6s Pro’s rapid charging minimizes downtime.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s Pro if you prioritize maximum gaming performance, need the fastest possible charging speeds, and appreciate a dedicated gaming aesthetic. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you value a versatile camera system, all-day battery life, a premium build quality, and seamless integration with the Samsung ecosystem.