ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s 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 is the clear winner, offering a more potent gaming experience thanks to its Snapdragon 888+ and optimized cooling. However, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G remains the superior choice for users who value camera versatility, a polished software experience, and broader everyday functionality.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s | 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 | 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-G998U1 |
| 5G bands | 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, 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 | 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, 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 | 30W wired, PD3.0, QC5 | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Transparent | 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 500 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 6s
- Superior gaming performance with Snapdragon 888+
- Active cooling system prevents thermal throttling
- Faster 30W wired charging
- Potentially lower price point
- Less versatile camera system
- Less refined software experience
- Limited wireless charging capabilities
- Display specs less detailed
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Exceptional camera system with versatile lenses
- Bright and vibrant display with high contrast
- Feature-rich software experience
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
- Slower 25W wired charging
- Higher price point
- Exynos variant may offer slightly lower performance
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a brighter display, peaking at 1023 nits, compared to the Red Magic 6s (brightness data unavailable). While the Red Magic 6s likely prioritizes refresh rate for gaming, the S21 Ultra’s panel offers superior visibility in direct sunlight. The S21 Ultra’s 'Infinite' contrast ratio suggests a superior OLED panel, while the Red Magic 6s’s display specs are less detailed, indicating a focus on responsiveness rather than absolute visual fidelity. The S21 Ultra’s likely use of LTPO technology allows for variable refresh rates, improving battery efficiency.
Camera Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra excels in camera versatility, offering a multi-lens system with advanced features like Space Zoom and 8K video recording. While the Red Magic 6s includes a camera, its specifications are less detailed, suggesting a secondary focus compared to the S21 Ultra’s photographic capabilities. The S21 Ultra’s larger sensor size (details unavailable) and wider apertures likely result in better low-light performance and dynamic range. The S21 Ultra’s image processing algorithms are renowned for their vibrant colors and detail, while the Red Magic 6s likely prioritizes speed and efficiency over image quality.
Performance
Both devices utilize the Snapdragon 888 series, but the Red Magic 6s features the Snapdragon 888+ 5G, offering a slight clock speed advantage (3.0 GHz vs. up to 2.9 GHz on the S21 Ultra’s Snapdragon variant). The S21 Ultra’s Exynos 2100 variant (for international markets) has a slightly lower peak CPU clock speed (2.9 GHz) than the Snapdragon 888+, potentially impacting sustained performance. The Red Magic 6s’s active cooling system is a significant differentiator, allowing it to maintain peak performance for longer durations during demanding gaming sessions, mitigating the thermal throttling that can affect the S21 Ultra. Both phones feature 12GB of RAM in certain configurations, but the Red Magic 6s’s focus on gaming suggests optimized memory management for faster app switching and loading times in games.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 114 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite differing capacities (data unavailable for Red Magic 6s). However, the Red Magic 6s’s 30W wired charging is slightly faster than the S21 Ultra’s 25W wired charging, allowing for quicker top-ups. The S21 Ultra offers the convenience of 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Red Magic 6s. The S21 Ultra’s more efficient display technology (potentially LTPO) could contribute to longer real-world battery life despite the similar endurance rating.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia Red Magic 6s if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, need active cooling, and are willing to compromise on camera quality and software refinement. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you demand a top-tier camera system, a vibrant display, a feature-rich software experience, and don't mind paying a premium for a more well-rounded flagship.