ZTE nubia RedMagic 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Deep Dive Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the better choice. Its superior display, versatile camera system, and longer battery life offer a more complete experience. However, gamers prioritizing raw performance and rapid charging will find the RedMagic 6 a compelling alternative.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 6 | 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, 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, 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 |
| - | 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 | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · 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) |
| - | 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 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| - | 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 |
| 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 | - | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 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 | 66W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 38 min | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5050 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Eclipse Black, Aurora | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | NX669J | SM-G998B, SM-G998B/DS, SM-G998U, SM-G998U1, SM-G998W, SM-G998N, SM-G9980 |
| Price | About 520 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 RedMagic 6
- Significantly faster charging (66W)
- Active cooling system for sustained gaming performance
- Potentially lower price point
- Lower display brightness and color accuracy
- Inferior battery life
- Less versatile camera system
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Superior display quality (brightness, color accuracy)
- Longer battery life
- More versatile and advanced camera system
- Slower charging speed (25W)
- Potential for thermal throttling under heavy load
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display at 1023 nits measured, compared to the RedMagic 6’s 444 nits. This translates to vastly improved visibility outdoors. While both feature high refresh rates, the S21 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel offers superior color accuracy and contrast (infinite nominal ratio). The RedMagic 6 prioritizes refresh rate for gaming, but sacrifices peak brightness and color fidelity. The S21 Ultra’s adaptive refresh rate, likely utilizing LTPO technology (though not explicitly stated in the data), further optimizes battery life.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but the S21 Ultra is expected to offer a far more comprehensive camera system. While specific sensor details are missing, Samsung’s history suggests a multi-lens setup with a large primary sensor, advanced image processing, and features like Space Zoom. The RedMagic 6 likely prioritizes functionality over outright image quality, potentially offering a simpler camera experience geared towards quick snapshots and social media sharing. The absence of detailed camera specs for the RedMagic 6 suggests it’s not a primary selling point.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset (5nm process) in some regions, but the S21 Ultra also comes with the Exynos 2100 (5nm) in international markets. While the CPU clock speeds are similar – the S21 Ultra’s Exynos variant has a slightly higher peak at 2.9 GHz vs 2.84 GHz on both Snapdragon versions – the thermal management is where they diverge. The RedMagic 6’s active cooling system (not detailed in the data, but a key feature) is designed to sustain peak performance for longer gaming sessions, potentially mitigating throttling. The S21 Ultra relies on more conventional cooling, which may lead to performance throttling under sustained load. Both devices feature 12GB of RAM, but the RedMagic 6’s focus on gaming suggests optimized memory management for gaming workloads.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s endurance rating of 114 hours significantly surpasses the RedMagic 6’s 88 hours. This is likely due to a combination of a larger battery capacity (not specified in the data, but typically larger in Ultra models) and more efficient power management. However, the RedMagic 6 compensates with incredibly fast 66W wired charging, achieving a full charge in just 38 minutes, compared to the S21 Ultra’s slower 25W charging. The S21 Ultra also offers 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the RedMagic 6.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 6 if you need uncompromising gaming performance, a high refresh rate display for competitive play, and incredibly fast 66W charging. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you prefer a premium camera experience, a brighter and more color-accurate display, longer battery life, and a more polished software experience with broader ecosystem support.