ZTE nubia RedMagic 6R vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: A Deep Dive
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a well-rounded experience with a superior camera and brighter display, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the better choice. However, gamers seeking maximum performance and value will find the RedMagic 6R a compelling option, despite its compromises in other areas.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 6R | 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 4, 12, 17, 20, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - 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, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / 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, May 27 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 02 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163 x 75.3 x 7.8 mm (6.42 x 2.96 x 0.31 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 | 186 g (6.56 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 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~87.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.8 inches, 112.1 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, 770 nits (peak) | 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 6GB RAM, 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 | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.0, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | 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 |
| 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 | 16 MP, (wide) | 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 | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS | 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 | 55W wired, PD3.0, QC4 (China) 30W wired, PD3.0, QC4 (International) | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4200 mAh | Li-Ion 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Mercury Silver, Light Blue | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, Phantom Brown, Navy |
| Models | NX666J | 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 RedMagic 6R
- Faster wired charging (up to 55W)
- Aggressive cooling system for sustained gaming
- Potentially better value for gaming-focused users
- High refresh rate display
- Inferior camera system
- Lower display brightness
- Shorter battery life
- Less refined software experience
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Superior camera system with versatile lenses
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Longer battery life
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower wired charging
- Potentially more expensive
- May throttle under sustained heavy load (depending on chipset)
- Larger and heavier design
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display at 1023 nits measured, compared to the RedMagic 6R’s 588 nits. This translates to superior visibility outdoors. While both feature high refresh rates, the S21 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel offers a contrast ratio described as 'Infinite (nominal)', suggesting deeper blacks and more vibrant colors. The RedMagic 6R’s display, while adequate, lacks the color accuracy and peak brightness of Samsung’s offering, impacting media consumption and outdoor usability.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but the S21 Ultra excels in versatility and image quality. While both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, the S21 Ultra’s sensor size and advanced image processing algorithms deliver superior results in various lighting conditions. The RedMagic 6R’s camera is likely geared towards acceptable social media sharing rather than professional-grade photography. The S21 Ultra’s additional lenses (ultra-wide, telephoto) provide greater creative flexibility, a feature absent in the RedMagic 6R’s likely more basic setup.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset (5nm process), but the S21 Ultra is also available with the Exynos 2100 (5nm) in international markets. The S21 Ultra’s CPU configuration (2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 vs 2.84 GHz on the RedMagic 6R) offers a slight theoretical advantage, though real-world differences are often minimal. The RedMagic 6R’s focus on gaming is evident in its advanced cooling system, designed to mitigate thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions, potentially allowing for more sustained peak performance. The S21 Ultra relies on more conventional thermal management.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 114-hour endurance rating significantly surpasses the RedMagic 6R’s 76-hour rating. This is due to a combination of larger battery capacity and more efficient power management. While the RedMagic 6R offers faster wired charging at 55W (China) or 30W (International) compared to the S21 Ultra’s 25W, the S21 Ultra compensates with 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the RedMagic 6R. The RedMagic 6R’s faster charging is beneficial for quick top-ups, but the S21 Ultra provides greater overall battery longevity.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 6R if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, a high refresh rate display, and aggressive cooling, and are willing to compromise on camera quality and overall refinement. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you value a top-tier camera system, a brighter and more color-accurate display, longer battery life, and a more polished software experience, even if it means paying a premium.