ZTE nubia RedMagic 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 RedMagic 6s is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 888+ and optimized cooling deliver sustained performance the S21 Ultra, even in its Snapdragon variant, struggles to match. However, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G remains the superior choice for users prioritizing camera versatility, display quality, and a more polished software experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s | 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 | 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, 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, 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 | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · 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) |
| - | 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 | |
| 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, 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 | 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 RedMagic 6s
- Superior gaming performance with Snapdragon 888+
- Active cooling system prevents throttling
- Faster wired charging (30W)
- Likely optimized software for gaming
- Inferior camera system compared to S21 Ultra
- Less refined software experience
- Limited mainstream features (e.g., wireless charging)
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Exceptional camera system with versatile lenses
- Brilliant and bright display with high contrast
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Premium build quality and software experience
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
- Slower wired charging (25W)
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a brighter display, peaking at 1023 nits, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight. While the RedMagic 6s’s display specs aren’t provided, its focus on gaming suggests a high refresh rate, but likely lacks the S21 Ultra’s dynamic refresh rate (LTPO) for power efficiency. The S21 Ultra’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of AMOLED panels, provides deeper blacks and more vivid colors, enhancing media consumption. Bezels are likely slimmer on the S21 Ultra, contributing to a more immersive experience.
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 RedMagic 6s’s camera specs are not detailed, it’s safe to assume it prioritizes functionality over flagship-level image quality. The S21 Ultra’s larger sensors and optical image stabilization (OIS) deliver superior low-light performance and sharper images. The S21 Ultra’s video capabilities are also significantly more advanced, offering features like Director’s View and Super Steady video.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Snapdragon 888 series, but the RedMagic 6s features the overclocked Snapdragon 888+ (5nm), offering a slight CPU clock speed advantage (3.0 GHz vs 2.84/2.9 GHz on the S21 Ultra). The S21 Ultra’s performance varies based on region, with the Exynos 2100 (5nm) version potentially exhibiting more thermal throttling. The RedMagic 6s’s active cooling system – a key differentiator – is designed to maintain peak performance for extended gaming sessions, a capability the S21 Ultra lacks. While both have 12GB RAM options, the RedMagic 6s likely utilizes faster LPDDR5 RAM, further boosting gaming performance.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 114 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite differing capacities (not specified for RedMagic 6s). However, the RedMagic 6s’s 30W wired charging (PD3.0, QC5) is slightly faster than the S21 Ultra’s 25W wired charging. The S21 Ultra adds 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the RedMagic 6s. The RedMagic 6s’s focus on gaming likely necessitates a larger battery to sustain performance under heavy load, but this is unconfirmed.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia RedMagic 6s if you need uncompromising gaming performance, a high refresh rate display for competitive play, and are willing to sacrifice camera versatility and mainstream features. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G if you prefer a premium all-rounder with a class-leading camera system, a vibrant display, and a more refined user experience, even if it means slightly lower sustained gaming performance.