Honor Magic 5 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21
The Verdict
Honor Magic 5 Pro significantly outperforms Samsung Galaxy S21 across nearly every specification. Display quality favors Magic 5 Pro with its 6.81-inch LTPO OLED at 1800 nits brightness compared to S21's 6.2-inch panel at 1300 nits. Processing power heavily advantages Magic 5 Pro using Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with Adreno 740 versus S21's older Gen 1 888 chipset. Camera systems differ markedly: Magic 5 Pro features three 50 MP sensors with advanced optical zoom and Sony IMX906 main sensor, while S21 relies on lower megapixel sensors. Battery and charging capabilities strongly favor Magic 5 Pro with 5100 mAh capacity and 66W wired charging versus S21's 4000 mAh and 25W charging. Weight consideration favors S21 at 169g versus 219g. Despite higher pricing, Magic 5 Pro's superior specifications across display, performance, and camera justify the $100 premium, making it the clear choice for demanding users.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Honor Magic 5 Pro if…
- →Triple 50 MP camera system with excellent 3.5x periscope telephoto
- →Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers flagship performance
- →50W wireless charging is among the fastest available
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 if…
- →$200 price cut from S20 launched at $799
- →Lightweight and compact at 169 g
- →120Hz AMOLED with adaptive refresh
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Honor Magic 5 Pro
Pros
- Triple 50 MP camera system with excellent 3.5x periscope telephoto
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers flagship performance
- 50W wireless charging is among the fastest available
- IP68 water resistance with 5100 mAh battery
- 3D face unlock via ToF sensor is fast and secure
Cons
- Thick and heavy at 219 g and 8.77 mm
- MagicOS software is heavily skinned — not stock Android
- Brand recognition is lower than Samsung or Apple in Western markets
- 66W wired charging is slower than competitors like OnePlus 100W
- Limited global after-sales service network
Samsung Galaxy S21
Pros
- $200 price cut from S20 launched at $799
- Lightweight and compact at 169 g
- 120Hz AMOLED with adaptive refresh
- Snapdragon 888 performance
- Eye-catching Contour Cut camera design
Cons
- Plastic (Glasstic) back panel
- FHD+ only, no QHD option
- No microSD card slot
- Slow 25W charging
- No charger included in the box
Full Specifications
| Spec | Honor Magic 5 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 13 (MagicOS 7.1) | Android 11, One UI 3.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 219 g | 169 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, nano-crystal glass back | Aluminum frame, Glasstic back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 76.7 x 8.77 mm | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.6, OIS, Sony IMX906 | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP, f/2.4, 3D ToF | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 50 MP, f/3.0, 3.5x optical zoom, OIS | 64 MP, f/2.0, 3x hybrid zoom |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP, f/2.0 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB / 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 5100 mAh | 4000 mAh |
| Charging | 66W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 50W wireless | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.81 inches | 6.2 inches |
| Type | LTPO OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2848 x 1312 | 2400 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1800 | 1300 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 3x2.0 GHz) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 660 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.1 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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