Honor Magic 5 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21+
The Verdict
Honor's Magic 5 Pro outperforms Samsung's Galaxy S21+ across nearly every hardware specification. With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 versus the older 888 processor, the Magic 5 Pro delivers significantly better computational performance. Display quality favors Honor substantially: 1800 nits peak brightness, 2848x1312 LTPO OLED resolution, and 120Hz refresh rate eclipse the S21+'s 1300 nits and 2400x1080 panel. Camera capabilities show the Magic 5 Pro's 50MP triple camera setup with superior main sensor (f/1.6 vs f/1.8) and 3.5x zoom outclass the S21+'s 12MP and 3x hybrid zoom arrangement. Battery specs reveal 5100mAh with 66W wired and 50W wireless charging dramatically surpass the S21+'s 4800mAh and 25W wired charging. At just $100 more, the Magic 5 Pro represents extraordinary value for flagship-tier specifications. Samsung's lighter build (200g) and established software ecosystem offer modest advantages, but hardware superiority makes Honor the clear choice for serious mobile performance.
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…
- →Large 4800 mAh battery with great endurance
- →120Hz AMOLED display
- →Gorilla Glass Victus durability
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
- Large 4800 mAh battery with great endurance
- 120Hz AMOLED display
- Gorilla Glass Victus durability
- Good triple camera system
- Flat display is easier to use with screen protectors
Cons
- FHD+ only, no QHD option
- Plastic back on some regions (Glasstic)
- Slow 25W charging
- No microSD card slot (removed in S21 series)
- No charger 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 | 200 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, nano-crystal glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 76.7 x 8.77 mm | 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 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 | 4800 mAh |
| Charging | 66W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 50W wireless | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.81 inches | 6.7 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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