HMD Arc vs Nokia XR21
The HMD Arc (2025) runs on the Unisoc SC9863A, while the Nokia XR21 (2023) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nokia XR21 leads — 46/100 vs 20/100 (a 26-point difference). Key differences: the HMD Arc has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4800); the main camera is 13 MP vs 64 MP; the Nokia XR21 is faster in AnTuTu (592,015 vs 153,667); the Nokia XR21 has NFC for contactless payments, the HMD Arc doesn't; the HMD Arc is noticeably lighter (185g vs 231g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
HMD Arc
Nokia XR21
What makes HMD Arc better?
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4800 mAh
- Lighter: 185g vs 231g
- Longer battery life (43/100 vs 42/100)
- Better portability (57/100 vs 24/100)
What makes Nokia XR21 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 592015 vs 153667
- Better Geekbench Single: 905 vs 205
- Better Geekbench Multi: 2101 vs 846
- Faster charging: 33W vs 10W
- Better main camera: 64MP vs 13MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 60Hz
- Higher performance (46/100 vs 9/100)
- Better camera (43/100 vs 10/100)
- Better display (67/100 vs 31/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the HMD Arc vs the Nokia XR21, the Nokia XR21 scores 26 points higher (46/100 vs 20/100). In the "performance" category, the Nokia XR21 leads (46/100 vs 9/100). In the "camera" category, the Nokia XR21 leads (43/100 vs 10/100). In the "performance" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the HMD Arc (46/100 vs 9/100). In the "display" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the HMD Arc (67/100 vs 31/100). In the "camera" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the HMD Arc (43/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the HMD Arc and the Nokia XR21 are nearly equal (43/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the HMD Arc significantly outperforms the Nokia XR21 (57/100 vs 24/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | HMD Arc | Nokia XR21 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Unisoc SC9863A | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G | |
| AnTuTu | 153667 | 592015 | |
| Geekbench Single | 205 | 905 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 846 | 2101 | |
| Display | 6.5" IPS LCD | 6.5" IPS LCD | |
| Resolution | 576x1280 | 1080x2400 | |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4800 mAh | |
| Charging | 10W | 33W | |
| Main camera | 13 MP | 64 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 8 MP | |
| Front camera | 5 MP | 16 MP | |
| RAM | 4GB | 6GB | |
| Storage | 64GB | 128GB | |
| OS | Android 14 Go | Android 12 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 460 nits | 550 nits | |
| NFC | no | yes | |
| Protection | IP54 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 166.4×76.9×9.0 mm | 168.0×78.6×10.5 mm | |
| Weight | 185 g | 231 g | |
| Launch price | — | — |
Camera comparison
HMD Arc
- Main: 13MP
- Front: 5MP
Nokia XR21
- Main: 64MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Display comparison
HMD Arc
- 6.5" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 576x1280
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Nokia XR21
- 6.5" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 1080x2400
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
HMD Arc
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 10W
- No wireless charging
Nokia XR21
- 4800 mAh
- Wired: 33W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared HMD Arc and Nokia XR21, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Nokia XR21 leads HMD Arc by 74.0% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the HMD Arc (46/100 vs 9/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the HMD Arc (67/100 vs 31/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the HMD Arc (43/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the HMD Arc and the Nokia XR21 are nearly equal (43/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the HMD Arc significantly outperforms the Nokia XR21 (57/100 vs 24/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the HMD Arc or the Nokia XR21?
The Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the HMD Arc by 26 points (46/100 vs 20/100).
What is the rating of the HMD Arc and the Nokia XR21?
The HMD Arc has a MobileRank rating of 20/100, the Nokia XR21 — 46/100.
Which has the better camera: the HMD Arc or the Nokia XR21?
The Nokia XR21 leads on camera score (43/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the HMD Arc or the Nokia XR21?
The Nokia XR21 leads on performance (46/100 vs 9/100).
Should you choose the HMD Arc over the Nokia XR21?
Neither model stands out enough to recommend it for a specific use case: the clearest difference is performance — better on the Nokia XR21 (46/100 vs 9/100).