Honor Magic9 vs Samsung Galaxy M21
The Honor Magic9 (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Samsung Galaxy M21 (2020) runs on the Exynos 9611. By overall MobileRank rating, the Honor Magic9 leads — 92/100 vs 42/100 (a 50-point difference). Key differences: the Honor Magic9 has the bigger battery (8000 mAh vs 6000); the main camera is 200 MP vs 48 MP; the Honor Magic9 is faster in AnTuTu (4,288,382 vs 355,351); the Honor Magic9 has NFC for contactless payments, the Samsung Galaxy M21 doesn't; the Samsung Galaxy M21 is noticeably lighter (188g vs 209g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Honor Magic9
Samsung Galaxy M21
What makes Honor Magic9 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4288382 vs 355351
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 365
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 1107
- Bigger battery: 8000 vs 6000 mAh
- Faster charging: 80W vs 15W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 48MP
- Higher performance (99/100 vs 25/100)
- Better camera (100/100 vs 36/100)
- Longer battery life (86/100 vs 51/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 83/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy M21 better?
- Lighter: 188g vs 209g
- Better portability (57/100 vs 48/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Honor Magic9 vs the Samsung Galaxy M21, the Honor Magic9 scores 50 points higher (92/100 vs 42/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic9 leads (99/100 vs 25/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic9 leads (100/100 vs 36/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic9 leads (86/100 vs 51/100). In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy M21 (99/100 vs 25/100). In the "display" category, the Honor Magic9 and the Samsung Galaxy M21 are nearly equal (85/100 vs 83/100). In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy M21 (100/100 vs 36/100). In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy M21 (86/100 vs 51/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy M21 is a bit better (57/100 vs 48/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Honor Magic9 | Samsung Galaxy M21 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Exynos 9611 | |
| AnTuTu | 4288382 | 355351 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 365 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 1107 | |
| Display | 6.4" OLED | 6.4" Super AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1236x2664 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | — | |
| Battery | 8000 mAh | 6000 mAh | |
| Charging | 80W | 15W | |
| Wireless charging | 50W | 0W | |
| Main camera | 200 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 8 MP | |
| Telephoto | 200 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 55 MP | 20 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 4GB / 6GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 64GB / 128GB | |
| OS | Android 17 | Android 10.0; One UI 2 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 10000 nits | 420 nits | |
| NFC | yes | no | |
| Protection | IP68/IP69K | — | |
| Dimensions | 151.0×72.3×8.5 mm | 159.0×75.1×8.9 mm | |
| Weight | 209 g | 188 g | |
| Launch price | — | — |
Camera comparison
Honor Magic9
- Main: 200MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 200MP
- Front: 55MP
Samsung Galaxy M21
- Main: 48MP f/2.0
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 20MP
Display comparison
Honor Magic9
- 6.4" OLED
- Resolution: 1236x2664
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy M21
- 6.4" Super AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: —
Battery and charging
Honor Magic9
- 8000 mAh
- Wired: 80W
- Wireless: 50W
Samsung Galaxy M21
- 6000 mAh
- Wired: 15W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Honor Magic9 and Samsung Galaxy M21, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Honor Magic9 leads Samsung Galaxy M21 by 1106.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy M21 (99/100 vs 25/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Honor Magic9 and the Samsung Galaxy M21 are nearly equal (85/100 vs 83/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy M21 (100/100 vs 36/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy M21 (86/100 vs 51/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy M21 is a bit better (57/100 vs 48/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Honor Magic9 or the Samsung Galaxy M21?
The Honor Magic9 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy M21 by 50 points (92/100 vs 42/100).
What is the rating of the Honor Magic9 and the Samsung Galaxy M21?
The Honor Magic9 has a MobileRank rating of 92/100, the Samsung Galaxy M21 — 42/100.
Which has the better camera: the Honor Magic9 or the Samsung Galaxy M21?
The Honor Magic9 leads on camera score (100/100 vs 36/100).
Which is more powerful: the Honor Magic9 or the Samsung Galaxy M21?
The Honor Magic9 leads on performance (99/100 vs 25/100).
Should you choose the Honor Magic9 over the Samsung Galaxy M21?
The Honor Magic9 is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life.