Nokia C21 Plus vs Xiaomi 18 Pro Max

The Nokia C21 Plus (2022) runs on the Unisoc, while the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads — 92/100 vs 24/100 (a 68-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max has the bigger battery (8500 mAh vs 4000); the main camera is 13 MP vs 200 MP; the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max has NFC for contactless payments, the Nokia C21 Plus doesn't; the Nokia C21 Plus is noticeably lighter (178g vs 235g).

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus by 68 points (92/100 vs 24/100).

Profile comparison

Category scores

Nokia C21 Plus

Performance —
Display 39
Camera 10
Battery 22
Portability 66
Value for money —

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max

Performance 100
Display 82
Camera 100
Battery 92
Portability 33
Value for money 96

What makes Nokia C21 Plus better?

  • Lighter: 178g vs 235g

  • Better portability (66/100 vs 33/100)

What makes Xiaomi 18 Pro Max better?

  • Bigger battery: 8500 vs 4000 mAh
  • Faster charging: 100W vs 10W
  • Better main camera: 200MP vs 13MP

  • Better camera (100/100 vs 10/100)
  • Longer battery life (92/100 vs 22/100)
  • Better display (82/100 vs 39/100)

Comparison verdict

Comparing the Nokia C21 Plus vs the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max scores 68 points higher (92/100 vs 24/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (100/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (92/100 vs 22/100). In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus (82/100 vs 39/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus (100/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus (92/100 vs 22/100). In the "portability" category, the Nokia C21 Plus significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (66/100 vs 33/100).

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max: The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.

Specs comparison

Specification Nokia C21 Plus Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
Processor Unisoc Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6
AnTuTu — 5001234
Geekbench Single — 4327
Geekbench Multi — 12873
Display 6.5" IPS LCD 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
Resolution 720x1600 1208x2624
Refresh rate — 120 Hz
Battery 4000 mAh 8500 mAh
Charging 10W 100W
Wireless charging 0W 50W
Main camera 13 MP 200 MP
Ultrawide 0 MP 50 MP
Telephoto 0 MP 200 MP
Front camera 5 MP 50 MP
RAM 2GB / 3GB / 4GB 12GB / 16GB
Storage 32GB / 64GB 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
OS Android 11 (Go edition) Android 17
Brightness (peak) — 4000 nits
NFC no yes
Protection — IP68/IP69
Dimensions 164.8×75.9×8.6 mm 163.4×77.6×8.4 mm
Weight 178 g 235 g
Launch price — $986

Camera comparison

Nokia C21 Plus

  • Main: 13MP
  • Front: 5MP
10
camera

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max

  • Main: 200MP f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 200MP
  • Front: 50MP
100
camera

Display comparison

Nokia C21 Plus

  • 6.5" IPS LCD
  • Resolution: 720x1600
  • Refresh rate: —
39
display

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max

  • 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1208x2624
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
82
display

Battery and charging

Nokia C21 Plus

  • 4000 mAh
  • Wired: 10W
  • No wireless charging
22
battery

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max

  • 8500 mAh
  • Wired: 100W
  • Wireless: 50W
92
battery

Benchmarks

Launch prices and where to check today's

Nokia C21 Plus

Price unknown

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max

$986

Detailed category analysis

display

In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus (82/100 vs 39/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus (100/100 vs 10/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus (92/100 vs 22/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Nokia C21 Plus significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (66/100 vs 33/100).

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: the Nokia C21 Plus or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Nokia C21 Plus by 68 points (92/100 vs 24/100).

What is the rating of the Nokia C21 Plus and the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?

The Nokia C21 Plus has a MobileRank rating of 24/100, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max — 92/100.

Which has the better camera: the Nokia C21 Plus or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads on camera score (100/100 vs 10/100).

Should you choose the Nokia C21 Plus over the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.