Nokia XR21 vs Samsung Galaxy A05
The Nokia XR21 (2023) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, while the Samsung Galaxy A05 (2023) runs on the MediaTek Helio G85. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nokia XR21 leads — 46/100 vs 33/100 (a 13-point difference). Key differences: the Samsung Galaxy A05 has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4800); the main camera is 64 MP vs 50 MP; the Nokia XR21 is faster in AnTuTu (592,015 vs 348,562); the Nokia XR21 has NFC for contactless payments, the Samsung Galaxy A05 doesn't; the Samsung Galaxy A05 is noticeably lighter (195g vs 231g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nokia XR21
Samsung Galaxy A05
What makes Nokia XR21 better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 592015 vs 348562
- Better Geekbench Single: 905 vs 419
- Better Geekbench Multi: 2101 vs 1461
- Faster charging: 33W vs 25W
- Better main camera: 64MP vs 50MP
- Higher performance (46/100 vs 29/100)
- Better camera (43/100 vs 30/100)
- Better display (67/100 vs 32/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy A05 better?
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4800 mAh
- Lighter: 195g vs 231g
- Longer battery life (44/100 vs 42/100)
- Better portability (53/100 vs 24/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Nokia XR21 vs the Samsung Galaxy A05, the Nokia XR21 scores 13 points higher (46/100 vs 33/100). In the "performance" category, the Nokia XR21 leads (46/100 vs 29/100). In the "camera" category, the Nokia XR21 leads (43/100 vs 30/100). In the "performance" category, the Nokia XR21 notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy A05 (46/100 vs 29/100). In the "display" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy A05 (67/100 vs 32/100). In the "camera" category, the Nokia XR21 is a bit better (43/100 vs 30/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy A05 and the Nokia XR21 are nearly equal (44/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy A05 notably outperforms the Nokia XR21 (53/100 vs 24/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Nokia XR21 | Samsung Galaxy A05 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G | MediaTek Helio G85 | |
| AnTuTu | 592015 | 348562 | |
| Geekbench Single | 905 | 419 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 2101 | 1461 | |
| Display | 6.5" IPS LCD | 6.7" | |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 720x1600 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | — | |
| Battery | 4800 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 33W | 25W | |
| Main camera | 64 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 0 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 8 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB | 4GB / 6GB | |
| Storage | 128GB | 64GB / 128GB | |
| OS | Android 12 | Android 13 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 550 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | no | |
| Protection | IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 168.0×78.6×10.5 mm | 168.8×78.2×8.8 mm | |
| Weight | 231 g | 195 g | |
| Launch price | — | — |
Camera comparison
Nokia XR21
- Main: 64MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy A05
- Main: 50MP f/1.8
- Front: 8MP
Display comparison
Nokia XR21
- 6.5" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 1080x2400
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy A05
- 6.7"
- Resolution: 720x1600
- Refresh rate: —
Battery and charging
Nokia XR21
- 4800 mAh
- Wired: 33W
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy A05
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Nokia XR21 and Samsung Galaxy A05, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Nokia XR21 leads Samsung Galaxy A05 by 69.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Nokia XR21 notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy A05 (46/100 vs 29/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Nokia XR21 significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy A05 (67/100 vs 32/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Nokia XR21 is a bit better (43/100 vs 30/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy A05 and the Nokia XR21 are nearly equal (44/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy A05 notably outperforms the Nokia XR21 (53/100 vs 24/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Nokia XR21 or the Samsung Galaxy A05?
The Nokia XR21 is noticeably better than the Samsung Galaxy A05 — the overall rating gap is 13 points.
What is the rating of the Nokia XR21 and the Samsung Galaxy A05?
The Nokia XR21 has a MobileRank rating of 46/100, the Samsung Galaxy A05 — 33/100.
Which has the better camera: the Nokia XR21 or the Samsung Galaxy A05?
The Nokia XR21 leads on camera score (43/100 vs 30/100).
Which is more powerful: the Nokia XR21 or the Samsung Galaxy A05?
The Nokia XR21 leads on performance (46/100 vs 29/100).
Should you choose the Nokia XR21 over the Samsung Galaxy A05?
Neither model stands out enough to recommend it for a specific use case: the clearest difference is display — better on the Nokia XR21 (67/100 vs 32/100).