Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs Samsung Galaxy S21
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 (2021) runs on the Samsung Exynos 2100; launch prices were $499 and $799. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads — 72/100 vs 55/100 (a 17-point difference). Key differences: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 4000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 12 MP; the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is faster in AnTuTu (3,448,524 vs 1,074,811); the Samsung Galaxy S21 is noticeably lighter (169g vs 215g).
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
Samsung Galaxy S21
- Higher AnTuTu: 3448524 vs 1074811
- Better Geekbench Single: 3041 vs 1435
- Better Geekbench Multi: 9494 vs 3555
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 4000 mAh
- Faster charging: 80W vs 25W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
- Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $799
- Higher performance (93/100 vs 63/100)
- Longer battery life (68/100 vs 31/100)
- Better display (93/100 vs 82/100)
- Lighter: 169g vs 215g
- Better camera (42/100 vs 35/100)
- Better portability (79/100 vs 50/100)
Comparing the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs the Samsung Galaxy S21, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air scores 17 points higher (72/100 vs 55/100). In the "performance" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (93/100 vs 63/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (68/100 vs 31/100). Value score: Nubia Red Magic 11 Air — 70/100, Samsung Galaxy S21 — 22/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 (93/100 vs 63/100). In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 82/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S21 is a bit better (42/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 (68/100 vs 31/100). In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S21 notably outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (79/100 vs 50/100).
| Specification | Nubia Red Magic 11 Air | Samsung Galaxy S21 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Samsung Exynos 2100 | |
| AnTuTu | 3448524 | 1074811 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3041 | 1435 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9494 | 3555 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.2" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2688x1216 | 1080x2400 | |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 4000 mAh | |
| Charging | 80W | 25W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 15W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 12 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 64 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 10 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 8GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 128GB / 256GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 11, One UI 3.1 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 1800 nits | 1300 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP54 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.8×76.5×8.0 mm | 161.5×75.6×7.8 mm | |
| Weight | 215 g | 169 g | |
| Launch price | $499 | $799 |
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy S21
- Main: 12MP
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 10MP
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2688x1216
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S21
- 6.2" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2400
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 80W
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S21
- 4000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
We compared Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and Samsung Galaxy S21, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads Samsung Galaxy S21 by 220.8% in our overall performance rating.
Launch price difference: $300. Nubia Red Magic 11 Air was $300 cheaper at launch.
performance
In the "performance" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 (93/100 vs 63/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 82/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S21 is a bit better (42/100 vs 35/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 (68/100 vs 31/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Samsung Galaxy S21 notably outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (79/100 vs 50/100).
Which is better: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S21?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is noticeably better than the Samsung Galaxy S21 — the overall rating gap is 17 points.
What is the rating of the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and the Samsung Galaxy S21?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has a MobileRank rating of 72/100, the Samsung Galaxy S21 — 55/100.
Which has the better camera: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S21?
The Samsung Galaxy S21 leads on camera score (42/100 vs 35/100).
Which is more powerful: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Samsung Galaxy S21?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads on performance (93/100 vs 63/100).
Should you choose the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air over the Samsung Galaxy S21?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a better fit for gamers and power users. The Samsung Galaxy S21 is a better fit for active users.