Nubia Z80 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Nubia Z80 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (2021) runs on the Samsung Exynos 2100; launch prices were $749 and $1199. By overall MobileRank rating, the Nubia Z80 Ultra leads — 85/100 vs 61/100 (a 24-point difference). Key differences: the Nubia Z80 Ultra has the bigger battery (6500 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 108 MP; the Nubia Z80 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,942,923 vs 1,074,182).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nubia Z80 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
What makes Nubia Z80 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3942923 vs 1074182
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1435
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3555
- Bigger battery: 6500 vs 5000 mAh
- Faster charging: 80W vs 25W
- Faster wireless charging: 80W vs 15W
- Lighter: 225g vs 228g
- Cheaper at launch: $749 vs $1199
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 63/100)
- Better camera (79/100 vs 55/100)
- Longer battery life (81/100 vs 52/100)
- Better portability (38/100 vs 33/100)
What makes Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra better?
- Better main camera: 108MP vs 50MP
- Better display (89/100 vs 83/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Nubia Z80 Ultra vs the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the Nubia Z80 Ultra scores 24 points higher (85/100 vs 61/100). In the "performance" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra leads (98/100 vs 63/100). In the "camera" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra leads (79/100 vs 55/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra leads (81/100 vs 52/100). Value score: Nubia Z80 Ultra — 84/100, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra — 32/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (98/100 vs 63/100). In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is a bit better (89/100 vs 83/100). In the "camera" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (79/100 vs 55/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (81/100 vs 52/100). In the "portability" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra is a bit better (38/100 vs 33/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Nubia Z80 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Samsung Exynos 2100 | |
| AnTuTu | 3942923 | 1074182 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 1435 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 3555 | |
| Display | 6.8" LTPO AMOLED | 6.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 2688x1216 | 3200x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 6500 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 80W | 25W | |
| Wireless charging | 80W | 15W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 117 | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 108 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 50 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 10 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 40 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 11 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 2000 nits | 1500 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 164.5×77.2×8.6 mm | 165.1×75.6×8.9 mm | |
| Weight | 225 g | 228 g | |
| Launch price | $749 | $1199 |
Camera comparison
Nubia Z80 Ultra
- Main: 50MP f/1.59
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 16MP
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Main: 108MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 10MP
- Front: 40MP
Display comparison
Nubia Z80 Ultra
- 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 2688x1216
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 3200x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Nubia Z80 Ultra
- 6500 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 14:17 hrs, total 34:15 hrs
- Wired: 80W
- Wireless: 80W
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 25W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Nubia Z80 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Nubia Z80 Ultra leads Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra by 267.1% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $450. Nubia Z80 Ultra was $450 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (98/100 vs 63/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is a bit better (89/100 vs 83/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (79/100 vs 55/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (81/100 vs 52/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Nubia Z80 Ultra is a bit better (38/100 vs 33/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Nubia Z80 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra?
The Nubia Z80 Ultra significantly outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra by 24 points (85/100 vs 61/100).
What is the rating of the Nubia Z80 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra?
The Nubia Z80 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 85/100, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra — 61/100.
Which has the better camera: the Nubia Z80 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra?
The Nubia Z80 Ultra leads on camera score (79/100 vs 55/100).
Which is more powerful: the Nubia Z80 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra?
The Nubia Z80 Ultra leads on performance (98/100 vs 63/100).
Should you choose the Nubia Z80 Ultra over the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra?
The Nubia Z80 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is a better fit for active users.