Smartphone Comparison: vivo V21 5G vs. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro
1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | vivo V21 5G | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Launch Date | 2021-05-06 | 2024-01-18 | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is significantly newer, with newer technology and software. |
| Dimensions | 159.7 × 73.9 × 7.3 mm | 163.8 × 76.8 × 8.9 mm | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is larger and thicker, potentially less comfortable for one-handed use but offers more screen real estate. |
| Weight | 176g | 225g | vivo V21 5G is noticeably lighter, more comfortable for extended use and carrying around. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.44" | 6.78" | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has a larger display, offering a more immersive experience for media consumption and gaming. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1080x2400 | Both offer the same sharpness, but the larger screen on the Asus phone means slightly lower pixel density. |
| PPI | 409 | 388 | vivo V21 5G has slightly higher pixel density, but the difference is subtle in practice. |
| Technology | AMOLED | AMOLED | Both use vibrant AMOLED, offering excellent colors and deep blacks. |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 165Hz | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro provides significantly smoother animations and a more responsive feel, particularly beneficial for gaming. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 2500 nits | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is much brighter, ensuring excellent outdoor visibility, especially in direct sunlight. (vivo's brightness is not available) |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 800U (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has a much faster and more efficient chipset, resulting in superior overall performance for gaming and demanding apps. |
| AnTuTu Score | 343,150 | 2,020,000 | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro delivers vastly superior performance in benchmarks, translating to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, better gaming. |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC3 | Adreno 750 | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro’s GPU offers significantly better graphics performance for gaming and other GPU-intensive tasks. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 4000mAh | 5500mAh | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro's larger battery provides significantly longer battery life, especially useful for heavy usage scenarios. |
| Charging | 33W fast charging | 65W fast charging | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro charges much faster, reducing downtime significantly. |
| Camera | |||
| Standard Camera | 64MP, f/1.79, 0.80 µm pixel size | 50MP, f/1.9, 1/1.56", 1.00 µm pixel size, Sony IMX890 | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has a larger sensor, potentially better in low light. vivo has higher megapixel count. |
| Selfie Camera | 44MP, f/2.0, 1/2.65", 0.70 µm pixel size, Samsung S5KGH1 | 32MP, 1/3.2", 0.70 µm pixel size, Omnivision OV32C | vivo V21 5G has a higher resolution sensor. While both have similar pixel size, sensor size is larger on the Vivo. |
| Telephoto Lens | None | 32MP, f/2.4, 1/3.2", 0.70 µm pixel size, Omnivision OV32C | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro offers optical zoom capabilities, allowing for better zoomed-in photos and videos. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 8MP, f/2.2 | None | vivo V21 5G has a dedicated wide-angle lens, allowing you to capture more in a single shot, great for landscapes. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4 | None | vivo V21 5G has a dedicated macro lens for close-up shots. |
| Wide Angle+Macro | None | 13MP, f/2.2, 1/3", 1.12 µm pixel size, Omnivision OV31B | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has a wide angle lens with macro capabilities. |
| Video | 4K@30fps with OIS, 1080p@60fps with OIS | 8K@24fps with HDR, EIS, 4K@60fps with HDR, EIS | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro supports higher resolution video recording and more advanced stabilization options, resulting in significantly better video quality. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 11 | Android 14, upgradable to 16 | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro offers a more up-to-date Android version and has a longer support window with a guaranteed update, providing more security and features. |
| Connectivity | |||
| WiFi | 802.11ac | WiFi 7 (802.11be) | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has the newest and fastest Wi-Fi standards, which supports more devices and provides higher speeds. |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 5.3 | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has a newer Bluetooth version for more reliable connections and better features. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BeiDou (B1), Galileo (E1+E5a), BeiDou (B2), NavIC System, QZSS (L1 + L5) | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has a more comprehensive array of GPS systems, offering better location accuracy in more areas. |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Both support dual SIM functionality. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 128GB/256GB | 512GB/1024GB | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has much larger storage capacity, better for those who store a lot of data. |
| RAM | 8GB | 16GB/24GB | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has significantly more RAM, improving multitasking and gaming performance. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone supports expandable storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Basic | DTS / DTS X, Stereo Speakers, 3 microphones | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro offers superior audio quality with stereo speakers, and has 3 microphones, great for better sound immersion and voice recording. |
| Security | |||
| Features | basic fingerprint sensor | basic fingerprint sensor | Both offer similar basic fingerprint security features. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Screen Protection | Unknown | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro offers much better screen protection against scratches and impacts. |
| Sensors | Biometric, Proximity, Motion | Biometric, Proximity, Motion, Gravity | Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro has a gravity sensor, which can be utilized for advanced features. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
vivo V21 5G Advantages:
- Lighter and Thinner: Significantly more comfortable to hold for extended periods and easier to carry around.
- Higher Resolution Selfie Camera: Offers more detail in selfies and potentially better low-light selfies with its larger sensor size.
- Dedicated Macro and Wide Angle Lens: Captures more diverse shots, providing more flexibility when capturing images.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Advantages:
- Superior Performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset delivers a huge performance advantage for gaming, demanding apps, and future-proofing.
- Significantly Larger and Faster Refresh Rate Display: The 165Hz refresh rate makes the experience of use significantly more fluid and immersive, especially in gaming.
- Much Higher Brightness: Allows for excellent outdoor visibility in bright sunlight.
- Larger Battery and Faster Charging: Provides longer battery life and faster charging times.
- Superior Camera System: Offers a more versatile camera experience with a Telephoto lens and wide angle with macro capabilities, plus significantly better video recording capabilities.
- Newer OS and Guaranteed Update: Comes with Android 14 and guaranteed upgrade to Android 16, with longer software support, better security and new features.
- Superior Audio: Stereo speakers with DTS/X, and 3 microphones for better sound immersion and voice clarity.
- Significantly more RAM and Storage: Better for multitasking and for people who store large amounts of data.
- Superior Build Quality: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 provides superior screen protection.
- Gravity Sensor: Offers more diverse features, great for games.
Trade-offs:
- vivo V21 5G: While lighter and with dedicated lenses, it sacrifices performance, battery, display quality, and overall camera quality compared to the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro.
- Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro: Significantly bulkier and heavier which is less comfortable for day to day and for some users. It lacks dedicated macro/wide lenses (though does have a combined solution).
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
vivo V21 5G - Ideal User:
- Budget-conscious users who want a lightweight device for basic daily tasks such as social media and communication.
- Users who prioritize a thin and light phone for ease of use and portability.
- Selfie enthusiasts who value a high-resolution front-facing camera.
- Users who take advantage of macro and ultra-wide angle camera capabilities.
Use Cases:
- Casual browsing and social media.
- Basic photography with an emphasis on selfies, wide angle and macro shots.
- Daily communication and media consumption.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro - Ideal User:
- Mobile gamers who want the absolute best performance, display refresh rate, and battery life.
- Power users who need a device for demanding apps, multitasking, and content creation.
- Users who value a premium multimedia experience with a high-quality display, audio, and video recording.
- Users who need a future-proof device with the newest technologies.
- Users who want more storage for large files such as videos and high quality photos.
Use Cases:
- High-end mobile gaming and esports.
- Video and photo editing on the go.
- Heavy multitasking with multiple apps.
- Media consumption with high brightness and quality display.
- Users who want a versatile camera system with a telephoto lens.
- Users who want the newest version of Android and its features.
Price-to-Value:
- vivo V21 5G: Offers a more budget-friendly option for those with basic needs. It’s an older phone with limited performance, and not very future proof but is an affordable way to get an OLED screen.
- Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro: Is a premium-priced device, but delivers cutting-edge technologies and an unparalleled experience in terms of performance, features and build.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- What is my primary use case? (Gaming, photography, social media, daily communication).
- How important is performance, battery life, and future-proofing?
- What is my budget and how much do I prioritize cutting-edge features versus a basic user experience?
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Budget User: If you are a budget-conscious user, who needs a basic phone with a good display, then the vivo V21 5G is an option. However, you will be sacrificing performance, battery and build quality, and will have an older phone with shorter lifespan.
- Mobile Gamer/Power User: If you're a serious gamer or a power user who wants the best performance, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is the clear choice.
- Multimedia Enthusiast: If you prioritize a large and high quality display, premium audio, and excellent video recording, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is the clear choice.
- Photography Lover: If you are a photography enthusiast, who values the additional lenses available on the vivo V21 5G (macro and ultra wide), that may be an option, however, its camera capabilities overall are much less advanced than the Asus Rog Phone 8 Pro.
My Choice
If I had to choose between these two phones, I would choose the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. While the vivo V21 5G is lighter and has some camera advantages, the sheer performance, superior display, better battery life, and more versatile camera system of the ROG Phone 8 Pro make it the better option for me. I value performance, multimedia capabilities, and future-proofing, all of which the ROG Phone 8 Pro delivers in spades. I am willing to accept the increase in size and weight, as the advantages provided far outweigh the drawbacks. Additionally, the newer software is also a major consideration.
