Smartphone Comparison: vivo V21 5G vs. Honor 70
1. Specifications Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison of the key specifications for the vivo V21 5G and Honor 70, focusing on their practical impact:
Design
| Feature | vivo V21 5G | Honor 70 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 159.7 x 73.9 x 7.3 mm | 161.4 x 73.3 x 7.9 mm | Honor 70 is slightly taller and thicker, might feel slightly less sleek than the V21 5G. |
| Weight | 176g | 178g | Both phones are nearly identical in weight, minimal difference in hand. |
Display
| Feature | vivo V21 5G | Honor 70 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.44" | 6.67" | Honor 70 has a larger display providing a more immersive experience for media and gaming. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1080x2400 | Both displays offer the same level of sharpness and detail. |
| PPI | 409 | 395 | Minimal difference, both offer sharp visuals, negligible difference in pixel density. |
| Technology | AMOLED | OLED | Both offer vibrant colors and deep blacks, similar viewing experiences. |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 120Hz | Honor 70 offers smoother scrolling and animations, making the interface feel more fluid. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 0 nits | The peak brightness is unknown, making it impossible to compare visibility in direct sunlight. |
Performance
| Feature | vivo V21 5G | Honor 70 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 800U (7 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ 5G (6 nm) | Honor 70's chipset is more powerful, resulting in faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. |
| AnTuTu Score | 343,150 | 600,525 | Honor 70 provides significantly better performance, handling demanding tasks easier and faster. |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC3 | Adreno 642L | Honor 70's GPU is more powerful, leading to better gaming and graphics performance. |
Camera
| Feature | vivo V21 5G | Honor 70 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rear Camera (Main) | 64MP, f/1.79, 0.80µm | 54MP, f/1.9, 1.00µm, 1/1.49", Sony IMX800 | vivo V21 5G has higher resolution but Honor 70 has a larger sensor and pixel size, potentially better low light performance and dynamic range. |
| Front Camera | 44MP, f/2.0, 1/2.65", Samsung S5KGH1, 0.70µm | 32MP, f/2.4, 1/3.2", Omnivision OV32C, 0.70µm | vivo V21 5G offers higher resolution, a wider aperture and larger sensor for better selfies, especially in low light. |
| Rear Camera (Wide) | 8MP, f/2.2 | 50MP, f/2.2 | Honor 70 has a much higher resolution wide-angle camera for detailed landscapes and group photos. |
| Rear Camera (Macro) | 2MP, f/2.4 | 2MP, f/2.4 | Both have basic macro capabilities, similar low-resolution macro shots. |
| Video Recording | 4K@30fps OIS, 1080p@60fps OIS | 4K@30fps EIS, 1080p@60fps EIS | vivo V21 5G offers optical image stabilization (OIS), likely giving more stable video in 4K and 1080p. Honor 70 offers electronic image stabilization (EIS). Honor 70 does support faster slow motion recording, however. |
| Video Stabilization | OIS | EIS | vivo V21 5G has OIS offering better video stabilization than the Honor 70's EIS in theory but is not always the case |
| Slow Motion | 120 fps | 960 fps | Honor 70 can record much more detailed slow-motion videos. |
| DXOMark Score | Not Available | 115 (Overall), 115 (Photo), 129 (Video) | Honor 70 has an overall DXOMark score of 115, showing good photo and video performance. |
| Camera Features | OIS, PDAF, Front Flash | RAW, Night Mode | vivo V21 5G offers OIS and PDAF, while the Honor 70 has RAW and Night Mode features. |
Battery
| Feature | vivo V21 5G | Honor 70 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4000mAh | 4800mAh | Honor 70 has a larger battery, likely offering longer battery life. |
| Charging | 33W | 66W | Honor 70 charges much faster, getting you back to full power more quickly. |
| Features | Non-removable | Reverse Charging, Non-removable | Honor 70 can be used as a power bank to charge other devices. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
vivo V21 5G Advantages:
- Better Selfie Camera: Higher resolution front camera with a wider aperture and larger sensor for potentially better selfies, particularly in low light.
- Optical Image Stabilization (OIS): The V21 5G includes OIS for video, which results in steadier, more professional-looking video recordings.
- Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF): The V21 5G also has phase detection autofocus, which results in faster and more reliable focusing for still images.
Honor 70 Advantages:
- Superior Performance: The Snapdragon 778G+ offers significantly better processing and graphics power.
- Larger Display: The slightly bigger screen enhances media consumption and gaming experience.
- Higher Refresh Rate: 120Hz display offers smoother visuals for enhanced user experience.
- Larger Battery & Faster Charging: Longer battery life and faster charging speeds.
- Better Rear Wide-Angle Camera: Higher resolution wide-angle lens for more detailed landscape shots.
- Better Audio: Features stereo speakers, and Hi-Res Audio for better audio immersion.
- Faster Bluetooth Version: Newer Bluetooth technology for better connectivity and performance
- More Slow-motion Capabilities: Offers significantly higher slow motion framerate.
Trade-offs:
- The vivo V21 5G trades raw processing power for a superior front camera and OIS for videos.
- The Honor 70 prioritizes overall performance and battery life over the absolute best selfie and video camera stabilisation.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
vivo V21 5G Ideal User:
- Selfie Enthusiasts: Users who prioritize high-quality front-facing camera performance.
- Casual Users: Those who don't need top-tier performance but still require solid daily performance and an acceptable user experience.
- Video creators: Users that want stable videos in their day to day vlogs and video creations.
Honor 70 Ideal User:
- Power Users: Users who demand top performance for multitasking and gaming.
- Media Consumers: Users who enjoy watching videos or playing games on their phone with a higher refresh rate.
- Photographers: Users looking for versatility with a better wide-angle and solid main camera.
- Users on the Go: Users that need a large battery and fast charging speeds.
Specific Use Cases:
- vivo V21 5G: Ideal for social media influencers needing a high-quality selfie camera, or video content creators on a budget who want stabilized video recordings.
- Honor 70: Best for users who want a great all-around experience, including gaming, media consumption, and better general purpose photography.
Price-to-Value Ratio:
The Honor 70 generally offers a better price to value ratio, given the additional performance and features. However, if the user prioritizes a great front camera, they may find the V21 5G more appealing.
4. Decision Framework
Here are three key questions for buyers to consider when choosing between the vivo V21 5G and the Honor 70:
How important is selfie quality vs. overall performance?
- If selfie quality is paramount: Choose the vivo V21 5G.
- If general performance is more important: Go for the Honor 70.
How important are battery life and charging speed?
- If these are crucial: The Honor 70 with its larger battery and faster charging is the better option.
What's your primary use case?
- If it's mostly social media and selfies: The vivo V21 5G may be a better fit.
- If it's gaming, media consumption, or general multitasking: The Honor 70 is the superior option.
My Choice:
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would select the Honor 70. My reasoning is based on the following:
- Superior Performance: As a tech enthusiast, I would prefer the faster Snapdragon 778G+ processor. This offers a noticeably smoother user experience with better multitasking and gaming.
- Enhanced Display: The 120Hz refresh rate, while not a must-have for all users, does make a significant difference in the fluidity and responsiveness of the device, especially when scrolling or playing graphic-intensive games. The larger size is also a plus.
- Battery and Charging: The larger battery capacity combined with the faster 66W charging is a significant advantage, ensuring I'm less likely to run out of power and can quickly top up when needed.
- More Versatile Camera: While the V21 has a better selfie camera on paper, the Honor 70's primary camera, larger sensor, and much improved ultrawide camera lens make it a more versatile choice overall. Features like RAW and night mode also appeal to me. The slow-motion quality is also much better on the Honor 70.
- Future-Proofing: With a newer chipset, higher refresh rate display, faster bluetooth version, better audio output, and better overall processing capability, the Honor 70 would be better future-proofed for my usage.
While the V21 5G has a superior front-facing camera and OIS for videos, the Honor 70 offers better overall performance, battery life, display quality, and is a more rounded device. As someone who doesn't exclusively rely on a smartphone for selfie photography, the Honor 70's strengths align more with my daily needs and use cases.
