Design and Build
In my review of the Oppo F21 Pro, I praised its design. It is one of the best-looking smartphones under ₹25,000. The same can also be said for the Oppo F21 Pro 5G, which is positioned in the under ₹30,000 category. However, I prefer the 4G model over 5G.
The 4G variant has a unique fiberglass leather finish on its back. But it is worth noting that this finish is only available on the Sunset Orange color option, since the Cosmic Black version has a matte glass finish.
On the other hand, the Oppo F21 Pro 5G only comes in a glass finish for both Rainbow Spectrum and Cosmic Black versions. I have the former, and it looks like cotton candy when viewed from certain angles. At the same time, the colors look flat when viewed straight.
The orange-colored Oppo F21 Pro also feels better in the hand. It does not slip and looks unlike any other phone on the market. It surely is a head-turner. You don’t need a case unless you are one of those who drop their handsets often.
Whereas, the Oppo F21 Pro 5G is like a regular smartphone with a glass back. This means it is slippery in the hands, but features a matte finish to keep it free of smudges.
The Oppo F21 Pro and the Oppo F21 Pro 5G sport an identical 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The screen has a 180Hz touch sampling rate, a punch-hole at the top left corner, and can reach a peak brightness level of 600 nits.
The only difference between the two is the presence of a 90Hz refresh rate on the 4G model as opposed to the standard 60Hz refresh rate on the 5G model. This one change in the specs makes a day and night difference, at least to me. Once you are used to a high refresh rate screen on smartphones, there’s never going back.
As far as the performance of the screens is concerned, they are almost identical with one minor difference. The color tone is cooler on the 5G model and warmer on the 4G variant. They are good for consuming content and can get bright enough under direct sunlight. These displays are fine but nothing out of the ordinary.
Further, though they have support for HDR10 and HLG standards, they cannot play HDR videos on YouTube or any other streaming platform. However, both have Widevine L1 certification (which was not present on the 4G model when its review was published) and are able to play FHD (1080p) content on Netflix and Prime Video.
The two phones have different camera systems. But one thing is common between them. Though they have triple cameras on the rear, only one of these sensors is useful, in addition to the front-facing camera.
The Oppo F21 Pro arrives with a 64MP primary camera, a 2MP snapper with a 15x microlens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 32MP shooter for selfies. On the other hand, the Oppo F21 Pro 5G comes equipped with a 64MP primary camera, a 2MP macro shooter, a 2MP monochrome sensor, and a 16MP selfie camera.
Connectivity
The connectivity options on the Oppo F21 Pro and the Oppo F21 Pro 5G are identical, except for the 5G support on the latter. They feature dual SIM card slots, dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, and GNSS.
I did not face call drops on either of them. The WiFi connection works well as it should, and so do Bluetooth and GNSS.
I could not test 5G on the Oppo F21 Pro 5G as the networks are yet to go live in India. When they do go live, users should be able to experience the latest cellular technology, but the same cannot be said for the Oppo F21 Pro users.
Battery and Charging
Both the Oppo F21 Pro and the Oppo F21 Pro 5G are fueled by the same 4,500mAh battery. They also have support for the very same 33W Oppo SuperVOOC fast charging protocol.
But during my usage, I found out that the 5G device actually charges a bit faster. It is roughly around 8 minutes faster as it takes about 1 hour and 14 minutes to reach 100% from 10% as opposed to around 1 hour and 22 minutes required by the 4G handset.
Since the SoCs featured in these smartphones are built on a 6nm process, they are energy-efficient. The devices can easily last a day on a full charge on normal usage.
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