Baofeng UV-21R vs Retevis RT85

The Baofeng UV-21R offers better listed specifications for the money, scoring 74 versus 64 on RadioRanked's composite scale. It delivers more transmit power at 6W versus 5W and costs $27 compared to the Retevis RT85's $50. Both radios share identical feature sets with no DMR, APRS, or GPS, and both support CHIRP programming. The most important differentiator is price and power: the UV-21R gives you more watts for half the cost.

The trade-off is weight. The RT85 is noticeably lighter at 227g versus the UV-21R's 300g, which matters if extended portability is your priority. Both radios report identical 4.5 out of 5 owner ratings, though the UV-21R has more reviews behind that score (775 versus 270), giving slightly stronger buyer feedback data.

Buy the Baofeng UV-21R if you prioritize transmit power and budget efficiency. Buy the Retevis RT85 if the weight difference justifies the extra cost for your use case.

For most buyers, the UV-21R's combination of lower price, higher power output, and stronger review volume makes it the better choice unless portability is critical.