Google Pixel 6 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel 6 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
VS
Head to head
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 | $280 |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Battery | 5,003 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 30W | 25W |
| RAM (max) | 12 GB | — |
| Storage (max) | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Screen size | 6.7 in | 6.8 in |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 108 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 210 g | 227 g |
| Released | Oct 2021 | Jan 2021 |
Summary: Google Pixel 6 Pro is ahead on battery, wired charging, weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is ahead on screen size, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Google Pixel 6 Pro is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Display
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Features | Always-on display, dynamic 120Hz refresh rate (down to 10Hz) | Always-on display, 10-120Hz adaptive refresh rate |
Platform
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to latest Android versions | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 (One UI 6.1) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor (5 nm) | Exynos 2100 (International) or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (USA/China) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Exynos 2100; Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Snapdragon 888 |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 | Mali-G78 MP14 (International) or Adreno 660 (USA/China) |
Memory
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | — |
| Card slot | No | No |
| RAM | — | 12GB, 16GB |
| Internal Storage | — | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, omnidirectional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (telephoto), 4x optical zoom, PDAF, OIS; 12 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm | — |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama, Magic Eraser, Real Tone, Face Unblur | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, OIS, stereo sound rec. |
| Quad | — | 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom; 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm | 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.7µm, PDAF |
| Features | Auto-HDR, panorama | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps |
Battery
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 5003 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 30W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min (advertised) | 25W wired (PD3.0), 15W wireless (Qi/PMA), 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Wireless Charging | 23W wireless (Qi), Reverse wireless charging | — |
Body
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm (6.50 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) |
| Weight | 210 g (7.41 oz) | 227g (Sub6), 229g (mmWave) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and/or eSIM | — |
| IP Rating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | — |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
Launch
| Google Pixel 6 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, October 19 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 28 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| SIM | — | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and/or eSIM) |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel 6 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G?
Google Pixel 6 Pro — 5,003 mAh for the Google Pixel 6 Pro versus 5,000 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel 6 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G?
Google Pixel 6 Pro — 210 g for the Google Pixel 6 Pro versus 227 g for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
Which is newer, Google Pixel 6 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G?
Google Pixel 6 Pro — Oct 2021 for the Google Pixel 6 Pro versus Jan 2021 for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
Is the Google Pixel 6 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel 6 Pro 9/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G 9/10.