Google Pixel 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S21
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S21, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Price | $112 | $145 |
| Our rating | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 4,614 mAh | 4,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 21W | 25W |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | — |
| Storage (max) | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| Screen size | 6.4 in | 6.2 in |
| Refresh rate | 90 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 64 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 207 g | 169 g |
| Released | Oct 2021 | Jan 2021 |
Summary: Google Pixel 6 is ahead on our rating, battery, screen size. Samsung Galaxy S21 is ahead on wired charging, refresh rate, main camera, weight (lower is lighter).
★ Which should you buy? Samsung Galaxy S21 is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs. If budget matters more than the extra capability, Google Pixel 6 is the cheaper option.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.4 inches | 6.2 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Features | Always-on display | — |
Platform
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 17 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 (with One UI 6.1) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor (5 nm) | — |
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | — |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 | — |
| Chipset (International) | — | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) |
| Chipset (USA/China/Korea) | — | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| CPU (Exynos) | — | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| CPU (Snapdragon) | — | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 680) |
| GPU (Exynos) | — | Mali-G78 MP14 |
| GPU (Snapdragon) | — | Adreno 660 |
Memory
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Card slot | No | — |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | — |
| Storage Type | UFS 3.1 | — |
| RAM | — | 8GB |
| Internal Storage | — | 128GB, 256GB |
| Card Slot | — | No |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, omnidirectional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm | — |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | 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+ |
| Triple | — | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom; 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Features | Auto-HDR, panorama | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
Battery
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 4614 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | Fast charging 21W (advertised 50% in 30 min), USB Power Delivery 3.0, Fast wireless charging 21W, Reverse wireless charging | 25W wired, PD3.0; 15W wireless (Qi/PMA); 4.5W reverse wireless |
Body
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Dimensions | 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm (6.2 x 2.9 x 0.4 inches) | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 207 g (7.30 oz) | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM | Dual Nano-SIM; eSIM |
| IP Rating | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | — |
| Water Resistance | — | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| 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/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
Launch
| Google Pixel 6 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|
| Announced | October 2021 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 28 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel 6 or Samsung Galaxy S21?
Google Pixel 6 — 4,614 mAh for the Google Pixel 6 versus 4,000 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S21.
Which has the smoother screen, Google Pixel 6 or Samsung Galaxy S21?
Samsung Galaxy S21 — 90 Hz for the Google Pixel 6 versus 120 Hz for the Samsung Galaxy S21.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel 6 or Samsung Galaxy S21?
Samsung Galaxy S21 — 207 g for the Google Pixel 6 versus 169 g for the Samsung Galaxy S21.
Which is newer, Google Pixel 6 or Samsung Galaxy S21?
Google Pixel 6 — Oct 2021 for the Google Pixel 6 versus Jan 2021 for the Samsung Galaxy S21.
Is the Google Pixel 6 or the Samsung Galaxy S21 rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel 6 9/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 8/10.
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