Google Pixel 6a vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Google Pixel 6a and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Price | $2,375 | $167 |
| Our rating | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 4,410 mAh | 4,500 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18W | 25W |
| Storage (max) | 128 GB | 256 GB |
| Screen size | 6.1 in | 6.4 in |
| Refresh rate | — | 120 Hz |
| Main camera | 12.2 MP | 12 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 178 g | 177 g |
| Released | Jul 2022 | Jan 2022 |
Summary: Google Pixel 6a is ahead on main camera. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is ahead on battery, wired charging, storage (max), screen size.
★ Which should you buy? Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Type | OLED, HDR | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.7 cm2 (~83.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~429 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Features | Always-on display, 60Hz refresh rate | — |
Platform
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 17 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 16 (One UI 8) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1 or Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1 or Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 | Adreno 660 - Version 1 or Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
Memory
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Internal Storage | 128GB UFS 3.1 | — |
| RAM | 6GB LPDDR5 | 6GB, 8GB |
| Card Slot | No | — |
| Storage | — | 128GB, 256GB |
| Card slot | — | No |
Main Camera
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Dual | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm | — |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama, Magic Eraser, Real Tone, Night Sight, Face Unblur, Portrait Mode | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Triple | — | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide) |
Selfie Camera
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide) |
| Features | Auto-HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
Battery
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Type | Li-Po 4410 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 18W fast charging | 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless |
Body
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Dimensions | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.7 mm (5.99 x 2.83 x 0.34 in) | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 178 g (6.3 oz) | 177 g |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and eSIM) | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Water & Dust Resistance | IP67 rated (up to 1 meter for 30 minutes) | — |
| Colors | — | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Durability | — | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| Radio | — | No |
Launch
| Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|
| Announced | May 11, 2022 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Released July 21, 2022 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Google Pixel 6a or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE — 4,410 mAh for the Google Pixel 6a versus 4,500 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.
Which is lighter, Google Pixel 6a or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE — 178 g for the Google Pixel 6a versus 177 g for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.
Which is newer, Google Pixel 6a or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE?
Google Pixel 6a — Jul 2022 for the Google Pixel 6a versus Jan 2022 for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.
Is the Google Pixel 6a or the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE rated higher?
We rate the Google Pixel 6a 7/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 7/10.
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