Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S21 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
VS
Head to head
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $145 | $137 |
| Our rating | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh | 4,500 mAh |
| Wired charging | 25W | 25W |
| RAM (max) | — | 8 GB |
| Storage (max) | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| Screen size | 6.2 in | 6.4 in |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Main camera | 64 MP | 12 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 169 g | 177 g |
| Released | Jan 2021 | Jan 2022 |
Summary: Samsung Galaxy S21 is ahead on main camera, weight (lower is lighter). Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is ahead on battery, screen size.
★ Which should you buy? Specs are close to an even split here, so Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the better buy — the extra cost of the other one isn't matched by a clear spec advantage.
Display
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.2 inches | 6.4 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
Platform
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 (with One UI 6.1) | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14 (One UI 6) |
| 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 | — |
| Chipset | — | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (USA/some regions) or Exynos 2100 (International) |
| CPU | — | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Snapdragon 888 / Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Exynos 2100 |
| GPU | — | Adreno 660 - Snapdragon 888 / Mali-G78 MP14 - Exynos 2100 |
Memory
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 8GB | — |
| Internal Storage | 128GB, 256GB | — |
| Card Slot | No | — |
| Card slot | — | No |
| Internal | — | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
Main Camera
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, 123˚ (ultrawide) |
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+ | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
Selfie Camera
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide) |
| Features | Dual video call, Auto-HDR | HDR |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
Battery
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0; 15W wireless (Qi/PMA); 4.5W reverse wireless | 25W wired (50% in 30 min advertised), 15W wireless, Reverse wireless charging |
Body
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) | 177 g |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Dual Nano-SIM; eSIM | Single SIM or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Water Resistance | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | — |
| IP Rating | — | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
Launch
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, January 14 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, January 29 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Samsung Galaxy S21 or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G — 4,000 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S21 versus 4,500 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
Which is lighter, Samsung Galaxy S21 or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
Samsung Galaxy S21 — 169 g for the Samsung Galaxy S21 versus 177 g for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
Which is newer, Samsung Galaxy S21 or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G — Jan 2021 for the Samsung Galaxy S21 versus Jan 2022 for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S21 or the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G rated higher?
We rate the Samsung Galaxy S21 8/10 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 8/10.