Nokia 5.3 vs Samsung Galaxy A21
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Nokia 5.3 and the Samsung Galaxy A21, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Our rating | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh | 4,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 10W | 15W |
| RAM (max) | 6 GB | 3 GB |
| Storage (max) | 64 GB | 32 GB |
| Screen size | 6.55 in | 6.5 in |
| Main camera | 13 MP | 16 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 185 g | 193 g |
| Released | Apr 2020 | Jun 2020 |
Summary: Nokia 5.3 is ahead on our rating, ram (max), storage (max), screen size. Samsung Galaxy A21 is ahead on wired charging, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Nokia 5.3 is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Type | IPS LCD, 450 nits (typ) | IPS LCD |
| Size | 6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~82.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~268 ppi density) | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density) |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass |
Platform
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 11 (Android One) | Android 10, One UI 2.0 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 (11 nm) | MediaTek Helio P35 (MT6765) |
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | PowerVR GE8320 |
Memory
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 64GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM | 32GB 3GB RAM |
Main Camera
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Quad | 13 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF; 5 MP, 13mm (ultrawide); 2 MP, (macro); 2 MP, (depth) | 16 MP, f/1.8, (wide), AF; 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide); 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro); 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth) |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
Selfie Camera
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 13 MP, f/2.0, (wide) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
Battery
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 10W wired | 15W wired |
Body
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Dimensions | 164.3 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm (6.47 x 3.02 x 0.33 in) | 167.8 x 76.7 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 185 g (6.53 oz) | 193 g |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass), plastic back, plastic frame |
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
Comms
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | — |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Radio | FM radio (headset required) | FM radio |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| Positioning | — | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
Launch
| Nokia 5.3 | Samsung Galaxy A21 |
|---|
| Announced | 2020, March 19 | April 2020 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, April 02 | Released June 26, 2020 |
Frequently asked questions
Which has more RAM, Nokia 5.3 or Samsung Galaxy A21?
Nokia 5.3 — 6 GB for the Nokia 5.3 versus 3 GB for the Samsung Galaxy A21.
Which is lighter, Nokia 5.3 or Samsung Galaxy A21?
Nokia 5.3 — 185 g for the Nokia 5.3 versus 193 g for the Samsung Galaxy A21.
Which is newer, Nokia 5.3 or Samsung Galaxy A21?
Samsung Galaxy A21 — Apr 2020 for the Nokia 5.3 versus Jun 2020 for the Samsung Galaxy A21.
Is the Nokia 5.3 or the Samsung Galaxy A21 rated higher?
We rate the Nokia 5.3 8/10 and the Samsung Galaxy A21 6/10.
Best phone lists →
