is over and Samsung’s weeks away from unleashing the new series onto the market. Interestingly, Samsung has positioned the base Galaxy S21 model $100 off from the so-called flagship killer territory where the 5G resides.
The latter was for $699 and the Galaxy S21 will go on sale for $799. So, how does this gap in pricing translate into the real world? How much better are the Galaxy S21 and , the latter of which goes on sale for $999 by the way, than the Galaxy S20 FE budget flagship?
As surprising as it may sound, the Galaxy S20 FE could have the upper hand on the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ in the camera department, or at least we can assess this by looking at how the Galaxy S20 FE compares to the and the .
This is because the Galaxy S21 and its larger sibling have the exact same camera setup as the 2020 flagship models. And as we explained in our , the budget flagship beats the Galaxy S20 duo thanks to a real telephoto camera that doesn’t emulate zoom through cropping of a 64MP image.
The Galaxy S21 will offer a few extra features inside the Camera app thanks to , but these are probably coming to the Galaxy S20 FE later this year.
We’ll talk more about the Galaxy S21 camera performance in our upcoming reviews, but preliminary specs suggest that the Galaxy S20 FE might be a better choice for mobile photographers. Selfie enthusiasts might get better mileage out of the Galaxy S21’s 10MP sensor though, as the 32MP unit that’s used by the Galaxy S20 FE is roughly of mid-range quality despite the higher resolution.
The Galaxy S20 FE has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with HDR10+ capabilities and a resolution of 2400 by 1080 pixels. The panel is capable of 120Hz but it is not an adaptive refresh rate.
The Galaxy S21 / S21+ feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X HDR10+ displays with the same resolution as the Galaxy S20 FE. They take advantage of an adaptive refresh rate of 48-120Hz, and this will lead not only to improved battery life but also smoother animations all around. The base Galaxy S21 model is the smallest at a 6.2-inch diagonal, and the Galaxy S21+ has a 6.7-inch panel.
Although the / chipsets are more than fitting for the Galaxy S20 FE and its 5G counterpart, the latest and solutions employed by the Galaxy S21 series should be far superior. They’re built on a 5nm process and promise significant power and efficiency improvements over the last generation. That’s not to say the Galaxy S20 FE is slow, but the new flagship lineup offers the best-possible experience and are better proofed for the future.
You’ll get more RAM and the same 128GB / 256GB storage options out of the Galaxy S21 and S21+, but both these phones lack expandable storage. The Galaxy S20 FE has a second SIM slot that doubles as a microSD card slot.
All three phones have 25W fast charging. In terms of battery capacity, the base Galaxy S21 model has a 4,000mAh battery and it’s followed by the Galaxy S20 FE with a 4,500mAh unit. The Galaxy S21+ benefits from a 4,800mAh battery.
Last but not least, the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ offer the most complete software experience to date via Android 11 and One UI 3.1, but the Galaxy S20 FE is bound to be updated to the latest version of One UI this year. And worth noting is that the Galaxy S21+ is the only model here that takes advantage of UWB.
We were pleasantly surprised by how premium and well-built the Galaxy S20 FE felt and, evidently, we don’t expect any less from the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+.
The base Galaxy S21 model has more in common with the Galaxy S20 FE as they both have a plastic back panel, but the Galaxy S21 series has Gorilla Glass Victus display protection and the Galaxy S21+ has the back panel made of the same material. All phones come with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Durability and build quality aside, the Galaxy S21 duo boasts a modern design with a bold camera housing. It looks exquisite, and sadly, the same can no longer be said to describe the Galaxy S20 FE’s rear panel design. It’s not ugly but the more we get used to the Galaxy S21’s camera housing the more outdated the 2020 models seem, and this is valid for Samsung’s entire smartphone range released last year.
The Galaxy S21 and its Plus sibling offer a better display, better materials, a new modern look, a more powerful chipset and more RAM as standard. The duo also boasts an improved AMOLED display and newer firmware, however, it lacks expandable storage and the main camera setup — the zoom lens in particular — might underperform compared to the Galaxy S20 FE.
New buyers will get more mileage out of the Galaxy S21 or the Galaxy S21+, but existing Galaxy S20 FE owners can comfortably skip the new flagship duo and wait for a sequel if they so desire. Or they could consider the for an upgrade. Feel free to check our comparison widget below for a closer look at how these three phones compare side by side.
Galaxy S21
VS.
Galaxy S21+
VS.
.png?1600852182)
Galaxy S20 FE
Pink (Pink)
Gray (Gray)
White (White)
[TD]Silver (Silver)[/TD]
Black (Black)
Violet (Violet)
Red (Red)Gold (Gold) [TD]Navy (Navy)[/TD]
Red (Red)White (White)Lavender (Lavender)Mint (Mint)Orange (Orange)
[TR]
[TH]Announced[/TH]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2020, September[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Released[/TH]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2020, September[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Physical Specifications[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Dimensions[/TH]
[TD]Bar: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm[/TD]
[TD]Bar: 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm[/TD]
[TD]Bar: 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Weights[/TH]
[TD]171g[/TD]
[TD]202g[/TD]
[TD]190g[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Operating System[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Operating system[/TH]
[TD]Android 11[/TD]
[TD]Android 11[/TD]
[TD]Android 10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]One UI version[/TH]
[TD]3.1[/TD]
[TD]3.1[/TD]
[TD]2.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Network[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Networks[/TH]
[TD]2G[/TD]
3G
[/TR]
4G5G [TD]2G[/TD]
3G4G5G [TD]2G[/TD]
3G4G
[TR]
[TH]Display[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Kind[/TH]
[TD]Main Display[/TD]
[TD]Main Display[/TD]
[TD]Main Display[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Name[/TH]
[TD]Infinity-O Display[/TD]
[TD]Infinity-O Display[/TD]
[TD]Infinity-O Display[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Technology[/TH]
[TD]Dynamic AMOLED 2X[/TD]
[TD]Dynamic AMOLED 2X[/TD]
[TD]Super AMOLED Display[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Size[/TH]
[TD]6.2 inch / 157.48 mm [/TD]
[TD]6.7 inch / 170.18 mm [/TD]
[TD]6.5 inch / 165.1 mm [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Resolution[/TH]
[TD]FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels[/TD]
[TD]FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels[/TD]
[TD]FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Pixel density[/TH]
[TD]421 PPI[/TD]
[TD]394 PPI[/TD]
[TD]407 PPI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Screen to body ratio[/TH]
[TD]%[/TD]
[TD]%[/TD]
[TD]~84.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Memory[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]RAM/ROM sizes[/TH]
[TD]8 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM[/TD]
8 GB RAM with 256 GB ROM
[/TR]
[TD]8 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM[/TD]
8 GB RAM with 256 GB ROM [TD]6 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM[/TD]
8 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM8 GB RAM with 256 GB ROM
[TR]
[TH]Rear camera[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Megapixels[/TH]
[TD]64MP[/TD]
[TD]64MP[/TD]
[TD]12MP[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Aperture[/TH]
[TD]F2.0[/TD]
[TD]F2.0[/TD]
[TD]F2.2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Battery[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Standard battery capacity[/TH]
[TD]4000 mAh[/TD]
[TD]4800 mAh[/TD]
[TD]4500 mAh[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH][/TH]
[/TR]
The post appeared first on .
The latter was for $699 and the Galaxy S21 will go on sale for $799. So, how does this gap in pricing translate into the real world? How much better are the Galaxy S21 and , the latter of which goes on sale for $999 by the way, than the Galaxy S20 FE budget flagship?
Galaxy S21/S21+ vs Galaxy S20 FE: Camera
As surprising as it may sound, the Galaxy S20 FE could have the upper hand on the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ in the camera department, or at least we can assess this by looking at how the Galaxy S20 FE compares to the and the .
This is because the Galaxy S21 and its larger sibling have the exact same camera setup as the 2020 flagship models. And as we explained in our , the budget flagship beats the Galaxy S20 duo thanks to a real telephoto camera that doesn’t emulate zoom through cropping of a 64MP image.
The Galaxy S21 will offer a few extra features inside the Camera app thanks to , but these are probably coming to the Galaxy S20 FE later this year.
We’ll talk more about the Galaxy S21 camera performance in our upcoming reviews, but preliminary specs suggest that the Galaxy S20 FE might be a better choice for mobile photographers. Selfie enthusiasts might get better mileage out of the Galaxy S21’s 10MP sensor though, as the 32MP unit that’s used by the Galaxy S20 FE is roughly of mid-range quality despite the higher resolution.
Galaxy S21/S21+ vs Galaxy S20 FE: Display
The Galaxy S20 FE has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with HDR10+ capabilities and a resolution of 2400 by 1080 pixels. The panel is capable of 120Hz but it is not an adaptive refresh rate.
The Galaxy S21 / S21+ feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X HDR10+ displays with the same resolution as the Galaxy S20 FE. They take advantage of an adaptive refresh rate of 48-120Hz, and this will lead not only to improved battery life but also smoother animations all around. The base Galaxy S21 model is the smallest at a 6.2-inch diagonal, and the Galaxy S21+ has a 6.7-inch panel.
Galaxy S21/S21+ vs Galaxy S20 FE: Hardware and features
Although the / chipsets are more than fitting for the Galaxy S20 FE and its 5G counterpart, the latest and solutions employed by the Galaxy S21 series should be far superior. They’re built on a 5nm process and promise significant power and efficiency improvements over the last generation. That’s not to say the Galaxy S20 FE is slow, but the new flagship lineup offers the best-possible experience and are better proofed for the future.
You’ll get more RAM and the same 128GB / 256GB storage options out of the Galaxy S21 and S21+, but both these phones lack expandable storage. The Galaxy S20 FE has a second SIM slot that doubles as a microSD card slot.
All three phones have 25W fast charging. In terms of battery capacity, the base Galaxy S21 model has a 4,000mAh battery and it’s followed by the Galaxy S20 FE with a 4,500mAh unit. The Galaxy S21+ benefits from a 4,800mAh battery.
Last but not least, the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ offer the most complete software experience to date via Android 11 and One UI 3.1, but the Galaxy S20 FE is bound to be updated to the latest version of One UI this year. And worth noting is that the Galaxy S21+ is the only model here that takes advantage of UWB.
Galaxy S21/S21+ vs Galaxy S20 FE: Design
We were pleasantly surprised by how premium and well-built the Galaxy S20 FE felt and, evidently, we don’t expect any less from the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+.
The base Galaxy S21 model has more in common with the Galaxy S20 FE as they both have a plastic back panel, but the Galaxy S21 series has Gorilla Glass Victus display protection and the Galaxy S21+ has the back panel made of the same material. All phones come with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Durability and build quality aside, the Galaxy S21 duo boasts a modern design with a bold camera housing. It looks exquisite, and sadly, the same can no longer be said to describe the Galaxy S20 FE’s rear panel design. It’s not ugly but the more we get used to the Galaxy S21’s camera housing the more outdated the 2020 models seem, and this is valid for Samsung’s entire smartphone range released last year.
Galaxy S21/S21+ vs Galaxy S20 FE: The wrap-up
The Galaxy S21 and its Plus sibling offer a better display, better materials, a new modern look, a more powerful chipset and more RAM as standard. The duo also boasts an improved AMOLED display and newer firmware, however, it lacks expandable storage and the main camera setup — the zoom lens in particular — might underperform compared to the Galaxy S20 FE.
New buyers will get more mileage out of the Galaxy S21 or the Galaxy S21+, but existing Galaxy S20 FE owners can comfortably skip the new flagship duo and wait for a sequel if they so desire. Or they could consider the for an upgrade. Feel free to check our comparison widget below for a closer look at how these three phones compare side by side.
Galaxy S21
VS.
Galaxy S21+
VS.
Galaxy S20 FE
| General Information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Model name | Galaxy S21 | Galaxy S21+ | Galaxy S20 FE |
| Model number | SM-G991B | SM-G996B | SM-G780F |
| Model type | Bar | Bar | Bar |
| Color | Violet (Violet) |
Pink (Pink)
Gray (Gray)
White (White)
Black (Black)
Violet (Violet)
Red (Red)Gold (Gold) [TD]Navy (Navy)[/TD]
Red (Red)White (White)Lavender (Lavender)Mint (Mint)Orange (Orange)
[TR]
[TH]Announced[/TH]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2020, September[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Released[/TH]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2021, January[/TD]
[TD]2020, September[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Physical Specifications[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Dimensions[/TH]
[TD]Bar: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm[/TD]
[TD]Bar: 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm[/TD]
[TD]Bar: 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Weights[/TH]
[TD]171g[/TD]
[TD]202g[/TD]
[TD]190g[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Operating System[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Operating system[/TH]
[TD]Android 11[/TD]
[TD]Android 11[/TD]
[TD]Android 10[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]One UI version[/TH]
[TD]3.1[/TD]
[TD]3.1[/TD]
[TD]2.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Network[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Networks[/TH]
[TD]2G[/TD]
3G
[/TR]
4G5G [TD]2G[/TD]
3G4G5G [TD]2G[/TD]
3G4G
[TR]
[TH]Display[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Kind[/TH]
[TD]Main Display[/TD]
[TD]Main Display[/TD]
[TD]Main Display[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Name[/TH]
[TD]Infinity-O Display[/TD]
[TD]Infinity-O Display[/TD]
[TD]Infinity-O Display[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Technology[/TH]
[TD]Dynamic AMOLED 2X[/TD]
[TD]Dynamic AMOLED 2X[/TD]
[TD]Super AMOLED Display[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Size[/TH]
[TD]6.2 inch / 157.48 mm [/TD]
[TD]6.7 inch / 170.18 mm [/TD]
[TD]6.5 inch / 165.1 mm [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Resolution[/TH]
[TD]FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels[/TD]
[TD]FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels[/TD]
[TD]FHD+ / 2400x1080 pixels[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Pixel density[/TH]
[TD]421 PPI[/TD]
[TD]394 PPI[/TD]
[TD]407 PPI[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Screen to body ratio[/TH]
[TD]%[/TD]
[TD]%[/TD]
[TD]~84.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Memory[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]RAM/ROM sizes[/TH]
[TD]8 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM[/TD]
8 GB RAM with 256 GB ROM
[/TR]
[TD]8 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM[/TD]
8 GB RAM with 256 GB ROM [TD]6 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM[/TD]
8 GB RAM with 128 GB ROM8 GB RAM with 256 GB ROM
[TR]
[TH]Rear camera[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Megapixels[/TH]
[TD]64MP[/TD]
[TD]64MP[/TD]
[TD]12MP[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Aperture[/TH]
[TD]F2.0[/TD]
[TD]F2.0[/TD]
[TD]F2.2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Battery[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Standard battery capacity[/TH]
[TD]4000 mAh[/TD]
[TD]4800 mAh[/TD]
[TD]4500 mAh[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH][/TH]
[/TR]
The post appeared first on .