If you are looking for a compact phone and you need a flagship at the same time, you have two very interesting options: Apple iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21. They are the vanilla versions of the latest flagship series released by Apple and Samsung, that is what makes this comparison very intriguing. Here you will learn the major differences between iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21, as well as which device you should go for depending on your actual needs. After checking the comparison, you can tell us our opinion by using the comment box below the post.

Apple iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S21

Apple iPhone 12 Samsung Galaxy S21
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm, 164 g 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm, 169 g
DISPLAY  6.1 inches, 1170 x 2532p (Full HD+), Super Retina XDR OLED  6.2 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X
PROCESSOR Apple A14 Bionic, hexa-core 3.1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz or Samsung Exynos 2100, octa-core 2.9 GHz
MEMORY 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 4 GB RAM, 256 GB 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE  iOS 14  Android 11, One UI
CONNECTIVITY  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5, GPS  Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA Dual 12 + 12 MP, f/1.6 + f/2.4
Dual 12 MP + SL 3D front camera		 Triple 12 + 64 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.0 + f/2.2
10 MP f/2.2 front camera
BATTERY  2815 mAh, fast charging 20W, wireless charging 15W  4000 mAh, fast charging 25W and wireless charging 15W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot, 5G, Face ID, water resistant (IP68), MagSafe Dual SIM slot, 5G, water resistant (IP68), reverse wireless charging

Design

Apple iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 are built with sturdy and premium materials. Their bodies are composed of a glass back and an aluminum frame and both the phones are waterproof with the IP68 certification, but the iPhone 12 is actually better as it withstands immersions up to 6 meters deep. The iPhone 12 is actually more compact than the Samsung Galaxy S21 and it looks very original with its brick-like design. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S21 offers a slightly wider display and an original rear side. Both have a flat display, but the Samsung Galaxy S21 has a punch hole placed centrally instead of that big notch of the iPhone 12.

 

Display

The display of the Samsung Galaxy S21 may not offer the best reproduction out there, but it is more convincing than the iPhone 12 in terms of versatility. The big difference is the high refresh rate: a trendy feature that is still absent on Apple devices. The Samsung Galaxy S21 goes up to 120 Hz, while iPhone 12 stops at 60 Hz. iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 have a very nice color reproduction, provide great quality in every scenario, and very high brightness. Samsung Galaxy S21 has an in-display fingerprint scanner, while Apple iPhone 12 relies on Face ID (3D facial recognition) for authentication.

 

Specs & Software

On the paper, the Samsung Galaxy S21 has a hardware department with higher numbers: you get the Snapdragon 888 mobile platform (Samsung Exynos 2100 in some regions), 8 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 native storage. But despite that, the iPhone 12 is able to achieve better performance thanks to the amazing software optimization of the iOS operating system and the powerful Apple A14 Bionic SoC built at 5 nm. Samsung Galaxy S21 is based on Android 11, a less performing operating system with a heavily-customized user interface.

 

 

Camera

The cameras of these handsets have their pro and cons. The Samsung Galaxy S21 has better zoom capabilities due to its telephoto sensor boasting optical zoom. But overall, the iPhone 12 looks more convincing with its 12 MP camera boasting a bright f/1.6 focal aperture and its excellent performance at video recording. However, you should note that they are not so far in terms of camera performance. Even the selfie cameras are close, both supporting 4K video recording.

 

 

Battery

The iPhone 12 has a way smaller battery than the Samsung Galaxy S21: you get just 2815 mAh against 4000 mAh. But it does not matter like the software optimization allowing the iPhone to achieve similar results to the Samsung Galaxy S21 when it comes to battery life. The Galaxy S21 is still slightly better, but the iPhone 12 has a satisfying battery life as well. Both support wireless charging, but only the Samsung Galaxy S21 gets reverse charging.

 

Price

The prices of Samsung Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12 are similar, but they vary depending on the market. In Europe, for example, they cost €879 and €839 respectively (prices referred to their base variants). Unless the price of the Galaxy S21 drops, we believe the iPhone represents a better choice thanks to iOS optimization and its great cameras. But the Samsung Galaxy S21 is very close with its great specifications.

 

 

Apple iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S21: PRO and CONS

Apple iPhone 12

PRO

  • Compact
  • Amazing performance
  • Better water resistance
  • MagSafe

CONS

  • Smaller battery
  • Price

 

Samsung Galaxy S21

PRO

  • Wider display
  • Optical zoom
  • 120 Hz refresh rate
  • Reverse wireless charging

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

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