Samsung unveiled its first 2021 flagship earlier than usual, taking the wraps off of the Galaxy S21 series at an event earlier today. Once again, three devices make up the series. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra will be vying for your attention and dollars. Of course, the first question on many people’s minds is how the phones stack up against the best phones you can buy, which includes Google’s Pixel 5. Here’s a quick look at the Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 5!
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 5
Specs
| Google Pixel 5 | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6-inch OLED FHD+ 2,340 x 1,080 at 432ppi 90Hz refresh rate 19.5:9 aspect ratio |
6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED Flat FHD+ 2,400 x 1,080 at 421ppi Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ certified |
6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED Flat FHD+ 2,400 x 1,080 at 394ppi Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ certified |
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED Curved WQHD+ 3,200 x 1,440 at 515ppi Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ certified |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Samsung Exynos 2100 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Samsung Exynos 2100 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 12 or 16GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 128 or 256GB | 128 or 256GB | 128, 256, or 512GB |
| MicroSD | No | No | No | No |
| Battery | 4,080mAh Fast wired charging Wireless charging Reverse wireless charging |
4,000mAh Fast wired and wireless charging Reverse wireless charging |
4,800mAh Fast wired and wireless charging Reverse wireless charging |
5,000mAh Fast wired and wireless charging Reverse wireless charging |
| Cameras | Rear: -12.2MP, f/1.7 aperture, 1.4µm pixels, optical + electronic image stabilization – 16MP, f/2.2 aperture, 1 micron pixel, ultra-wide (107-degree FoV) 4K at 60fps/30fps Front: |
Rear: – Wide-angle: 12MP, Æ’/1.8, 1.8µm with OIS and dual-pixel AF – Telephoto: 64MP, Æ’/2.0, 0.8µm with OIS and phase-detection AF – Ultra-wide: 12MP, Æ’/2.2, 1.4µm with 120-degree FoV 3x hybrid optical/digital zoom Front: |
Rear: – Wide-angle: 12MP, Æ’/1.8, 1.8µm with OIS and dual-pixel AF – Telephoto: 64MP, Æ’/2.0, 0.8µm with OIS and phase-detection AF – Ultra-wide: 12MP, Æ’/2.2, 1.4µm with 120-degree FoV 3x hybrid optical/digital zoom Front: |
Rear: – Wide-angle: 108MP, Æ’/1.8, 0.8µm with OIS and phase-detection AF – Telephoto: 10MP, Æ’/2.4, 1.22µm with OIS, dual-pixel AF, and 3x optical zoom – Telephoto: 10MP, Æ’/4.9, 1.22µm with OIS, dual-pixel AF, and 10x optical zoom – Ultra-wide: 12MP, Æ’/2.2, 1.4µm with dual-pixel AF and a 120-degree FoV – Laser AF sensor 10x optical zoom Front: |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 6E support |
4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 6E support |
4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 6E support |
| Operating System | Android 11 | One UI 3.1 Android 11 |
One UI 3.1 Android 11 |
One UI 3.1 Android 11 |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Color | Just Black, Sorta Sage | 128GB in Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom Pink, and Phantom White
256GB only in Phantom Gray Future colors: Phantom Gold and Phantom Red |
128GB in Phantom Violet, Phantom Silver, and Phantom Black
256GB only in Phantom Black Future colors: Phantom Gold and Phantom Red |
128 GB in Phantom Silver and Phantom Black
256 and 512GB in Phantom Black Future colors: Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown |
| Dimensions and weight | 144.7 x 70.4 x 8mm 151g |
151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm 171g |
161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm 202g |
165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm 229g |
Design
Samsung continues to refine the Galaxy S series design, with a particular focus on the rear camera housing. The “contour cut� camera looks sleeker and more aesthetically pleasing, especially with the options that offer contrasting colors. There’s still a significant camera bump, but it looks a lot better at first glance.
The regular Galaxy S21 comes with a “glasstic� build that is less premium but more durable than the all-glass bodies of the Plus and Ultra. A punch-hole to house the front-facing camera is the only blemish on the near bezel-less front. These are all good-looking devices, offering an improvement over their predecessors.
Our first impressions: Samsung Galaxy S21 series — cheaper, but are they better?
On the other hand, the Pixel 5’s design is a dramatic overhaul compared to previous generations. A punch-hole notch is tucked away in the corner, and the thin bezels are welcome. However, the physical fingerprint scanner and dual rear camera setup give the phone an old-school feel, which is furthered by the feel of the textured aluminium chassis.
The Sorta Sage colorway is the standout, but the Pixel 5’s design is a lot more muted than what you get with the Samsung Galaxy S21 devices.
Features
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus are quite similar. The major difference is the display’s size — 6.2-inch vs 6.7-inch — and the battery capacity. You get flat displays with a Full HD+ resolution with the two. Additionally, both have the same Snapdragon 888 processing package (Exynos 2100 in global markets), 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, and an identical camera setup.
See also: Which Samsung Galaxy S21 phone is right for you?
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the one you want if you want to kick things up a notch. The display is curved, a touch larger at 6.8-inch, and with a higher QHD+ resolution. However, all three come with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. While the processor is the same, you can go up to a whopping 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage as well.
Additionally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra stands apart from its siblings by being the first Galaxy S phone to feature S Pen support. Nevertheless, you won’t get a built-in slot for the stylus and unlike the Galaxy Note series, you’ll have to buy it separately.
Unfortunately, the Pixel 5 is at a lower level compared to the new Galaxy S21 range where raw power is concerned. You get the Snapdragon 765G under the hood, backed by 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The 6-inch Full HD display’s 90Hz refresh rate and stock Android contribute to smooth performance. Even so, the Pixel 5 is not going to win any performance races against the Galaxy S21 series phones.
The Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra come with 4,000mAh, 4,800mAh, and 5,000mAh batteries respectively. We’ll need to run tests to figure out battery life, but things look good on paper. The Pixel 5’s 4,080mAh offers impressive battery life, with Android Authority’s own David Imel enjoying up to eight hours of screen-on time in his review.
The Galaxy S21 and Pixel 5 are comparable flagships, but Samsung’s phones smash Google’s for raw power.
All four phones feature high-end staples like an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, fast charging, and wireless charging. You can also use them to charge other phones and peripherals, like smartwatches and wireless earbuds, with their reverse wireless charging feature.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus come with a 12MP wide-angle lens, a 12MP ultra-wide angle shooter, and a 64MP telephoto lens. In contrast, the Galaxy S21 Ultra bumps the primary telephoto to 108MP and tacks on a second 10MP telephoto as well.
The Pixel 5 falls behind on the spec sheet in this regard as well, with “just� a dual rear camera setup, comprising a 12.2MP primary shooter and 16MP ultra-wide lens. However, Google relies on software to bolster camera performance, and it’s no surprise that the Pixel 5 is one of the best camera phones you can get. It’ll be interesting to see how the Galaxy S21 series and other upcoming 2021 releases fare against Google’s best.
Price
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is currently available to pre-order and will go on sale from January 29. The Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will start at $799.99, $999.99, and $1,199, respectively. In the UK and Europe, the series will retail for £769/€849, £949/€1,049, and £1,149/€1,249, respectively.
On the other hand, you can get the Pixel 5 for $699/£599/€629.
Google’s first 5G smartphone
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 5: Which should you buy?
It’s flagship vs upper mid-ranger, and the flagship unsurprisingly takes the win if you value performance over all else. Of course, the Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Ultra are far more expensive as well.
The most interesting comparison is between the Pixel 5 and Galaxy S21 though. Samsung is carrying forward the lessons from the Galaxy S20 FE, with the Galaxy S21’s $799 making for a very enticing option. It brings flagship performance, a flashier design, and a more feature-packed camera for $100 more.
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The Pixel 5 is slightly smaller, understated, comes with the promise of timely updates, and takes fantastic photos. The Google phone is one of the best in this price range, but at least on paper, the Galaxy S21 offers more bang for your buck.