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We’ve compared various different iPhone 13 and Galaxy S21 variants, but it’s not time to do the same or vanilla models. In this article, we’ll compare the Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 13. The Galaxy S22 is only a couple of months away, so at the moment, the Galaxy 21 series, and iPhone 13 series are the best Samsung and Apple have to offer, not counting Samsung’s foldable devices, of course.
Both the Galaxy S21 and iPhone 13 are very compelling devices, though they’re quite different. Many of you are probably still considering which of the two phones to get, so we’ll try and help you out with that. We’ll kick things off by listing their specifications, and will then move to comparing their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. That being said, let’s get things going, let’s compare the Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 13.
Specs
| Samsung Galaxy S21 | Apple iPhone 13 | |
| Screen size | 6.2-inch FullHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (120Hz adaptive refresh rate, LTPS) | 6.1-inch fullHD+ Super Retina XDR OLED display (60Hz) |
| Screen resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2532 x 1170 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Samsung Exynos 2100 | Apple A15 Bionic |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR5) | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB, non-expandable | 128GB/256GB/512GB, non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 12MP (f/1.8 aperture, 1.8um pixel size, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF) 12 MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.4um pixel size, 120-degree FoV) 64MP (f/2.0 aperture, 0.8um pixel size, OIS, PDAF, Hybrid Optic 3X, 30X Space Zoom) |
12MP (f/1.6 aperture, 26mm lens, 1.7um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS) 12 MP (f/2.4 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 13mm lens) |
| Front cameras | 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size, 80-degree FoV, Dual Pixel AF) | 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 23mm wide-angle lens) |
| Battery | 4,000mAh, non-removable, fast battery charging, Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, Wireless PowerShare | 3,240mAh, non-removable, 23W wired charging, 15W MagSafe wireless charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7mm |
| Weight | 169 grams | 174 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner (ultrasonic) | Advanced facial scanning |
| OS | Android 11 One UI 3.0 |
iOS 15 |
| Price | $799.99 | $699 |
| Buy | Samsung | Apple |
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 13: Design
Both of these phones feature a frame made out of metal, aluminum, to be exact. On the back of the Galaxy S21 you’ll find plastic, while there’s glass on the back of the iPhone 13. The Galaxy S21 has more curves than the iPhone 13, its back is curved towards the sides. The sides on the iPhone 13 are completely flat. The Galaxy S21 is more comfortable to hold in the hand because of this.
Both phones have very thin bezels, though the ones on the iPhone 13 are uniform, if you don’t count in the notch. That notch is quite an eyesore compared to a display camera hole on the Galaxy S21. All the physical buttons are on the right-hand side of the Galaxy S21, while the same cannot be said for the iPhone 13. You also cannot see a fingerprint scanner on either phone, but the Galaxy S21 does include one, under the display.
Their camera setups are located in the top-left corner on the back, though they’re quite different, and also look different. The housing of the Galaxy S21’s cameras protrudes from the frame, and it’s metal-clad. The same cannot be said for the iPhone 13, while that device also has one less camera on the back. The Galaxy S21 is taller, narrower, and slightly thicker than the iPhone 13. It does have a slightly larger display, and it’s slightly lighter than Apple’s offering as well.
Neither phone is too difficult to use with one hand, but do keep that they’re quite slippery. You’ll probably want to use a case with both devices.
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 13: Display
The Galaxy S21 features a 6.2-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. This is a 120Hz display, and it does support HDR10+ content. This panel can reach a peak brightness of 1,300 nits, and it’s flat. Samsung decided to use Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus to protect this panel, the latest protection from the company. Also, if you count in this display size, and resolution, you’ll realize we’re looking at a 20:9 aspect ratio.
The iPhone 13, on the other hand, includes a 6.1-inch 2532 x 1170 Super Retina XDR OLED display. That display does support HDR10 content, but it’s limited to 60Hz when it comes to refresh rate. It can reach a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, and we’re looking at a 19.5:9 display aspect ratio here. This display is protected by scratch-resistant ceramic glass, and it’s also flat, like the Galaxy S21’s panel.
So, are these two displays any good? Well, yes, they’re excellent, actually. Both displays are quite vibrant, and the blacks are deep as you’d expect. They don’t look washed out at all, and they’re more than sharp enough. Scrolling will feel smoother on the Galaxy S21 due to a higher refresh rate, and you’ll likely notice that while doing other actions. Apple did a great job with this 60Hz panel, though, so chances are that the difference won’t bother you that much, unless you’re really used to high refresh rate displays. Both displays are more than bright enough to be used in direct sunlight. They also offer great viewing angles.
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 13: Performance
Both of these phones are very well equipped in regards to hardware. The Galaxy S21 is fueled by the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, depending on where you bought it. It comes with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The iPhone 13, on the other hand, comes with Apple’s beastly Apple A15 Bionic chip, and NVMe storage. Both phones perform really, really well.
When it comes to regular, everyday tasks, you won’t see any lag here. Both are zippy, and will do all those tasks with ease. Tasks such as opening and closing apps, multitasking, multimedia consumption, browsing, and so on. Both will actually perform really well when it comes to gaming too. They can handle the most demanding games you’ll find in the Play Store, with ease. Do note that the Exynos 2100 SoC does heat up a bit more than the Snapdragon 888 and Apple A15 Bionic.
If you buy the Galaxy S21 in Europe or India, you’ll get the Exynos 2100 variant. Don’t get us wrong, it does perform really well, but it does heat up a bit more, and it does result in slightly worse battery life. On top of that, slight differences in camera performance have been spotted between the two Galaxy S21 variants. The bottom line is, both phones offer excellent performance, and that’s not something you should worry about.
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 13: Battery
The Galaxy S21 comes with a 4,000mAh battery on the inside. The iPhone 13, on the flip side, includes a 3,240mAh battery. Most of you know that iOS handles battery consumption differently compared to Android, so it doesn’t require as large of a battery. That being said, how does the battery life compare on these two phones. Well, for most people, both devices will be able to offer more than enough battery life.
With the Galaxy S21, we’ve been able to cross the 6-hour screen-on-time mark on most days. At that time, the battery charge wasn’t exactly high, so keep that in mind. The iPhone 13 does offer better battery life, you should be able to cross the 7-hour mark. Do note that your mileage may differ quite a bit, as there are a ton of aspects that determine battery life. Also, keep in mind that we didn’t exactly play games during our usage, only some light games from time to time.
The Galaxy S21 offers 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The iPhone 13 ships with 23W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 7.5W reverse wireless charging. Another thing worth noting is that neither phone ships with a charger. You’ll have to buy one if you don’t already have one at home.
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 13: Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S21 has three cameras on the back, A 12-megapixel main and ultrawide cameras, and a 64-megapixel telephoto unit. The iPhone 13, on the other hand, has two 12-megapixel units, the main camera, and an ultrawide camera. Do these cameras perform well? Well, yes, they do. They’re not the best cameras on the market, but they’re up there. During good lighting, they can provide really vivid and detailed images, that offer great dynamic range, and are well-balanced. Samsung toned down on its processing, even though it’s still noticeable, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Images from the iPhone 13 do end up looking a bit colder, but that’s something you can mitigate in the camera app. When the light goes away, both phones do a great job, though the iPhone 13 is slightly better in that regard, due to lower noise. Both phones can grab a lot of details from the shadows, and nighttime images from both phones look well-balanced.
Ultrawide cameras do a good job, but not as good as the main units, of course. Telephoto images are better from the Galaxy S21, which is not surprising considering it has a dedicated telephoto camera. Selfies, on the other hand, do look somewhat better on the iPhone 13, due to better bokeh. The iPhone 13 does a bit better when it comes to video recording as well, the footage ends up looking more natural, and more stabilized.
Audio
The first thing to note in the audio department is that neither of these two phones offers a 3.5mm headphone jack. What they do offer is a set of stereo speakers, and those speakers are great on both phones. These are not the best speakers on the market, but they’re really, really good. The sound that comes out is loud and sharp, while the soundstage is wide enough. You will get some bass from both smartphones, and the audio doesn’t sound muffled at all. The vocals will turn out clear as well. All in all, both phones are well-optimized in that regard, and are even somewhat similar in regards to loudness. Both offer good audio output, and will satisfy the audio needs of the vast majority of users. Audio from a pair of solid headphones is also good enough, as long as you’re not expecting wonders.