January has barely begun and we have already got our first heavyweight smartphone battle of 2021. Samsung has launched its lineup of Galaxy S21 phones somewhat sooner than traditional this 12 months, and it’s clear they’ve Apple’s latest telephone in its sights. Samsung hasn’t reinvented the S21 as a lot because it’s retooled it to tackle the iPhone 12, with a lower cost level, sharper design, and a few new digicam tips. Here’s how the 2 $800 telephones stack up.
Design
Samsung’s Galaxy S is all the time on the forefront of Android smartphone design, and the S21 continues that custom. Samsung has crafted a really distinctive design the place the steel sides seamlessly mix into the digicam array, as if it have been snapped onto the again. The again is product of plastic moderately than glass, but it surely nonetheless has a premium really feel, even when it’s not fairly as luxurious because the S20.
The S21 has a stunning coloration palette this 12 months.
Of course, the iPhone is not any slouch within the seems to be division. Apple launched a brand new, flatter design with the iPhone 12 that has a retro appeal paying homage to the iPhone 4, and it feels nice to carry. The sq. digicam array is sort of equivalent to the iPhone 11’s and never almost as distinctive because the S21’s.
The two telephones are very comparable in measurement. The S21 is barely larger and a bit heavier. However, Samsung has executed a incredible job with distributing the burden on the S21, so it doesn’t really feel as heavy because it weighs:
Galaxy S21: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm, 164 grams
iPhone 12: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm, 171 grams
Both telephones are available a wide range of colours that mainly boil down to non-public choice, however Samsung’s distinctive design stands out right here as effectively. The digicam array is handled as a design aspect and is made to face out with a daring steel housing. It’s one of the crucial distinctive designs Samsung has ever made, and it makes the iPhone 12 look somewhat stale.
My decide: The Galaxy S21
Display
Now that Apple has gone OLED and Samsung has gone Full HD, the iPhone 12 and Galaxy S21 have very comparable shows:
Galaxy S21: 6.2-inch Flat FHD+ Infinity-O Display (2400×1080), 421ppi, 120Hz
iPhone 12: 6.1-inch Flat Full HD+ Super Retina XDR (2532×1170), 460ppi, 60Hz
Michael Simon/IDGThe iPhone 12 sticks with the notch.
Marketing phrases and tenth-of-an-inch apart, the one actual distinction between the 2 shows is the refresh price. Samsung is as soon as once more utilizing a 120Hz display screen on the S21, and this 12 months it’s adaptive, which means it’s going to swap dynamically from a excessive refresh to low, relying on what you’re doing, so as to save battery life.
You’re additionally selecting between a gap or a notch. The iPhone 12 sticks with the moderately massive notch on the prime of the display screen that homes the TrueDepth digicam and sensors for Face ID, whereas Samsung has a small gap within the middle for its selfie digicam.
The iPhone 12’s show is great, and because of the pace of system-on-chip, it feels extraordinarily quick. But the S21 takes it a step additional with its buttery-smooth scrolling that feels easy.
My decide: Galaxy S21
Processor, RAM, storage, and battery
As traditional, each telephones function the very newest in chip tech. The iPhone makes use of Apple’s personal A14 Bionic processor, whereas the S21 sticks with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888. I haven’t examined the S21 but, however it’s going to possible be extraordinarily quick even when its benchmarks don’t fairly measure as much as Apple’s spectacular outcomes.
When it involves reminiscence, Samsung has dialed again the RAM a bit from the S20’s ridiculous 12GB, however the 8GB contained in the S21 ought to be lots. Apple has solely 4GB within the iPhone 12, however iOS 14’s optimizations make it appear to be there’s far more. Samsung additionally beats Apple with storage, providing 128GB within the S21 in comparison with the iPhone 12’s 64GB.
SamsungThe Galaxy S21 is lots highly effective even with lesser specs than the S20.
Battery life is a little more sophisticated. On paper, the S21 boasts a 4,000mAh battery versus the iPhone 12’s 2,815mAh one, however real-world outcomes will likely be far more necessary. The iPhone 12’s battery life bested that of Android telephones with almost twice as a lot battery capability in 2020, so I anticipate each telephones to make it although a full day of use with ease. When it involves charging, each telephones supply quick charging through the included cable, 20W through the iPhone and 25W with the S21. They each supply 10W wi-fi charging as effectively, and the iPhone additionally gives MagSafe magnetic charging through non-obligatory equipment.
Elsewhere, each telephones have sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, and Wi-Fi 6 for fast connectivity, in addition to IP68 water resistance. The iPhone 12 additionally has a U1 ultrawide band chip for exact location mapping, however you’ll have to improve to one of many different fashions (S21+ or S21 Ultra) to get that on the S21. Like final 12 months, the iPhone 12 has Face ID, whereas the S21 has an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor.
My decide: Leaning towards iPhone 12, however testing will likely be wanted earlier than I could make a closing choice.
Camera
Somewhat surprisingly, each Samsung and Apple opted to stay with comparable digicam {hardware} in comparison with their respective predecessors. In the S21’s case, the triple-camera system is equivalent to the S20’s, whereas Apple solely barely upgraded the wide-angle sensor on the iPhone 12 with a wider aperture (f/1.6 vs f/1.8).
Michael Simon/IDGThe iPhone 12’s digicam {hardware} is simply barely improved over the iPhone 11’s, but it surely takes method higher pictures.
You’ll discover extra enhancements within the software program that drives the {hardware}. We’ll have our full digicam checks in a number of weeks, however Samsung claims the S21 takes brighter photos at nighttime, Portrait Mode “more accurately separates the subject from the background,” and Space Zoom “minimizes shaky hands and captures clearer images at 30x zoom.” Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 is without doubt one of the finest smartphone cameras you should purchase, with stellar capturing in all types of sunshine and conditions.
However, whereas we already know the iPhone 12 takes nice pictures, it doesn’t have wherever close to the ability of 30X zoom. In reality, it doesn’t have a zoom lens in any respect, so that you’ll have to get very near your topic. On paper, the S21 has the superior shooter, however we’ll have to check it out to see.
My decide: Leaning towards S21, however the proof of the pudding will likely be within the consuming.
OS and updates
As all the time, you’re getting the most recent OS with every of those telephones—One UI 3.1 primarily based on Android 11 with the S21, and iOS 14 with the iPhone 12—however the future isn’t fairly as clear. Since the launch of the Galaxy S20, Samsung has promised all new telephones will get three generations of Android updates, so the S21 is assured to get Android 14 when it arrives in 2023. Apple technically gives no such assure, however iPhones are usually supported for 5 years of upgrades. For instance, the iPhone 6s, which launched with iOS 9 in 2016, obtained iOS 14 when it landed in September.
You’re additionally assured to get iOS updates on the day they arrive, one thing that isn’t so sure with the S21. While month-to-month safety updates land shortly, new variations of Android usually take months earlier than they arrive on the most recent telephones.
My decide: iPhone 12
Conclusion
Samsung and Apple have been rivals for so long as they’ve been making telephones, but it surely’s been some time since they’ve had telephones that have been such shut rivals. I’m nonetheless testing the S21 and can have a full assessment quickly. Based on first impressions, although, the iPhone 12 has a really powerful battle on its fingers and would possibly have to relinquish its crown for one of the best premium smartphone worth.