iPhone 12 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
43.9Performance37.5
32.4Display47.2
38Camera41.7
30.7Battery41.7
89.3Features78.7
7 spec wins — iPhone 12 Pro Max7 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G wins this phone face-off, 45.2 to 42.3, pulling ahead mainly in display (+15) and battery (+11). iPhone 12 Pro Max still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Stronger performance score: 44 vs 38
- Stronger features score: 89 vs 79
- 50% higher telephoto: 12 MP vs 8 MP
- 50% higher OS update pledge: 6 years vs 4 years
- 43% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 2,080 vs 1,450
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Stronger display score: 47 vs 32
- Stronger camera score: 42 vs 38
- Stronger battery score: 42 vs 31
- 167% higher Front camera: 32 MP vs 12 MP
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
- Lower launch price: $699 vs $1,099
Display
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.7 ″+5% | 6.4 ″ |
| Panel type | OLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2778x1284 | 2340x1080 |
| Pixel density | 458 ppi+14% | 401 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 1,200 nits | 1,200 nits |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Snapdragon 888 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 950,000Top 51% | 1,040,324+10%Top 46% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,080+43%Top 28% | 1,450Top 48% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 4,900+34%Top 35% | 3,650Top 53% |
| RAM (max) | 6 GB | 6 GB |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | 128GB / 256GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.6 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 12 MP+50% | 8 MP |
| Optical zoom | 2.5 x | 3 x+20% |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 32 MP+167% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,687 mAh | 4,500 mAh+22% |
| Wired charging | 20 W | 25 W+25% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 15 W |
Design
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 228 g | 177 g+22% |
| Thickness | 7.4 mm+6% | 7.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Stainless steel | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 14 | Android 12 (One UI 4) |
| OS update pledge | 6 years+50% | 4 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone 12 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
Related comparisons
iPhone 12 Pro Maxvs POCO X3 ProVSiPhone 12 Pro Maxvs Samsung Galaxy A53 5GVSiPhone 12 Pro Maxvs iPhone 13 miniVSiPhone 12 Pro Maxvs Samsung Galaxy A34 5GVSSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5Gvs Samsung Galaxy A35VSSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5Gvs Redmi 15 5GVSSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5Gvs Nothing Phone (1)VSSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5Gvs Huawei P40 ProVS