iPhone SE (2020) vs Samsung Galaxy S21
34.4Performance34.4
21.6Display49.1
31.9Camera40.8
21.3Battery36.9
73.3Features78.7
4 spec wins — iPhone SE (2020)12 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S21 wins this phone face-off, 43.6 to 32.6, pulling ahead mainly in display (+28) and battery (+16). iPhone SE (2020) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the iPhone SE (2020)
- 50% higher OS update pledge: 6 years vs 4 years
- 21% higher AnTuTu 10: 900,000 vs 746,547
- 13% lower weight: 148 g vs 171 g
- Lower launch price: $399 vs $799
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21
- Stronger display score: 49 vs 22
- Stronger camera score: 41 vs 32
- Stronger battery score: 37 vs 21
- Stronger features score: 79 vs 73
- 167% higher RAM (max): 8 GB vs 3 GB
Display
| Spec | iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 4.7 ″ | 6.2 ″+32% |
| Panel type | IPS LCD | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1334x750 | 2400x1080 |
| Pixel density | 326 ppi | 421 ppi+29% |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 625 nits | 1,300 nits+108% |
| AnTuTu 10 (CPU) | — | 252,025Top 94% |
| AnTuTu 10 (GPU) | — | 127,819Top 79% |
| AnTuTu 10 (Memory) | — | 144,909Top 91% |
| AnTuTu 10 (UX) | — | 221,794Top 88% |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 900,000+21%Top 56% | 746,547Top 66% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,340Top 56% | 1,430+7%Top 52% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,400Top 57% | 3,550+4%Top 56% |
| RAM (max) | 3 GB | 8 GB+167% |
| Storage options | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | 128GB / 256GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | — | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | — | 64 MP |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 10 MP+43% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,821 mAh | 4,000 mAh+120% |
| Wired charging | 18 W | 25 W+39% |
| Wireless charging | 8 W | 15 W+100% |
Design
| Spec | iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 148 g+13% | 171 g |
| Thickness | 7.3 mm+8% | 7.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | No | 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 SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 13 | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | 6 years+50% | 4 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone SE (2020) | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |