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InnoReviews

iPhone SE (3rd gen) vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

A
38.3Inno Score
VS
WINNER
S
53.9Inno Score
44Performance37.2
21.3Display56.3
31.9Camera72
27.7Battery46.4
89.3Features78.7
6 spec wins — iPhone SE (3rd gen)11 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

InnoReviews verdict

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 53.9 to 38.3, pulling ahead mainly in camera (+40) and display (+35). iPhone SE (3rd gen) 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 (3rd gen)

  • Stronger performance score: 44 vs 37
  • Stronger features score: 89 vs 79
  • 50% higher OS update pledge: 6 years vs 4 years
  • 47% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 2,100 vs 1,430
  • 46% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 5,200 vs 3,550
  • Lower launch price: $429 vs $1,199

Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

  • Stronger display score: 56 vs 21
  • Stronger camera score: 72 vs 32
  • Stronger battery score: 46 vs 28
  • 900% higher Optical zoom: 10 x vs 1 x
  • 800% higher Main camera: 108 MP vs 12 MP

Display

Display comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Screen size4.7 ″6.8 ″+45%
Panel typeRetina IPS LCDLTPO AMOLED
Resolution750x13343200x1440
Pixel density326 ppi515 ppi+58%
Refresh rate60 Hz120 Hz+100%
Peak brightness625 nits1,500 nits+140%
Screen-to-body65.4 %—
AnTuTu 10 (CPU)—263,424Top 88%
AnTuTu 10 (GPU)—126,989Top 82%
AnTuTu 10 (Memory)—165,563Top 72%
AnTuTu 10 (UX)—227,841Top 82%

Performance

Performance comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
ChipsetApple A15 BionicSamsung Exynos 2100
AnTuTu 10890,000+14%Top 59%783,817Top 65%
Geekbench 6 (single)2,100+47%Top 27%1,430Top 52%
Geekbench 6 (multi)5,200+46%Top 32%3,550Top 56%
RAM (max)4 GB12 GB+200%
Storage options64/128/256GB128GB / 256GB / 512GB
Storage typeNVMeUFS 3.1

Camera

Camera comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Main camera12 MP108 MP+800%
Main aperturef/1.8f/1.8
Ultra-wide—12 MP
Telephoto—10 MP
Optical zoom1 x10 x+900%
Max video4K@60fps8K@24fps
Front camera7 MP40 MP+471%
OISYesYes

Battery

Battery comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Capacity2,018 mAh5,000 mAh+148%
Wired charging20 W25 W+25%
Wireless charging8 W15 W+100%
Active use endurance7 h—

Design

Design comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Weight144 g+37%228 g
Thickness7.3 mm+18%8.9 mm
IP ratingIP67IP68
Frame materialAluminumAluminum

Connectivity

Connectivity comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
5GYesYes
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth5.05.2
NFCYesYes
USBLightningUSB-C 3.2
eSIMYesYes

Software

Software comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
OS at launchiOS 15Android 11 (One UI 3.1)
OS update pledge6 years+50%4 years

Audio

Audio comparison: iPhone SE (3rd gen) versus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Stereo speakersYesYes
3.5mm jackNoNo

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