iPhone XS Max vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
30Performance37.5
29.7Display47.2
35.3Camera41.7
23Battery41.7
73.3Features78.7
5 spec wins — iPhone XS Max13 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G wins this phone face-off, 45.2 to 33.9, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+19) and display (+18). iPhone XS 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 XS Max
- 50% higher telephoto: 12 MP vs 8 MP
- 50% higher OS update pledge: 6 years vs 4 years
- 14% higher Pixel density: 458 ppi vs 401 ppi
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Stronger performance score: 38 vs 30
- Stronger display score: 47 vs 30
- Stronger camera score: 42 vs 35
- Stronger battery score: 42 vs 23
- Stronger features score: 79 vs 73
- Lower launch price: $699 vs $1,099
Display
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.5 ″+2% | 6.4 ″ |
| Panel type | OLED | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2688x1242 | 2340x1080 |
| Pixel density | 458 ppi+14% | 401 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | 625 nits | 1,200 nits+92% |
Performance
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic | Snapdragon 888 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 720,000Top 68% | 1,040,324+44%Top 46% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,100Top 63% | 1,450+32%Top 48% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 2,800Top 67% | 3,650+30%Top 53% |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 6 GB+50% |
| Storage options | 64GB / 256GB / 512GB | 128GB / 256GB |
| Storage type | NVMe | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | — | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 12 MP+50% | 8 MP |
| Optical zoom | 2 x | 3 x+50% |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 32 MP+357% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,174 mAh | 4,500 mAh+42% |
| Wired charging | 15 W | 25 W+67% |
| Wireless charging | 8 W | 15 W+100% |
Design
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 208 g | 177 g+15% |
| Thickness | 7.7 mm+3% | 7.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Stainless steel | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | iOS 12 | Android 12 (One UI 4) |
| OS update pledge | 6 years+50% | 4 years |
Audio
| Spec | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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