realme 12 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21
28.9Performance34.4
46.6Display49.1
33.9Camera40.8
52.5Battery36.9
86.7Features78.7
6 spec wins — realme 12 5G6 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: realme 12 5G scores 43.9 against 43.6 for Samsung Galaxy S21. Pick by the categories that matter to you — realme 12 5G edges ahead in battery and features, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the realme 12 5G
- Stronger battery score: 53 vs 37
- Stronger features score: 87 vs 79
- 800% higher Main camera: 108 MP vs 12 MP
- 80% higher Wired charging: 45 W vs 25 W
- 25% higher capacity: 5,000 mAh vs 4,000 mAh
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21
- Stronger performance score: 34 vs 29
- Stronger camera score: 41 vs 34
- 37% higher Peak brightness: 1,300 nits vs 950 nits
- 25% higher Front camera: 10 MP vs 8 MP
- Has OIS — the other doesn't
Display
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.72 ″+8% | 6.2 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS LCD | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 2400x1080 |
| Pixel density | 392 ppi | 421 ppi+7% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 950 nits | 1,300 nits+37% |
| Screen-to-body | 86.5 % | — |
Performance
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| AnTuTu | — | 746,547Bottom 18% |
| AnTuTu 11 (CPU) | — | 252,025Bottom 14% |
| AnTuTu 11 (GPU) | — | 127,819Bottom 35% |
| AnTuTu 11 (Memory) | — | 144,909Bottom 16% |
| AnTuTu 11 (UX) | — | 221,794Bottom 18% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | — | 1,430Top 46% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | — | 3,550Bottom 50% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128/256/512GB | 128GB / 256GB |
| Storage type | — | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 108 MP+800% | 12 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.75 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | — | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | — | 64 MP |
| Max video | 1080p@30fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 10 MP+25% |
| OIS | No | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,000 mAh+25% | 4,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 45 W+80% | 25 W |
| Wireless charging | 0 W | 15 W |
Design
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 188 g | 171 g+9% |
| Thickness | 7.7 mm+3% | 7.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP54 | IP68 |
| Frame material | — | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | — | Yes |
Software
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 14 (realme UI 5.0) | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | — | 4 years |
Audio
| Spec | realme 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |