Redmi Note 9 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
20Performance37.2
29.6Display56.3
29.8Camera72
39Battery46.4
28Features78.7
3 spec wins — Redmi Note 916 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 53.9 to 28.5, pulling ahead mainly in features (+51) and camera (+42). Redmi Note 9 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Redmi Note 9
- 13% lower weight: 199 g vs 228 g
- Has 3.5mm jack — the other doesn't
- Lower launch price: $199 vs $1,199
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Stronger performance score: 37 vs 20
- Stronger display score: 56 vs 30
- Stronger camera score: 72 vs 30
- Stronger battery score: 46 vs 39
- Stronger features score: 79 vs 28
Display
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.53 ″ | 6.8 ″+4% |
| Panel type | IPS LCD | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2340x1080 | 3200x1440 |
| Pixel density | 394 ppi | 515 ppi+31% |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz+100% |
| Peak brightness | — | 1,500 nits |
| 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
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | MediaTek Helio G85 | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| AnTuTu 10 | 270,000Top 93% | 783,817+190%Top 65% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 420Top 94% | 1,430+240%Top 52% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 1,350Top 96% | 3,550+163%Top 56% |
| RAM (max) | 4 GB | 12 GB+200% |
| Storage options | 64GB / 128GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
| Storage type | eMMC 5.1 | UFS 3.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48 MP | 108 MP+125% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 8 MP | 12 MP+50% |
| Telephoto | — | 10 MP |
| Optical zoom | — | 10 x |
| Max video | 1080p@30fps | 8K@24fps |
| Front camera | 13 MP | 40 MP+208% |
| OIS | No | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,020 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired charging | 18 W | 25 W+39% |
| Wireless charging | — | 15 W |
Design
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 199 g+13% | 228 g |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm | 8.9 mm |
| IP rating | — | IP68 |
| Frame material | Plastic | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | No | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 10 (MIUI 11) | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) |
| OS update pledge | 2 years | 4 years+100% |
Audio
| Spec | Redmi Note 9 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | No | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
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