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InnoReviews

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Xiaomi 17 Max

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
45.2Inno Score
VS
WINNER
Xiaomi 17 Max
71.4Inno Score
37.5Performance64.4
47.2Display63.8
41.7Camera74.3
41.7Battery92
78.7Features60
2 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G10 spec wins — Xiaomi 17 Max

InnoReviews verdict

Xiaomi 17 Max wins this phone face-off, 71.4 to 45.2, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+50) and camera (+33). Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.

Which would you pick?

Key differences

Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

  • Stronger features score: 79 vs 60
  • 19% lower weight: 177 g vs 219 g

Reasons to pick the Xiaomi 17 Max

  • Stronger performance score: 64 vs 38
  • Stronger display score: 64 vs 47
  • Stronger camera score: 74 vs 42
  • Stronger battery score: 92 vs 42
  • 1567% higher Main camera: 200 MP vs 12 MP

Display

Display comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
Screen size6.4 ″6.9 ″+8%
Panel typeAMOLEDLTPO AMOLED
Resolution2340x10801200x2608
Pixel density401 ppi416 ppi+4%
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness1,200 nits3,500 nits+192%

Performance

Performance comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
ChipsetSnapdragon 888Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
AnTuTu1,040,324—
Geekbench 6 (single)1,450Top 44%—
Geekbench 6 (multi)3,650Top 50%—
RAM (max)6 GB16 GB+167%
Storage options128GB / 256GB256/512GB
Storage typeUFS 3.1UFS 4.1

Camera

Camera comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
Main camera12 MP200 MP+1567%
Main aperturef/1.8f/1.65
Ultra-wide12 MP50 MP+317%
Telephoto8 MP50 MP+525%
Optical zoom3 x3 x
Max video4K@60fps—
Front camera32 MP32 MP
OISYesYes

Battery

Battery comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
Capacity4,500 mAh8,000 mAh+78%
Wired charging25 W100 W+300%
Wireless charging15 W50 W+233%

Design

Design comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
Weight177 g+19%219 g
Thickness7.9 mm+3%8.2 mm
IP ratingIP68IP68/IP69
Frame materialAluminumFiberglass

Connectivity

Connectivity comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
5GYesYes
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth5.05.4
NFCYesYes
USBUSB-C 3.2USB-C 3.2
eSIMYes—

Software

Software comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
OS at launchAndroid 12 (One UI 4)Android 16 (HyperOS 3)
OS update pledge4 years—

Audio

Audio comparison: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G versus Xiaomi 17 Max
SpecSamsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GXiaomi 17 Max
Stereo speakersYes—
3.5mm jackNoNo

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