Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
37.5Performance64.4
47.2Display69.8
41.7Camera83.6
41.7Battery92
78.7Features86.7
3 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G12 spec wins — Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
InnoReviews verdict
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max wins this phone face-off, 77.1 to 45.2, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+50) and camera (+42). 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
- 25% lower weight: 177 g vs 235 g
- Has eSIM — the other doesn't
Reasons to pick the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
- Stronger performance score: 64 vs 38
- Stronger display score: 70 vs 47
- Stronger camera score: 84 vs 42
- Stronger battery score: 92 vs 42
- Stronger features score: 87 vs 79
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.4 ″ | 6.9 ″+8% |
| Panel type | AMOLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2340x1080 | 1208x2624 |
| Pixel density | 401 ppi | 418 ppi+4% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,200 nits | 4,000 nits+233% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 91.6 % |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 |
| AnTuTu | 1,040,324 | — |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,450Top 44% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,650Top 50% | — |
| RAM (max) | 6 GB | 16 GB+167% |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB | 256/512GB/1TB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 200 MP+1567% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.7 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Telephoto | 8 MP | 200 MP+2400% |
| Optical zoom | 3 x | 3.2 x+7% |
| Max video | 4K@60fps | 8K@30fps |
| Front camera | 32 MP | 50 MP+56% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,500 mAh | 8,500 mAh+89% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 100 W+300% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 50 W+233% |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 177 g+25% | 235 g |
| Thickness | 7.9 mm+6% | 8.4 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP66/IP68/IP69 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 6.0 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | No |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 12 (One UI 4) | Android 17 (HyperOS 4) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years | — |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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