Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
37.2Performance66.1
56.3Display53.6
72Camera46.5
46.4Battery70.5
78.7Features94.7
8 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra7 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE wins this phone face-off, 63.4 to 53.9, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+29) and battery (+24). Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 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 Ultra
- Stronger camera score: 72 vs 47
- 233% higher Optical zoom: 10 x vs 3 x
- 233% higher Front camera: 40 MP vs 12 MP
- 116% higher Main camera: 108 MP vs 50 MP
- 50% higher RAM (max): 12 GB vs 8 GB
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
- Stronger performance score: 66 vs 37
- Stronger battery score: 71 vs 46
- Stronger features score: 95 vs 79
- 126% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 8,035 vs 3,550
- 80% higher Wired charging: 45 W vs 25 W
- Lower launch price: $700 vs $1,199
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.8 ″+1% | 6.7 ″ |
| Panel type | LTPO AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 3200x1440 | 1080x2340 |
| Pixel density | 515 ppi+34% | 385 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,500 nits | 1,900 nits+27% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 88.7 % |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Exynos 2500 |
| AnTuTuDifferent AnTuTu versions — not compared | 783,817Bottom 22% | 2,535,201 |
| AnTuTu 11 (CPU) | 263,424Bottom 17% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (GPU) | 126,989Bottom 33% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (Memory) | 165,563Bottom 35% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (UX) | 227,841Bottom 20% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,430Top 46% | 2,438+70%Top 22% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Bottom 50% | 8,035+126%Top 19% |
| RAM (max) | 12 GB+50% | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | 128/256/512GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 108 MP+116% | 50 MP |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 10 MP+25% | 8 MP |
| Optical zoom | 10 x+233% | 3 x |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K |
| Front camera | 40 MP+233% | 12 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,000 mAh+2% | 4,900 mAh |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 45 W+80% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 15 W |
| Active use endurance | — | 14.8 h |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 228 g | 193 g+15% |
| Thickness | 8.9 mm | 7.4 mm+17% |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum Alloy |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) | Android 17 (One UI 9) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years | 7 years+75% |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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