Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
34.4Performance54.3
49.1Display59.7
40.8Camera69.9
36.9Battery62.8
78.7Features78.7
3 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S2115 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 62.6 to 43.6, pulling ahead mainly in camera (+29) and battery (+26). Samsung Galaxy S21 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
- 540% higher telephoto: 64 MP vs 10 MP
- 27% lower weight: 171 g vs 234 g
- 11% lower thickness: 7.9 mm vs 8.9 mm
- Lower launch price: $799 vs $1,200
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Stronger performance score: 54 vs 34
- Stronger display score: 60 vs 49
- Stronger camera score: 70 vs 41
- Stronger battery score: 63 vs 37
- 1567% higher Main camera: 200 MP vs 12 MP
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 ″ | 6.8 ″+10% |
| Panel type | AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2400x1080 | 1440x3088 |
| Pixel density | 421 ppi | 501 ppi+19% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,300 nits | 1,750 nits+35% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 89.9 % |
| AnTuTu 10 (CPU) | 252,025Top 94% | 550,163+118%Top 54% |
| AnTuTu 10 (GPU) | 127,819Top 79% | 416,322+226%Top 54% |
| AnTuTu 10 (Memory) | 144,909Top 91% | 277,973+92%Top 50% |
| AnTuTu 10 (UX) | 221,794Top 88% | 433,496+95%Top 35% |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy |
| AnTuTu 10 | 746,547Top 66% | 1,677,954+125%Top 20% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,430Top 52% | 2,000+40%Top 33% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Top 56% | 5,400+52%Top 30% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 12 GB+50% |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB | 256/512GB/1TB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 200 MP+1567% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.7 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 64 MP+540% | 10 MP |
| Optical zoom | — | 10 x |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K@30fps |
| Front camera | 10 MP | 12 MP+20% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh+25% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 45 W+80% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 15 W |
| Active use endurance | — | 12 h |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 171 g+27% | 234 g |
| Thickness | 7.9 mm+11% | 8.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Armor Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) | Android 13 (One UI 5.1) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years | 4 years |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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