Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
34.4Performance66.1
49.1Display53.6
40.8Camera46.5
36.9Battery70.5
78.7Features94.7
3 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S2110 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE wins this phone face-off, 63.4 to 43.6, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+34) and performance (+32). 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
- 700% higher telephoto: 64 MP vs 8 MP
- 11% lower weight: 171 g vs 193 g
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
- Stronger performance score: 66 vs 34
- Stronger display score: 54 vs 49
- Stronger camera score: 47 vs 41
- Stronger battery score: 71 vs 37
- Stronger features score: 95 vs 79
- Lower launch price: $700 vs $799
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 ″ | 6.7 ″+8% |
| Panel type | AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2400x1080 | 1080x2340 |
| Pixel density | 421 ppi+9% | 385 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,300 nits | 1,900 nits+46% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 88.7 % |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Exynos 2500 |
| AnTuTuDifferent AnTuTu versions — not compared | 746,547Bottom 18% | 2,535,201 |
| AnTuTu 11 (CPU) | 252,025Bottom 14% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (GPU) | 127,819Bottom 35% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (Memory) | 144,909Bottom 16% | — |
| AnTuTu 11 (UX) | 221,794Bottom 18% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,430Top 46% | 2,438+70%Top 22% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Bottom 50% | 8,035+126%Top 19% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB | 128/256/512GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Telephoto | 64 MP+700% | 8 MP |
| Optical zoom | — | 3 x |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K |
| Front camera | 10 MP | 12 MP+20% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 4,900 mAh+23% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 45 W+80% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 15 W |
| Active use endurance | — | 14.8 h |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 171 g+11% | 193 g |
| Thickness | 7.9 mm | 7.4 mm+6% |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum Alloy |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | 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 | Samsung Galaxy S26 FE |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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