Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
34.4Performance90
49.1Display62.7
40.8Camera74
36.9Battery61.2
78.7Features94.7
2 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S2118 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 76 to 43.6, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+56) and camera (+33). 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
- 28% higher telephoto: 64 MP vs 50 MP
- 20% lower weight: 171 g vs 214 g
- Lower launch price: $799 vs $1,299
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Stronger performance score: 90 vs 34
- Stronger display score: 63 vs 49
- Stronger camera score: 74 vs 41
- Stronger battery score: 61 vs 37
- Stronger features score: 95 vs 79
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 ″ | 6.9 ″+11% |
| Panel type | AMOLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2400x1080 | 3120x1440 |
| Pixel density | 421 ppi | 498 ppi+18% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,300 nits | 2,600 nits+100% |
| AnTuTu 10 (CPU) | 252,025Top 94% | 1,017,509+304%Top 7% |
| AnTuTu 10 (GPU) | 127,819Top 79% | 1,344,505+952%Top 4% |
| AnTuTu 10 (Memory) | 144,909Top 91% | 390,717+170%Top 7% |
| AnTuTu 10 (UX) | 221,794Top 88% | 685,076+209%Top 7% |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| AnTuTu 10 | 746,547Top 66% | 3,437,807+360%Top 2% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,430Top 52% | 3,850+169%Top 1% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Top 56% | 11,900+235%Top 1% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 12 GB+50% |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 200 MP+1567% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.7 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Telephoto | 64 MP+28% | 50 MP |
| Optical zoom | — | 5 x |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K@30fps |
| Front camera | 10 MP | 12 MP+20% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh+25% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 60 W+140% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 25 W+67% |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 171 g+20% | 214 g |
| Thickness | 7.9 mm | 7.9 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Titanium |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) | Android 16 (One UI 8.5) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years | 7 years+75% |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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