Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
34.4Performance86.1
49.1Display61.6
40.8Camera50.2
36.9Battery67.5
78.7Features94.7
3 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S2111 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
InnoReviews verdict
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 wins this phone face-off, 71.2 to 43.6, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+52) and battery (+31). 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
- 19% lower thickness: 7.9 mm vs 9.7 mm
- 15% lower weight: 171 g vs 201 g
- Lower launch price: $799 vs $1,900
Reasons to pick the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
- Stronger performance score: 86 vs 34
- Stronger display score: 62 vs 49
- Stronger camera score: 50 vs 41
- Stronger battery score: 68 vs 37
- Stronger features score: 95 vs 79
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 ″ | 7.6 ″+23% |
| Panel type | AMOLED | Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2400x1080 | 2448x1848 |
| Pixel density | 421 ppi+4% | 404 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,300 nits | 3,000 nits+131% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 89.6 % |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy |
| AnTuTuDifferent AnTuTu versions — not compared | 746,547Bottom 18% | 2,947,517 |
| 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% | 3,528+147%Top 6% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Bottom 50% | 10,619+199%Top 4% |
| Wild Life Extreme stability | — | 53 %Bottom 11% |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB/512GB/1TB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.0 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.8 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | — |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K@30fps |
| Front camera | 10 MP | 10 MP |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 4,800 mAh+20% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 45 W+80% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 20 W+33% |
| Active use endurance | — | 13.8 h |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 171 g+15% | 201 g |
| Thickness | 7.9 mm+19% | 9.7 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP48 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Armor Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
Software
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Z Fold 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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