Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Xiaomi 17 Ultra
34.4Performance87.6
49.1Display67.4
40.8Camera77
36.9Battery81
78.7Features100
3 spec wins — Samsung Galaxy S2115 spec wins — Xiaomi 17 Ultra
InnoReviews verdict
Xiaomi 17 Ultra wins this phone face-off, 81.4 to 43.6, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+53) and battery (+44). 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
- 22% lower weight: 171 g vs 219 g
Reasons to pick the Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- Stronger performance score: 88 vs 34
- Stronger display score: 67 vs 49
- Stronger camera score: 77 vs 41
- Stronger battery score: 81 vs 37
- Stronger features score: 100 vs 79
Display
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.2 ″ | 6.9 ″+11% |
| Panel type | AMOLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2400x1080 | 1200x2608 |
| Pixel density | 421 ppi+1% | 416 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,300 nits | 3,500 nits+169% |
| Screen-to-body | — | 92.3 % |
Performance
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| AnTuTu 11 | 746,547Bottom 18% | 3,600,724+382%Top 6% |
| AnTuTu 11 (CPU) | 252,025Bottom 14% | 1,032,276+310%Top 6% |
| AnTuTu 11 (GPU) | 127,819Bottom 35% | 1,345,109+952%Top 6% |
| AnTuTu 11 (Memory) | 144,909Bottom 16% | 495,988+242%Top 2% |
| AnTuTu 11 (UX) | 221,794Bottom 18% | 727,351+228%Top 6% |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,430Top 46% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 3,550Bottom 50% | — |
| RAM (max) | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| Storage options | 128GB / 256GB | 512GB/1TB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 4.1 |
Camera
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Main aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.67 |
| Ultra-wide | 12 MP | 50 MP+317% |
| Telephoto | 64 MP | 200 MP+213% |
| Optical zoom | — | 4.3 x |
| Max video | 8K@24fps | 8K@30fps |
| Front camera | 10 MP | 50 MP+400% |
| OIS | Yes | Yes |
Battery
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 6,000 mAh+50% |
| Wired charging | 25 W | 90 W+260% |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 50 W+233% |
Design
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 171 g+22% | 219 g |
| Thickness | 7.9 mm+5% | 8.3 mm |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68/IP69 |
| Frame material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| OS at launch | Android 11 (One UI 3.1) | Android 16 (HyperOS 3) |
| OS update pledge | 4 years | — |
Audio
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Xiaomi 17 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo speakers | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
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