Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro (256GB)
Side by side comparison between Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Apple iPhone 12 Pro phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6.2"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1080x2400
12.2
MP
MP
10mp
8GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
4000
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
6.1"
OLED
OLED
1170x2532
12
MP
MP
12mp
6GB
RAM
RAM
Hexa-core
2815
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy S21
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
15 Advantages 
12 Advantages | 34 Common items in both devices |
| Dynamic AMOLED / Super Retina XDR OLED |
| HDR10+ / Dolby Vision/HDR10 |
| 16 million |
| Digital and optical zoom |
| PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras / PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| OIS: Optical stabilization |
| BSI sensor |
| +27 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Change model | ||
| Model | Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) |
| Other model names | Galaxy S21 5G SM-G991B/DS | iPhone 12 Pro A2341, A2406, A2407, A2408 |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) | (Global, International) |
| Brand | Samsung | Apple |
| Release date | 1/29/2021, Announced: 1/14/2021 | 10/13/2020 |
| Depth | 7.9 millimeters (0.31 inches) | 7.4 millimeters (0.29 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 71.2 x 151.7 millimeters (2.8 x 5.97 in) | 71.5 x 146.7 millimeters (2.81 x 5.78 in) |
| Weight | 169 grams (5.92 ounces) | 189 grams (6.62 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Aluminum body, glass front, plastic back | Stainless steel body, glass front/back |
| Protection against water and others | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Display type | Dynamic AMOLED | Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Screen size | 6.2" inches | 6.1" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~85.9% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~87.1% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1080x2400 pixels (20:9) | 1170x2532 pixels (19.5:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 424 PPI | 457 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass Victus | Ceramic Shield |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Display features | 1300nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display | 800nits[typ], 1200nits[peak] Dolby Vision/HDR10 Wide color gamut True-tone Oleophobic coating screen |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| System version | Android 11 | iOS 14 |
| Firmware update | Android 14 | iOS 18 |
| User Interface | One UI 3.1 / 4.1 / 5.1 / 6.0 | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm) | 64bit: Apple A14 Bionic (5nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core, 3 processors: 1x 2.9GHz ARM Cortex-X1 (Single-core) 3x 2.8GHz ARM Cortex-A78 (Triple-core) 4x 2.2GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (Quad-core) | Hexa-core, 2 processors: 2x 3.1GHz Firestorm (Dual-core) 4x 1.8GHz Icestorm (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | ARM Mali-G78 MP14 (854MHz) | Apple GPU MP4 |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | AnTuTu: 596244 (v8) Geekbench: 4056 (v5.1) GFXBench: 58fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| RAM memory | 8GB LPDDR5 | 6GB LPDDR4X |
| Internal storage | 128GB (104GB available) UFS 3.1 | 256GB (240GB available) NVMe (SSD) |
| External storage | Not supported | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card |
| SIM card | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) + e-SIM | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) + e-SIM |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 5000/1920 Mbps | 5000/1024 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO TD-SCDMA 1900/2000 UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO TD-SCDMA 1900/2000 UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat24 () TD-LTE () VoLTE | LTE Cat20 VoLTE A2341 version: LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48) A2406 version: LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48) A2407, A2408 versions: LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48) |
| Primary 5G network | SA/NSA/Sub6 () | A2341 version: Sub6/mmWave (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261) A2406 version: Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79) A2407, A2408 versions: Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, TD-SCDMA, UMTS, TD-HSDPA, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, TD-SCDMA, UMTS, TD-HSDPA, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 |
| Secondary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | LTE Cat24 () TD-LTE () VoLTE | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | (triple camera) 12.2 megapixels 64MP telephoto f/2.029mm1/1.72"0.8µmPDAFOIS1.1x-optical-zoom3x-hybrid-zoom 12MP ultrawide f/2.213mm120°1/2.55"1.4µmSuper-Steady-video | (quad camera) 12 megapixels 12MP ultrawide f/2.4120°13mm1/3.6" 12MP telephoto f/2.052mm1/3.4"1.0µmPDAFOIS2x-optical-zoom 0.3MP TOF 3D LiDAR-scanner |
| Main camera resolution | 4032x3024 pixels | 4000x3000 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 8K UHD (7680x4320) 24 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | Dual-LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.8 (aperture) | f/1.6 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm (lens) | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | 1/1.76" inches | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | 1.8µm pixel | 1.4µm pixel |
| Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras | PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization |
| Zoom | Digital and optical zoom | Digital and optical zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Supported | Supported |
| HDR | HDR photo/video on both cameras | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | 4K@60fps 1080p@240fps 720p@960fps | 1080p@240fps |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 10 megapixels | (dual front camera) 12 megapixels 0.3MP SL 3D |
| Front camera resolution | 3872x2592 pixels | 4000x3000 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.2 (aperture) | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm (lens) | 23mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | 1/3.24" inches | 1/3.6" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.22µm pixel | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG | Stereo sound Dolby Atmos |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones | 3 microphones |
| Radio | FM | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV | MPEG4, H.265, H.264, MOV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, AAX+, AIFF |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| USB | USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go | USB 2.0 proprietary connector |
| Audio output | Type-C reversible connector | proprietary audio output |
| TV output | USB Type-C (reversible) | Proprietary TV-out |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 + A2DP/LE | 5.0 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Not supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gesture Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock Gyroscope Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Battery type | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 4000 mAh | 2815 mAh |
| Charger, watts | 25W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 3.0 | 20W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 2.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | 15W Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA) 4.5W Reverse wireless charging | 15W Qi wireless charging |
| Talk time autonomy | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Phantom Gray, White, Violet, Pink • Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard) • Samsung DeX | • Colors: Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue • Face ID • Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX) |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Galaxy S21 | iPhone 12 Pro (256GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | 0.456W/kg (head), 1.509W/kg (body) | 0.99W/kg (head), 0.99W/kg (body) |