Having the most advanced mobile on the market, and having it surpassed only a year later, is something that we have assumed, and part of the challenge of many manufacturers that compete to show the best technology. That does not mean that a high-end from last year cannot continue to fight, on the contrary, since sometimes the differences with the new generation are usually subtle. Let’s see if that is or not, what happens between the new Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S20 from last year.
Buying a high-end Samsung always involves a significant outlay. However, it is a guarantee of avant-garde, and more than ever of updates, since the company has increased this commitment, precisely so as not to neglect those who have made an effort to bet on the top. But doubts always tend to appear in the same direction, do I buy the new Galaxy S21, or do I look at an offer for the S20 that will be at a better price and will give me the same satisfaction?
- Galaxy S21
- Galaxy S20
Screen and dimensions
The first thing we compare is the aesthetic section. In this sense, we see how the screen of both terminals remains intact, in the same 6.2 inches, and with a hole to house the front sensor, in addition to having a panoramic aspect ratio of 20: 9. But it is in the resolution we see that the S20 is still superior with its 1,440 x 3,200 pixels, with a decrease in the resolution of the S21 to 1080 x 2400 pixels. Dots per inch are also higher in the S20 at 563ppp, compared to 421ppp in the S20.
Another aspect to take into account is that the Galaxy S21 is protected with Gorilla Glass Victus , a priori Corning’s most resistant glass, to stop the Gorilla Glass 6 sheet of the S20. Both are resistant to water and dust thanks to the IP68 certificate and its panel is compatible with HDR10 + content and a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
If you look at the thickness and weight, they both play in the same league and almost nothing has changed. The two terminals are 7.9 millimeters thick , but the Galaxy S21 weighs a bit more, reaching 169 grams compared to 163 grams for its brother.
House brand processor
When we take a look at the brain, we see that both teams are betting on a house brand Exynos. In this sense, the differences are more notable, since each one has Samsung’s most powerful chip in the current year, so the new Exynos 2100 of 5nm of the Galaxy S21 , is much more powerful and efficient than the Exnos 990 of 7nm of the Galaxy S20. However, both are accompanied by 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage in the case of the S21. Something to keep in mind is that only the Galaxy S21 allows the expansion of this storage through microSD cards.
Both terminals can with everything that today we can throw on them in terms of aggressive multitasking or demanding games. In this sense, the S21 also integrates a Mali-G78 graphic, superior to the Mali-G77 of the previous model. If we take a look at the result obtained by both terminals , measured by a performance program such as AnTuTu, we see that the Galaxy S21 has exceeded the barrier of 677,000 points, while the Galaxy S20 reached peaks up to 515,000 points.
Traced cameras
The bet in the photographic section is traced in both devices, with a 64 megapixel main sensor, 12 megapixel wide angle, and a third 12 megapixel ultra wide angle sensor. On the front, and housed in the hole in the screen, the two terminals have a 10 megapixel selfie sensor.
In this sense, the differences are negligible even in the capabilities to capture video, since both can do so in 8K at a maximum of 24fps, or in 4K up to 60fps. The same happens with the selfie camera, with a maximum video capture of 4K at 30 fps.
Connections and battery
In the connection section, the two terminals lack a 3.5 headphone jack, but they do have stereo speakers. Both are compatible with 5G networks and have Bluetooth 5, NFC or a fingerprint sensor on the screen.
If we take a look at the battery, the two integrate 4,000 mAh with fast charging of 25W , wireless charging of 15W and reverse wireless charging of 4.5W. As for the Android versions, the Galaxy S21 has a certain advantage with One UI 3.1, but both terminals move under the baton of Android 11. Time will allow the Galaxy S21 to see Android 14 run through its guts, while the S20 should end your days with Android 13.
And the prices?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 has the days counted for sale, since Samsung has discontinued it from its official store. However, we find it for sale on Amazon for 709 euros . The Galaxy S21 will go on sale next January 29 for 859 euros. That said, the decision is not easy even if it seems like it. We have 150 euros of difference between the two, which given the minimal technical differences between the two, could well tip the balance towards the Galaxy S20. However, in this price range, 150 euros can become affordable in many cases, as long as you have the latest model.
The third option is to wait, since as usual, we are sure that on our site it will not take long to find a good offer for the Galaxy S21, shortly after it goes on sale. In particular, we have already seen how all models can be purchased at a discount at Vodafone.