It is not easy to choose a high-end mobile. The options are very varied and when we are going to spend more than 800 euros, the truth is that we will have a device at the forefront of technology assured. At the moment, the Galaxy S21 is the latest from Samsung, but it has rivals lurking like the iPhone 12. Both terminals are very different, but we will see in detail why, and which one may be more worth buying at this time.
Comparing the spec sheet of two Android terminals may make more sense. However, it is worth taking a look at what Samsung and Apple call high-end, but which they conceive very differently. The two terminals have a similar price, so that a user could find themselves faced with the conflict of not knowing which terminal to choose . We are going to see therefore, what differentiates the Galaxy S21 from the iPhone 12, both in the technical section and in the current prices of both terminals.
- Galaxy S21
- iPhone 12
Screen and dimensions
The first big difference is in the screens of both devices. Not so much in size but in conception. The Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch OLED panel with 1.1170 x 2.532 pixels. The aspect ratio is also different, being more panoramic in the S21 with its 20: 9 compared to the 19.5: 9 of the iPhone 12. The pixels per inch are higher in the Apple terminal with 460 dpi compared to the 421 dpi of the Galaxy S21 .
The two terminals are resistant to water and dust thanks to their IP68 certificate, and are protected by different technologies. Apple boasts Ceramic Shield, versus Gorilla Glass Victus . The two crystals claim to be the ones that best protect the market, but in falls there is nothing written. The iPhone 12 screen still has a large notch, while the S21 sports a small hole in its screen to facilitate full-screen viewing.
When we take a look at their dimensions and weight , we see that the two have managed to reduce numbers. The Galaxy S21 only weighs 169 grams and is 7.9 millimeters thick, while the iPhone 12 weighs 164 grams and is 7.4 millimeters thick.
Exynos 2100 vs A14 Bionic
We put on the blue jumpsuit and lift the hood to find two very different bets. The Galaxy S21 sports the all-powerful new Exynos 2100 from Samsung, manufactured in 5nm and which has greatly improved its performance over the previous generation. In addition, it can be accompanied by 128 or 256 GB, always with 8 GB of RAM. In this sense, the iPhone 12 integrates the A14 Bionic, also 5nm and has 4GB of RAM and versions of 64, 128 and up to 256 GB
It must be clear that we are talking about different processors, designed for different systems. However, if we want to measure the performance of both terminals in “absolute” terms. We can take a look at his results in the famous AnTuTu performance program. Given the peaks and variations that these results can have, we can say that there is almost a technical tie between the 580,000 points achieved by the Galaxy S21 and the almost 570,000 points of the iPhone 12.
Difference in cameras
In the cameras section, the Samsung terminal has a 64 megapixel main sensor , along with a 12 megapixel wide-angle sensor and a third 12 megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor. On its front and housed in the hole of its screen, we see that it has a 12 megapixel selfie sensor. The S21 accompanies its cameras with an LED flash, while the iPhone 12 does the same but with Dual LED dual-tone flash.
If we take a look at the video section, the S21 is already capable of capturing video in 8K resolution at 30fps , or 4K up to 60fps. The iPhone 12 can record in 4K at 60fps. They both support HDR on both the rear and front cameras. In addition, the two look aids to focus and image stability PDAF, OIS.
Connections, battery and OS
We are facing two terminals compatible with 5G networks and have the main connections such as NFC or Bluetooth 5. In the biometric section only the Galaxy S21 has a fingerprint sensor, while the iPhone 12 delegates this aspect to FaceID. Of course , there are also known differences in charging method , with USB-C and Lightning. Of course, both move with the latest version of their operating system, that is, One UI with Android 11 on the S21, and iOS 14 on the iPhone 12. The good news is that the Galaxy S21 has three operating system updates assured , according to the latest Samsung policies. However, the iPhone 12 is likely to see at least one more iOS update, as is usually the case at Apple.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a 4,000 mAh battery, compatible with 25W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. The iPhone has a 2,815 mAh battery with 20W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. Both terminals can withstand the entire day without problem with moderate use, however, Apple allows itself the luxury of having a smaller battery, given the on-demand optimization carried out between processor, operating system and the mAh of its battery.
Very similar prices
If we look at the prices, we see that the Galaxy S21 can be purchased for 859 euros in its 128 GB version, and for 899 euros in its 256 GB variant. For its part, and although the price has dropped somewhat over the months, the 128 GB iPhone 12 has a price on Amazon of 928 euros, while the 256 GB variant rises to 1,054 euros. Given the technical differences, Samsung sports a design and features more in line with 2021, or at least more in line with its more direct competition on Android. We know that times and strategy run at a different pace on iPhone, so perhaps the big question to clear before buying is to decide on which platform we want to move.