But the Galaxy S21 FE boasts a few things Apple’s flagship can’t offer — a fast-refreshing display and a dedicated telephoto lens, to name just two. Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE iPhone 13 Starting price $699 $799 Screen size 6.4-inch AMOLED (2400 x 1080) 6.1-inch OLED (2532 x 1170) Refresh rate 120Hz 60Hz CPU Snapdragon 888 A15 Bionic RAM 6GB, 8GB 4GB (based on teardowns) Storage 128GB, 256GB 128GB, 256GB, 512GB Rear cameras 12MP main (f/1.8); 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2); 8MP telephoto (f/2.4) with 30x Space Zoom 12MP main (f/1.6); 12MP ultrawide (f/2.4) Front camera 32MP (f/2.2) 12MP (f/2.2) Battery size 4,500 mAh 3,227 mAh (based on teardowns) Battery life (Hrs:Mins) 7:46 (120Hz); 9:15 (60Hz) 10:33 (60Hz) Size 6.1 x 2.9 x 0.31 inches 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches Weight 6.2 ounces 6.14 ounces Colors Graphite, White, Olive, Lavender Red, Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink That’s not inexpensive, by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s at least cheaper than the $1,000 that many phone makers charge today for their top flagships (Apple and Samsung included). The $699 cost of Samsung’s phone matches that of the iPhone 13 mini, but that latter device will only appeal to you if you prefer much smaller screens. Samsung also offers trade-in rebates that lower the cost of its phone if you’re wondering where to buy the Galaxy S21 FE. The iPhone 13 notch may be 20% smaller than the one on its predecessor, but it just can’t complete with a punch-hole cutout like the one on the S21 FE for unobtrusiveness.
At a local fruit stand, the Galaxy S21 FE pumps up the color for a bright, vibrant that really showcases the tomatoes and avocados on display. Testing the ultrawide lens on both phones, the Galaxy S21 FE and iPhone 13 turn in equally pretty shots of a church on the opposite corner from where I’m standing.
There’s a pronounced fisheye effect to both shots, exacerbated by the telephone poles and curved crosswalk lines on the street.
Still, it’s helpful to see how these two phones handled a shot of the Oakland skyline blown up to 5x, which is the maximum amount the iPhone 13 can zoom in. You’ll still want to use a tripod to line up the shot more steadily — that’s why the Tribune Building isn’t perfectly framed in this extreme zoom — but the lettering remains clear, even if the full picture is starting to get fuzzy. This skeleton hanging in an unlit basement workshop with only minimal ambient light on the right side of the photo is very well-balanced when the Galaxy S21 FE is on the case.
The 32MP front camera on the Galaxy S21 FE contained another surprise, and not a good one — it really toned down the colors on this selfie, to the point where I look fairly ashen. Things are much brighter in the shot produced by the 12MP TrueDepth camera on the iPhone, from the turquoise on my shirt to the ripening citrus fruit behind me.
The Snapdragon 888 powering many of the best Android phones hasn’t put up much of a fight against the iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chipset, and that trend continues here.
Likewise on graphics, the Galaxy S21 FE performs as ably as other Snapdragon 888 devices on 3DMark’s Wild Life Unlimited test, with a score of 34 frames per second. You could argue that these numbers don’t translate to that big a difference in real-world phone use, and it’s certainly true that the Galaxy S2 FE is more than capable of handling whatever demanding task you throw at it. While Apple claims its phones have the greatest 5G support around the world, both the iPhone 13 and Galaxy S21 FE will work with the different flavors of 5G available in the U.S. That’s good enough for most users. The Galaxy S21 FE’s losing streak continues here, as the phone’s 4,500 mAh battery fails to help it last a long time on a charge. Thanks to a bigger battery than its predecessor — Apple doesn’t officially say how big, though teardowns suggest it’s a 3,227 mAh power pack — the iPhone 13 held out for 10 hours, 33 minutes. Still, Samsung says its phone can reach a 50% charge after half an hour, which is what we get from the iPhone 13 using a 20W Apple charger we bought separately.
If you’re the type to look for silver linings, take comfort in the fact that the Galaxy S21 FE’s delayed launch — the phone was expected last year — means that it ships with Android 12.
In the case of the iPhone 13, that’s iOS 15, which brings a number of nice features to the mix including the ability to watch movies and listen to music with other people in FaceTime. Samsung made a good phone for bargain hunters with the Galaxy S21 FE, but the extra $100 that the iPhone really makes a difference.
Besides the lower price, the Galaxy S21 FE can lay claim to having a better display, even though that advantage is limited somewhat by the fact that the faster refresh rate needs to be manually adjusted. Camera and design comparisons are close, but the iPhone 13 simply surges ahead when its superior performance and battery life are taken into account.
Apple iPhone 13 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: What is the difference?
has camera/microphone privacy options 
Apple iPhone 13 ( iOS 15 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G ( Android 13 You can enable or disable an app’s access to the camera or microphone on your device. has Mail Privacy Protection Apple iPhone 13 ( iOS 15 
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Mail Privacy Protection is a feature built into the default email app that blocks senders from using “tracking pixels” to see when you’ve read an email.
Apple iPhone 13 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: What is the difference?
has camera/microphone privacy options Apple iPhone 13 Pro ( iOS 15 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G ( Android 13 You can enable or disable an app’s access to the camera or microphone on your device. has Mail Privacy Protection Apple iPhone 13 Pro ( iOS 15 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Mail Privacy Protection is a feature built into the default email app that blocks senders from using “tracking pixels” to see when you’ve read an email.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Apple iPhone 13
Comparing Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Apple iPhone 13 on Smartprix enables you to check their respective specs scores and unique features.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE vs iPhone 13: has Samsung undercut Apple’s phone champ?
On the other hand, while Apple’s phone lets you securely unlock it with a glance, the Galaxy S21 FE relies on tried and tested fingerprint authentication. That said, if you’re not a fan of sharp angles and flat edges, the Galaxy S21 FE’s more curvaceous design might be more to your liking. Both of these phones have vibrant, bright AMOLED displays, but it’s the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE that takes the win here.
It’s also worth reiterating that fundamental difference in display notch approach, because it means that landscape media content is less impeded on the Galaxy S21 FE. In general image quality terms, however, the iPhone 13 mops the floor with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. But the real hardware advantage for Apple here lies in its sensor shift OIS technology, which was brought over from the iPhone 12 Pro Max. This stabilization system is more advanced than the Galaxy S21 FE’s regular OIS, and together with Apple’s superior algorithms, it can capture much better Night Mode shots. Of the Samsung approach, our reviewer said that “it’s apparent the brand’s scene optimization software has never heard of oversaturation”.
The iPhone 13 gives you Photographic Styles, which let you fundamentally alter the tone of your shots without that fake filter look. Samsung gives you Single Take, which captures brief five- to 15-second snippets and then pulls out the best stills and video footage from it. Apple has been dominating its Android rivals on the performance front for years now, so it’s no surprise to learn that the iPhone 13 trounces the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE for pure power. When it launched the iPhone 13, Apple claimed that its six-core A15 Bionic processor was 50% faster than the Android competition.
High-end games run fluidly on the highest settings in both cases, and general navigation is a joy. Given the iPhone 13’s greater headroom, as well as Apple’s legendary legacy support, it’s likely to stay feeling faster for longer. Such a straight capacity comparison is pretty meaningless, however, due to the inherent differences between iOS and Android, as well as Apple’s tight hold on both software and hardware.
With the Galaxy S21 FE, on the other hand, our reviewer found that “heavy use ensured we’d need to charge the mobile in the early evening to keep it ticking until the next morning”. Given that the likes of OnePlus, Oppo, and Xiaomi frequently fit their phones out with 65W chargers, you’ll forgive our lack of enthusiasm. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE might have arrived a little over three months after the iPhone 13, but it feels like an older phone.
On the plus side the Galaxy S21 FE is around $100/£100 cheaper than its rival, its display is more fluid, and it packs in a dedicated telephoto camera. Apple’s smartphone will also remain current for much of 2022, whereas we suspect that the Galaxy S21 FE is going to feel oddly outdated well before the halfway point of the year, if it doesn’t already.
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