Samsung Galaxy S21 vs iPhone 17
Short Description
Samsung Galaxy S21
Screen size: 6.2" / Resolution: 1080 x 2400 px / Main camera: 64 MP & 12 MP & 12 MP / Front camera: 10MP / RAM: 8GB / Battery power: 4000 mAh / Has 5G support: ✔ / Internal storage: 128GB, 256GB / SIM cards: 1 SIM, 1 eSIM
iPhone 17
Screen size: 6.3" / Resolution: 1206 x 2622 px / Main camera: 48 MP & 48 MP / Front camera: 18MP / RAM: 8GB / Battery power: 3692 mAh / Has 5G support: ✔ / Internal storage: 256GB, 512GB / SIM cards: 1 SIM, 1 eSIM
Key Differences
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
How is Samsung Galaxy S21 better than iPhone 17?
Bigger battery capacity: 4000 mAh vs 3692 mAh
More megapixels main camera: 64 MP & 12 MP & 12 MP vs 48 MP & 48 MP
Lighter: 171 g (6.03 ounces) vs 177 g (6.24 ounces)
Narrower: 71.2 mm (2.8 inches) vs 71.5 mm (2.81 inches)
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
How is iPhone 17 better than Samsung Galaxy S21?
Faster CPU speed: 2 x 4.05 GHz & 4 x 2.42 GHz vs 1 x 2.9 GHz & 3 x 2.8 GHz & 4 x 2.2 GHz
More internal storage in max option: 256GB, 512GB vs 128GB, 256GB
More megapixels front camera: 18MP vs 10MP
Has a larger display diagonal: 6.3" vs 6.2"
Better display resolution: 1206 x 2622 px vs 1080 x 2400 px
Higher charging speed: 40W vs 25W
Shorter: 149.6 mm (5.89 inches) vs 151.7 mm (5.97 inches)
More color options: Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender vs Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink
The phone is 4 years and 7 months newer
Size Comparison
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Height
151.7 mm
(5.97 inches)
Width
71.2 mm
(2.8 inches)
Thickness
7.9 mm
(0.31 inches)
Screen size
6.2"
Weight
171 g
(6.03 ounces)
6.2"
6.3"
Height
149.6 mm
(5.89 inches)
Width
71.5 mm
(2.81 inches)
Thickness
7.95 mm
(0.31 inches)
Screen size
6.3"
Weight
177 g
(6.24 ounces)
Height
151.7 mm
(5.97 inches)
Width
71.2 mm
(2.8 inches)
Thickness
7.9 mm
(0.31 inches)
Screen size
6.2"
Weight
171 g
(6.03 ounces)
Height
149.6 mm
(5.89 inches)
Width
71.5 mm
(2.81 inches)
Thickness
7.95 mm
(0.31 inches)
Screen size
6.3"
Weight
177 g
(6.24 ounces)
3D comparison
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Expert Score
Score 3.9
Score 4.4
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Score 3.9
Score 4.4
TechRadar
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Tom's Guide
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
PCMag
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
The Verge
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Smartprix
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Vote for Your option
Samsung Galaxy S21
Vote for Your option
iPhone 17
Technical Specifications
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Specs
Samsung Galaxy S21
iPhone 17
Design
Weight
171 g (6.03 ounces)
177 g (6.24 ounces)
Thickness
7.9 mm (0.31 inches)
7.95 mm (0.31 inches)
Width
71.2 mm (2.8 inches)
71.5 mm (2.81 inches)
Height
151.7 mm (5.97 inches)
149.6 mm (5.89 inches)
Is weather-sealed (splashproof)
✔
-
Ingress Protection (IP) rating
IP68
IP68
Waterproof depth rating
1.5 m
6 m
Volume
85.33 cm³
85.04 cm³
Is dustproof and water-resistant
✔
-
Color options
Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink
Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender
Lowest potential operating temperature
-
0 °C
Maximum operating temperature
-
35 °C
French Repairability Index
1
-
Water resistance
-
Waterproof
Display
Screen size
6.2"
6.3"
Display type
OLED/AMOLED
OLED/AMOLED
Pixel density
421 ppi
460 ppi
Resolution
1080 x 2400 px
1206 x 2622 px
Refresh rate
120Hz
120Hz
Touch sampling rate
240Hz
120Hz
Brightness (typical)
1300 nits
1000 nits
Has branded damage-resistant glass
✔
-
Gorilla Glass version
Gorilla Glass Victus
-
Supports HDR10
✔
✔
Supports HDR10+
✔
-
Always-On Display
✔
✔
Supports Dolby Vision
-
✔
Contrast ratio
3000000:1
2000000:1
Has a touch screen
✔
✔
Performance
Internal storage
128GB, 256GB
256GB, 512GB
RAM
8GB
8GB
Android version
Android 11
-
CPU speed
1 x 2.9 GHz & 3 x 2.8 GHz & 4 x 2.2 GHz
2 x 4.05 GHz & 4 x 2.42 GHz
GPU clock speed
-
1398 MHz
Has integrated LTE
✔
✔
RAM speed
3200 MHz
-
Semiconductor size
5 nm
-
Supports 64-bit
✔
-
DirectX version
DirectX 12
-
Has integrated graphics
✔
-
OpenGL ES version
3.2
-
Uses big.LITTLE technology
✔
-
CPU threads
8 threads
-
Uses HMP
✔
-
Has TrustZone
✔
-
Maximum memory bandwidth
51.2 GB/s
78.8 GB/s
OpenCL version
2
-
DDR memory version
5
-
Maximum memory amount
16GB
-
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
9W
-
Shading units
-
128
Release date
2021
2025
GPU turbo
854 MHz
-
Has NX bit
✔
-
Memory channels
4
-
Cameras
Main camera
64 MP & 12 MP & 12 MP
48 MP & 48 MP
Front camera
10MP
18MP
Has built-in optical image stabilization
✔
✔
Video recording (main camera)
4320 x 24 fps
2160 x 60 fps
Wide aperture (main camera)
f/1.8 & f/2 & f/2.2
f/2.2 & f/1.6
Has a dual-tone LED flash
✔
✔
Has a BSI sensor
✔
✔
Has continuous autofocus when recording movies
✔
✔
Has phase-detection autofocus for photos
✔
✔
Supports slow-motion video recording
✔
✔
Has a built-in HDR mode
✔
✔
Has a flash
✔
✔
Has manual exposure
✔
✔
Has a dual-lens (or multi-lens) main camera
✔
✔
Optical zoom
1.1x
2x
Number of flash LEDs
2
2
Has a CMOS sensor
✔
✔
Has manual ISO
✔
✔
Has a serial shot mode
✔
✔
Has manual focus
✔
✔
Has a front camera
✔
✔
Has manual white balance
✔
✔
Shoots raw
✔
-
Has touch autofocus
✔
✔
Has manual shutter speed
✔
✔
Can create panoramas in-camera
✔
✔
Wide aperture (front camera)
f/2.2
f/1.9
Has timelapse function
✔
✔
Supports Dolby Vision recording
-
✔
Minimum focal length
-
13 mm
Maximum focal length
-
26 mm
Pixel size (main camera)
1.8 µm & 0.8 µm & 1.4 µm
1 µm & 0.7 µm
Supports HDR10 recording
-
✔
Operating system
Has clipboard warnings
-
✔
Has location privacy options
✔
✔
Has camera/microphone privacy options
✔
✔
Has theme customization
✔
-
Has dark mode
✔
✔
Has Wi-Fi password sharing
✔
✔
Has battery health check
-
✔
Has focus modes
✔
✔
Can offload apps
-
✔
Has customizable notifications
✔
✔
Supports split screen
✔
-
Supports instant markup
✔
-
Supports PiP and PaP
✔
-
Can be used as a PC
✔
-
Has sharing intents
✔
✔
Has a child lock
✔
✔
Supports widgets
-
✔
Is free and open source
✔
-
Tracks the current position of a mobile device
✔
✔
Is a multi-user system
✔
-
Has Mail Privacy Protection
-
✔
Can block app tracking
-
✔
Blocks cross-site tracking
-
✔
Has on-device machine learning
-
✔
Has Live Text
-
✔
Has SharePlay
-
✔
Gets direct OS updates
-
✔
Has AirPlay
-
✔
Supports widgets
✔
-
Has Quick Start
-
✔
More languages supported
125
-
Has offline voice recognition
✔
✔
The browser has word wrap
✔
-
Has voice commands
✔
✔
Has PiP
-
✔
Has notification permissions
-
✔
Has media picker
-
✔
Has full-page screenshots
-
✔
Battery
Battery power
4000 mAh
3692 mAh
Has wireless charging
✔
✔
Supports fast charging
✔
✔
Charging speed
25W
40W
Wireless charging speed
15W
30W
Has reverse wireless charging
✔
-
Reverse wireless charging speed
4.5W
-
Has a battery level indicator
✔
✔
Has a rechargeable battery
✔
✔
Battery life
-
30 hours
Audio
Has stereo speakers
✔
✔
Number of microphones
2
3
Features
Has 5G support
✔
✔
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Download speed
3000 MBits/s
10000 MBits/s
Upload speed
422 MBits/s
3500 MBits/s
Has USB Type-C
✔
✔
USB version
3.2
2
Has NFC
✔
✔
SIM cards
1 SIM, 1 eSIM
1 SIM, 1 eSIM
Has a fingerprint scanner
✔
-
Has emergency SOS via satellite
-
✔
Bluetooth version
5.1
6
Has a gyroscope
✔
✔
Has GPS
✔
✔
Has a compass
✔
✔
Supports Wi-Fi
✔
✔
Has a cellular module
✔
✔
Has a barometer
✔
✔
Supports Galileo
✔
✔
Has an accelerometer
✔
✔
Supports ant+
✔
-
Has crash detection
-
✔
Uses 3D facial recognition
-
✔
Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Vote for Your option
Samsung Galaxy S21
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iPhone 17
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