Fans of Samsung phones have to make more decisions than they did earlier with the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Samsung Galaxy S20 FE more evenly than one would expect.
While you can assume that the Samsung Galaxy S21 is the best of the group, given the naming convention, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is also a surprising winner when it comes to what to buy in this price range.
Larger than the S21, it is definitely appealing to those who like larger phones, although the Samsung Galaxy S21 on the other hand is easily the faster of the two devices.
With much to compare between the two devices, we ask the big question: is the Samsung Galaxy S21 the best option for most people, or should you rather give your time and money to the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE?
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Samsung Galaxy S20 FE price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE hit stores on October 2, 2020, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 came later on January 29, 2021.
Prices for the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE start at $ 699 / £ 699 / AU $ 1,149 for a 5G model. Alternatively, there are 4G models available in the UK and Australia for £ 599 and AU $ 999 respectively, but we would not recommend this to anyone looking to prove their purchase in the future.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 is slightly more expensive at $ 799 / £ 769 / AU $ 1,249 for a device with 128 GB of storage or a 256 GB variant for $ 849 / $ 819 / AU $ 1,349.
This means that the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is the cheaper option of the two, but there is not a huge amount between them if you think you will probably be investing in one of these phones for several years.
Design
You might think that the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is the smaller of the two phones, but actually the opposite. It has dimensions of 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4 mm, which makes it larger than the Samsung Galaxy S21’s 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm. Logically then it is also a bit heavier with an extra 19 g weight.
None of this is likely to be a deal unless you’m incredibly passionate about the smallest phone you can get away with, but this is something to consider. Expect the Samsung Galaxy S21 to be a bit more comfortable to hold for longer periods of time than the alternative.
There are no curved edges on the screen with both phones – something Samsung has saved for the much more premium Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. This is unfortunate because it makes both devices feel a little cheaper. This is reinforced by their use of Glasstic – the name of Samsung for the material that is between plastic and glass. It’s better than a regular plastic jug, but it’s not nearly as good as a glass back.
Where the Samsung Galaxy S21 stands out above the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is the rearrangement of the camera series, which Samsung mentions that its Contour Cut camera feels slimmer than the more conventional way the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has been looted.
Show
Both phones use the same resolution – 2400 x 1080 – and the same refresh rate of 120Hz. Where things differ most noticeably is in terms of screen size. As you would expect, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is larger with a 6.5-inch screen compared to the Samsung Galaxy S21’s 6.2-inch screen.
They also offer both AMOLED display types with the Galaxy S21 offering a ‘dynamic’ panel. What does it mean? It has an adjustable refresh rate that varies between 48 and 120Hz as needed.
Neither can compete with the superior QHD screen of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, but you will find it difficult to notice the difference when you place a Samsung Galaxy S21 and Samsung Galaxy S20 FE next to each other.
Keep in mind that the Samsung Galaxy S21 is more comfortable to hold in one hand, but widescreen media content will look better on the larger screen of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.
Camera
At first glance, the cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S21 and Samsung Galaxy S20 FE look very similar. They both have 12MP main and ultra-wide sensors, which is a good starting point for anyone who wants to take a turn.
Where things differ is when it comes to the tele-lens. The Samsung Galaxy S21 uses a 64MP sensor and a 1.1x optical zoom, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has an 8MP sensor but 3x optical zoom. We found that the S20 FE did a better job with zoomed-in shots, and the only problem was that colors were slightly dimmer.
Both phones offer extensive camera modes that are really useful. This includes the Single Take photography mode where you simply point your phone at a subject, record a short video of 5 to 15 seconds, move around the scene and the phone finds the best photos and video recordings for you.
Other modes include Panorama, Night, Live Focus, Live Focus Video and two slow modes. In either case, the night mode works well to achieve proper recordings in low light settings without holding the phone for too long.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 has only a 10MP selfie camera, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a 32MP selfie camera. You will not get a 32MP image from it, as it is attached to a wide-angle lens, but it does mean that if you regularly take selfies in the group, the results will look much better than the S21 can offer.
In terms of video recording, the Samsung Galaxy S21 is the better of the two. It can offer 8K at 24 frames per second, even if the picture is sometimes a bit cropped. Both devices offer 4K at 30 and 60 frames per second along with Full HD at 30 and 60 frames per second. The Samsung Galaxy S21 continues with Full HD at up to 240 fps if you need it.
Specifications and performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 uses the latest chipset compared to the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. It uses a Snapdragon 888 chipset in the United States and an Exynos 2100 everywhere else. It is compared to the Snapdragon 865 and Exynos 990 chipset of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe.
While the latter is still fast enough, it cannot compete with the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S21. If speed is everything, the Samsung Galaxy S21 will easily steal your heart.
In both cases, multitasking and games will work quickly here, thanks to 8 GB of RAM. It’s just that the S21 has the edge in terms of processor performance.
Both Samsung Galaxy S21 and Samsung Galaxy S20 FE offer 128 GB or 256 GB of storage, but especially the S20 FE has a microSD slot if you want to expand it. The S21 series has abandoned the option, so if you want to store a lot of files, you may need to invest in the larger capacity from the start.
And of course, both devices offer 5G connectivity (unless you are using the 4G version of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, which we do not recommend), it is good to go with faster connection speeds if you are one of the growth areas that have 5G speeds offer.
Battery life
In both cases of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and Samsung Galaxy S21, you need to monitor the power levels during the day. Both will be at the end of the day, but you may need to make concessions with settings and features if you use them a lot.
Specifically, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE has a 4500mAh battery, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 offers a 4,000mAh battery life. Both will be almost at the end of the day, but features like 5G and the 120Hz screen take their toll. There are at least different power saving modes to make it a little easier to achieve.
Battery life will undoubtedly be affected if you use both phones’ reverse wireless charging. However, it is a useful feature if you want to supplement your earphones or smartwatch during the day.
Both devices are compatible with Qi wire charging and offer fast charging via 25W USB-C chargers, but note that the Samsung Galaxy S21 does not have a charger. This is presumably due to Samsung’s urge to reduce e-waste, with the thought that you probably already have a compatible USB-C charger available to use.
Take away
Is the Samsung Galaxy S21 or the Samsung S20 FE better? It usually depends on what you need a phone for.
In terms of performance, the Samsung Galaxy S21 is easily the better of the two. It is faster and will easily handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a split screen view, without any problem. However, it has limited storage options and offers a smaller screen than the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.
The latter in particular is only a problem if you want a greater experience. If you have smaller hands, you can keep the S21 file, but if you want a more widescreen experience when streaming media content, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is the best option.
It’s also the case that the S20 FE is better on the front. Power users or avid gamers need the extra oomph of the Samsung Galaxy S21, but if you just want an excellent camera and a good screen, then the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is the best option for you, and it costs you less.