Another flagship killer by Samsung is finally official with amazing specifications at the right price. The Galaxy S21 FE 5G brings the best Qualcomm chipset of 2021 and a complete specs sheet with a modest price in the global market, and it will definitely fight the Google Pixel 6 in its same price range. Both are flagship killers, both are compact but powerful phones and their specifications are at the same level, but which one is worth buying right now? We hope to give you the answer through this comparison between the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and the Google Pixel 6.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE vs Google Pixel 6
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Google Pixel 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm, 177 g |
158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm, 207 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels (Full HD+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels (Full HD+), AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, octa-core 2.84 GHz or Samsung Exynos 2100, octa-core 2.9 GHz | Google Tensor, octa-core 2.8 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 12, One UI | Android 12 |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 12 + 8 + 12 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.2 32 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Dual 50 + 12 MP, f/1.9 + f/2.2 8 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4500 mAh, fast charging 25W, fast wireless charging 15W | 4614 mAh, Fast Charging 30W and fast wireless charging 21W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | 5G, dual SIM, reverse wireless charging, IP68 waterproof | 5G, dual SIM, IP68 waterproof |
Design
The Google Pixel 6 is my favorite handset when it comes to design. First of all, it has very original aesthetics with its horizontal camera module. Further, it is built with premium materials: while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is made of plastic, the Google Pixel 6 has a glass back and an aluminum frame. The glass back is protected by Gorilla Glass 6, while the front glass has Gorilla Glass Victus protection. Both the phones are dustproof and waterproof with the IP68 certification. The Google Pixel 6 is more attractive, but the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is thinner and lighter, so it is still worth taking this handset into consideration.
Display
The Google Pixel 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G are very similar if we talk about the image quality provided by the displays. They are equipped with AMOLED panels sporting a diagonal of 6.4 inches and a Full HD+ resolution, as well as the HDR10+ certification and in-display fingerprint scanners. These displays should provide similar performance and they are both great panels with bright colors and deep blacks. The main difference between them is the refresh rate: you get just 90 Hz with the Google Pixel 6, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G has a 120 Hz refresh rate. Thanks to their stereo speakers, these devices provide a great audio experience.
Specs & Software
According to the benchmarks, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile platform found on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is stronger than the Google Tensor found on the Google Pixel 6. And given that the memory configurations are the same (up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS internal storage), the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is able to guarantee better performance in a lot of scenarios. Note that there is a variant of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G equipped with the Exynos 2100 chipset, but it is still a stronger mobile platform than the Google Tensor. On the other hand, the Google Pixel 6 runs a stock version of Android 12 supported directly by Google and it will get faster software support.
Camera
The main camera of the Google Pixel 6 is superior to the one of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: it is a 50 MP sensor with OIS and laser autofocus against an old 12 MP main camera. But unlike the Samsung flagship featuring 3x optical zoom, the Pixel 6 lacks a telephoto sensor. Both the phones add a 12 MP ultrawide camera to the party, but the Samsung device has a better 32 MP selfie camera in its punch hole.
Battery
The Google Pixel 6 has a bigger 4614 mAh battery and, given that the processor has the same production process and the display has similar specifications, we believe it will provide a longer battery life. It also provides faster charging speeds with 30W wired charging and 21W wireless charging.
Price
The starting price of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G globally is €649/$599, and the Google Pixel 6 starts from $599 as well. I would personally go for the Pixel 6 due to its premium materials, bigger battery, better main camera, and great software support. But the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers a higher refresh rate, a better chipset, and optical zoom.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Google Pixel 6: PRO and CONS
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
PRO
- 3x optical zoom
- Thinner and lighter
- Snapdragon 888
- Superior front camera
CONS
- Smaller battery
Google Pixel 6
PRO
- Stock Android and Google support
- Premium materials
- Bigger battery
- Better main camera
CONS
- Inferior selfie camera
