The smartphone market has seen rapid innovation in recent years as manufacturers continue to push the limits on device capabilities. Two of the top players in this market are Apple with their iPhone lineup and Samsung with their Galaxy series. The latest flagships from these companies, the iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21, demonstrate the very best that each has to offer and provide a glimpse into the future of smartphone technology.
In this in-depth comparison, we’ll analyze the key differences between the iPhone 12 and Galaxy S21 across a range of factors to help you determine which device better fits your needs. We’ll look at design and build quality, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and more. By the end, you’ll have the information you need to decide if you should choose the Apple or Samsung flagship.
iPhone 12 vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Side-By-Side Comparison
| Specification | iPhone 12 | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | iOS 14 | Android 11 |
| Display | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 1170 x 2532 pixels | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Processor | Apple A14 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 4GB | 8GB |
| Rear Cameras | 12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide | 12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 64MP telephoto |
| Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth | 10MP |
| Battery (mAh) | 2,815 | 4,000 |
| Fast Charging | 20W wired | 25W wired, wireless PowerShare |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB |
| Dust/Water Resistance | IP68, 6m for 30 mins | IP68, 1.5m for 30 mins |
| Starting Price | $799 | $799 |
Even from the comparison table, we can spot some clear differences between these two flagship phone models when it comes to certain specs. However, both phones still have a lot in common as well, so let’s dive deeper into the key differences.
Design and Build Quality
A phone’s design and build quality play essential roles in both aesthetics and durability. Apple has forged a reputation for sleek, stylish devices over the years. The iPhone 12 represents one of their most refined designs yet, with an angular stainless steel body and “Ceramic Shield” reinforced glass covering the display. This glass cover promises 4x improved drop performance versus previous iPhone generations.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 offers a premium design in its own right, with a metal camera housing that integrates smoothly into the phone’s metal frame. However, Samsung opted for a plastic back panel rather than glass. While durable, some may consider this downgrade from the glass build on last year’s Galaxy S20 devices.
Both phones have similar dimensions, though the iPhone 12 is slightly shorter while the S21 is narrower. The iPhone also has a notable weight advantage at 164g vs. the S21 at 169g.
Display Technology
Display quality is paramount for watching videos, gaming, AR apps, and more. Both Apple and Samsung have excellent reputations for their displays, thanks to cutting-edge panel innovations leveraging OLED technology on these flagship phones.
Screen Size: The iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch display, while the Galaxy S21 measures 6.2 inches diagonally. The difference is minimal and won’t significantly impact usability either way. Both deliver an immersive, practically all-screen experience.
Resolution: With a resolution of 2532×1170 pixels, the iPhone 12 packs 460 pixels per inch (ppi). The Galaxy S21 resolution measures 2400×1080 pixels with 421 ppi, not quite as sharp per inch but with extra display space for content.
Display Type: Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED adapts the picture in real-time for better contrast, colors, and brightness. The iPhone 12 uses a Super Retina XDR panel with OLED technology providing pure blacks for exceptional contrast. Both produce stellar visuals.
Refresh Rate: One key difference lies in the refresh rate technology. The iPhone 12 display maxes out at 60Hz, meaning the screen refreshes 60 times per second. Samsung offers double that at up to 120Hz with the S21 line, allowing for remarkably smooth scrolling and animations. The S21 adjusts dynamically from 48Hz up to that 120Hz peak based on what’s on screen.
Brightness: With up to 1300 nits peak brightness, the Galaxy S21 surpasses the iPhone 12’s max brightness spec of 625 nits. At their brightest settings, the S21 will have the edge for HDR content.
Durability: Both phones include scratch-resistant glass. Apple also leverages a new “Ceramic Shield” technology for more durable glass protection on their Super Retina XDR display, enhancing drop performance over previous iPhone generations.
Performance and Battery Life
The latest flagship phones demand exceptional performance whether you’re gaming, streaming HD video, multi-tasking business apps, or pushing the cameras to their limits. Battery life needs to keep up as well, so you can count on having enough juice when away from a charger for hours at a time.
Processing Power: Apple’s latest hex-core A14 Bionic processor powers the iPhone 12 lineup with exceptional results. This 5nm chipset integrates over 11 billion transistors to deliver industry-leading performance up to 50% faster than the leading competition, per Apple’s claims.
The Galaxy S21 matches that energy efficiency with its own 5nm chip technology: Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888. This octa-core processor enables exceptional speeds and includes integrated 5G connectivity. While benchmarks go back and forth, both the A14 Bionic and Snapdragon 888 represent the cutting edge in mobile processing.
RAM: Samsung equips the S21 with a hefty 8GB of RAM, enabling extensive multitasking capabilities. The iPhone 12 lineup all have 4GB of RAM. While iPhones historically haven’t needed as much thanks to software/hardware optimization, having only half the RAM could impact long-term app longevity for iPhone 12 users.
Battery Size: With respective capacities of 4000 mAh and 2815 mAh, the Galaxy S21 battery literally has over 40% higher capacity compared to the battery inside the iPhone 12. However, Apple’s tighter hardware/software integration often enables comparable or better actual battery life relative to the capacity difference. Still, the S21 likely maintains an edge in intensive use cases.
Charging Speed: Samsung supports the latest fast charging standards, with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging on the Galaxy S21 family. Even better, you can charge other devices directly using the S21’s battery via Samsung’s “Wireless PowerShare” feature – no outlet required.
The iPhone 12 with Apple’s 20W fast charging lags Samsung in charging speeds. But Apple offsets this by touting excellent typical battery life under mixed usage, thanks to their highly energy-efficient A14 Bionic processor.
Storage Options: With three storage tiers (64GB/128GB/256GB), iPhone 12 users have some flexibility in deciding how much capacity they’ll need for apps, media files, and more. But Samsung only offers two S21 storage options in the US market: 128GB and 256GB. With cloud backup available, this may suffice for many users. Power users can utilize the microSD card slot in other versions internationally like Europe’s S21 Ultra model.
Camera Capabilities
Cameras remain one of the most used and discussed features for smartphone shoppers. Apple and Samsung have pushed their camera systems to new heights. Let’s see how they compare.
Rear Cameras: The Galaxy S21 offers excellent versatility with its triple lens rear camera array:
- 12MP wide angle for standard images
- 12MP ultra-wide reaching 120-degrees FOV for cramming more scenery into each shot
- 64MP telephoto capable of 3x hybrid optical zoom
Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 provides a dual 12MP camera suite with the following lenses:
- 12MP wide angle
- 12MP ultra-wide reaching 120-degrees FOV
So while both deliver two of the same essential shooting options in wide and ultrawide modes, the 64MP telephoto lens gives the Galaxy S21 far greater optical and hybrid zoom capabilities. This makes a noticeable difference when shooting subjects at a distance.
Front Cameras: Each phone includes a front-facing selfie camera embedded in the display. These have similar resolutions, with the iPhone 12 featuring a 12MP True Depth camera, and the Galaxy S21 equipped with a 10MP camera. Either will capture excellent self-portraits as well as unlock securely via facial recognition.
Camera Software: Preset shooting modes, adjustment options, and effects vary greatly between the two manufacturers. Overall, Samsung tends to offer more controls and modes, while Apple emphasizes ease of use and computational photography enhancements behind the scenes. Which philosophy you prefer is a matter of personal taste.
Video Recording: Both the iPhone 12 and Galaxy S21 provide expansive video capture capabilities, ranging up to 8K resolution along with HDR, night modes, and creative effects. The iPhone 12 cameras support Apple’s impressive ProRAW photo format, while only the S21 Ultra model matches that pro-level feature.
Software and Special Features
iPhone users love iOS for its intuitive, refined experience across core apps like Messages, Mail, Notes, Calendar, Music and more. iOS closely integrates with other Apple hardware too, such as linking instantly with AirPods and supporting Apple Watch functionality thoroughly.
Conversely, Samsung provides excellent customization flexibility with the endless variety available in Google Play apps. Unique Samsung additions like the S Pen stylus and DeX desktop mode expand the experience even further for Galaxy phone owners.
Looking closer, the iPhone 12 launches with the latest iOS 14 software release packed with new functionality ranging from widget improvements to the App Library view that declutters your home screens.
The Galaxy S21 line debuts Samsung’s new One UI 3.1, building upon Android 11. Highlights include even more intuitive interactions, plus deeper customization and security capabilities.
Overall software preference frequently depends on whether you already use Mac computers or Windows PCs. But iOS and Android both deliver excellent performance on these late-model devices.
Price and Value Comparison
The Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12 start at essentially the same $799 price point from most major carriers. Comparing their base models at that tier, the S21 includes 128GB storage out of the box versus just 64GB for the iPhone 12 at this entry-level configuration.
However, the iPhone 12 offers greater storage flexibility with the aforementioned 64/128/256GB tiers available. That maximum 256GB option isn’t offered for the standard Galaxy S21, capping expansion at 256GB. Factoring microSD support starting with the S21 Plus model overseas, the non-Ultra Galaxy S21 sold in the US has less future-proofing for storage growth.
Value-wise, both flagships include the latest hardware innovations consumers expect in late-model premium smartphones. Well-constructed designs show attention to detail, while gorgeous OLED displays continue raising the bar. Their advanced camera systems enable shots simply impossible to capture this well on older phone generations just a couple years back.
Prospective buyers choosing between these two category leaders should weigh factors like the iPhone range’s more consistent build materials against display LTPO advantages in Samsung’s lineup. Ease of iOS ecosystem integration competes against One UI’s expansive control and customization perks. And Apple’s proprietary pro camera capabilities counter impressive telephoto zoom flexibility in Samsung’s S21 family. There are many excellent options across both brands.
Which Should You Buy: iPhone 12 or Galaxy S21?
With so many similarities but also meaningful differences between the two smartphone heavyweights, which model should you purchase when comparing the iPhone 12 vs Galaxy S21?
For Android lovers seeking more controls and customization, the Samsung Galaxy S21 provides an excellent blend of high-end capabilities from its cameras and blazing 5nm processor performance to its mesmerizing Dynamic AMOLED display. Perks like faster charging, reverse wireless charging to top off accessories or earbuds, plus flexibility inherent with Google Play apps help the S21 earn its place among 2022’s top flagships.
On the other hand, consumers already embedded within Apple’s ecosystem will find immense value in upgrading to the iPhone 12 this year. From its smartly refined design aesthetic to substantial camera upgrades, Apple’s leading smartphone line has never felt this complete. Long-awaited 5G support combines with best-in-class performance thanks to the lightning-quick A14 Bionic processor. iOS 14 introduces new conveniences to augment an already intuitive user experience. As the latest generation in Apple’s premium smartphone dynasty, the iPhone 12 Series delivers on every front.
Overall, buyers have two fantastic options for their next smartphone upgrade in the Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12. We hope breaking down their most important similarities and differences gives you the knowledge to pick the right flagship phone for your needs among these leading devices!
