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Google Pixel 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

GooglePixel 6SamsungGalaxy S21 FE 5G
Overview
ReleasedOctober 2021January 2022
Display
Screen size6.4″6.4″
Resolution2400 × 10802340 × 1080
Sharpness411 pixels per inch403 pixels per inch
PanelOLEDOLED
Refresh rate90 Hz120 Hz
Display typeOLEDFlat Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 6.4 inches as a full rectangle or 6.3 inches accounting for rounded corners. Samsung UK support and Australian specifications give 2,340 × 1,080, taking precedence over 2,400 × 1,080 in TechRadar and Expert Reviews.
Pixel density411 ppi–
Always-on displayAlways-on display with At a Glance and Now Playing–
Screen protectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusGorilla Glass Victus, according to TechAdvisor and Expert Reviews
Display features20:9 aspect ratio; Smooth Display up to 90 Hz; HDR support; over 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio; 24-bit colour (16 million colours)120 Hz refresh with 240 Hz touch sampling in Game Mode; Eye Comfort Shield with AI blue-light control; manual 60/120 Hz selection confirmed by Tom's Guide
Performance
ChipTensorSnapdragon 888
Memory8 GB6 GB – 8 GB
Storage128 GB128 GB, 256 GB
CPU–Snapdragon 888 in the UK model, confirmed by Expert Reviews and TechAdvisor; Samsung publishes a 5 nm 64-bit octa-core processor and lists Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 depending on region/operator. Expert Reviews identifies CPU clusters at 2.84/2.42/1.8 GHz.
Storage typeUFS 3.1 storage; LPDDR5 RAMUK 6 GB RAM with 128 GB storage or 8 GB RAM with 256 GB, confirmed by TechAdvisor and TechRadar; Samsung's global 8/128 GB configuration is regional. No microSD expansion.
Cameras
Main camera50 MP12 MP
Ultra wide camera12 MP12 MP
Telephoto cameraNone8 MP
Optical zoomNone3×
Front camera8 MP32 MP
Main camera50 MP Octa PD Quad Bayer wide camera; 1.2 μm pixel width; f/1.85 aperture; 82° field of view; 1/1.31" image sensor size; Super Res Zoom up to 7x12 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel autofocus and OIS; Expert Reviews identifies a 1/1.76-inch sensor with 1.8 µm pixels
Ultra wide camera12 MP ultrawide; 1.25 μm pixels; f/2.2; 114° field of view; lens correction12 MP, f/2.2 and 123° field of view; the first UK support comparison table drops the leading digit and says 2 MP, while its second table and global launch correctly say 12 MP
Telephoto camera–8 MP, f/2.4, 3× optical zoom and OIS confirmed by Samsung UK support; TechRadar's 1.1× optical/3× hybrid description conflicts with the maker
Front camera8 MP; 1.12 μm pixel width; f/2.0 aperture; Fixed focus; 84° wide field of view32 MP, f/2.2, fixed focus and 81° field of view
ZoomSuper Res Zoom up to 7×3× optical and up to 30× digital Space Zoom
Video recordingRear camera; 4K video recording at 30 fps, 60 fps; 1080p video recording at 30 fps, 60 fps; Front camera; 1080p video recording at 30 fps; Cinematic Pan; Slow-motion video support up to 240 fps; 4K timelapse with stabilisation; Astrophotography timelapse; Optical image stabilisation; Fused Video Stabilisation; 4K Cinematic Pan video stabilisation; 4K locked video stabilisation; 1080p active video stabilisation; Digital zoom up to 7x; Video formats: HEVC (H.265) and AVC (H.264); Audio; Stereo recording; Speech enhancement; Wind noise reduction; Audio zoomRear camera records up to 4K 60 fps; 960 fps HD and 240 fps Full HD slow motion in Samsung's Australian exact-model sheet
Front video1080p at 30 fpsUp to 4K 60 fps, according to TechRadar
Camera featuresNight Sight; Astrophotography; Portrait Mode; Face Unblur; Long Exposure; Real Tone; Panorama; Top Shot; Frequent Faces; Magic Eraser; Portrait Light; Cinematic Pan; LDAF (laser detect auto-focus) sensor; OIS (optical image stabilisation) and EIS (electronic image stabilisation); Spectral and flicker sensor; Fast camera launcherNight Mode, AI Face Restoration and simultaneous front/rear Dual Recording; Single Take described by TechRadar
Battery and charging
Battery4,614 mAh4,500 mAh
Wired chargingUp to 21 WUp to 25 W
Wireless chargingUp to 21 WUp to 15 W
Battery life detail24+ hours; up to 48 hours with Extreme Battery Saver; minimum capacity 4524 mAh4,500 mAh typical; 4,370 mAh rated minimum in Samsung's global release. The UK launch footnote instead calls 4,500 mAh the rated minimum; global specification footnotes control.
Wired chargingUp to 21 W; USB PD 3.0 PPS; up to 50% in about 30 minutes with Google’s 30 W USB-C charger (sold separately)25 W Super Fast Charging; Samsung claims over 50% in 30 minutes with its separately sold 25 W charger
Wireless chargingQi-certified; up to 21 W with Google Pixel Stand (2nd gen); up to 12 W with Qi EPP chargers15 W wireless charging
Charges other devicesBattery Share: wirelessly charges Qi-certified devicesWireless PowerShare supported; maker launch does not publish wattage
Design
TypeStandardStandard
Weight207 g177 g
Thickness8.9 mm7.9 mm
Height × width158.6 × 74.8 mm155.7 × 74.5 mm
Water and dust resistanceIP68IP68
MaterialsGorilla Glass Victus front; Gorilla Glass 6 back; tactile alloy framePlastic back and aluminium frame, according to TechAdvisor; Contour-Cut camera housing and haze finish
ColoursSorta Seafoam, Kinda Coral, Stormy BlackGraphite, Olive, Lavender and White in Samsung's UK launch release; the support comparison additionally lists Navy without a UK launch configuration
ButtonsPower button; volume buttons–
Water resistance detailIP68 under IEC 60529IP68; global launch footnote states up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes
BiometricsUnder-display fingerprint sensorOptical in-display fingerprint sensor; camera-based face recognition described by TechAdvisor
SensorsProximity sensor; Ambient light sensor; Accelerometer; Gyrometer; Magnetometer; BarometerAccelerometer, barometer, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, light sensor and proximity sensor
SpeakersStereo speakers; spatial audioStereo speakers, according to TechAdvisor
MicrophonesThree microphones with noise suppression–
Software
Operating systemAndroidAndroid
Software at launchAndroid 12Android 12 with One UI 4
Software updates5 years of OS and security updates, counted from first US Google Store availability; may include new and upgraded features with Pixel DropsSamsung's February 2022 policy includes S21 FE for up to four Android/One UI generations and five years of security updates, superseding the shorter commitment in January launch reviews
In the boxPixel 6; 1 m USB-C to USB-C cable (USB 2.0); Quick Switch adaptor; SIM tool; quick start guide; no power adaptorCharger excluded, confirmed by Samsung; no other UK box contents verified
Connectivity
Mobile network5G and 4G LTE; network and band availability depend on region and operator5G sub-6, LTE FDD/TDD and 4×4 MIMO in Samsung's global specification; US review mmWave coverage is regional
SIMDual SIM: one nano-SIM and eSIMDual SIM, according to Expert Reviews; nano-SIM format in Samsung's exact-model specification
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz; HE160; 2×2 MIMO; Google CastWi-Fi 6, according to TechAdvisor and Expert Reviews
BluetoothBluetooth 5.2 with dual antennasBluetooth 5.0, according to TechAdvisor and Expert Reviews
NFCYesSamsung Pay with NFC; payment availability depends on market
USBUSB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1USB-C; no 3.5 mm headphone socket, according to TechAdvisor

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