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OnePlus OnePlus 8T vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

OnePlusOnePlus 8TSamsungGalaxy S21 FE 5G
Overview
ReleasedOctober 2020January 2022
Display
Screen size6.55″6.4″
Resolution2400 × 10802340 × 1080
Sharpness402 pixels per inch403 pixels per inch
PanelOLEDOLED
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness1,100 nits–
Display typeFlat Fluid AMOLED; 20:9 aspect ratioFlat 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 density402 ppi–
Brightness detailUp to 1,100 nits and 8,192 automatic brightness levels, stated in the UK overview–
Always-on displayAlways-on display with OxygenOS 11; Insight, Canvas and Bitmoji styles described in Android Central's updated review–
Screen protectionCorning Gorilla Glass; generation not specified in the maker's sheetGorilla Glass Victus, according to TechAdvisor and Expert Reviews
Display features120 Hz, sRGB and Display P3; HDR10+ according to the full reviews; Reading Mode, Night Mode and Vibrant Color120 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
ChipSnapdragon 865Snapdragon 888
Memory8 GB – 12 GB6 GB – 8 GB
Storage128 GB, 256 GB128 GB, 256 GB
CPUQualcomm Snapdragon 865 with Snapdragon X55 5G modemSnapdragon 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.
GPUAdreno 650–
Storage typeLPDDR4X RAM; UFS 3.1 two-lane storage; EU 8/128 GB and 12/256 GB pairings confirmed in the maker's Dutch launch releaseUK 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.
CoolingEnlarged vapour cooling chamber, described by Android Central from the maker's explanation–
Cameras
Main camera48 MP12 MP
Ultra wide camera16 MP12 MP
Telephoto cameraNone8 MP
Optical zoomNone3×
Front camera16 MP32 MP
Main cameraSony IMX586, 48 MP, f/1.7, six-element lens, 0.8 µm pixels or 1.6 µm with four-to-one binning at 12 MP; OIS and EIS12 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 camera16 MP, f/2.2, 123° field of view12 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 cameraSony IMX471, 16 MP, f/2.4, 1.0 µm pixels, fixed focus and EIS32 MP, f/2.2, fixed focus and 81° field of view
ZoomNo dedicated telephoto; digital zoom up to 10×, tested by TechRadar3× optical and up to 30× digital Space Zoom
Video recording4K and 1080p at 30 or 60 fps; slow motion at 1080p 240 fps or 720p 480 fps; time-lapse at 1080p or 4K 30 fps; video editorRear 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 fps; time-lapseUp to 4K 60 fps, according to TechRadar
Camera featuresAdditional 5 MP macro and 2 MP monochrome cameras; phase and contrast autofocus, dual LED flash, cinematic aspect ratio, video portrait, UltraShot HDR, Nightscape, Macro, Portrait, Pro, Panorama, Smart Pet Capture, AI scene detection, RAW, filters, video focus tracking, Super Stable and Video NightscapeNight Mode, AI Face Restoration and simultaneous front/rear Dual Recording; Single Take described by TechRadar
Battery and charging
Battery4,500 mAh4,500 mAh
Wired chargingUp to 65 WUp to 25 W
Wireless chargingNoneUp to 15 W
Battery life detailNon-removable dual-cell battery, two 2,250 mAh cells equivalent to 4,500 mAh typical; UK overview gives 4,400 mAh rated. The specification's footnote calls 4,400 mAh typical, conflicting with its own 4,500 mAh main entry and the overview.4,500 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 chargingWarp Charge 65, 10 V/6.5 A; maker reports a full charge in 39 minutes and twelve temperature sensors; included USB-C adapter also supports USB Power Delivery up to 45 W for other compatible devices25 W Super Fast Charging; Samsung claims over 50% in 30 minutes with its separately sold 25 W charger
Wireless charging–15 W wireless charging
Charges other devices–Wireless PowerShare supported; maker launch does not publish wattage
Design
TypeStandardStandard
Weight188 g177 g
Thickness8.4 mm7.9 mm
Height × width160.7 × 74.1 mm155.7 × 74.5 mm
Water and dust resistance–IP68
MaterialsGlass back and aluminium frame, described by TechAdvisorPlastic back and aluminium frame, according to TechAdvisor; Contour-Cut camera housing and haze finish
ColoursAquamarine Green and Lunar Silver; UK Lunar Silver with 8/128 GB and Aquamarine Green with 12/256 GB, according to TechAdvisor; Dutch launch availability differsGraphite, Olive, Lavender and White in Samsung's UK launch release; the support comparison additionally lists Navy without a UK launch configuration
ButtonsAlert Slider; gestures and on-screen navigation supported–
Water resistance detailNo published IP rating for the UK unlocked model; certification of the separate US T-Mobile 8T+ is not substitutedIP68; global launch footnote states up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutes
BiometricsOptical in-display fingerprint sensor and camera-based face unlockOptical in-display fingerprint sensor; camera-based face recognition described by TechAdvisor
SensorsFingerprint sensor, accelerometer, electronic compass, gyroscope, ambient light, proximity, sensor core and flicker detectionAccelerometer, barometer, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, light sensor and proximity sensor
SpeakersDual stereo speakers; Dolby AtmosStereo speakers, according to TechAdvisor
MicrophonesNoise cancellation support–
Software
Operating systemAndroidAndroid
Software at launchOxygenOS 11 based on Android 11Android 12 with One UI 4
Software updates–Samsung'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 boxPhone, Warp Charge 65 adapter, USB-C to USB-C cable, quick start guide, welcome letter, safety and warranty information, logo sticker, case, screen protector and SIM ejectorCharger excluded, confirmed by Samsung; no other UK box contents verified
Connectivity
Mobile networkSnapdragon X55; 4×4 MIMO, up to LTE Cat 20 download and Cat 18 upload, 2.0 Gbit/s and 200 Mbit/s subject to carrier; UK 5G NSA n1/n3/n7/n28/n41/n78 and SA n41/n785G sub-6, LTE FDD/TDD and 4×4 MIMO in Samsung's global specification; US review mmWave coverage is regional
SIMDual nano-SIM; historical maker sheet specifies dual 4G or single 5G at launch, with later improvements promised through an update; completion was not verifiedDual SIM, according to Expert Reviews; nano-SIM format in Samsung's exact-model specification
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax; 2×2 MIMO on 2.4 and 5 GHzWi-Fi 6, according to TechAdvisor and Expert Reviews
BluetoothBluetooth 5.1; aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and AACBluetooth 5.0, according to TechAdvisor and Expert Reviews
NFCYesSamsung Pay with NFC; payment availability depends on market
USBUSB-C, USB 3.1 Gen 1; standard USB-C earphones supported; included USB-C cable supports USB 2.0USB-C; no 3.5 mm headphone socket, according to TechAdvisor
PositioningDual-band GPS L1/L5 and Galileo E1/E5a; GLONASS, BeiDou and A-GPS–

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