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Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Sony Xperia 5 III

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

SamsungGalaxy S21SonyXperia 5 III
Overview
ReleasedJanuary 2021September 2021
Display
Screen size6.2″6.1″
Resolution2400 × 10802520 × 1080
Sharpness424 pixels per inch449 pixels per inch
PanelOLEDOLED
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Display typeFlat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (2,400 × 1,080), HDR10+ certified; adaptive 120 Hz (48–120 Hz); 6.2 inches as a full rectangle, 6.1 inches with rounded corners6.1-inch 21:9 Full HD+ HDR OLED; 120 Hz refresh and 240 Hz touch scanning
Pixel density421 ppi–
Brightness detail1,300 nits peak–
Screen protectionCorning Gorilla Glass Victus frontCorning Gorilla Glass 6 front and back
Display featuresEye Comfort Shield–
Performance
ChipExynos 2100Snapdragon 888 5G
Memory8 GB8 GB
Storage128 GB, 256 GB128 GB
CPU5 nm, 64-bit octa-core, 2.9 GHz + 2.8 GHz + 2.2 GHz; 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAMQualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform
Storage type128 or 256 GB; no microSD slot128 GB UFS; microSDXC up to 1 TB
Cameras
Main camera12 MP12 MP
Ultra wide camera12 MP12 MP
Telephoto camera64 MP12 MP
Optical zoom1.1×None
Front camera10 MP8 MP
Main camera12 MP wide-angle, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, 1.8 µm, 79°12 MP, 24 mm equivalent, ƒ/1.7, 1/1.7-inch sensor
Ultra wide camera12 MP fixed focus, F2.2, 1.4 µm, 120°12 MP, 16 mm equivalent, ƒ/2.2
Telephoto camera64 MP, phase detection AF, OIS, F2.0, 0.8 µm, 76°; 1.1x optical zoom (MobileSyrup)12 MP variable 70/105 mm equivalent telephoto, ƒ/2.3 and ƒ/2.8
Front camera10 MP Dual Pixel AF, F2.2, 1.22 µm, 80°8 MP, ƒ/2.0
Zoom3x Hybrid Optic Zoom; 30x Space Zoom–
Video recording8K at 24 fps; 4K at 60 fpsCinematography Pro 4K HDR recording up to 60 fps and 120 fps slow motion
Camera features–Photography Pro with Basic mode; up to 20 fps AF/AE bursts and real-time Eye AF
Battery and charging
Battery4,000 mAh4,500 mAh
Video playback (maker's claim)Up to 20 hours–
Wired chargingUp to 25 W–
Wireless chargingUp to 15 WNone
Battery life detail4,000 mAh typical, 3,880 mAh rated; wireless video playback up to 20 hours; internet use up to 14 hours (LTE) or 15 hours (Wi-Fi); talk time up to 33 hours (4G)4,500 mAh; USB Power Delivery charging; Sony includes a 30 W charger
Wired chargingUSB PD 3.0 (PPS) fast charging, AFC and QC2.0 compatible; up to 25 W–
Wireless chargingFast Wireless Charging 2.0 (WPC); up to 15 W–
Charges other devicesWireless PowerShare–
Design
TypeStandardStandard
Weight169 g168 g
Thickness7.9 mm8.2 mm
Height × width151.7 × 71.2 mm157 × 68 mm
Water and dust resistanceIP68IP68
MaterialsMetal frame with Contour Cut camera housing; Deluxe Frosted Haze matte finish–
ColoursPhantom Violet, Phantom Grey, Phantom Pink, Phantom White–
Water resistance detailIP68, up to 1.5 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes; not advised for beach or pool useSony specifies IPX5/IPX8 water resistance and IP6X dust protection
BiometricsUltrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensor, face recognitionFingerprint sensor
SensorsUltrasonic fingerprint, accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, Hall, proximity, ambient light–
SpeakersStereo speakers; UHQ 32-bit and DSD64/128 playbackFull-stage stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos and 3.5 mm headphone socket
Software
Operating systemAndroidAndroid
Software at launchAndroid 11Android 11
Connectivity
Mobile network5G (NSA, SA), Sub6–
SIMNano-SIM and eSIMHybrid dual nano-SIM
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax), 2.4 and 5 GHz, HE80, MIMO, 1024-QAM–
BluetoothBluetooth 5.0Bluetooth 5.2
NFCYesYes
USBUSB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1; DisplayPort output up to 4K at 60 fpsUSB-C
PositioningGPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou–

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