Google Pixel 6a vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Pixel 6a shines with its exceptional camera and clean Android experience, while the S21 FE boasts a brighter display and faster charging. Ultimately, the Pixel 6a offers better value for money, especially for photography enthusiasts, while the S21 FE caters to those prioritizing a vibrant screen and quicker power-ups.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 6a | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71 - GX7AS, GB62Z (USA/Canada) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GX7AS (USA/Canada) | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 40, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - G1AZG (International) | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, May 11 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 21 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm (5.99 x 2.83 x 0.35 in) | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.13 x 2.93 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 178 g (6.28 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~429 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 90.7 cm2 (~83.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2 |
| Chipset | Google Tensor (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP20 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1.12µm | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| - | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD3.0 | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4410 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Chalk, Charcoal, Sage | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | GX7AS, GB62Z, G1AZG, GB17L | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | $ 138.99 / C$ 228.74 / ₹ 23,999 | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | - | 0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.48 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 94h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Google Pixel 6a
- Exceptional camera quality
- Clean and smooth Android experience
- Guaranteed software updates
- Competitive price
- Good performance
- Slower charging speed
- Design can feel a bit dated
- No expandable storage
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Brighter display
- Faster charging (wired & wireless)
- Reverse wireless charging
- Versatile camera system
- Samsung's One UI features
- Camera not as consistently good as Pixel 6a
- Software update commitment less certain than Pixel
- Can be more expensive depending on region
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G takes the lead in display brightness, measuring 792 nits compared to the Pixel 6a's 876 nits. While both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), the S21 FE's slightly higher brightness makes it more comfortable to use outdoors. Both displays are vibrant and sharp, but the S21 FE has a slight edge.
Camera Comparison
This is where the Pixel 6a truly excels. Google's computational photography prowess shines through, producing consistently excellent photos with accurate colors and impressive dynamic range. The S21 FE's camera is capable, but it doesn't quite match the Pixel 6a's image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The Pixel 6a's image processing is simply superior.
Performance
The Pixel 6a's Google Tensor chip delivers smooth performance for everyday tasks and even handles demanding games reasonably well. The S21 FE's Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100 depending on region) generally offers a slight edge in raw processing power, particularly in graphics-intensive applications. However, the Tensor chip's efficiency is noteworthy. Real-world performance is comparable for most users.
Battery Life
Both phones offer similar battery life, with endurance ratings of 94h and 92h respectively. While the difference is minimal, the S21 FE's 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging provide a faster charging experience compared to the Pixel 6a's 18W wired charging. The S21 FE also supports reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
The Google Pixel 6a is ideal for users who prioritize camera quality, a smooth and bloatware-free Android experience, and guaranteed software updates. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a better choice for those who want a brighter display, faster charging speeds, and the versatility of Samsung's One UI.