Honor 70 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: Which Mid-Range Champion Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing battery life and consistent performance without thermal throttling, the Honor 70 emerges as the better choice. While the S21 FE boasts a more powerful chipset on paper, its potential for overheating and slightly lower endurance rating make the Honor 70 a more reliable daily driver.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor 70 | 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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International | 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 / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, May 30 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, June 02 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.4 x 73.3 x 7.9 mm (6.35 x 2.89 x 0.31 in) | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.13 x 2.93 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 178 g (6.28 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 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 | Qualcomm SM7325-AE Snapdragon 778G+ 5G (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, Magic UI 6.1 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 54 MP, f/1.9, (wide), 1/1.49", PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), AF Auxiliary lens | 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@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.4, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, 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 | 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 | 66W wired, 60% in 20 min 5W reverse wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4800 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Midnight Black, Emerald Green, Icelandic Frost, Crystal Silver | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | FNE-AN00, FNE-NX9 | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | £ 201.00 / € 189.90 | € 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 100h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -29.4 LUFS (Average) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Honor 70
- Significantly faster 66W charging
- Better battery endurance (100h rating)
- More thermally efficient chipset (Snapdragon 778G+)
- Less powerful chipset compared to S21 FE
- Camera details are limited
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Potentially brighter display
- More powerful chipset (Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100)
- Samsung ecosystem and software features
- Potential for thermal throttling
- Slower 25W charging
- Lower battery endurance (92h rating)
Display Comparison
Both the Honor 70 and Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the difference in peak brightness is negligible, with the S21 FE reaching 792 nits compared to the Honor 70’s 790 nits. This minimal difference won’t be noticeable in most real-world scenarios. Neither manufacturer specifies refresh rates, but both are likely 120Hz. The S21 FE’s display benefits from Samsung’s established color calibration expertise, but the Honor 70’s panel is still expected to deliver vibrant visuals.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited in the provided data. Both are described as having Photo/Video capabilities. The S21 FE’s potential advantage lies in its more powerful ISP (Image Signal Processor) within the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, allowing for more sophisticated image processing. However, the Honor 70’s optimized software and potentially larger main sensor (not specified) could deliver competitive results. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on both devices is largely inconsequential, offering limited practical benefit due to its low resolution.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The S21 FE utilizes either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm) or the Exynos 2100 (5nm), while the Honor 70 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ 5G (6nm). While the Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100 offer higher peak CPU and GPU performance – the S21 FE’s Cortex-X1 core clocks up to 2.9GHz versus the Honor 70’s 2.5GHz Cortex-A78 – the 6nm process of the Snapdragon 778G+ provides superior thermal efficiency. This translates to less throttling under sustained load, a common issue reported with the Snapdragon 888. The S21 FE’s performance variance between the Snapdragon and Exynos versions is also a factor, with the Snapdragon generally being preferred. The Honor 70’s CPU configuration (1x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78, 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78, 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) is well-balanced for everyday tasks and moderate gaming.
Battery Life
The Honor 70 boasts an endurance rating of 100 hours, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G achieves 92 hours. This suggests the Honor 70 offers superior battery life. Crucially, the Honor 70 supports 66W wired charging, capable of reaching 60% charge in just 20 minutes, a significant advantage over the S21 FE’s 25W charging (50% in 30 minutes). The Honor 70 also includes 5W reverse wired charging, a feature the S21 FE matches with 15W wireless reverse charging. The faster charging speed of the Honor 70 mitigates any concerns about its slightly smaller battery capacity (not specified).
Buying Guide
Buy the Honor 70 if you need a phone with exceptional charging speeds (66W) and a consistently smooth experience, even during extended use. It’s ideal for users who prioritize battery longevity and don’t necessarily require the absolute highest peak performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prefer a slightly brighter display and are willing to accept potential thermal throttling during demanding tasks, and if you value the Samsung ecosystem and software features.