Honor Play 9A vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Clash of Titans
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the clear winner, offering vastly superior performance, a stunning display, and a more advanced camera system. However, the Honor Play 9A provides incredible value for budget-conscious buyers who prioritize affordability over premium features.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Honor Play 9A | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, March 30. Released 2020, April 03 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.1 x 74.1 x 9 mm (6.26 x 2.92 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 + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 185 g (6.53 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~278 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.3 inches, 95.8 cm2 (~81.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) | 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 | Mediatek MT6765 Helio P35 (12 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 10, Magic UI 3.0, no Google Play Services | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 13 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF Auxiliary lens | - |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 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 | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 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 | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | Unspecified |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity | 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 | 10W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue Water Emerald, Jasper Green, Dark Night Black | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | MOA-AL00, MOA-TL00, MED-AL20, MOA-AL20 | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | About 120 EUR | € 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 92h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | 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) |
Honor Play 9A
- Extremely affordable
- Decent battery life
- Simple and easy to use
- Weak performance
- Low-resolution display
- Basic camera
- Slow charging
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Powerful performance
- Stunning display
- Excellent camera
- Fast charging (wired & wireless)
- 5G connectivity
- Higher price
- Can be bulky
- Battery life, while good, isn't exceptional compared to some competitors
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a vibrant AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 792 nits and an infinite contrast ratio, delivering stunning visuals. The Honor Play 9A has a standard IPS LCD display, which is adequate but lacks the color accuracy and brightness of the S21 FE. The S21 FE's 120Hz refresh rate also provides a smoother scrolling experience.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G's camera system is significantly more versatile and capable, offering better image quality, more features, and improved low-light performance. While the Honor Play 9A's camera is functional, it struggles in challenging conditions and lacks the advanced features of the S21 FE.
Performance
The Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) in the Galaxy S21 FE 5G provides a massive performance advantage over the Helio P35 in the Honor Play 9A. Expect significantly faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and the ability to handle demanding games with ease. The S21 FE's CPU architecture is far more advanced.
Battery Life
Both phones offer impressive battery life, with the Galaxy S21 FE 5G achieving an endurance rating of 92h. The Honor Play 9A, with its less power-hungry chipset, also provides solid battery life. However, the S21 FE 5G supports significantly faster charging (25W wired, 15W wireless) and reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
The Honor Play 9A is ideal for students, seniors, or anyone needing a basic smartphone for calls, texts, and light social media use. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is perfect for power users, gamers, and photography enthusiasts who demand top-tier performance and features.