Nokia 8 V 5G UW vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: A Detailed Performance and Value Comparison
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset provides significantly faster performance, a brighter display, and more versatile camera capabilities. However, the Nokia 8 V 5G UW remains a compelling option for budget-conscious buyers prioritizing 5G connectivity and a clean Android experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Nokia 8 V 5G UW | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 46, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 66, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 2.4/1.2 Gbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, November 09. Released 2020, November 12 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 171.9 x 78.6 x 9 mm (6.77 x 3.09 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 (pre-installed) | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 230 g (8.11 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~386 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.81 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~82.9% 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 (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) | 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 SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | No |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| eMMC 5.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, Dual-LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.43", 1.4µm, AF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| 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 | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/240fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, HDR | HDR |
| Single | 24 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.9µm | 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, EDR, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), 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 | 18W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Meteor Gray | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | - | 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 590 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) |
Nokia 8 V 5G UW
- More affordable price point
- Clean Android experience with fewer bloatware apps
- Reliable 5G connectivity
- Significantly slower processor
- Less vibrant and potentially dimmer display
- Slower charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Much faster processor for gaming and demanding apps
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Faster charging with wireless and reverse wireless options
- Higher price tag
- Potential for Exynos variant to exhibit more thermal throttling
- Samsung’s One UI may not appeal to all users
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to an assumed lower peak brightness on the Nokia 8 V 5G UW (spec not provided, but typical for its price bracket). This makes the S21 FE far more usable in direct sunlight. While both likely utilize AMOLED panels, the S21 FE’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests deeper blacks and more vivid colors. The lack of refresh rate information for the Nokia is a disadvantage, while the S21 FE is expected to have a 120Hz panel, offering smoother scrolling and animations.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but the S21 FE likely holds an edge in image quality and versatility. While both are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the S21 FE benefits from a more advanced image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100. This results in better dynamic range, noise reduction, and overall image clarity. The Nokia 8 V 5G UW’s camera performance will be adequate for everyday snapshots, but the S21 FE is expected to excel in challenging lighting conditions and offer more sophisticated features like improved portrait mode and video stabilization. The absence of detailed camera specs for both phones makes a precise comparison difficult, but the S21 FE’s higher-end chipset suggests superior image processing capabilities.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, equipped with either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm) or Exynos 2100 (5nm), offers a substantial performance leap over the Nokia 8 V 5G UW’s Snapdragon 765G (7nm). The Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core, clocked up to 2.84GHz (or 2.9GHz in Version 2), provides significantly faster single-core performance, crucial for responsive app launches and smooth multitasking. The 5nm process node also translates to better power efficiency and potentially less thermal throttling during sustained workloads. The Nokia’s Kryo 475 cores, while competent, simply can’t match the raw processing power of the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an Endurance rating of 92h, suggesting comparable battery life despite the S21 FE’s more powerful processor. This indicates efficient power management on the Samsung’s side. However, the S21 FE offers significantly faster charging at 25W with PD3.0, claiming a 50% charge in 30 minutes, compared to the Nokia’s slower 18W wired charging. The S21 FE also adds 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Nokia 8 V 5G UW, providing greater convenience and flexibility.
Buying Guide
Buy the Nokia 8 V 5G UW if you need a reliable 5G phone on a tight budget and value a stock Android experience with guaranteed updates. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prioritize performance for gaming and demanding apps, a brighter and more vibrant display, and a more feature-rich camera system, and are willing to spend a bit more.