Realme 9 Pro+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: A Detailed Comparison of Mid-Range Powerhouses
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a brighter, more color-accurate display and potentially faster CPU performance, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the better choice. However, the Realme 9 Pro+ excels in charging speed, reaching 100% in just 44 minutes, making it ideal for users constantly on the go.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Realme 9 Pro+ | 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, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 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 / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, February 16 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, February 21 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 160.2 x 73.3 x 8 mm (6.31 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 | 182 g (6.42 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 98.9 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 90Hz, 430 nits (typ), 600 nits (HBM) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 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 | Mediatek Dimensity 920 (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G68 MC4 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 14, Realme UI 5.0 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 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@30/60/120/480fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, 27mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm | 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 |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | 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 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 | 60W wired, PD3.0, 100% in 44 min | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Midnight Black, Aurora Green, Sunrise Blue, Free Fire Limited Edition | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | RMX3392, RMX3393 | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | £ 493.68 | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | 1.19 W/kg (head) 0.73 W/kg (body) | 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) |
Realme 9 Pro+
- Significantly faster 60W charging
- Potentially better thermal management under sustained load
- More affordable price point
- Dimmer display compared to the S21 FE
- Less powerful chipset (depending on S21 FE variant)
- Less established brand reputation
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Potentially faster CPU performance (Snapdragon 888 variant)
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower charging speed
- Potential for thermal throttling (Exynos variant)
- Higher price
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 792 nits compared to the Realme 9 Pro+'s 613 nits. This translates to better visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. While both utilize AMOLED technology, the S21 FE’s higher peak brightness and likely superior color calibration (though not specified in the data) provide a more immersive viewing experience. The S21 FE also benefits from an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting deeper blacks and more dynamic visuals. The Realme 9 Pro+ lacks specific contrast ratio data, suggesting it may not match the S21 FE's visual punch.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable photo and video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is lacking. Without specifics, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment. However, the market positioning of the S21 FE suggests a more refined image processing pipeline and potentially better low-light performance. The Realme 9 Pro+ likely focuses on delivering vibrant, social media-ready images. The absence of details regarding sensor size and OIS on both devices makes a precise comparison impossible, but the S21 FE’s brand reputation suggests a more consistent and versatile camera system.
Performance
The performance landscape is more complex. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes in two variants: one with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm) and another with the Exynos 2100 (5nm). Both chips are built on a 5nm process, offering greater efficiency than the Realme 9 Pro+'s Mediatek Dimensity 920 (6nm). The Snapdragon 888, particularly the 2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 variant, offers a performance edge in CPU-intensive tasks. However, the Dimensity 920’s Cortex-A78 cores provide strong multi-core performance. The 5nm process of the S21 FE’s chips *should* translate to better thermal management, though the Exynos variant has been known to throttle under sustained load. The Realme 9 Pro+ may offer a more consistent experience under prolonged gaming due to its larger node size, but will likely fall behind in peak performance.
Battery Life
The Realme 9 Pro+ compensates for its smaller endurance rating (117h) with significantly faster charging. Its 60W wired charging, supporting PD3.0, can fully charge the device in just 44 minutes. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, with a 25W wired charging speed, takes considerably longer, reaching only 50% in 30 minutes. The S21 FE also offers 15W wireless and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Realme 9 Pro+. While the S21 FE’s endurance rating is 92h, the Realme 9 Pro+'s faster charging mitigates concerns about battery life for many users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Realme 9 Pro+ if you need blazing-fast 60W charging and prioritize a phone that can quickly top up between uses. It's ideal for users who frequently travel or have limited access to power outlets. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prefer a brighter, more vibrant display, potentially faster processing speeds (depending on the version), and the established ecosystem and software support of Samsung.