Realme GT2 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Realme GT2 takes the lead with significantly better battery life and faster charging. However, the Galaxy S21 FE boasts Samsung's polished software and potentially a more refined camera experience, depending on the chipset version. Ultimately, the GT2 offers more bang for your buck.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Realme GT2 | 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, 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 / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, January 04 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, January 08 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 162.9 x 75.8 x 8.6 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.34 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 | 194.5 / 199.8 g (6.88 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 (~398 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.62 inches, 105.8 cm2 (~85.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 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 | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, Realme UI 3.0 | 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 | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm | 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, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide) 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@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm | 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 |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | 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 | 65W wired, 100% in 33 min | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Paper White, Paper Green, Steel Black, Titanium Blue | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | RMX3310, RMX3312, RMX3311 | 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 790 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 115h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.8 LUFS (Good) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 810512 (v9) GeekBench: 3487 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Realme GT2
- Exceptional battery life
- Blazing-fast 65W charging
- Brighter display
- Competitive price
- Stylish design
- Camera processing can be inconsistent
- Software updates may be less frequent than Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Samsung's One UI software
- Potentially more refined camera (Snapdragon version)
- Wireless charging (including reverse wireless)
- Premium build quality
- Slower charging speed (25W)
- Shorter battery life
- Higher price
- Exynos version performance can be slightly lower
Display Comparison
The Realme GT2 boasts a slightly brighter display at 846 nits compared to the Galaxy S21 FE's 792 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (nominally infinite) and vibrant colors. While both are AMOLED panels, Realme's brightness edge gives it a slight advantage in outdoor visibility.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance is more nuanced. The Galaxy S21 FE, particularly with the Snapdragon version, often delivers more consistent and refined image processing. The Realme GT2's camera is capable, but may exhibit some inconsistencies. Video recording capabilities are comparable on both devices.
Performance
Both phones utilize the Snapdragon 888, ensuring smooth performance for most tasks. However, the Galaxy S21 FE has two chipset versions: Snapdragon and Exynos. The Snapdragon version generally performs slightly better. The CPU specs are very similar, so real-world performance differences will be minimal for typical usage.
Battery Life
This is where the Realme GT2 truly shines. Its 115h endurance rating significantly surpasses the Galaxy S21 FE's 92h. Coupled with 65W fast charging (33 minutes to 100%), the GT2 offers exceptional battery longevity and rapid replenishment.
Buying Guide
The Realme GT2 is ideal for users prioritizing battery life, fast charging, and a more affordable price. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a better choice for those deeply invested in the Samsung ecosystem, preferring One UI, and potentially seeking a slightly more premium feel and camera versatility (chipset dependent).