Samsung Galaxy M33 vs S21 FE 5G: Which Samsung Phone Wins?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing raw performance and a superior display, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the clear winner. While the M33 offers excellent battery life and a lower price, the S21 FE’s Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset and brighter screen provide a significantly more refined experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy M33 | 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, 17, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 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, 78 SA/NSA | 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, March 04 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, April 08 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165.4 x 76.9 x 9.4 mm (6.51 x 3.03 x 0.37 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 + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 198 g (Global) / 215 g (India) (6.98 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 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~400 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 104.9 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT LCD, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.4 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 | Exynos 1280 (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G68 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 16, One UI 8 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.2 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 5 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 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@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.2, (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 | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | Unspecified | 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 | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Virtual Proximity Sensing | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired 4.5W reverse wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Ion 5000 mAh (Global)· Li-Ion 6000 mAh (India only) | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Green, Blue, Brown | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | SM-M336B, SM-M336B/DS, SM-M336BU, SM-M336BU/DS, SM-M336K | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | £ 299.00 | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | - | 0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.04 W/kg (head) 1.38 W/kg (body) | 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) |
Samsung Galaxy M33
- Significantly more affordable
- Excellent battery endurance (92h)
- Reverse wired charging for accessories
- Less powerful Exynos 1280 chipset
- Likely lower quality display
- Slower charging speeds
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Powerful Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 chipset
- Brighter and more vibrant display (792 nits)
- Faster charging with wireless and reverse wireless options
- Higher price point
- Battery life is comparable to the M33 despite a more powerful processor
- Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
The S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the M33. While both utilize AMOLED technology, the S21 FE’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility outdoors. The S21 FE’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests deeper blacks and more vivid colors. The M33’s display specifications are less detailed, suggesting a more basic panel aimed at cost savings. The lack of LTPO on either device means refresh rate scaling isn't as efficient as on higher-end models.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature a 'Photo / Video' camera system, but details are sparse. The S21 FE likely benefits from more advanced image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes, typical of flagship devices. While the M33 may offer a competitive camera in its price range, the S21 FE’s superior processing power and potentially better optics will result in sharper, more detailed images, especially in low-light conditions. The presence of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is likely on the S21 FE, further enhancing image quality and video stabilization. We can assume the M33 includes lower-resolution auxiliary cameras, while the S21 FE will have more capable supporting lenses.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The S21 FE 5G comes in two variants: one with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) and another with the Exynos 2100 (5nm). Both are significantly more powerful than the M33’s Exynos 1280 (5nm). The Snapdragon 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core (2.84 GHz or 2.9 GHz depending on the version) provides a substantial performance boost over the M33’s Cortex-A78 cores (2.4 GHz). The S21 FE also benefits from potentially faster RAM, though the specific LPDDR version isn’t specified. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and superior gaming performance on the S21 FE. The Exynos 1280 is capable, but will show its limitations in demanding tasks.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an impressive Endurance rating of 92h, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite the M33’s unspecified mAh capacity. However, the S21 FE offers faster charging at 25W with PD3.0, claiming 50% charge in 30 minutes, and adds 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging – features absent on the M33. The M33’s 25W wired charging and 4.5W reverse wired charging are slower and less versatile. The S21 FE’s charging flexibility provides a more convenient user experience.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy M33 if you need a long-lasting battery and prioritize affordability above all else. It’s ideal for users who primarily browse, use social media, and occasionally game. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prefer a faster, more responsive experience with a brighter, more vibrant display, and are willing to spend a bit more for flagship-level performance and a more versatile camera system.