Samsung Galaxy Quantum 2 vs S21 5G: A Detailed Comparison of Chipsets, Cameras, and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a balance of performance and affordability, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is the better choice. The Exynos 2100’s superior CPU and GPU performance, coupled with its brighter display and more versatile camera features, justify the price premium, especially given current discounts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Quantum 2 | Samsung Galaxy S21 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, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-G991U1 |
| 5G bands | 78 Sub6 | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G991U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G991B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, April 13 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, April 23 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.9 x 73.8 x 8.1 mm (6.37 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 176 g (6.21 oz) | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) (5.96 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~524 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1200 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| 120Hz@FHD / 60Hz@QHD refresh rate | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - InternationalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm), QRNG security chipset | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, One UI 3.1 | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.7X", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, (wide) | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, 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 (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Violet | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink |
| Models | SM-A826S | SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS, SM-G991U, SM-G991U1, SM-G991W, SM-G991N, SM-G9910, SM-G991Q, SCG09 |
| Price | About 520 EUR | € 194.00 / $ 153.58 / £ 149.99 |
| SAR | - | 0.74 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.46 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 249.00 |
| 256GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 289.99 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 317.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 93h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.4 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 584055 (v8) GeekBench: 3238 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Quantum 2
- Enhanced security with QRNG chipset
- More affordable price point
- Still capable Snapdragon 855+ performance
- Older chipset with less efficient 7nm process
- Less detailed display specifications
- Limited charging options (no wireless)
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
- Faster and more efficient Exynos 2100/Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Brighter and higher-quality display
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Higher price
- Potential for Exynos overheating (depending on region)
- May require a separate charger for fastest wired charging
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G features a brighter display, reaching a measured 856 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the Quantum 2. While both likely utilize Samsung’s excellent AMOLED technology, the S21’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. The S21’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a superior black level and overall image quality. The Quantum 2’s display specs are less detailed, suggesting it may not offer the same level of visual fidelity.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but the S21 5G likely offers more versatility. While both are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the S21 benefits from more advanced image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes (specs not provided). The Quantum 2’s inclusion of a QRNG security chipset doesn’t directly impact camera performance, but it could be used for generating truly random numbers for image processing tasks. The S21’s camera system is expected to excel in low-light conditions and offer more refined image stabilization.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The S21 5G’s Exynos 2100 (5nm) or Snapdragon 888 (5nm) offers a significant architectural advantage over the Quantum 2’s Snapdragon 855+ (7nm). The Exynos 2100’s Cortex-X1 prime core, clocked at 2.9 GHz (international) or 2.84 GHz (USA/China), provides a substantial performance boost over the Kryo 485 in the 855+. The 5nm process node also contributes to improved thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads. While the 855+ remains capable, the S21 5G will deliver a noticeably snappier experience in demanding tasks like video editing and high-end gaming.
Battery Life
Both devices share a 25W wired charging capability, but the S21 5G adds 15W wireless charging (Qi) and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, offering greater convenience. The S21 5G boasts an endurance rating of 93 hours, indicating solid battery life. While the Quantum 2’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the less efficient 7nm process of the Snapdragon 855+ may result in slightly shorter battery life despite similar capacity. The S21’s PD3.0 support also allows for faster charging with compatible chargers.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Quantum 2 if you prioritize on-device security with its QRNG chipset and are comfortable with a slightly older processor for significant cost savings. It’s ideal for users who value privacy and don’t require the absolute latest in mobile gaming performance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G if you demand a smoother, faster experience for demanding apps and games, a brighter and more vibrant display, and a more comprehensive camera system, and are willing to pay a bit more for these features.