Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Sony Xperia 1 III: Which Snapdragon Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 offers a better overall value. Its more accessible price, combined with a vibrant display and capable camera system, makes it a strong all-rounder. However, the Sony Xperia 1 III caters to content creators and enthusiasts who prioritize battery endurance and a more nuanced, professional camera experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S21 | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | Not announced yet | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 169 g (5.96 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Always-on display | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 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 | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.X | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | 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 | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| 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, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | SM-G990F, SM-G990F/DS | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | - | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S21
- More affordable price point
- Compact and lightweight design
- Vibrant and color-accurate display
- Potential for thermal throttling (Exynos variant)
- Shorter battery life compared to Xperia 1 III
- Less emphasis on professional camera features
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Exceptional battery life (82h endurance)
- Professional-grade camera features and manual controls
- Faster 30W wired charging
- Higher price tag
- Larger and heavier design
- Less mainstream appeal
Display Comparison
Both the Galaxy S21 and Xperia 1 III feature 6.5-inch displays, but their approaches differ significantly. The Xperia 1 III boasts a measured peak brightness of 620 nits, suggesting a brighter outdoor viewing experience than the S21 (brightness data unavailable for S21). While the S21’s panel technology isn’t specified, Sony’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio indicates a high-quality OLED panel. The Xperia 1 III’s focus on color accuracy, a hallmark of Sony’s displays, will appeal to professionals, while the S21 likely prioritizes a more saturated, visually punchy image for general consumption.
Camera Comparison
The Xperia 1 III is geared towards photography and videography enthusiasts. While both phones offer capable camera systems, Sony’s emphasis on manual controls and professional features sets it apart. Details on sensor sizes and apertures are missing, but the Xperia 1 III’s focus on ‘Photo / Video’ suggests a more comprehensive feature set for content creation. The S21’s camera is versatile, but likely leans towards computational photography for ease of use. Ignoring the typical 2MP macro lens found on many phones, the core camera experience will hinge on image processing differences – Sony favoring a more natural look, while Samsung often boosts colors and contrast.
Performance
Both devices utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), but the Galaxy S21 also came in an Exynos 2100 variant. The Xperia 1 III’s consistent Snapdragon 888 configuration ensures predictable performance. While the CPU core configurations are nearly identical – Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) – the S21’s Exynos variant has historically faced criticism regarding thermal throttling under sustained load. The Xperia 1 III’s larger chassis and potentially more robust cooling solution may offer better sustained performance. Both utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but specific speeds aren’t provided, making a direct comparison difficult.
Battery Life
The Xperia 1 III claims an endurance rating of 82 hours, a significant advantage over what is typical for a flagship. While the Galaxy S21’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the Xperia 1 III’s endurance suggests superior power efficiency. Charging speeds differ: the Xperia 1 III supports 30W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes) and wireless charging, while the S21 offers 25W wired (PD3.0) and 15W wireless (Qi). The Xperia 1 III’s faster charging and longer endurance make it the clear winner for users who prioritize battery life.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 if you need a compact, feature-rich flagship at a competitive price, prioritizing a vibrant display and a versatile camera for everyday use. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you are a content creator or enthusiast who values exceptional battery life, a professional-grade camera with extensive manual controls, and a more refined multimedia experience, and are willing to pay a premium.