Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro vs. Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Detailed Showdown
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The S21 FE 5G offers superior performance, a brighter display, and faster charging. However, the XCover6 Pro excels in durability and usability in harsh environments. If you need a tough phone for work or outdoor adventures, the XCover6 Pro is the clear winner; otherwise, the S21 FE provides a more well-rounded flagship experience.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy XCover6 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, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 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, 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, June 29 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 13 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 168.8 x 79.9 x 9.9 mm (6.65 x 3.15 x 0.39 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 | 235 g (8.29 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 35 min) Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.5m MIL-STD-810H compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ | 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 (~77.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | PLS LCD, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 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 SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 642L | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, One UI 7 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 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 | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm | 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, charging connector pins | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/mc/6e, tri-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, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Samsung DeX support | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired (USA) 15W wired (International) | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4050 mAh, removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | SM-G736U, SM-G736U1, SM-G736B, SM-G736B/DS | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | $ 155.92 / C$ 329.97 / £ 249.00 / € 199.99 | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | 1.03 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) | 0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.48 W/kg (head) 1.23 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 XCover6 Pro
- Exceptional durability
- Glove-friendly touchscreen
- Programmable physical key
- Water and dust resistant (IP68, IP69X)
- Solid build quality
- Less powerful processor
- Dimmer display
- Slower charging
- Less refined camera
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Flagship performance
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Faster charging (wired & wireless)
- Better camera quality
- Reverse wireless charging
- Less durable than XCover6 Pro
- More fragile design
- Potentially shorter software support lifespan
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display (792 nits peak) compared to the XCover6 Pro, offering better visibility in sunlight. While the XCover6 Pro's display is functional, it lacks the vibrancy and sharpness of the S21 FE. The S21 FE also has a potentially infinite contrast ratio, providing deeper blacks and more vivid colors.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer capable cameras, the S21 FE 5G generally delivers superior image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions. It likely has better dynamic range and more detailed photos. The XCover6 Pro's camera is adequate for everyday use but doesn't match the S21 FE's capabilities.
Performance
The S21 FE 5G takes a clear lead in performance. Its Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100) chipset is considerably more powerful than the XCover6 Pro's Snapdragon 778G. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and better gaming performance on the S21 FE. The S21 FE's CPU also has higher clock speeds.
Battery Life
Both phones offer decent battery life, with the S21 FE 5G claiming an endurance rating of 92h. The XCover6 Pro's battery capacity is likely similar, but real-world performance may vary. The S21 FE 5G also supports faster 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, including reverse wireless charging, features absent on the XCover6 Pro.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro? Construction workers, field technicians, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone needing a durable, glove-friendly phone. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G? General consumers seeking a flagship experience with a good camera, solid performance, and a vibrant display, without the extreme ruggedness of the XCover6 Pro.