Sony Xperia 10 III vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Deep Dive into Battery Life and Performance
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing all-day (and then some) battery life, the Sony Xperia 10 III is the clear winner, boasting a 45-hour endurance advantage. However, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers significantly faster performance and a brighter, more vibrant display, making it the better choice for power users and multimedia enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 10 III | 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) / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 7, 8, 28, 77, 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 | 2021, April 14 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 11 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 154 x 68 x 8.3 mm (6.06 x 2.68 x 0.33 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 | 169 g (5.96 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~457 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 84.1 cm2 (~80.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, HDR | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Triluminos display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Kryo 560 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 560 Silver) | 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 SM6350 Snapdragon 690 5G (8 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), 1/2.8", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 54mm (telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0" | 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 | 8 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/4.0" | 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 |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio (region dependent) | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, Display Port | 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, 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 | 21W wired (unofficial rating), PD, QC | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Blue, Pink | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | SO-52B, SOG04, XQ-BT52, A102SO | 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 300 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 137h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -28.2 LUFS (Average) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 286216 (v8) GeekBench: 1738 (v5.1) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia 10 III
- Exceptional battery life (137h endurance)
- More compact and lightweight design
- Potentially more affordable price point
- Significantly slower processor
- Less vibrant and dimmer display
- Limited camera features
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Flagship-level performance (Snapdragon 888/Exynos 2100)
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Faster charging and wireless charging
- Significantly shorter battery life (92h endurance)
- Larger and heavier design
- Potential for thermal throttling (Exynos variant)
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 792 nits compared to the Xperia 10 III’s 559 nits. This translates to superior visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks, but the S21 FE’s higher peak brightness will provide a more dynamic and vibrant viewing experience. While neither display is explicitly stated to have high refresh rates, the S21 FE's superior panel technology and brightness make it the clear winner for media consumption.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but details are limited. The S21 FE likely benefits from Samsung’s advanced image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes, though specific sensor details are unavailable. The Xperia 10 III, while capable, is likely to offer a more basic camera experience. Without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but Samsung’s history suggests a more feature-rich and versatile camera system. The absence of details regarding OIS on either device makes it difficult to assess low-light performance.
Performance
The performance gap between these two devices is substantial. The S21 FE, equipped with either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm) or Exynos 2100 (5nm), offers a dramatically more powerful CPU and GPU than the Xperia 10 III’s Snapdragon 690 (8nm). The S21 FE’s Cortex-X1 prime core, clocked up to 2.9 GHz, provides a significant boost in single-core performance, crucial for responsive app launching and smooth multitasking. The 5nm process node used in the S21 FE’s chipsets also contributes to better thermal efficiency, potentially mitigating throttling during sustained workloads. The Xperia 10 III’s Snapdragon 690 is adequate for everyday tasks, but will struggle with demanding games and applications.
Battery Life
Battery life is where the Xperia 10 III truly shines. Its impressive 137-hour endurance rating dwarfs the S21 FE’s 92-hour rating. This translates to nearly 50% more usage time between charges. While the S21 FE offers faster charging at 25W (and includes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging), the Xperia 10 III’s longevity minimizes the need for frequent top-ups. The S21 FE’s 25W charging can reach 50% in 30 minutes, a convenience the Xperia 10 III lacks with its unofficial 21W rating.
Buying Guide
Buy the Sony Xperia 10 III if you need a phone that can reliably last two full days on a single charge, value a more manageable size, and don't require the absolute fastest processing speeds. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prefer a brighter, more responsive display, demand smoother performance for gaming and demanding apps, and appreciate the convenience of faster charging and wireless charging capabilities.