Sony Xperia Pro-I vs Samsung Galaxy S21 5G: A Clash of Titans

The Sony Xperia Pro-I and Samsung Galaxy S21 5G represent the pinnacle of smartphone technology, each boasting impressive features and capabilities. But which one truly delivers the best overall experience? This in-depth comparison will break down every aspect, from camera performance to battery life, to help you make an informed decision.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Galaxy S21 5G offers a brighter display, slightly better battery life, and a more competitive price. However, the Xperia Pro-I’s unique features like its external monitor connectivity and dedicated shutter button cater to professional photographers, making it a compelling choice for that niche.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Xperia Pro-I	Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71	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	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/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, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G991B

Launch
Announced	2021, October 26	2021, January 14
Status	Available. Released 2021, December 02	Available. Released 2021, January 29

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	166 x 72 x 8.9 mm (6.54 x 2.83 x 0.35 in)	151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight	211 g (7.44 oz)	169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) (5.96 oz)
	IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Built-in strap-hole	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution	1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density)
Size	6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio)	6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020	Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)
	Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)	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 SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)	Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China
GPU	Adreno 660	Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China
OS	Android 11, upgradable to Android 13	Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	No
Internal	512GB 12GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 3.X	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Features	Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, 12-bit RAW, HDR, eye tracking	LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Single	8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm	-
Triple	12 MP, f/2.0-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 2.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS (315 PDAF points, 90% frame coverage) 12 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", PDAF, 2x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)	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@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS	8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm	10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF
Video	1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	No
35mm jack	Yes	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers
	24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system	32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG

Comms
Bluetooth	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	No	FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)
USB	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass	Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	Native Sony Alpha camera support	Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)

Battery
Charging	30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min	25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 4500 mAh	Li-Ion 4000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Frosted Black	Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink
Models	XQ-BE62, XQBE62-B, XQ-BE62-B, XQ-BE62/B, XQ-BE42, XQ-BE42-B, XQ-BE42/B, XQ-BE72, XQ-BE52	SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS, SM-G991U, SM-G991U1, SM-G991W, SM-G991N, SM-G9910, SM-G991Q, SCG09
Price	About 930 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 87h	Endurance rating 93h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-28.6 LUFS (Average)	-26.4 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 725839 (v9) GeekBench: 3540 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 584055 (v8) GeekBench: 3238 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Sony Xperia Pro-I

Exceptional 1-inch camera sensor
External monitor connectivity
Dedicated shutter button
High-quality image processing
Premium build quality

Higher price
Lower peak brightness display
Slightly shorter battery life
Less versatile camera system compared to S21

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

Brighter display
Longer battery life
Wireless charging (including reverse)
More affordable
Versatile camera system

Camera not as exceptional as Pro-I
No dedicated shutter button
Exynos variant may have slightly lower performance

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G takes the lead in display quality with a measured peak brightness of 856 nits compared to the Xperia Pro-I's 644 nits. While both offer excellent color accuracy and sharpness, the S21's higher brightness makes it more visible in direct sunlight. The S21 also boasts an 'infinite' contrast ratio, though this is a nominal value. Both use dynamic AMOLED technology for vibrant colors.

Camera Comparison

The Xperia Pro-I's camera is its standout feature, boasting a 1-inch sensor – a rarity in smartphones. This results in exceptional image quality, particularly in low light. While the Galaxy S21 5G has a versatile triple-lens system, the Pro-I’s larger sensor provides a distinct advantage in terms of dynamic range and detail. The Pro-I also offers external monitor connectivity for a professional workflow. Video recording capabilities are excellent on both, but the Pro-I’s focus on professional workflows gives it an edge.

Performance

Both phones are powered by high-end processors. The Galaxy S21 5G utilizes either the Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888 5G (depending on region), while the Xperia Pro-I exclusively uses the Snapdragon 888 5G. While the S21's CPU has slightly higher clock speeds, real-world performance is generally comparable, offering smooth multitasking and responsive gaming. The Xperia Pro-I's software optimization might offer a slightly more refined experience for some users.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G edges out the Xperia Pro-I in battery endurance, with an endurance rating of 93 hours compared to the Pro-I's 87 hours. Both phones offer 30W wired charging, but the S21 5G also includes 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, adding to its convenience.

Buying Guide

The Sony Xperia Pro-I is ideal for professional photographers and videographers who prioritize external monitor connectivity, a dedicated shutter button, and a focus on image quality. The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is a great choice for everyday users who want a well-rounded flagship experience with a vibrant display, strong performance, and a more accessible price point.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xperia Pro-I worth the extra cost?

If you're a professional photographer or videographer who needs external monitor connectivity and prioritizes image quality above all else, then yes. Otherwise, the Galaxy S21 5G offers a more well-rounded experience at a lower price.

❓ Which phone has better video recording capabilities?

Both phones offer excellent video recording. However, the Xperia Pro-I's focus on professional workflows and external monitor support gives it a slight edge for serious videographers.