vivo iQOO 3 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Detailed Showdown
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The iQOO 3 5G boasts superior battery life and faster charging, alongside a powerful Snapdragon 865. However, the S21 FE often offers a more refined software experience and potentially better camera versatility depending on the variant. Ultimately, the iQOO 3 5G wins on raw power and endurance, while the S21 FE provides a more polished overall package.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo iQOO 3 5G | 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, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 34, 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, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G (3.3 Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 41, 77, 78 - India | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 25. Released 2020, March 04 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.5 x 74.9 x 9.2 mm (6.24 x 2.95 x 0.36 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 |
| Weight | 214.5 g (7.58 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~409 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.44 inches, 100.1 cm2 (~84.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 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 SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 10, iQOO UI 1.0 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.5, 50mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), AF Auxiliary lens | - |
| Single | - | 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@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 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/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C, OTG |
| 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 |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, 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 | 55W wired, 50% in 15 min | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4400 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Volcano Orange, Tornado Black, Quantum Silver | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | V1955A, I1927, I1928 | 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 480 EUR | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | 1.19 W/kg (head) 0.59 W/kg (body) | 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 118h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.3 LUFS (Good) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 575601 (v8) GeekBench: 13325 (v4.4), 3402 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo iQOO 3 5G
- Exceptional battery life
- Fast 55W charging
- Powerful Snapdragon 865 chipset
- High peak brightness display
- Competitive price
- Camera versatility lacking compared to S21 FE
- Software experience may not be as polished as Samsung's
- Design less premium than S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Versatile camera system with multiple lenses
- Refined Samsung software experience
- Potentially more compact design
- Wireless charging (including reverse wireless)
- Strong brand recognition
- Slower 25W wired charging
- Lower battery life than iQOO 3 5G
- Performance can vary depending on chipset (Snapdragon vs. Exynos)
- Higher price point
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent displays, but the iQOO 3 5G edges out the S21 FE with a slightly higher peak brightness of 848 nits versus 792 nits. While both have 'infinite' contrast ratios (likely referring to AMOLED technology), the iQOO 3's brighter screen offers better visibility in direct sunlight. Both offer vibrant colors and smooth scrolling.
Camera Comparison
The S21 FE generally offers a more versatile camera system with multiple lenses (wide, ultrawide, telephoto). The iQOO 3 5G's camera is capable, but lacks the same level of flexibility. Image processing and software features are also typically stronger on the S21 FE, resulting in more consistent and pleasing results across different shooting scenarios. Low-light performance is generally better on the S21 FE.
Performance
The iQOO 3 5G utilizes the Snapdragon 865, a proven powerhouse. The S21 FE's performance varies depending on the chipset – Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100. While both are capable, the Snapdragon 888 generally offers a slight edge in raw performance and efficiency. The iQOO 3's CPU configuration is also well-balanced for sustained performance.
Battery Life
This is where the iQOO 3 5G truly shines. Its endurance rating of 118h significantly surpasses the S21 FE's 92h. Coupled with its 55W fast charging (reaching 50% in just 15 minutes), the iQOO 3 5G offers exceptional battery life and quick top-ups.
Buying Guide
The vivo iQOO 3 5G is ideal for gamers and power users who prioritize battery life and raw performance. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a better choice for those who value a streamlined software experience, a more compact design, and a well-rounded camera system, especially if they prefer Samsung's ecosystem.