vivo iQOO 9 SE vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: A Detailed Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G edges out the iQOO 9 SE thanks to its superior charging speeds, more refined software experience, and slightly better battery endurance. However, the iQOO 9 SE offers impressive performance for its price and a brighter display, making it a strong value proposition.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo iQOO 9 SE | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 28, 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, 5, 8, 28, 41, 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 | 2022, February 23 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, March 02 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.2 x 76.4 x 8.4 mm (6.43 x 3.01 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 |
| Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| Splash and dust resistant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Panda Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~398 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.62 inches, 105.8 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 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 SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 12, Funtouch 12 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm, AF Auxiliary lens | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm | 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@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm | 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 | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | 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, 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 | 66W wired, 50% in 14 min, 100% in 39 min | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Space Fusion, Sunset Sierra | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | - | 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 400 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 87h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.1 LUFS (Good) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 727771 (v8), 846231 (v9) GeekBench: 3442 (v5.1) GFXBench: 64fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo iQOO 9 SE
- Brighter Display
- Faster Charging (66W)
- Excellent Performance for Price
- Vibrant Colors
- Less Refined Software
- Camera Processing Not as Polished
- Potentially Less Consistent Camera Results
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Better Software Experience (One UI)
- Slightly Better Battery Life
- Faster Charging (25W)
- Samsung Ecosystem Integration
- Slower Charging Compared to iQOO 9 SE
- Lower Peak Brightness
- Can be more expensive
Display Comparison
The iQOO 9 SE boasts a measured peak brightness of 863 nits, making it noticeably brighter than the S21 FE's 792 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), resulting in vibrant colors and deep blacks. While both are likely AMOLED panels, the iQOO 9 SE's higher brightness gives it a slight edge in outdoor visibility.
Camera Comparison
Camera performance is subjective. Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but Samsung's image processing is generally considered more refined. The S21 FE likely offers better video stabilization and more consistent results across different lighting conditions. The iQOO 9 SE might offer more vibrant colors, appealing to some users.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, ensuring smooth performance for most tasks. However, the S21 FE has two versions: one with the Snapdragon and one with the Exynos 2100. The Snapdragon version will generally outperform the Exynos. Both offer ample RAM and storage, making multitasking a breeze. Gaming performance should be comparable on both devices.
Battery Life
The S21 FE 5G holds a slight advantage in battery life, with an endurance rating of 92h compared to the iQOO 9 SE's 87h. However, the iQOO 9 SE's 66W charging is significantly faster than the S21 FE's 25W wired charging, allowing for quicker top-ups.
Buying Guide
The vivo iQOO 9 SE is ideal for gamers and users prioritizing raw performance and a vibrant display on a budget. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a better choice for those seeking a more polished software experience, faster charging, and the Samsung ecosystem integration.