vivo S12 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21+: A Detailed Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G offers a more premium experience with its superior display, powerful chipset (especially in the US variant), and versatile camera system. While the vivo S12 Pro excels in selfie quality and offers faster charging, the S21+'s overall performance and features make it the stronger choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo S12 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21+ 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, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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-G996U1 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-G996U1 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - SM-G996B | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, December 22 | 2021, January 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 30 | Available. Released 2021, January 29 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.5 x 73.3 x 7.4 mm (6.28 x 2.89 x 0.29 in) | 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm (6.36 x 2.98 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time) |
| Weight | 171 g (6.03 oz) | 200 g (Sub6), 202 g (mmWave) (7.05 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.56 inches, 103.9 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~88.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 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 | Mediatek Dimensity 1200 (6 nm) | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - InternationalQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Mali-G78 MP14 - InternationalAdreno 660 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 11, OriginOS Ocean | Android 11, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.52", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) | 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@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, 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, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 44W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4300 mAh | Li-Ion 4800 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue, Yellow | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red |
| Models | V2163A | SM-G996B, SM-G996B/DS, SM-G996U, SM-G996U1, SM-G996W, SM-G996N, SM-G9960 |
| Price | About 430 EUR | $ 162.99 / £ 185.00 / € 199.00 |
| SAR | - | 0.65 W/kg (head) 0.95 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.54 W/kg (head) 1.33 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 114h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.8 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 622276 (v8) GeekBench: 3476 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo S12 Pro
- Excellent selfie camera
- Fast 44W charging
- Stylish design
- Competitive price
- Less powerful chipset
- Average display brightness
- No wireless charging (except reverse)
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G
- Flagship performance (especially Snapdragon variant)
- Vibrant and bright display
- Versatile camera system
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Samsung ecosystem integration
- Slower wired charging (25W)
- Higher price point
- Battery life could be better with heavy usage
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G boasts a significantly brighter display (883 nits peak) with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, offering richer colors and deeper blacks. The vivo S12 Pro's display is good, but lacks the same level of vibrancy and brightness. The S21+ also has a smoother 120Hz refresh rate, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
While the vivo S12 Pro shines in selfie photography with its dedicated front-facing camera features, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G offers a more versatile and capable overall camera system. The S21+ excels in various lighting conditions and provides more creative options with its multiple lenses (wide, ultrawide, telephoto).
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G, particularly the Snapdragon 888 variant in the US/China, holds a clear advantage in performance. The Exynos 2100 is also strong, but the Snapdragon generally offers better efficiency and raw power. The vivo S12 Pro's Dimensity 1200 is a capable mid-range chipset, but it can't match the flagship performance of the S21+.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G has an endurance rating of 114h, suggesting excellent battery life. The vivo S12 Pro's battery capacity is comparable, but the less efficient chipset may result in shorter real-world usage. The S21+ also supports faster wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the vivo S12 Pro? Users prioritizing exceptional selfie cameras, fast charging, and a stylish design at a more accessible price point. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G? Those seeking a flagship experience with a vibrant display, powerful performance, a versatile camera system, and the Samsung ecosystem.