vivo S9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: Which Mid-Range Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing consistent performance and faster charging, the vivo S9 emerges as the better value. While the Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a brighter display and potentially more powerful chipset (depending on the version), the S9’s Dimensity 1100 provides a smoother, more thermally managed experience for everyday tasks and gaming.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo S9 | 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, 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, 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 / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, March 03 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, March 12 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158.4 x 73.9 x 7.4 mm (6.24 x 2.91 x 0.29 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 | 173 g (6.10 oz) | 177 g (6.24 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 (~409 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.44 inches, 100.1 cm2 (~85.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 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 | Mediatek Dimensity 1100 (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 11, OriginOS 1.0 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 44 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm Auxiliary lens | 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, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 44 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, f/2.3, 105˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C, 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 | 33W wired, 66% in 30 min | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4000 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Gradient Blue | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | V2072A | 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 390 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 92h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo S9
- Faster initial charging speed (33W)
- More thermally efficient chipset (Dimensity 1100)
- Potentially better value for money
- Less powerful CPU compared to Snapdragon 888
- No wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Brighter display (792 nits)
- Potentially higher peak performance (Snapdragon 888 version)
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Slower initial charging speed (25W)
- Potential for thermal throttling (Snapdragon/Exynos versions)
- Chipset performance varies significantly between Snapdragon and Exynos versions
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G takes the lead in display quality with a measured peak brightness of 792 nits, offering superior visibility in direct sunlight. While the vivo S9’s display specs are not provided, Samsung’s panel benefits from an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks and vibrant colors. The S21 FE’s display technology is likely to offer a smoother experience, though the S9 may compensate with a higher PWM dimming rate, potentially reducing eye strain for sensitive users. The S21 FE’s display is a clear advantage for media consumption and outdoor use.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited. The S21 FE’s camera is described as 'Photo / Video', suggesting a focus on versatility. The S9’s camera specs are not detailed, but the presence of a 2MP macro camera on many vivo phones suggests a similar approach. Without specific sensor sizes and aperture details, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner. Image processing styles will likely differ – Samsung typically favors vibrant, saturated colors, while vivo often aims for a more natural look. The S21 FE’s video capabilities are likely superior due to the Snapdragon 888’s advanced image signal processor.
Performance
The performance gap hinges on the S21 FE’s chipset variation. The Snapdragon 888 (5nm) version offers a significant CPU performance advantage over the vivo S9’s Dimensity 1100 (6nm), particularly in single-core tasks thanks to the Cortex-X1 prime core (2.84 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). However, the Exynos 2100 (5nm) version narrows the gap. The Dimensity 1100’s 6nm process offers better thermal efficiency, potentially leading to less throttling during extended gaming sessions. The S21 FE’s LPDDR5 RAM (speed unspecified) is likely comparable to the S9’s, but the Snapdragon version’s Adreno 660 GPU provides a more substantial graphics performance boost. The S9’s octa-core CPU configuration (4x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) is well-balanced for everyday tasks, but the S21 FE’s Snapdragon variant excels in demanding applications.
Battery Life
Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 92 hours, indicating similar overall battery life. However, their charging approaches differ significantly. The vivo S9’s 33W wired charging reaches 66% in 30 minutes, while the S21 FE’s 25W wired charging (with PD3.0) achieves 50% in the same timeframe. The S21 FE also offers 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the S9. While the S9 charges faster initially, the S21 FE’s wireless charging options provide added convenience. The S9’s more efficient chipset may contribute to slightly better real-world battery longevity.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo S9 if you need a phone that prioritizes consistent performance under sustained load, fast charging speeds, and a more efficient chipset. It’s ideal for users who frequently game or multitask. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you prefer a brighter, more vibrant display, and potentially higher peak performance (Snapdragon version) for demanding applications, and value the Samsung ecosystem and software features.