vivo X60 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: Which Flagship Offers the Best Value?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G emerges as the more well-rounded choice. Its broader availability, more versatile camera system, and wireless charging capabilities outweigh the X60’s slightly more efficient chipset. However, gamers prioritizing sustained performance may find the X60’s thermal management appealing.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo X60 (China) | 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, 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 | 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 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, December 29. Released 2021, January 08 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.6 x 75 x 7.4 mm (6.28 x 2.95 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 | 175.6 g (6.21 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 2376 pixels (~398 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.56 inches, 104.6 cm2 (~87.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 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 | Exynos 1080 (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP10 | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, color spectrum sensor, Pixel Shift, LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.5, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide) | - |
| 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@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 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 | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | 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/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, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Virtual proximity sensing | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 33W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4300 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, Aurora, White | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | V2046A | 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 440 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 X60 (China)
- Potentially better thermal management due to Exynos 1080's efficiency.
- 33W fast wired charging.
- Sleek design (based on market perception of vivo's aesthetics).
- Limited availability outside of China.
- Lack of wireless charging.
- Uncertainty regarding software updates and support.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Wider availability and established brand support.
- Versatile camera system with strong video capabilities.
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
- Snapdragon 888 variant offers higher peak performance.
- Potential for thermal throttling with Snapdragon 888.
- 25W charging is slower than X60's wired charging.
- Exynos 2100 variant may exhibit lower performance than Snapdragon 888.
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 792 nits, compared to an unspecified peak brightness for the X60. While both utilize AMOLED technology, the S21 FE’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio suggests a superior black level implementation. The S21 FE’s 120Hz refresh rate is standard for the class, but the X60’s refresh rate is not specified, potentially impacting smoothness in scrolling and gaming. The S21 FE’s display is likely to be more visible in direct sunlight due to its higher peak brightness.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature capable camera systems, but differ in their approach. The S21 FE’s camera is described as ‘Photo / Video’ suggesting a balanced approach, while details on the X60’s camera are absent. The S21 FE likely benefits from Samsung’s advanced image processing algorithms, offering features like Single Take and Director’s View. The absence of details regarding the X60’s sensor sizes and lens apertures makes a direct comparison difficult, but the S21 FE’s established reputation for image quality and video recording gives it an edge. The S21 FE’s camera is more likely to offer a wider range of shooting modes and features.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The S21 FE ships with either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) or the Exynos 2100 (5nm), while the X60 utilizes the Exynos 1080 (5nm). The Snapdragon 888, particularly version 2 with the 2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 prime core, offers a theoretical CPU performance advantage. However, the Exynos 1080’s architecture – featuring three Cortex-A78 cores – is optimized for efficiency. The S21 FE’s GPU will likely deliver higher peak graphics performance, but the X60’s chipset may exhibit less thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. The S21 FE benefits from faster RAM speeds (likely LPDDR5) compared to the X60, further enhancing multitasking.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an Endurance rating of 92h, indicating similar overall battery life. However, the S21 FE offers more versatile charging options: 25W wired charging with PD3.0 (50% in 30 minutes), 15W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. The X60 is limited to 33W wired charging. While the X60’s charging is slightly faster, the S21 FE’s wireless charging and reverse wireless capabilities provide added convenience. The S21 FE’s battery management features, coupled with the potentially more efficient Snapdragon 888 variant, could translate to slightly better real-world battery performance.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo X60 (China) if you prioritize sustained gaming performance and a more efficient chipset, and are comfortable with importing and potential software limitations. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G if you value a more polished software experience, a versatile camera system with strong video capabilities, wireless charging, and wider availability with guaranteed software updates.