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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a better camera and longer battery life, the iPhone 15 Pro stands out, but keep in mind it has a smaller screen than the Galaxy S21 FE and comes at a premium price. On the other hand, the Galaxy S21 FE is more budget-friendly and offers a larger screen, yet it may fall short in camera performance and battery life compared to the iPhone 15 Pro. The iPhone uses iOS while the Galaxy has an Android operating system, so consider which platform you prefer. Additionally, the iPhone is made of glass and the Galaxy of plastic, which may influence your choice based on durability and aesthetics. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro
- Best in class for taking photos
- Best in class for recording videos
- Good battery life
- Best in class display quality
- Best in class performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
- The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 15 Pro.
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
9.5
7.0
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro has best in class overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has good overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro features the best camera software experience, including superior dynamic range, low light performance, and selfie quality, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has very good and good ratings in these areas, implying a lower performance compared to the iPhone. Additionally, the iPhone's camera versatility is rated as very good, surpassing the good rating of the Galaxy S21 FE, which could reflect in more varied and possibly higher quality photography options overall.
Photo Quality
9.5
6.9
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro takes best in class photos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes only fair photos.
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro takes the best photos due to its superior photos software experience and exceptional selfie quality, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes good photos but with a lower-rated selfie camera and less advanced photo software experience.
Video Quality
10.0
5.9
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro takes best in class videos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes poor videos.
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro offers a superior video experience with excellent video resolution, software, stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and microphone quality, making it stand out for high-quality video capture. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE delivers good performance across these aspects, but it doesn't match the iPhone's top-tier video capabilities, particularly in stabilization, dynamic range, and low light scenarios.
Cost
$999
$600
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro has a price of $999 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE costs $600.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.3 Hours
6.7 Hours
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro has 7.3 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has 6.7 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is 6.4 inches.
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How the Apple iPhone 15 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 15 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$999 | $600 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 22, 2023 | January 29, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.4" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2556 x 1179 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 461 | 401 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A17 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 6 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 9.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 10/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.3 Hours | 6.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3274 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.77" x 2.78" | 6.13" x 2.93" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.60 oz | 6.24 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6e | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)41, 66, 71, 260, 261 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Black Titanium | Graphite, Lavender, Olive, White, Navy Blue | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
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Tom's Guide
Mark Spoonauer | September 2023
"The iPhone 15 Pro is the one to get if you want a powerful flagship you can easily use it with one hand. Not only is the titanium design stronger and lighter, Apple made the design smaller with slimmer bezels. You also get very strong cameras with night mode and portrait improvements, blazing performance from the A17 Pro chip and a smart Action button."
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Guide
Philip Michaels | March 2022
"The Galaxy S21 FE is a fine addition to Samsung's S21 lineup, retaining the very best features of those flagship phones for a more modest price. This is a solid phone, matching the performance of the top Android flagships from a year ago and delivering photos that hold their own against some of the best camera phones we've tested."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 15 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
68
Phones evaluated
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Proprietary Phones ratings developed
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Recommendations made
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Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
Phones Expert
Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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