Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs S21 Ultra
89
out of 100
VS
71
out of 100
Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite) that was released on January 22, 2025, against the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is powered by Exynos 2100 and came out 4 years and 1 month before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Specifications of the Galaxy S25 Ultra was provided by insiders and may not be fully accurate.
Key differences
Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- 3.1x better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (2641K versus 843K)
- Newer Bluetooth version (v5.4)
- Compatible with the latest Wi-Fi 7 wireless networks
- More recent OS version: Android 15 versus 14
- Supports higher wattage charging (45W versus 25W)
- Faster storage type - UFS 4.1 versus UFS 3.1
- More energy-efficient CPU – Snapdragon 8 Elite
- 81% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 2627 and 1449 points
Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- The rear camera has a 10x optical zoom
- Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
- Has 2 SIM card slots
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Size | 6.8 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3120 pixels | 1440 x 3200 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 19.5:9 | 20:9 |
| PPI | 505 ppi | 515 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | Yes (1-120 Hz) | Yes (10-120 Hz) |
| Max rated brightness | 2600 nits | 1500 nits |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10+ | Yes, HDR10+ |
| Touch sampling rate | 240 Hz | - |
| Screen protection | Gorilla Glass Armor | Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 89.9% | 89.5% |
| Display features | - DCI-P3 - Always-On Display - DC Dimming |
- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 162.8 mm (6.41 inches) | 165.1 mm (6.5 inches) |
| Width | 77.6 mm (3.06 inches) | 75.6 mm (2.98 inches) |
| Thickness | 8.2 mm (0.32 inches) | 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) |
| Weight | 219 g (7.72 oz) | 227 g (8.01 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP68 |
| Advanced cooling | Vapor chamber | - |
| Rear material | Glass | Glass |
| Frame material | Metal | Metal |
| Colors | Black, Silver, Gray, Blue | Black, Silver, Gray, Blue |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-display | Yes, in-display |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
| Max clock | 4320 MHz | 2900 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (2 + 6) | 8 (1 + 3 + 4) |
| Architecture | - 6 cores at 3.53 GHz: Oryon (Phoenix M) - 2 cores at 4.32 GHz: Oryon (Phoenix L) |
- 4 cores at 2.2 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 3 cores at 2.81 GHz: Cortex-A78 - 1 core at 2.91 GHz: Cortex-X1 |
| Manufacturing | TSMC | Samsung |
| Lithography process | 3 nanometers | 5 nanometers |
| Neural processor (NPU) | Hexagon | Yes |
| Graphics | Adreno 830 | Mali-G78 MP14 |
| GPU shading units | 1536 | 896 |
| GPU clock | 1100 MHz | 854 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~3379.2 GFLOPS | ~1530.4 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
| CPU | 575844 | 232358 |
| GPU | 1112655 | 256356 |
| Memory | 528985 | 163007 |
| UX | 424216 | 191217 |
| Total score | 2641700 | 843008 |
| Samples | Less then 3 | [21 tests] |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | - | 40.8 °C |
| Stability | - | 69% |
| Graphics test | - | 31 FPS |
| Graphics score | - | 5221 |
Memory
| RAM size | 12, 16 GB | 12, 16 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Memory clock | 5333 MHz | 2750 MHz |
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Storage size | 256, 512, 1024 GB | 128, 256, 512 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 4.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Memory card | No | No |
Software
| Operating system | Android 15 | Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 14) |
| ROM | One UI 7.0 | One UI 6 |
| OS size | - | 26.4 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Max charge power | 45 W | 25 W |
| Battery type | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | Yes (25 W) | Yes (15 W) |
| Reverse charging | Yes, (wireless) | Yes, (wireless) |
| Fast charging | Yes (70% in 30 min) | Yes (54% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:02 hr | 1:11 hr |
| Web browsing | - | 07:58 hr |
| Watching video | - | 13:59 hr |
| Gaming | - | 05:14 hr |
| Standby | - | 111 hr |
General battery life
Main camera
| Matrix | 200 megapixels | 108 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 16320 x 12240 | 12000 x 9000 |
| Zoom | Optical, 5x | Optical, 10x |
| Flash | LED | Dual LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | Up to 30FPS | Up to 24FPS |
| 4K video recording | Up to 120FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 240 FPS (1080p) | 960 FPS (720p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 120° | 120° |
| Lenses | 1) Standard: 200 MP 2) Telephoto: 50 MP 3) Telephoto: 10 MP 4) Ultrawide: 50 MP |
1) Standard: 108 MP 2) Telephoto: 10 MP 3) Telephoto: 10 MP 4) Ultrawide: 12 MP |
| Camera features | - Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support |
| Image resolution | 200 MP | 108 MP |
| Aperture | f/1.7 | f/1.8 |
| Focal length | 24 mm | 26 mm |
| Sensor | Samsung ISOCELL HP2 | Samsung S5KHM3 |
| Sensor size | 1/1.3" | 1/1.33" |
| Pixel size | 1 micron | 0.8 micron |
| Autofocus | Laser autofocus | Laser autofocus |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| Image resolution | 50 MP | 10 MP |
| Aperture | f/3.4 | f/4.9 |
| Focal length | 111 mm | 240 mm |
| Sensor | Sony IMX754 | Samsung S5K3J1 |
| Sensor size | 1/3.52" | 1/2.65" |
| Pixel size | 1.12 micron | 1.22 micron |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| Image resolution | 50 MP | 12 MP |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 13 mm | 13 mm |
| Sensor | Samsung ISOCELL S5KJN3 | Sony IMX563 |
| Sensor size | 1/1.57" | 1/2.55" |
| Pixel size | 1 micron | 1.4 micron |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
DxOMark main camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic main camera score
| Bokeh | - | 70 |
| Preview | - | 67 |
| Zoom | - | 106 |
| Samples | - | Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra from DxOMark |
Selfie camera
| Megapixels | 12 megapixels | 40 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4000 x 3000 | 7864 x 5200 |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 26 mm | 26 mm |
| Sensor | Samsung S5K3LU | Samsung S5KGH1 |
| Sensor size | 1/3.2" | 1/2.65" |
| Pixel size | 1.12 micron | 0.7 micron |
| Autofocus | Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) | Phase autofocus |
| Stabilization | Digital | Digital |
| Video resolution | 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS | 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS |
| Depth sensor (TOF 3D) | No | No |
DxOMark front camera
| Photo | - | 139 |
| Video | - | 145 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be) | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) |
| Wi-Fi features | - Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth features | LE | LE, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| USB version | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| USB features | - Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging - USB-Storage mode - USB-Host mode - OTG |
| DisplayPort | Yes, DP 1.4 | - |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo |
| NFC* | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM* | 1 | 2 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| Multi SIM mode | - | Standby |
| eSIM support* | Yes | Yes |
| Hybrid slot | No | No |
| LTE Cat* | - | 24 |
| 5G support | Yes | Yes |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Flagship | Flagship |
| Announced | January 2025 | January 2021 |
| Release date | February 2025 | February 2021 |
| Launch price | $1299 | $1200 |
| SAR (head) | - | 0.71 W/kg |
| SAR (body) | - | 1.58 W/kg |
| Sensors | - Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
| Bundled charger | Not included | - |
*Disclaimer! NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
