Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy A72
Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.7-inch Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus (with Exynos 2100) that was released on January 14, 2021, against the Samsung Galaxy A72, which is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G and came out 2 months after. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Key differences
Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
- 2.3x better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (839K versus 371K)
- Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
- Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
- Handles wireless charging up to 15W
- Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
- Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
- Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 2750 MHz
- Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
- The front-facing camera can record video at 4K
- Ready for eSIM technology
Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy A72
- The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
- Shows 22% longer battery life (36:59 vs 30:26 hours)
- Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 1024GB
- Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port
Review
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
Value for money
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.7 inches |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 20:9 | 20:9 |
| PPI | 394 ppi | 393 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 90 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | No | No |
| Max rated brightness | 1300 nits | 400 nits |
| Max rated brightness in HDR | - | 800 nits |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10+ | Yes, HDR10+ |
| Screen protection | Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| Display features |
- DCI-P3
- Always-On Display |
- Always-On Display |
| RGB color space | 98.9% | 98.7% |
| PWM | 240 Hz | 367 Hz |
| Response time | 6.2 ms | 4.8 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | ∞ Infinity |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 161.5 mm (6.36 inches) | 165 mm (6.5 inches) |
| Width | 75.6 mm (2.98 inches) | 77.4 mm (3.05 inches) |
| Thickness | 7.8 mm (0.31 inches) | 8.4 mm (0.33 inches) |
| Weight | 200 g (7.05 oz) | 203 g (7.16 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP67 |
| Rear material | Glass | Plastic |
| Frame material | Metal | Plastic |
| Colors | Black, Silver, Gold, Red, Purple | White, Black, Blue, Pink |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-display | Yes, in-display |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 2100 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G |
| Max clock | 2840 MHz | 2300 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (1 + 3 + 4) | 8 (2 + 6) |
| Architecture |
- 4 cores at 2.2 GHz: Cortex-A55
- 3 cores at 2.81 GHz: Cortex-A78 - 1 core at 2.91 GHz: Cortex-X1 |
- 6 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 465 Silver (Cortex-A55)
- 2 cores at 2.3 GHz: Kryo 465 Gold (Cortex-A76) |
| Lithography process | 5 nanometers | 8 nanometers |
| Graphics | Mali-G78 MP14 | Adreno 618 |
| GPU shading units | 896 | 256 |
| GPU clock | 854 MHz | 750 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~1530.4 GFLOPS | ~384 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
| CPU | 244088 | 119340 |
| GPU | 269299 | 73217 |
| Memory | 159004 | 79831 |
| UX | 164833 | 95997 |
| Total score | 839148 | 371130 |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | 41.5 °C | 38.2 °C |
| Stability | 67% | 99% |
| Graphics test | 33 FPS | 6 FPS |
| Graphics score | 5538 | 1038 |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | - | 7232 |
| Video editing | - | 6243 |
| Photo editing | - | 17192 |
| Data manipulation | - | 7559 |
| Writing score | - | 9133 |
Memory
| RAM size | 8 GB | 6, 8 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR4X |
| Memory clock | 2750 MHz | 2133 MHz |
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Storage size | 128, 256 GB | 128, 256 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 3.1 | UFS 2.1 |
| Memory card | No | MicroSD |
| Memory card max size | - | Up to 1024 GB |
Software
| Operating system | Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) | Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13) |
| ROM | One UI 5.1 | One UI 5.0 |
| OS size | 27.2 GB | 25.8 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 4800 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Max charge power | 25 W | 25 W |
| Battery type | Li-Ion | Li-Po |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | Yes (15 W) | No |
| Reverse charging | Yes, (wireless) | No |
| Fast charging | Yes (54% in 30 min) | Yes (54% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:12 hr | 1:15 hr |
| Web browsing | 09:17 hr | 11:27 hr |
| Watching video | 15:27 hr | 14:00 hr |
| Gaming | 05:07 hr | 05:39 hr |
| Standby | 101 hr | 151 hr |
General battery life
Camera
| Matrix | 12 megapixels | 64 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4000 x 3000 | 9000 x 7000 |
| Zoom | Optical, 1.1x | Optical, 3x |
| Flash | Dual LED | LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | Up to 24FPS | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 30FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 960 FPS (720p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 120° | 123° |
| Lenses | 3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP) | 4 (64 MP + 8 MP + 12 MP + 5 MP) |
| Wide (main) lens |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.76", Sony IMX555 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization |
- 64 MP
- Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.7" (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization |
| Telephoto lens |
- 64 MP
- Aperture: f/2.0 - Focal length: 28 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.72", Samsung Bright S5KGW2 (ISOCELL Plus CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization |
- 8 MP
- Aperture: f/2.4 - Pixel size: 1 micron - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization |
| Ultra-wide lens |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Sony IMX563 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron |
| Macro lens | - |
- 5 MP
- Aperture: f/2.4 |
| Camera features |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode |
| Samples | Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus from DxOMark | Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy A72 from DxOMark |
| Megapixels | 10 megapixels | 32 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 3872 x 2592 | 4000 x 3000 |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 26 mm | 26 mm |
| Pixel size | 1.22 microns | 0.8 microns |
| Sensor type | Exmor-RS CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/3.24" | 1/2.8" |
| Video resolution | 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS | 1080p (Full HD) at 60 FPS |
DxOMark camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic camera score
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 b/g/n/ac) |
| Wi-Fi features |
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 |
| Bluetooth features | LE, A2DP | PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, HSP, HID, HFP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| USB version | 3.2 | 2 |
| USB features |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode - USB-Host mode - OTG |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode - OTG |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo |
| NFC * | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM * | 2 | 2 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| Multi SIM mode | Standby | Active |
| eSIM support * | Yes | No |
| Hybrid slot | No | Yes |
| LTE Cat * | 24 | 15 |
| 5G support | Yes | No |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | No | Yes |
| FM radio | No | Yes |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Flagship | Mid-range |
| Announced | January 2021 | March 2021 |
| Release date | February 2021 | March 2021 |
| SAR (head) | 0.54 W/kg | 0.23 W/kg |
| SAR (body) | 1.33 W/kg | 1.17 W/kg |
| Sensors |
- Hall-effect sensor
- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Proximity sensor
- Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
*
Disclaimer!
NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Conclusion
After analyzing all the data, we think that the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is definitely a better buy.