Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 7a

70 out of 100

74 out of 100

Here we compared two smartphones: the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S21 (with Exynos 2100) that was released on January 14, 2021, against the Google Pixel 7a, which is powered by Google Tensor G2 and came out 29 months after. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.

Differences
Review
Specs
Benchmarks
Battery life
Camera
Comments

Key differences

An overview of the main advantages of each smartphone

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21

Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
The rear camera has a 1.1x optical zoom
Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
Has 2 SIM card slots
Thinner bezels – 5.4% more screen real estate
Reverse charging feature
Weighs 24.5 grams less

Reasons to consider the Google Pixel 7a

Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
Shows 15% longer battery life (29:33 vs 25:44 hours)
Newer Bluetooth version (v5.3)
The phone is 2-years and 5-months newer
Comes with 385 mAh larger battery capacity: 4385 vs 4000 mAh
Delivers 24% higher peak brightness (1070 against 864 nits)

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S21 and Google Pixel 7a crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	OLED
Size	6.2 inches	6.1 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels	1080 x 2400 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	20:9
PPI	421 ppi	429 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	90 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	800 nits	700 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR	-	1300 nits
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	Yes, HDR10+
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Screen-to-body ratio	87.2%	81.8%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

RGB color space	99.5%	98.4%
PWM	240 Hz	218 Hz
Response time	5 ms	2 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	151.7 mm (5.97 inches)	152 mm (5.98 inches)
Width	71.2 mm (2.8 inches)	72.9 mm (2.87 inches)
Thickness	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)	9 mm (0.35 inches)
Weight	169 g (5.96 oz)	193.5 g (6.83 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP67
Rear material	Plastic	Plastic
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	White, Gray, Pink, Purple	White, Gray, Blue, Orange
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Samsung Exynos 2100	Google Tensor G2
Max clock	2900 MHz	2850 MHz
CPU cores	8 (1 + 3 + 4)	8 (2 + 2 + 4)
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	- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 2 cores at 2.35 GHz: Cortex-A78 - 2 cores at 2.85 GHz: Cortex-X1
L3 cache	-	4 MB
Lithography process	5 nanometers	5 nanometers
Graphics	Mali-G78 MP14	Mali-G710 MP7
GPU shading units	896	672
GPU clock	854 MHz	850 MHz
FLOPS	~1530.4 GFLOPS	~1142.4 GFLOPS

CPU	150223	232766
GPU	340353	187707
Memory	151885	160960
UX	158712	162802
Total score	806977	746407

Max surface temperature	38.9 °C	50.8 °C
Stability	66%	65%
Graphics test	34 FPS	37 FPS
Graphics score	5714	6343

Web score	12591	7662
Video editing	7113	6390
Photo editing	29385	19572
Data manipulation	10438	10210
Writing score	16561	15268

RAM size	8 GB	8 GB
Memory type	LPDDR5	LPDDR5
Memory clock	2750 MHz	3200 MHz
Channels	2	4

Storage size	128, 256 GB	128 GB
Storage type	UFS 3.1	UFS 3.1
Memory card	No	No

Operating system	Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)	Android 13
ROM	One UI 5.1	Stock Android
OS size	28.1 GB	-

Capacity	4000 mAh	4385 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	18 W
Battery type	Li-Ion	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (15 W)	Yes (7.5 W)
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	No
Fast charging	Yes (55% in 50 min)	Yes (20% in 36 min)
Full charging time	1:35 hr	1:57 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	07:27 hr	11:05 hr
Watching video	12:26 hr	15:28 hr
Gaming	04:31 hr	05:16 hr
Standby	92 hr	73 hr

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	64 megapixels
Image resolution	4000 x 3000	9000 x 7000
Zoom	Optical, 1.1x	Digital
Flash	Dual LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	Up to 24FPS	No
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	960 FPS (720p)	240 FPS (1080p)
Angle of widest lens	120°	120°
Lenses	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP)	2 (64 MP + 13 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/1.9 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.73", Sony IMX787 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - 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	-
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)	- 13 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/3.06", Sony IMX712 (Exmor-RS CMOS)
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 from DxOMark	Photo samples of Google Pixel 7a from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	10 megapixels	13 megapixels
Image resolution	3872 x 2592	4032 x 3024
Aperture	f/2.2	-
Focal length	26 mm	-
Pixel size	1.22 microns	-
Sensor type	CMOS	-
Sensor size	1/3.24"	-
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS	2160p (4K) at 30 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	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	5.3
Bluetooth features	LE, A2DP	LE
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.2	3.2
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - USB-Host mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo	GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, NAVIC
NFC *	Yes	Yes
Infrared port	No	No

Number of SIM *	2	1
Type of SIM card	Nano	Nano
Multi SIM mode	Standby	-
eSIM support *	Yes	Yes
Hybrid slot	No	No
LTE Cat *	24	20
5G support	Yes	Yes

Speakers	Stereo	Stereo
Headphone audio jack	No	No
FM radio	No	No
Dolby Atmos	Yes	Yes

Category	Flagship	Mid-range
Announced	January 2021	May 2023
Release date	February 2021	May 2023
SAR (head)	0.46 W/kg	-
SAR (body)	1.51 W/kg	-
Sensors	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint
Bundled charger	-	Not included

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 7a

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 7a

Key differences

Review

Value for money

Tests and specifications

Display

Design and build

Performance

Benchmarks

Memory

Software

Battery

Camera

DxOMark camera tests

Connectivity

Sound

Other

Conclusion