Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Galaxy S21

55 out of 100

70 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (with Exynos 9 Octa 9810) that was released on February 25, 2018, against the Samsung Galaxy S21, which is powered by Exynos 2100 and came out 35 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 S9 Plus

The rear camera has a 2x optical zoom
26% higher pixel density (531 vs 421 PPI)
Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 400GB
Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21

Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
76% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (806K versus 458K)
Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
Shows 11% longer battery life (25:44 vs 23:09 hours)
Delivers 36% higher peak brightness (864 against 633 nits)
More recent OS version: Android 13 versus 10
Comes with 500 mAh larger battery capacity: 4000 vs 3500 mAh
More energy-efficient CPU – Exynos 2100
Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 2750 MHz
Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
Has 33% more RAM: 8GB versus 6GB
The phone is 2-years and 11-months newer

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus and Galaxy S21 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Super AMOLED	Dynamic AMOLED
Size	6.2 inches	6.2 inches
Resolution	1440 x 2960 pixels	1080 x 2400 pixels
Aspect ratio	18.5:9	20:9
PPI	531 ppi	421 ppi
Refresh rate	60 Hz	120 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	631 nits	800 nits
HDR support	Yes, HDR10	Yes, HDR10+
Screen protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Gorilla Glass Victus
Screen-to-body ratio	84.2%	87.2%
Display features	- Always-On Display	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

RGB color space	-	99.5%
PWM	215 Hz	240 Hz
Response time	7 ms	5 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	158.1 mm (6.22 inches)	151.7 mm (5.97 inches)
Width	73.8 mm (2.91 inches)	71.2 mm (2.8 inches)
Thickness	8.5 mm (0.33 inches)	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)
Weight	189 g (6.67 oz)	169 g (5.96 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP68
Rear material	Glass	Plastic
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	Black, Gold, Gray, Red, Purple	White, Gray, Pink, Purple
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, rear	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 9810	Samsung Exynos 2100
Max clock	2700 MHz	2900 MHz
CPU cores	8 (4 + 4)	8 (1 + 3 + 4)
Architecture	- 4 cores at 1.9 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 4 cores at 2.9 GHz: Exynos M3	- 4 cores at 2.2 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 3 cores at 2.81 GHz: Cortex-A78 - 1 core at 2.91 GHz: Cortex-X1
Lithography process	10 nanometers	5 nanometers
Graphics	Mali-G72 MP18	Mali-G78 MP14
GPU shading units	324	896
GPU clock	572 MHz	854 MHz
FLOPS	~370.6 GFLOPS	~1530.4 GFLOPS

CPU	142354	150223
GPU	106454	340353
Memory	92729	151885
UX	113153	158712
Total score	458699	806977

Max surface temperature	40.7 °C	38.9 °C
Stability	95%	66%
Graphics test	13 FPS	34 FPS
Graphics score	2328	5714

Web score	5002	12591
Video editing	5467	7113
Photo editing	9176	29385
Data manipulation	5634	10438
Writing score	5961	16561

RAM size	6 GB	8 GB
Memory type	LPDDR4X	LPDDR5
Memory clock	1794 MHz	2750 MHz
Channels	2	2

Storage size	64 GB	128, 256 GB
Storage type	UFS 2.1	UFS 3.1
Memory card	MicroSD	No
Memory card max size	Up to 400 GB	-

Operating system	Android 8.0 (Can be upgraded to Android 10)	Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)
ROM	One UI 2.1	One UI 5.1
OS size	13.9 GB	28.1 GB

Capacity	3500 mAh	4000 mAh
Max charge power	15 W	25 W
Battery type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes, Qi/PMA (10 W)	Yes (15 W)
Reverse charging	No	Yes, (wireless)
Fast charging	Yes (40% in 30 min)	Yes (55% in 50 min)
Full charging time	1:40 hr	1:35 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	06:50 hr	07:27 hr
Watching video	11:56 hr	12:26 hr
Gaming	03:31 hr	04:31 hr
Standby	79 hr	92 hr

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	4032 x 3024	4000 x 3000
Zoom	Optical, 2x	Optical, 1.1x
Flash	Dual LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	No	Up to 24FPS
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 240FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	960 FPS (720p)	960 FPS (720p)
Angle of widest lens	-	120°
Lenses	2 (12 MP + 12 MP)	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP)
Wide (main) lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.5 - 2.4 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Samsung SAK2L3 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization	- 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
Telephoto lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 52 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.6" (CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization	- 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)
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus from DxOMark	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	8 megapixels	10 megapixels
Image resolution	3264 x 2448	3872 x 2592
Aperture	f/1.7	f/2.2
Focal length	25 mm	26 mm
Pixel size	1.22 microns	1.22 microns
Sensor type	ISOCELL CMOS	CMOS
Sensor size	1/3.6"	1/3.24"
Video resolution	1440p at 30 FPS	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5	5
Bluetooth features	PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HID, HFP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP	LE, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.1	3.2
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - OTG	- Charging - USB-Storage mode - USB-Host 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	Standby
eSIM support *	No	Yes
Hybrid slot	Yes	No
LTE Cat *	18	24
5G support	No	Yes

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

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	February 2018	January 2021
Release date	March 2018	February 2021
SAR (head)	0.294 W/kg	0.46 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.35 W/kg	1.51 W/kg
Sensors	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Galaxy S21

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs Galaxy S21

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