Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S20

73 out of 100

68 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.7-inch Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus (with Exynos 2100) that was released on January 14, 2021, against the Samsung Galaxy S20, which is powered by Exynos 9 Octa 990 and came out 11 months before. 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 Plus

Comes with 800 mAh larger battery capacity: 4800 vs 4000 mAh
Shows 24% longer battery life (30:26 vs 24:28 hours)
Has a 0.5 inch larger screen size
29% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (839K versus 652K)
Delivers 8% higher peak brightness (888 against 821 nits)
The phone is 11-months newer
Faster storage type - UFS 3.1 versus UFS 3.0
More energy-efficient CPU – Exynos 2100
25% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1429 and 1140 points

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S20

43% higher pixel density (563 vs 394 PPI)
Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 1000GB
Weighs 37 grams less
Better grip in hands – the body is 6.5 mm narrower

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S20 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	Dynamic AMOLED
Size	6.7 inches	6.2 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels	1440 x 3200 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	20:9
PPI	394 ppi	563 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	120 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	1300 nits	800 nits
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	Yes, HDR10+
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Screen-to-body ratio	88.3%	89.5%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

RGB color space	98.9%	99.8%
PWM	240 Hz	242 Hz
Response time	6.2 ms	8.5 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	161.5 mm (6.36 inches)	151.7 mm (5.97 inches)
Width	75.6 mm (2.98 inches)	69.1 mm (2.72 inches)
Thickness	7.8 mm (0.31 inches)	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)
Weight	200 g (7.05 oz)	163 g (5.75 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP68
Rear material	Glass	Glass
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	Black, Silver, Gold, Red, Purple	Gray, Blue, Red
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Samsung Exynos 2100	Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 990
Max clock	2840 MHz	2700 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 2 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 2 cores at 2.5 GHz: Cortex-A76 - 2 cores at 2.73 GHz: Exynos M5
L3 cache	-	2 MB
Lithography process	5 nanometers	7 nanometers
Graphics	Mali-G78 MP14	Mali-G77 MP11
GPU shading units	896	704
GPU clock	854 MHz	550 MHz
FLOPS	~1530.4 GFLOPS	~1126 GFLOPS

CPU	244088	185116
GPU	269299	195014
Memory	159004	144113
UX	164833	126679
Total score	839148	652761

Max surface temperature	41.5 °C	49.7 °C
Stability	67%	51%
Graphics test	33 FPS	25 FPS
Graphics score	5538	4221

Web score	-	8843
Video editing	-	6024
Photo editing	-	30239
Data manipulation	-	8544
Writing score	-	11877

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

Storage size	128, 256 GB	128 GB
Storage type	UFS 3.1	UFS 3.0
Memory card	No	MicroSD
Memory card max size	-	Up to 1000 GB

Operating system	Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)	Android 10.0 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)
ROM	One UI 5.1	One UI 4.1
OS size	27.2 GB	20.1 GB

Capacity	4800 mAh	4000 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	25 W
Battery type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (15 W)	Yes (15 W)
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	Yes, (wireless)
Fast charging	Yes (54% in 30 min)	Yes (100% in 75 min)
Full charging time	1:12 hr	1:15 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	09:17 hr	08:40 hr
Watching video	15:27 hr	10:04 hr
Gaming	05:07 hr	04:15 hr
Standby	101 hr	83 hr

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Zoom	Optical, 1.1x	Optical, 1.1x
Flash	Dual LED	LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	Up to 24FPS	Up to 24FPS
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 60FPS
Slow motion	960 FPS (720p)	960 FPS (720p)
Angle of widest lens	120°	120°
Lenses	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP)	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 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	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.76", Samsung S5K2LD (ISOCELL 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	- 64 MP - Aperture: f/2.0 - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/1.72", Samsung Bright S5KGW2 (ISOCELL CMOS) - 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: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Samsung S5K2LA (ISOCELL CMOS)
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus from DxOMark	-

Selfie camera
Megapixels	10 megapixels	10 megapixels
Image resolution	3872 x 2592	2592 x 3872
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.2
Focal length	26 mm	26 mm
Pixel size	1.22 microns	1.22 microns
Sensor type	Exmor-RS CMOS	CMOS
Sensor size	1/3.24"	1/3.2"
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi features	- Dual Band - Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display	- Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display
Bluetooth version	5	5
Bluetooth features	LE, A2DP	LE, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.2	3.1
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	Standby
eSIM support *	Yes	Yes
Hybrid slot	No	Yes
LTE Cat *	24	22
5G support	Yes	No

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

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	January 2021	February 2020
Release date	February 2021	March 2020
SAR (head)	0.54 W/kg	0.28 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.33 W/kg	1.52 W/kg
Sensors	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Compass - Fingerprint

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S20

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S20

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