Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs S21 Plus

87 out of 100

73 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 7.6-inch Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2) that was released on July 26, 2023, against the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus, which is powered by Exynos 2100 and came out 31 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 Z Fold 5

The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
82% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1527K versus 839K)
Has a 0.9 inch larger screen size
Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
Delivers 43% higher peak brightness (1268 against 888 nits)
Has 50% more RAM: 12GB versus 8GB
Newer Bluetooth version (v5.3)
The phone is 2-years and 7-months newer
Faster storage type - UFS 4.0 versus UFS 3.1
45% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 2074 and 1429 points

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
Comes with 400 mAh larger battery capacity: 4800 vs 4400 mAh
Better grip in hands – the body is 54.3 mm narrower
Weighs 53 grams less

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and S21 Plus crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	Dynamic AMOLED
Size	7.6 inches	6.7 inches
Resolution	1812 x 2176 pixels	1080 x 2400 pixels
Aspect ratio	10.8:9	20:9
PPI	374 ppi	394 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	120 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	Yes	No
Max rated brightness	600 nits	1300 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR	1750 nits	-
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	Yes, HDR10+
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus 2	Gorilla Glass Victus
Screen-to-body ratio	91.1%	88.3%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

RGB color space	94.7%	98.9%
PWM	120 Hz	240 Hz
Response time	4 ms	6.2 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	154.9 mm (6.1 inches)	161.5 mm (6.36 inches)
Width	129.9 mm (5.11 inches)	75.6 mm (2.98 inches)
Thickness	6.1 mm (0.24 inches)	7.8 mm (0.31 inches)
Weight	253 g (8.92 oz)	200 g (7.05 oz)
Waterproof	IPX8	IP68
Advanced cooling	Vapor chamber	-
Rear material	Glass	Glass
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	White, Black, Gray, Blue	Black, Silver, Gold, Red, Purple
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-button	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Samsung Exynos 2100
Max clock	3360 MHz	2840 MHz
CPU cores	8 (1 + 2 + 2 + 3)	8 (1 + 3 + 4)
Architecture	- 3 cores at 2 GHz: Cortex-A510 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A710 - 2 cores at 2.8 GHz: Cortex-A715 - 1 core at 3.2 GHz: Cortex-X3	- 4 cores at 2.2 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 3 cores at 2.81 GHz: Cortex-A78 - 1 core at 2.91 GHz: Cortex-X1
L3 cache	8 MB	-
Lithography process	4 nanometers	5 nanometers
Graphics	Adreno 740	Mali-G78 MP14
GPU shading units	2560	896
GPU clock	680 MHz	854 MHz
FLOPS	~3481.6 GFLOPS	~1530.4 GFLOPS

CPU	388744	244088
GPU	554813	269299
Memory	299040	159004
UX	271292	164833
Total score	1527412	839148

Max surface temperature	48.9 °C	41.5 °C
Stability	52%	67%
Graphics test	72 FPS	33 FPS
Graphics score	12052	5538

RAM size	12 GB	8 GB
Memory type	LPDDR5X	LPDDR5
Memory clock	4266 MHz	2750 MHz
Channels	4	2

Storage size	256, 512, 1024 GB	128, 256 GB
Storage type	UFS 4.0	UFS 3.1
Memory card	No	No

Operating system	Android 13	Android 11 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)
ROM	One UI 5.1.1	One UI 5.1
OS size	34 GB	27.2 GB

Capacity	4400 mAh	4800 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	25 W
Battery type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (15 W)	Yes (15 W)
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	Yes, (wireless)
Fast charging	Yes (50% in 30 min)	Yes (54% in 30 min)
Full charging time	1:24 hr	1:12 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	-	09:17 hr
Watching video	-	15:27 hr
Gaming	-	05:07 hr
Standby	-	101 hr

Main camera
Matrix	50 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	8160 x 6120	4000 x 3000
Zoom	Optical, 3x	Optical, 1.1x
Flash	LED	Dual 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	123°	120°
Lenses	3 (50 MP + 10 MP + 12 MP)	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP)
Wide (main) lens	- 50 MP - Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 23 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/1.57", Samsung GN3 (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	- 10 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.94", Samsung S5K3K1 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus - 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: 12 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/3.06", Sony IMX258 (Exmor-RS CMOS) - Phase autofocus	- 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 - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 from DxOMark	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	10 megapixels	10 megapixels
Image resolution	3648 x 2736	3872 x 2592
Aperture	f/1.8	f/2.2
Focal length	-	26 mm
Pixel size	1 microns	1.22 microns
Sensor type	Exmor-RS CMOS	Exmor-RS CMOS
Sensor size	1/3"	1/3.24"
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	Wi-Fi 6 (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	5.3	5
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
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS	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	No
LTE Cat *	20	24
5G support	Yes	Yes

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

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	July 2023	January 2021
Release date	August 2023	February 2021
SAR (head)	1.24 W/kg	0.54 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.19 W/kg	1.33 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
Bundled charger	Not included	-

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs S21 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs S21 Plus

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