Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy A12

70 out of 100

50 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 Samsung Galaxy A12, which is powered by MediaTek Helio P35 and came out 1 month 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

Waterproof body (IP68 classification)
6x better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (806K versus 133K)
Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
56% higher pixel density (421 vs 270 PPI)
Delivers 83% higher peak brightness (864 against 472 nits)
Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
Handles wireless charging up to 15W
Optical image stabilization
The rear camera has a 1.1x optical zoom
Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
Ability to record video in 4K resolution
More energy-efficient CPU – Exynos 2100
Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 2750 MHz

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy A12

Shows 59% longer battery life (41:00 vs 25:44 hours)
Comes with 1000 mAh larger battery capacity: 5000 vs 4000 mAh
Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 1024GB
Has a 0.3 inch larger screen size
Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy A12 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	PLS TFT
Size	6.2 inches	6.5 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels	720 x 1600 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	20:9
PPI	421 ppi	270 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	800 nits	450 nits
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	No
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus	Tempered glass
Screen-to-body ratio	87.2%	82.1%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	-

RGB color space	99.5%	96.3%
PWM	240 Hz	337 Hz
Response time	5 ms	52 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	864:1

Height	151.7 mm (5.97 inches)	164 mm (6.46 inches)
Width	71.2 mm (2.8 inches)	75.8 mm (2.98 inches)
Thickness	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)	8.9 mm (0.35 inches)
Weight	169 g (5.96 oz)	205 g (7.23 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	No
Rear material	Plastic	Plastic
Frame material	Metal	Plastic
Colors	White, Gray, Pink, Purple	White, Black, Blue, Red
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	Yes, in-button

Chipset	Samsung Exynos 2100	MediaTek Helio P35
Max clock	2900 MHz	2300 MHz
CPU cores	8 (1 + 3 + 4)	8 (4 + 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-A53 - 4 cores at 2.3 GHz: Cortex-A53
Lithography process	5 nanometers	12 nanometers
Graphics	Mali-G78 MP14	PowerVR GE8320
GPU shading units	896	32
GPU clock	854 MHz	680 MHz
FLOPS	~1530.4 GFLOPS	~43.5 GFLOPS

CPU	150223	49721
GPU	340353	16841
Memory	151885	34529
UX	158712	32377
Total score	806977	133842

Max surface temperature	38.9 °C	44.1 °C
Stability	66%	-
Graphics test	34 FPS	-
Graphics score	5714	-

Web score	12591	-
Video editing	7113	-
Photo editing	29385	-
Data manipulation	10438	-
Writing score	16561	-

RAM size	8 GB	3, 4, 6 GB
Memory type	LPDDR5	LPDDR4
Memory clock	2750 MHz	1866 MHz
Channels	2	2

Storage size	128, 256 GB	32, 64, 128 GB
Storage type	UFS 3.1	eMMC 5.1
Memory card	No	MicroSD
Memory card max size	-	Up to 1024 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 Core 5.1
OS size	28.1 GB	13 GB

Capacity	4000 mAh	5000 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	15 W
Battery type	Li-Ion	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (15 W)	No
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	No
Fast charging	Yes (55% in 50 min)	Yes (20% in 30 min)
Full charging time	1:35 hr	3:03 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	07:27 hr	16:07 hr
Watching video	12:26 hr	12:14 hr
Gaming	04:31 hr	06:08 hr
Standby	92 hr	153 hr

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	48 megapixels
Image resolution	4000 x 3000	8000 x 6000
Zoom	Optical, 1.1x	Digital
Flash	Dual LED	LED
Stabilization	Optical	Digital
8K video recording	Up to 24FPS	No
4K video recording	Up to 60FPS	No
1080p video recording	Up to 60FPS	Up to 30FPS
Slow motion	960 FPS (720p)	No
Angle of widest lens	120°	123°
Lenses	3 (12 MP + 64 MP + 12 MP)	4 (48 MP + 5 MP + 2 MP + 2 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	- 48 MP - Aperture: f/2.0 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 0.8 micron - Sensor: 1/2", Samsung S5KGM2 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus
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)	- 5 MP - Aperture: f/2.2
Macro lens	-	- 2 MP - Aperture: f/2.4
Depth lens	-	- 2 MP - Aperture: f/2.2
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 from DxOMark	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy A12 from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	10 megapixels	8 megapixels
Image resolution	3872 x 2592	3264 x 2448
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.0
Focal length	26 mm	-
Pixel size	1.22 microns	-
Sensor type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor size	1/3.24"	-
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS	1080p (Full HD) at 30 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n)
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
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	Standby
eSIM support *	Yes	No
Hybrid slot	No	No
LTE Cat *	24	7
5G support	Yes	No

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

Category	Flagship	Budget
Announced	January 2021	November 2020
Release date	February 2021	December 2020
SAR (head)	0.46 W/kg	0.67 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.51 W/kg	1.38 W/kg
Sensors	- Hall-effect sensor - Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint	- Proximity sensor - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Fingerprint

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy A12

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy A12

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