Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Note 9

71 out of 100

57 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.4-inch Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 ) that was released on January 4, 2022, against the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, which is powered by Exynos 9 Octa 9810 and came out 41 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 FE 5G

Higher display refresh rate – 120 Hz
43% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (625K versus 437K)
Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
More recent OS version: Android 13 versus 10
Comes with 500 mAh larger battery capacity: 4500 vs 4000 mAh
More energy-efficient CPU – Snapdragon 888
Uses a faster type of memory: LPDDR5 2750 MHz
Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
Delivers 20% higher peak brightness (797 against 663 nits)
Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
The phone is 3-years and 5-months newer
Supports higher wattage charging (25W versus 15W)

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy Note 9

28% higher pixel density (514 vs 401 PPI)
Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 512GB
Includes a 3.5 mm headphone audio jack port

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Note 9 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	Super AMOLED
Size	6.4 inches	6.4 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels	1440 x 2960 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	18.5:9
PPI	401 ppi	514 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	60 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	No	No
Max rated brightness	420 nits	520 nits
Max rated brightness in HDR	1200 nits	-
HDR support	Yes, HDR10+	Yes, HDR10
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Screen-to-body ratio	89.6%	84.32%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- Always-On Display

RGB color space	97%	144.6%
PWM	247 Hz	227 Hz
Response time	6 ms	8 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	155.7 mm (6.13 inches)	161.9 mm (6.37 inches)
Width	74.5 mm (2.93 inches)	76.4 mm (3.01 inches)
Thickness	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)	8.8 mm (0.35 inches)
Weight	177 g (6.24 oz)	201 g (7.09 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP68
Rear material	Plastic	Glass
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	White, Gray, Green, Purple	Black, Blue, Brown
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	Yes, rear

Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 9810
Max clock	2840 MHz	2700 MHz
CPU cores	8 (1 + 3 + 4)	8 (4 + 4)
Architecture	- 4 cores at 1.8 GHz: Kryo 680 Silver (Cortex-A55) - 3 cores at 2.42 GHz: Kryo 680 Gold (Cortex-A78) - 1 core at 2.84 GHz: Kryo 680 Prime (Cortex-X1)	- 4 cores at 1.9 GHz: Cortex-A55 - 4 cores at 2.9 GHz: Exynos M3
L3 cache	4 MB	-
Lithography process	5 nanometers	10 nanometers
Graphics	Adreno 660	Mali-G72 MP18
GPU shading units	1024	324
GPU clock	792 MHz	572 MHz
FLOPS	~1622 GFLOPS	~370.6 GFLOPS

CPU	140597	135620
GPU	209723	103023
Memory	134992	87524
UX	139479	108426
Total score	625671	437260

Max surface temperature	39.1 °C	48.7 °C
Stability	69%	95%
Graphics test	34 FPS	13 FPS
Graphics score	5703	2333

Web score	10889	5059
Video editing	7079	5466
Photo editing	28541	9362
Data manipulation	10075	5812
Writing score	14461	6149

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

Storage size	128, 256 GB	128, 256, 512 GB
Storage type	UFS 3.1	UFS 2.1
Memory card	No	MicroSD
Memory card max size	-	Up to 512 GB

Operating system	Android 12 (Can be upgraded to Android 13)	Android 8.1 (Can be upgraded to Android 10)
ROM	One UI 5.0	One UI 2.5
OS size	17.5 GB	19 GB

Capacity	4500 mAh	4000 mAh
Max charge power	25 W	15 W
Battery type	Li-Ion	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (15 W)	Yes, Qi/PMA (15 W)
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	No
Fast charging	Yes (51% in 30 min)	Yes, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge (50% in 35 min)
Full charging time	1:15 hr	1:40 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	07:42 hr	09:13 hr
Watching video	13:05 hr	12:59 hr
Gaming	05:29 hr	04:40 hr
Standby	91 hr	93 hr

Main camera
Matrix	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Image resolution	4032 x 3024	4000 x 3000
Zoom	Optical, 3x	Optical, 2x
Flash	LED	Dual LED
Stabilization	Optical	Optical
8K video recording	No	No
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°	-
Lenses	3 (12 MP + 8 MP + 12 MP)	2 (12 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/1.5 - 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
Telephoto lens	- 8 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 76 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/4.5", Hynix Hi847 (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 52 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.4" (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization
Ultra-wide lens	- 12 MP - Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 13 mm - Pixel size: 1.12 micron - Sensor: 1/3.0", Sony IMX258 (Exmor-RS CMOS)	-
Camera features	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support	- Bokeh mode - Pro mode - RAW support
Samples	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G from DxOMark	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy Note 9 from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	32 megapixels	8 megapixels
Image resolution	6464 x 4864	3264 x 2448
Aperture	f/2.2	f/1.7
Focal length	26 mm	25 mm
Pixel size	0.8 microns	1.22 microns
Sensor type	Exmor-RS CMOS	ISOCELL CMOS
Sensor size	1/2.74"	1/3.6"
Video resolution	2160p (4K) at 60 FPS	1440p at 30 FPS

Wi-Fi standard	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
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	PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HID, HFP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP
USB type	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
USB version	3.2	3.1
USB features	- Charging - USB-Storage 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 *	No	No
Hybrid slot	No	Yes
LTE Cat *	19	18
5G support	Yes	No

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

Category	Flagship	Flagship
Announced	January 2022	August 2018
Release date	January 2022	August 2018
SAR (head)	0.95 W/kg	0.381 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.48 W/kg	1.509 W/kg
Sensors	- Hall-effect sensor - 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 S21 FE 5G vs Note 9

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Note 9

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