Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs Galaxy S21

87 out of 100

70 out of 100

Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.6-inch Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy) that was released on February 1, 2023, against the Samsung Galaxy S21, which is powered by Exynos 2100 and came out 25 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 S23 Plus

The rear camera has a 3x optical zoom
Shows 56% longer battery life (40:13 vs 25:44 hours)
81% better performance in AnTuTu Benchmark (1458K versus 806K)
Comes with 700 mAh larger battery capacity: 4700 vs 4000 mAh
Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
Delivers 41% higher peak brightness (1216 against 864 nits)
Newer Bluetooth version (v5.3)
Has a 0.4 inch larger screen size
The phone is 2-years and 1-month newer
Supports higher wattage charging (45W versus 25W)

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S21

Weighs 26 grams less
Better grip in hands – the body is 5 mm narrower

Review

Evaluation of Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S21 crucial features

Display

Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness

Type	Dynamic AMOLED	Dynamic AMOLED
Size	6.6 inches	6.2 inches
Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels	1080 x 2400 pixels
Aspect ratio	19.5:9	20:9
PPI	393 ppi	421 ppi
Refresh rate	120 Hz	120 Hz
Adaptive refresh rate	Yes	No
Max rated brightness	800 nits	800 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	88.9%	87.2%
Display features	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display	- DCI-P3 - Always-On Display

RGB color space	97.4%	99.5%
PWM	240 Hz	240 Hz
Response time	1 ms	5 ms
Contrast	∞ Infinity	∞ Infinity

Height	157.8 mm (6.21 inches)	151.7 mm (5.97 inches)
Width	76.2 mm (3 inches)	71.2 mm (2.8 inches)
Thickness	7.6 mm (0.3 inches)	7.9 mm (0.31 inches)
Weight	195 g (6.88 oz)	169 g (5.96 oz)
Waterproof	IP68	IP68
Advanced cooling	Vapor chamber	-
Rear material	Glass	Plastic
Frame material	Metal	Metal
Colors	White, Black, Gray, Green, Purple, Yellow	White, Gray, Pink, Purple
Fingerprint scanner	Yes, in-display	Yes, in-display

Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy	Samsung Exynos 2100
Max clock	3360 MHz	2900 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	719 MHz	854 MHz
FLOPS	~3481.6 GFLOPS	~1530.4 GFLOPS

CPU	374401	150223
GPU	541606	340353
Memory	282040	151885
UX	247265	158712
Total score	1458875	806977

Max surface temperature	36.2 °C	38.9 °C
Stability	65%	66%
Graphics test	72 FPS	34 FPS
Graphics score	12140	5714

Web score	13570	12591
Video editing	7794	7113
Photo editing	34170	29385
Data manipulation	12323	10438
Writing score	20140	16561

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

Storage size	256, 512 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	One UI 5.1
OS size	42.5 GB	28.1 GB

Capacity	4700 mAh	4000 mAh
Max charge power	45 W	25 W
Battery type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Wireless charging	Yes (10 W)	Yes (15 W)
Reverse charging	Yes, (wireless)	Yes, (wireless)
Fast charging	Yes (57% in 30 min)	Yes (55% in 50 min)
Full charging time	1:05 hr	1:35 hr

Battery life tests
Web browsing	14:38 hr	07:27 hr
Watching video	17:37 hr	12:26 hr
Gaming	06:23 hr	04:31 hr
Standby	127 hr	92 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 30FPS	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 (1080p)	960 FPS (720p)
Angle of widest lens	120°	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 S5KGN3 (ISOCELL Plus 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 - Focal length: 70 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.94", Samsung S5K3K1 (ISOCELL 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 IMX564 (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", 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 S23 Plus from DxOMark	Photo samples of Samsung Galaxy S21 from DxOMark

Selfie camera
Megapixels	12 megapixels	10 megapixels
Image resolution	4000 x 3000	3872 x 2592
Aperture	f/2.2	f/2.2
Focal length	26 mm	26 mm
Pixel size	1.12 microns	1.22 microns
Sensor type	ISOCELL CMOS	CMOS
Sensor size	1/3.24"	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	February 2023	January 2021
Release date	February 2023	February 2021
SAR (head)	0.57 W/kg	0.46 W/kg
SAR (body)	1.4 W/kg	1.51 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 S23 Plus vs Galaxy S21

Samsung Galaxy S23 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