Apple iPhone 13 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: what to expect

• iPhone is more compact
• Glass build on iPhone vs plastic on S21 FE
• Smaller, 6.1″ screen vs 6.4″ one on Galaxy, plus it has 120Hz
• Faster Apple A15 chip on iPhone
• Bigger battery size on Galaxy
• iPhone has two cameras, Galaxy has three
• Both come with 128GB storage in base model
• Galaxy is more affordable

No clear winner

Most smartphones these days look the same, but it’s not hard to tell the iPhone apart from the Galaxy. First, because it’s the smaller device, but also the in-hand feel is different with a more premium, glass back on the iPhone versus a plastic back on the Galaxy. Opinions on plastic phones are split: they don’t feel as nice, but they contribute to a lighter weight, and the larger Galaxy actually weighs less than the much smaller iPhone!

In a sign of the times, both lack a headphone jack, but the iPhone does have a convenient mute switch, which you won’t find on the Galaxy. Those who care about the details will also notice that the bottom border on the Galaxy is thicker, while the iPhone has perfectly uniform screen borders.

Speaking of displays, both phones use AMOLED screens with beautiful colors and can play back HDR content. The iPhone has a 6.1-inch panel, while the Galaxy is expected with a more spacious, 6.4-inch display. The big advantage of the Galaxy, however, comes in the form of 120Hz Adaptive refresh rate, meaning the you get buttery smooth scrolling, while the iPhone maxes out at half that, or 60Hz.

Face ID is also still on the iPhone, but this time you have a 20% smaller size for the notch. Still, the Galaxy wins that battle when it comes to looks with a more discreet punch hole design. For biometrics, Face ID is still not ideal in these Covid times, while the Galaxy is expected with a fingerprint scanner embedded under the screen, plus it does image-based face recognition, which is definitely not as secure as Face ID, but still useful.

Battery and Charging

Galaxy has bigger battery, but iPhone has more frugal software

The iPhone 13 signature feature has got to be the improved battery life, but how does it compare against the much larger battery that you get on the Galaxy S21 FE?

First, here are the exact battery sizes: 3,227mAh on the iPhone vs 4,500mah on the Galaxy, quite the difference.

We are comparing different operating systems, though, so it’s worth mentioning that iOS is typically more frugal, so the actual battery life difference might not be that huge. Still, expect the S21 FE to last longer, or… wait for our independent battery tests that will appear here once we finish testing the S21 FE.

On the charger front… well, let’s start with the bad news: there is no charger in the box on either one! If you don’t already own a fast charger, plan on spending an additional $20-$30 bucks to get one.

The iPhone maxes out at 20W charging speeds, while the S21 FE supports up to 25W charging via a wire, and both support the USB Power Delivery standard. We measured about 1 hour and 50 minute charging time from 0 to 100% on the iPhone, while the Galaxy should charge quite a bit faster, in just a bit over an hour.

Interestingly, the main camera on the cheaper Galaxy actually uses a slightly larger sensor and has bigger individual pixels, which gives it a theoretical advantage. The iPhone uses a wider aperture, though, which balances their light-gathering abilities.