Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5GvsApple iPhone 12 mini

We compare these two popular phones to help you decide which one fits your needs and budget better.

Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Processor:Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM:6GB
Storage:128GB

Quick Stats

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G's poor battery life is its most significant and disappointing drawback overall.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G's display is its strongest feature, offering vibrant colors and high contrast ratio.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G's camera delivers good images, but struggles with low light conditions and color representation.
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers seamless multitasking and smooth execution of demanding tasks due to its robust specifications.
Apple
Apple iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 mini
Processor:Apple A14 Bionic
RAM:4GB
Storage:64GB

Quick Stats

The iPhone 12 mini's battery life is decent but not exceptional, lasting around 8-10 hours on a single charge.
The standout display of the iPhone 12 mini boasts excellent color accuracy, brightness, and vibrant color reproduction.
The iPhone 12 mini's camera boasts excellent performance, delivering sharp images and impressive dynamic range results consistently.
The Apple iPhone 12 mini delivers lightning-fast performance with its A14 Bionic chip and excellent battery life capabilities overall.
Key Differences

Processor Speed

Winner
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
2.84 GHz
Apple iPhone 12 mini
3.10 GHz

RAM

Winner
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
6GB
Apple iPhone 12 mini
4GB

Storage

Winner
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
128GB
Apple iPhone 12 mini
64GB

Weight

Winner
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
177g
Apple iPhone 12 mini
135g
Rank
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Winner
#197
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#507
Scores by Category
Rankings
Connectivity
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
#349
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#65
Winner
Design
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
#6
Winner
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#13
Display
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
#157
Winner
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#704
Performance
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
#239
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#224
Winner
Battery
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
#587
Winner
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#684
Camera
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
#246
Winner
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#763
item_phones_categoryId
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
#1
Tie
Apple iPhone 12 mini
#1
Tie

Note: Lower rank number indicates a better position in category.

Specifications Comparison
Specification
Samsung Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Apple Apple iPhone 12 mini
Model
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Apple A14 Bionic
CPU
1x Cortex X1 2.84GHz + 3x Cortex A78 2.42GHz + 4x Cortex A55 1.8GHz
2x Icestorm 3.1 GHz + 4x Firestorm 1.8 GHz
Type
Octa-Core
Hexa-Core
Nanometer
5
5
Frequency
2.84
3.10
64 Bits
Yes
Yes
GPU
Adreno 660
Apple 4-core graphics processing unit A14 GPU
RAM
6
4
Type
RAM LPDDR5
LPDDR4X RAM
Capacity
128
64
Type
UFS Storage 3.1
N/A
SD slot
No
No
Fingerprint security
Yes, in screen
No
Fingerprint sensor
Yes
No
Proximity sensor
Yes
Yes
Light sensor
Yes
Yes
Accelerometer sensor
Yes
Yes
Compass sensor
Yes
Yes
Gyroscope sensor
Yes
Yes
Barometer sensor
Yes
Yes
Hall sensor
Yes
N/A
Geomagnetic sensor
Yes
N/A
Audio
Dolby Atmos, Noise cancellation microphone, Stereo Speakers
Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, Stereo Speakers
Antutu Score
923836
1072354
Antutu Version
Antutu v10
Antutu v10
Antutu Standing
Overall performance better than 87% of devices
Overall performance better than 89% of devices
Cooling system
No
No
Gaming buttons
No
No
Extras
N/A
N/A

Note: Highlighted specifications show differences between the two devices.

Pros and Cons

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Strengths

Good camera performance
Sterling video quality
Impressive selfie camera
Good Android experience
8-megapixel telephoto shooter
Solid bonus camera features

Weaknesses

Poor battery life
High price point
Camera not as good as rivals

Apple iPhone 12 mini

Strengths

The durable build quality of the iPhone 12 mini is one of its standout features.
The excellent OLED screen offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and wide viewing angles.
The lightning-fast chipset provides seamless performance.
The good cameras take great photos, even in low light conditions.

Weaknesses

The lack of a high refresh rate on the screen may make scrolling less smooth.
No charger is included in the box, requiring users to purchase one separately.
Heavy gaming or video streaming may not be ideal due to the smaller battery size.
The cameras don't quite live up to the standards set by other flagship devices.
Read Full Reviews

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a solid but not exceptional smartphone that falls short in terms of battery life and camera capabilities, especially compared to the Google Pixel 6. While it's enjoyable to use as a daily driver, its limitations make it hard to recommend at this price point. One of the biggest issues with the Galaxy S21 FE 5G is its subpar battery life. It consistently falls short of delivering a full day's worth of power, making it unreliable for heavy users or those who rely on their phone throughout the day. The camera system is another area where the phone disappoints, particularly in still photography, although it excels in video capture and selfie mode. The camera features are well-rounded, with a 12-megapixel primary sensor, 8-megapixel telephoto lens with three times optical zoom, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens. However, the lack of pixel binning means that low-light photos can be noisy, and colors may not be as accurate as those from competing devices. While the Android 12-based One UI 4 experience is excellent, it's not enough to make up for the phone's shortcomings. The addition of a 15-watt wireless charging feature and a 25-watt wired charger are welcome but hardly make an impact on the overall user experience. In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a good but not great smartphone that struggles to compete with its contemporaries in key areas like battery life and camera performance. If you're looking for a reliable daily driver at this price point, consider alternatives like the Google Pixel 6 or other options from competing manufacturers.

Apple iPhone 12 mini

The Apple iPhone 12 mini is a compact flagship that delivers an impressive range of features despite its small size. The device boasts a durable build quality, making it perfect for those who want a phone they can carry with them everywhere. One of the standout features of the iPhone 12 mini is its excellent OLED screen, which provides crisp and vibrant visuals. Additionally, the phone's lightning-fast chipset ensures seamless performance, making it ideal for everyday use. The inclusion of stereo speakers adds to the overall experience, providing clear and immersive audio playback. The camera system on the iPhone 12 mini is also impressive, with the 12MP main camera taking excellent photos in a variety of lighting conditions. Portrait mode shots are particularly good, with true-to-life colors and superb contrast. Low-light photography is also handled well, thanks to the phone's ability to automatically switch to night mode when needed. Video capture is similarly impressive, with 4K footage looking great on both the main camera and ultra-wide lens. Electronic stabilization is available on all cameras, making it easy to record smooth video footage. One potential drawback of the iPhone 12 mini is its smaller battery size, which may not be ideal for heavy users. Furthermore, the phone's thermals can get warm during intense gaming sessions, which may limit its suitability for this type of activity. Overall, the Apple iPhone 12 mini is a great option for those who want a compact phone with flagship features and plenty of software support down the road. While it may not be perfect for heavy gamers or users who need more battery life, it's an excellent choice for anyone looking for a pocket-friendly device that delivers on performance and camera capabilities. Rating: 4.5/5 Recommendation: For those who want a compact phone with flagship features, the iPhone 12 mini is definitely worth considering.

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