Apple iPhone 11 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21
The Verdict
Samsung Galaxy S21 outperforms Apple iPhone 11 Pro in several critical areas despite launching at $200 less. Display quality favors Samsung with its 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel featuring 120Hz refresh rate versus iPhone's static 60Hz Super Retina XDR. Camera systems are competitive,iPhone excels with superior computational photography and TrueDepth sensors, while Galaxy S21 offers 8K video, higher-resolution telephoto (64MP vs 12MP), and faster charging (25W vs 18W). Performance is equivalent between A13 Bionic and Snapdragon 888. Battery capacity gives Galaxy S21 meaningful advantage (4000mAh vs 3046mAh), plus 5G connectivity. iPhone's closed ecosystem and iOS optimization retain value for Apple loyalists, but Galaxy S21 delivers better hardware specifications and significantly better value proposition for general consumers.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 11 Pro if…
- →Triple camera system with Night mode
- →Compact 5.8-inch OLED with great color accuracy
- →18W fast charger included in the box
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 if…
- →$200 price cut from S20 launched at $799
- →Lightweight and compact at 169 g
- →120Hz AMOLED with adaptive refresh
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 11 Pro
Pros
- Triple camera system with Night mode
- Compact 5.8-inch OLED with great color accuracy
- 18W fast charger included in the box
- A13 Bionic was the fastest mobile chip in 2019
- Premium matte glass finish
Cons
- No 5G support
- 60Hz display refresh rate
- Smaller battery than Pro Max
- Wide notch design
- Starting at $999 for 64 GB was steep
Samsung Galaxy S21
Pros
- $200 price cut from S20 launched at $799
- Lightweight and compact at 169 g
- 120Hz AMOLED with adaptive refresh
- Snapdragon 888 performance
- Eye-catching Contour Cut camera design
Cons
- Plastic (Glasstic) back panel
- FHD+ only, no QHD option
- No microSD card slot
- Slow 25W charging
- No charger included in the box
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 11 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 13 | Android 11, One UI 3.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 188 g | 169 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame, textured matte glass | Aluminum frame, Glasstic back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 144 x 71.4 x 8.1 mm | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.0, 2x optical zoom | 64 MP, f/2.0, 3x hybrid zoom |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 3046 mAh | 4000 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 5.8 inches | 6.2 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X |
| Resolution | 2436 x 1125 | 2400 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 1300 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.65 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 660 |
| Chipset | Apple A13 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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