Apple iPhone 14 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 14 Plus delivers excellent performance with the A15 Bionic chip and a clean iOS experience, featuring a large 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra counters with a superior 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display at 120Hz refresh rate, significantly more powerful camera hardware (108 MP main, dual telephoto with 10x periscope zoom), and a larger 5000 mAh battery. While the iPhone 14 Plus excels in software optimization and consistency, the S21 Ultra's advanced camera system, higher refresh rate display, faster wired charging (25W), and extra RAM (12GB) justify its premium price for content creators and photography enthusiasts. For general users seeking value, the iPhone 14 Plus offers Apple's reliability at a lower entry point. However, the S21 Ultra's technical advantages make it the superior all-around device despite higher cost.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 14 Plus if…
- →Largest iPhone screen at 6.7 inches at a lower price than Pro Max
- →Excellent all-day battery life thanks to large 4325 mAh battery
- →Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite safety features
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra if…
- →100x Space Zoom with 10x optical telephoto
- →108 MP main sensor with excellent detail
- →S Pen support (first S-series to do so)
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 14 Plus
Pros
- Largest iPhone screen at 6.7 inches at a lower price than Pro Max
- Excellent all-day battery life thanks to large 4325 mAh battery
- Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via satellite safety features
- Photonic Engine improves low-light photography
- MagSafe ecosystem for accessories and wireless charging
Cons
- 60Hz display feels outdated compared to ProMotion models
- Lightning port instead of USB-C
- No telephoto camera — only dual lens system
- Notch instead of Dynamic Island
- 12 MP camera resolution unchanged from previous generations
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Pros
- 100x Space Zoom with 10x optical telephoto
- 108 MP main sensor with excellent detail
- S Pen support (first S-series to do so)
- 1440p 120Hz LTPO adaptive display
- 5000 mAh battery with all-day endurance
Cons
- Heavy at 227 g
- Snapdragon 888 can overheat under load
- S Pen sold separately, no silo slot
- Slow 25W charging for the class
- No charger or earbuds in the box
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 14 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 16 | Android 11, One UI 3.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 203 g | 227 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 160.8 x 78.1 x 7.80 mm | 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.5, sensor-shift OIS | 108 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/1.9, autofocus | 40 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Cinematic mode, Action mode | 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Periscope | — | 10 MP, f/4.9, 10x optical zoom |
| Telephoto | — | 10 MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 6 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 4325 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe, 7.5W Qi | 15W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.7 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, LTPO |
| Resolution | 2778 x 1284 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 1500 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz + 4x1.82 GHz) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz + 3x2.42 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (5-core) | Adreno 660 |
| Chipset | Apple A15 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.2 |
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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