Okay, let's dive deep into a head-to-head comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. I'll break down the specs, highlight the key differences, and help you figure out which phone might be the better fit for you.
1. Specifications Breakdown
Here's a detailed look at the specifications, with a focus on what they actually mean for you, the user:
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Huawei Pura 70 Ultra | Real-World Implications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm | 162.6 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm | The Pura 70 Ultra is taller and slightly thicker, so expect a bigger footprint and a bit more weight. The S21 FE will feel more compact and lighter in hand. |
| Weight | 177g | 226g | S21 FE is noticeably lighter (49g), meaning it will be more comfortable for extended use and one-handed operation. The Pura 70 Ultra has a more premium, but heavier build. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.4" | 6.8" | The Pura 70 Ultra offers a larger screen for immersive viewing experiences, while the S21 FE is more manageable for users who prefer a smaller phone. |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 | 1260 x 2844 | Pura 70 Ultra's higher resolution means a much sharper and more detailed display, especially for text and fine images. |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 403 | 460 | The Pura 70 Ultra's higher PPI results in a crisper display with less visible pixelation compared to S21 FE. |
| Technology | AMOLED | OLED | Both use very similar high-quality display technologies offering rich colors and deep blacks. |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | Both offer super smooth scrolling and animations. |
| Brightness | 1300 nits | 2500 nits | The Pura 70 Ultra offers drastically better outdoor visibility, making it significantly better for use in bright sunlight. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888 5G | Kirin 9010 | The S21 FE with the Snapdragon 888 has a slight edge in benchmark scores, indicating potentially better raw performance in some tasks. Kirin 9010 on the Pura 70 Ultra is a very powerful chip, but might have slight performance dips compared to the S21 FE in some areas. |
| AnTuTu Score | 923,836 | 869,707 | The S21 FE edges out the Pura 70 Ultra by approximately 6% in benchmark scores indicating slightly better performance in most use cases |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Maleoon 910 | These are different GPU configurations, which will translate into different performance characteristics in graphics-intensive apps and games. |
| Battery Life | |||
| Capacity | 4500 mAh | 5200 mAh | The Pura 70 Ultra has a noticeably larger battery, which will lead to longer battery life on a single charge. |
| Charging | 25W Fast Charging | 100W Fast Charging | Pura 70 Ultra's dramatically faster charging will quickly top up the battery and minimize downtime. |
| Wireless Charging | 15W | 80W | Pura 70 Ultra offers significantly faster wireless charging compared to S21 FE. |
| Reverse Wireless Charging | 4.5W | 20W | Pura 70 Ultra offers more efficient wireless charging to other devices. |
| Camera | |||
| Main Camera Resolution | 12MP | 50MP | Pura 70 Ultra's higher resolution sensor allows for more detailed images and better cropping capabilities. |
| Main Camera Aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.6 | The Pura 70 Ultra with its wider aperture will perform better in low-light situations and offers better shallow depth of field effects. |
| Main Camera Sensor Size | 1/1.76" | 1" | The Pura 70 Ultra's larger sensor means better light capture, reduced noise and improved dynamic range. |
| Telephoto + Portrait | 8MP | None | S21 FE has dedicated telephoto lens for portraits with optical zoom. |
| Telephoto Lens | None | 50MP | Pura 70 Ultra has a dedicated telephoto lens offering significantly higher resolution for optical zoom. |
| Wide Angle Lens | None | 40MP | Pura 70 Ultra has a dedicated wide angle lens with high resolution that offers wider field of view. |
| Wide Angle + Macro Lens | 13MP | None | S21 FE has a dedicated wide-angle lens that also has macro capabilities for capturing extremely close up shots. |
| Selfie Camera Resolution | 32MP | 13MP | S21 FE captures selfies at much higher resolution, leading to more detailed selfies with better cropping capabilities. |
| Selfie Camera Aperture | f/2.2 | f/2.4 | The S21 FE allows more light to enter the sensor resulting in clearer selfies. |
| Video | Up to 4K@60fps | Up to 4K | Both offer good quality video recording, but the S21 FE offers 4K recording at 60fps, while Pura 70 Ultra’s capabilities are not as clear from the provided data. |
| DxoMark Camera Score | Mobile: 117 / Selfie: 127 | Mobile: 163 | Pura 70 Ultra has considerably better overall mobile camera rating, however, Samsung S21 FE scored 127 on Selfie camera tests. Samsung S21 FE was not tested for mobile camera and Pura 70 Ultra was not tested for selfie camera. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 12, Upgradable to 16 | Android, version not specified | The S21 FE will offer a more standard Android experience, while it's unclear what the Pura 70 Ultra’s experience would be. |
| Connectivity | |||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 | Both offer good Wi-Fi speeds with similar protocols. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 | The Pura 70 Ultra features a slightly more recent Bluetooth version. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, QZSS, GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BeiDou (B1), BeiDou (B2), NavIC System, QZSS (L1 + L5), Galileo (E1+E5a+E5b) | The Pura 70 Ultra supports more satellite systems leading to more accurate GPS in all areas. |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Both offer Dual SIM Dual Standby. |
| Storage & RAM | |||
| Internal Storage | 128/256 GB | 512/1024 GB | The Pura 70 Ultra provides substantially more storage, which is great for storing photos, videos, and other files. |
| RAM | 6/8 GB | 16 GB | The Pura 70 Ultra's 16GB of RAM allows smoother multitasking and performance in memory-intensive tasks. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone has expandable storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Audio Quality | Dolby Atmos, Noise cancellation microphone, Stereo Speakers | Dolby Atmos, Stereo Speakers | S21 FE has a noise cancelling microphone, which will improve audio quality in calls and video recordings. |
| Security | |||
| Security Features | Basic fingerprint sensor | Basic fingerprint sensor | Both phones offer similar basic biometric fingerprint security. |
| Build Quality | |||
| Screen Protection | Gorilla Glass Victus | Unknown | S21 FE provides known protection with Gorilla Glass Victus, while screen protection for the Pura 70 Ultra isn't specified. |
| Sensors | |||
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Barometer, Proximity | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity | S21 FE has an additional barometer sensor. Pura 70 Ultra has additional Gravity and RGB sensors. |
2. Key Insights
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Strengths: Lighter, more compact design, slightly better benchmark performance, a more standard Android experience, a dedicated Telephoto + Portrait camera, Wide Angle + Macro lens, a noise cancelling microphone, and a known, high-quality screen protection (Gorilla Glass Victus). It also offers more versatile video recording capabilities and higher resolution selfie camera.
- Competitive Advantages: Superior video recording capabilities and high-resolution selfies with a dedicated portrait telephoto lens.
- Trade-offs: Smaller screen, lower resolution display, lower storage, smaller battery and significantly slower charging than the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
- Strengths: Larger, higher-resolution display, significantly more storage, more RAM, faster charging, larger battery, and superior main camera sensor. It also has an excellent DxoMark mobile camera score, along with a dedicated telephoto and wide-angle lens with much higher resolution and quality.
- Competitive Advantages: Superior camera system, including a 1" sensor, advanced telephoto, and wide-angle lenses with much higher resolutions and more advanced sensor technologies, exceptional battery life, and super-fast charging, also providing much higher wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
- Trade-offs: Larger and heavier, unclear operating system, lacks some additional sensors.
3. User Profiles and Recommendations
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- Best For:
- Users who prefer a lighter, more compact phone that is easier to handle one-handed.
- Those who want a familiar Android experience.
- Users who appreciate excellent video recording capabilities along with great quality selfies.
- Users who prefer a robust, practical, general use device with a balanced feature set.
- Specific Use Cases:
- Daily use and portability are key, you need a device to easily fit in your pocket and operate one handed.
- Social media and content creation with a focus on selfie quality and video recording.
- Users who want a versatile camera setup for various shooting situations and a noise cancelling microphone.
Huawei Pura 70 Ultra
- Best For:
- Users who want a premium phone with a top-tier camera system.
- Those who need excellent battery life and super-fast charging capabilities.
- Those who prefer a larger screen for immersive content consumption and are willing to deal with a larger and heavier device.
- Users that need a lot of storage and who enjoy intensive multitasking.
- Specific Use Cases:
- Photography enthusiasts who want the best possible image quality and telephoto and wide-angle capabilities.
- Power users who multitask with many apps.
- Users who need a phone that can last all day with heavy use and quick recharge.
4. Buying Decision Framework
Here are three practical questions to ask yourself to help you decide between these phones:
- How important is battery life and charging speed?
- If battery life and fast charging are paramount, the Pura 70 Ultra is the clear winner.
- What do I value more: camera quality or portability and ease of use?
- If a smaller and lighter phone is more important to you along with higher quality selfie camera, and great video recording, the S21 FE is a great pick.
- If you want the best possible main camera system with multiple additional high-quality lens with larger sensors and more advanced technology, along with high-quality images from the telephoto lens and wide-angle, choose the Pura 70 Ultra.
- What kind of Android experience am I looking for?
- If you want a tried-and-true experience with a more familiar Android, the S21 FE is a better pick. It’s unclear what version of android is featured on the Pura 70 Ultra.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- The Everyday User: The S21 FE would be suitable for general everyday use, with a balanced set of features, solid performance, great video recording quality and an excellent selfie camera.
- The Photography Enthusiast: The Pura 70 Ultra is the better choice due to its cutting-edge camera system, larger sensors, and telephoto and wide-angle lens with much higher quality.
- The Power User: The Pura 70 Ultra's larger battery, super-fast charging, larger storage, and ample RAM make it better for intensive use.
My Choice
If I had to choose, I'd go with the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra. While I appreciate the S21 FE's lighter design and familiar Android experience, the Pura 70 Ultra is a powerhouse with its superior camera system and significantly better battery performance. I value having a larger, crisper display and I do a lot of photography, so the larger sensor, high-quality telephoto and wide-angle lens system makes it a clear winner for me. I also appreciate the larger storage and RAM for seamless multitasking and storing high quality images and videos. Despite being a heavier phone, the advantages of Pura 70 Ultra outweigh the downsides for my use case. While both are excellent devices, the Pura 70 Ultra’s innovations make it more appealing.
