In depth comparison and review of Samsung Galaxy S21 5G and Google Pixel 6a. Compare sizes, cameras, batteries, memory, and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right phone for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the phone that will best fit your needs.
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Product Type | Smartphone | Smartphone | |
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Manufacturer Model Number | SM-G991U1 | G1AZG | |
Form Factor | Touch | Touch | |
Height | 151.7 mm | 152.2 mm | Google Pixel 6a has greater height than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Width | 71.2 mm | 71.8 mm | Google Pixel 6a has greater width than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Depth | 7.9 mm | 8.9 mm | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is narrower than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Weight | 171 g | 178 g | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is lighter than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Body Colour | Phantom grey | Phantom white | Chalk | Charcoal | Sage | |
Body Material | - | Tactile alloy frame, 3D thermoformed composite back | |
Protection | Dustproof, splashproof, water-resistant | Water-resistant, dust-resistant | |
Waterproof (Water-resistant) | Yes | Yes | Both phones are waterproof. |
IP rating | IP68 | IP67 | |
Repairability Index | - | 6.5 (out of 10) | |
SAR Value | 1.58 W/kg (simultaneous), 1.11 W/kg (wireless router), 1.08 W/kg (body), 0.74 W/kg (head) | 1.31 W/kg (body), 2.99 W/kg (limb), 0.99 W/kg (head) | |
Connector Type | USB Type-C - 24 pin USB-C | USB Type-C - 24 pin USB-C | |
SIM Card Type (Size) | Nano SIM, Electronic SIM card (e-SIM) | Nano SIM, Electronic SIM card (e-SIM) | |
SIM Card Qty | Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM |
DISPLAY | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Display Type | OLED display | OLED display | |
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Display Technology | Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED 2X | OLED | |
Screen Size (Display Size) | 6.2" | 6.134" | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has larger screen size than Google Pixel 6a. |
Screen Resolution (Display Resolution) | 2400 x 1080 pixels | 2400 x 1080 pixels | Both phones have the same screen resolution. |
Display Format | Full HD+ | Full HD+ | |
Pixel Density | 421 ppi | 429 ppi | Google Pixel 6a has better pixel density than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Aspect Ratio | - | 20:9 | |
Colour Depth | 16.7 million colours | 16.7 million colours | Both phones have the same color depth. |
Contrast Ratio | - | 100000:1 | |
HDR | Yes | Yes | Both phones have HDR. |
HDR Technology | HDR10+ | - | |
Display Enhancement Technology | Eye Comfort Shield | - | |
Display Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has better refresh rate than Google Pixel 6a. |
Display Features | AOD(Always On Display), Video Wallpaper | Always-on display, Now Playing, High brightness mode, At a Glance, Smooth Display (up to 60 Hz) | |
Display Protection (Screen Protector) | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus (scratch resistant glass) | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (scratch resistant glass) |
PROCESSOR | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Processor Type (CPU) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Google Tensor - with Titan M2 security | |
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Clock Speed | 2.84 GHz | - | |
Processor Core Qty | 8-core | - |
MEMORY | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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RAM | LPDDR5 SDRAM - 8 GB | LPDDR5 SDRAM - 6 GB | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has more RAM than Google Pixel 6a. |
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Internal Memory Size (Storage Capacity) | 128 GB | 128 GB | Both phones have the same internal memory capacity. |
User Memory | 101.2 GB | - | |
Memory Interface | - | UFS 3.1 |
CAMERA | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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MAIN CAMERA |
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Number of Main Cameras | 3 | 2 | |
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Sensor Resolution | 12 Megapixel | 12.2 Megapixel | Google Pixel 6a has better camera resolution than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Sensor Size | 1/1.76" | 1/2.55" | Google Pixel 6a has better camera sensor size than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Lens Type | Wide-angle lens | Wide-angle lens | |
Lens Aperture | F/1.8 | F/1.7 | Google Pixel 6a has better lens aperture than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Field of View (FoV) | 79 degree(s) | 77 degree(s) | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has larger lens field of view than Google Pixel 6a. |
Pixel Size | 1.8 μm | 1.4 μm | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has larger camera pixel size than Google Pixel 6a. |
Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) | Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) | Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) | Both phones have optical image stabilization. |
Focus Adjustment | Automatic | Automatic | |
Laser Auto Focus | Yes | Yes | |
Optical Zoom | 3x | - | |
Digital Zoom | 30x | 7x | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has better digital zoom than Google Pixel 6a. |
Self-Timer Delay | Yes | - | |
Special Effects | Face retouch, Grid Line | - | |
HDR Mode | Auto HDR mode | Live HDR+ | |
Camera Modes | Panorama, Slow motion mode, Pro mode, HYPERLAPSE, Super Slow-mo, Flowers, Greenery, Trees, Sky, Beaches, Watersides, Snow, Backlit, Text, Food, Face, Baby, Person, Dog, Cat, People, Sunset, Sunrise, City, Waterfall, Scenery, Stage, Vehicles, Drinks, Animal, Shoes, Indoor, Clothes, Night view, Portrait, Night, Motion Photo, Mountain, Single Take, Pro Video, Portrait video, Director's View | Panorama, portrait mode, Night Sight, Top Shot, Super Res Zoom, Frequent Faces, Cinematic Pan, Motion Mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Magic Eraser, Portrait Light, Motion autofocus, Astrophotography timelapse | |
White Balance | - | Custom | |
Light Source | High CRI LED flash | Flash | |
Video Resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps, 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60 fps, Super slow motion video 1280 x 720 (720p) at 960 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 240 fps, 7680 x 4320 (8K) at 24 fps, Hyperlapse 4K video support at 30 fps, Super Steady 1080p video support at 60 fps | 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps, 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60 fps | |
Camera Features (Functions) | Playback zoom, Motion photo, blink detection, QR-code scanner, VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilisation), Tracking AF, Video location tags, Scene Optimiser, Lens smudge, Flaw detection, Shot suggestions, blur detection, HDR10+ recording, Super steady, Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, Quick Measure, Zoom-In Mic, HEIF image capture, Space Zoom, Take 33MP still photos while playing 8K video, Hybrid Optic Zoom 3x, Super Resolution Zoom up to 30x, Digital zoom up to 12x for video, AR Doodle, HEVC (High Efficiency Video coding) support, Microphone Control (Pro Video only) | Electronic Image Stabiliser (EIS), Stereo Recording, Wind Noise Filter, Dual Pixel Phase Detect Auto-Focus (PDAF), Dual Exposure Controls, 4K Timelapse with stabilisation, 4K Cinematic Pan video stabilisation, 4K Locked video stabilisation, 1080p Active video stabilisation, Fused video stabilisation, speech enhancement |
SECOND CAMERA |
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Sensor Resolution (2nd Camera) | 12 Megapixel | 12 Megapixel | Both phones have the same second camera resolution. |
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Lens Type (2nd Camera) | Ultra wide-angle lens | Ultra wide-angle lens | |
Lens Aperture (2nd Camera) | F/2.2 | F/2.2 | Both phones have the same second camera lens aperture. |
Field of View (2nd Camera) | 120 degree(s) | 114 degree(s) | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has larger second camera lens field of view than Google Pixel 6a. |
Pixel Size (2nd Camera) | 1.4 μm | 1.25 μm | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has larger second camera pixel size than Google Pixel 6a. |
Camera Features (2nd Camera) | - | Lens correction |
THIRD CAMERA |
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Sensor Resolution (3rd Camera) | 64 Megapixel | - | |
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Sensor Size (3rd Camera) | 1/1.72" | - | |
Lens Type (3rd Camera) | Telephoto lens | - | |
Lens Aperture (3rd Camera) | F/2.0 | - | |
Field of View (3rd Camera) | 76 degree(s) | - | |
Pixel Size (3rd Camera) | 0.8 μm | - | |
Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) | Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) | - | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has optical stabilisation of the third camera. |
FRONT CAMERA |
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Number of Front Cameras | 1 | 1 | |
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Sensor Resolution (Front) | 10 Megapixel | 8 Megapixel | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has better front camera resolution than Google Pixel 6a. |
Lens Aperture (Front) | F/2.2 | F/2.0 | Google Pixel 6a has better front lens aperture than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Field of View (Front) | 80 degree(s) | 84 degree(s) | Google Pixel 6a has larger front lens field of view than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
Pixel Size (Front) | 1.22 μm | 1.12 μm | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has larger front camera pixel size than Google Pixel 6a. |
Focus Adjustment | Automatic | Focus free | |
Video Resolutions (Front) | - | 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 30 fps | |
Camera Features (Front) | Dual Pixel AF | - |
BATTERY AND CHARGING | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Battery Capacity (Battery Size) | 4000 mAh | 4410 mAh | Google Pixel 6a has larger battery capacity than Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. |
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Fast Charging Technology | Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, Adaptive Fast Charging, Power Delivery 3.0 | Power Delivery 3.0 | Both phones have fast charging technology. |
Wireless Charging | Yes | - | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G can be charged wirelessly. |
Wireless Charging Standards | WPC, Qi, Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, Wireless PowerShare | - | |
Talk Time | 1800 minutes | - | |
Run Time Details | Talk (LTE): up to 1800 min Active online usage (LTE): up to 14 hrs Active online usage (Wi-Fi): up to 15 hrs Playback (wireless video): up to 19 hrs Playback (wireless audio): up to 72 hrs |
Mixed usage: up to 24 hrs Mixed usage (Extreme Battery Saver): up to 72 hrs |
CELLULAR | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Technology | CDMA2000 1X / GSM / WCDMA (UMTS) | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM | |
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Mobile Broadband Generation | 5G | 5G | Both phones have the same mobile network generation. |
Operating System | Android 11 | Android 12 | |
Intelligent Assistant | Bixby | Google Assistant | |
Payment Technology | Samsung Pay | - | |
Navigation | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS |
COMMUNICATIONS | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Data Transmission | FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, 5G NR FR1, 5G NR FR2 | EDGE, HSDPA, HSPA+, FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, 5G NR FR1 | |
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2G Band | 850 GSM, 900 GSM, 1800 GSM, 1900 GSM, 800 CDMA2000 1X, 1900 CDMA2000 1X | 850 GSM, 900 GSM, 1800 GSM, 1900 GSM | |
3G UMTS Band | Band 1, Band 2, Band 4, Band 5, Band 8 | Band 1, Band 2, Band 4, Band 5, Band 6, Band 8, Band 19 | |
3G UMTS Frequency | 2100, 1900, 1700, 850, 900 | 2100, 1900, 1700, 850, 800, 900, 800 | |
4G LTE Band | Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 7, Band 8, Band 12, Band 13, Band 14, Band 18, Band 19, Band 20, Band 25, Band 26, Band 28, Band 30, Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, Band 41, Band 46, Band 48, Band 66, Band 71 | Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 7, Band 8, Band 12, Band 13, Band 14, Band 17, Band 18, Band 19, Band 20, Band 25, Band 26, Band 28, Band 29, Band 30, Band 32, Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, Band 41, Band 42, Band 48, Band 66, Band 71 | |
4G LTE Frequency | FDD 2100, FDD 1900 PCS, FDD 1800+, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 700a, FDD 700c, FDD 700 PS, FDD 800 lower, FDD 800 upper, FDD 800 DD, FDD 1900+, FDD 850+, FDD 700 APT, FDD 2300 WCS, TDD 2600, TDD 1900, TDD 2300, TDD 2500, TDD 5150, TDD 3600, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS-3, FDD 600 | FDD 2100, FDD 1900 PCS, FDD 1800+, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 700a, FDD 700c, FDD 700 PS, FDD 700b, FDD 800 lower, FDD 800 upper, FDD 800 DD, FDD 1900+, FDD 850+, FDD 700 APT, FDD 700d, FDD 2300 WCS, FDD 1500 L, TDD 2600, TDD 1900, TDD 2300, TDD 2500, TDD 3500, TDD 3600, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS-3, FDD 600 | |
5G NR Band | N41, n71, n260, n261 | N1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n20, n28, n66, n71, n77, n78, n40, n25, n12, n48, n30 | |
5G NR Frequency | TDD TD 2500, FDD 600, TDD 39GHz, TDD 28GHz | FDD 2100, FDD 1900PCS, FDD 1800, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 800, FDD 700APT, FDD AWS-3, FDD 600, TDD TD 3700, TDD TD 3500, TDD 2300, FDD 1900, n12, TDD 3500, FDD 2300 | |
Wireless Interface | IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax | IEEE 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6E | |
Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.2 | |
NFC | Yes | Yes | Both phones have an NFC reader for mobile payments. |
MEDIA | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Supported Digital Audio Standards | WAV, AAC, PCM, AMR, MP3, FLAC, XMF, OGG, MIDI, APE (Monkey's Audio), M4A, DSF, MXMF, OGA, 3GA, AWB, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DFF, MID, DSD64, DSD128 | - | |
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Supported Digital Video Standards | MKV, FLV, AVI, 3GP, M4V, WebM, 3G2, MP4 | H.264 AVC, H.265 HEVC | |
Sound Enhancements | Dolby Digital Plus sound, Dolby Atmos sound technology, Surround sound, stereo speakers tuned by AKG, Dolby Digital sound | - |
FEATURES | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Phone Functions | Speakerphone, voice control, call timer, conference call, flight mode, voice dialing, vibrating alert | - | |
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Sensors | Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, barometer, gyro sensor, hall sensor, geomagnetic sensor | Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, barometer, magnetometer, gyro sensor | |
Security Devices | Fingerprint reader (under display), face recognition | Fingerprint reader (under display) | |
Additional Phone Features | MIMO technology, Screen Write, notification flashlight, Smart Select, Fast Charging, Samsung KNOX, Smart View, Live message, Screen off memo, Samsung DeX support, Bixby Vision, TalkBack, Dual Audio, Bixby Routines, Intelligent Performance Enhancer, Bixby key, Bluetooth Scalable Codec, Samsung Knox Vault, Private Share function, Enhanced Game Booster, Air Command | Dual microphones, MIMO technology, Extreme power saving mode, Noise suppression, Fast Charging, ARCore, 5 years of Security Updates |
OTHERS | Samsung Galaxy S21 5G | Google Pixel 6a |
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Included Accessories | SIM card removal tool, USB-C to USB-C cable | SIM card removal tool, Quick switch adapter, USB-C to USB-C cable (1 m) | |
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Compliant Standards | VDE, IP68, HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible), SGS Eye Care Display Certification | IP67, HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible) | |
Max Depth of Water Resistance | 1.5 m | - |