Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are two smartphones from Samsung's high-end lineup. Both devices have been released in 2021 for the S21 and 2023 for the S23. Although their release dates are different, the specifications of each device are surprisingly similar.

Design & Materials

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have a 6.80-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1440x3088 (WQHD+). The S21 has a peak brightness of 1500 cd/m², while the S23 has a maximum brightness of 1100 cd/m². Both models feature Dual Edge display technology and HDR10+ compatibility.

The material used on both devices is aluminium and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. This glass is several times tougher than its predecessor, making the S21 and S23 extremely durable and resistant. The usable surface ratio of both phones is quite close, with the S21 at 89% and the S23 slightly higher at 89.1%.

In terms of audio, both feature Stereo Speakers by AKG and Hi-Res Audio, as well as Dolby Atmos on the S21 and noise cancellation microphone for the S23. This makes them excellent for listening to music or watching movies.

Hardware

The S21 Ultra runs on a Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm) processor with 12GB or 16GB RAM, and the S23 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 (4nm) processor with 8GB or 12GB RAM.

Both models feature 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options. The S21 features UFS Storage 3.1, while the S23 features upgrade storage to UFS Storage 4.0. On AnTuTu v9, the S21 scores 755462 and the S23 scores 1277468, making it significantly faster and more powerful than the S21.

The S21 and S23 both feature a Fingerprint Display as a security measure, providing extra protection and privacy.

Camera

The camera capabilities of both devices are quite impressive. The quad-camera setup on the S21 features a Samsung S5KHM3 108Mpx standard camera with f/1.8 lens, a Sony IMX563 12.2Mpx wide angle and macro lens with f/2.2 aperture, a Samsung S5K3J1 10Mpx telephoto and portrait lens with f/2.4 and 1.220 pixel size, and finally a Samsung S5K3J1 10Mpx telephoto lens with f/4.9 and 1.220 pixel size. Meanwhile, the S23 features a Samsung ISOCELL HP2 200Mpx standard camera with f/1.7 lens, a Sony IMX564 12.2Mpx with f/2.2 and 2.210 pixel size wide angle lens, a 10Mpx telephoto and portrait lens with f/2.4 and 1.120 pixel size, and a 10Mpx telephoto lens with f/4.9 and 1.120 pixel size.

The selfie cameras on both devices are also high-quality. The S21 has a Samsung S5KGH1 44Mpx camera with f/2.2 lens and 0.700 pixel size, while the S23 has a Samsung S5K3LU 12Mpx camera with f/2.2 lens.

The S21 and S23 feature Optical Stabilisation (OIS) for the camera, 4K video, 8K video, second telephoto lens 10x optical zoom, 100x digital zoom, ultra wide angle lens 120º, ultra wide angle video 4K HDR10+ @ 60fps, and ultra wide angle dual pixel autofocus.

Connectivity

In terms of connectivity, both devices feature Bluetooth 5.2, dual SIM, NFC, WiFi 6 (802.11ax), and GPS (L1+L5). The S21 only has USB Host 2.0 while the S23 also has USB Host 3.0 and eSIM capability.

Battery

The battery capacity of both phones is 5000mAh. The S21 supports 25W fast charging, and the S23 supports 45W fast charging. Both devices also support wireless charging and reverse charging.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra both have incredibly similar specs and features, despite the differences in release dates. They both have high-end displays with Dual Edge display and HDR10+ compatibility, as well as powerful processors and impressive camera capabilities. In addition, they both have long-lasting battery life with fast-charging capabilities and wireless charging. While the S23 is undoubtedly the more powerful of the two devices, they are both excellent options for anyone looking for a high-end smartphone.