Samsung Galaxy S21 vs iPhone 12 – specs, price and which is best for you?

SAMSUNG’S unveiled its latest smartphone on Thursday, with the pricey mobile sporting a gorgeous display and enviable camera system.

But how does the Galaxy S21 line up against Apple’s iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro? Read on to find out.

Samsung's new Galaxy S21 smartphone out later this month will be up against the iPhone 12 range — Samsung’s new Galaxy S21 smartphone out later this month will be up against the iPhone 12 range

What are the new Samsung smartphones?

Samsung unveiled three new phones during its virtual Galaxy Unpacked event on Thursday.

They’re the £761 Galaxy S21, £949 S21+ and the £1,149 S21 Ultra.

The mobiles all boast 5G connectivity and curious designs featuring rear camera bumps that merge with the chassis.

The cheapest of the trio is the Samsung Galaxy S21, which boasts a 6.2-inch AMOLED display housed within a metal frame.

Samsung has unveiled three new phones: The Galaxy S21 Ultra (left), S21+ (centre) and S21 (right)Credit: Samsung

Samsung has opted for a retro, flat-edged design as opposed to the pebble-like silhouettes of old – much like Apple did for the iPhone 12.

The Galaxy S21+ features many of the same specs but comes in slightly larger, with a 6.7-inch display.

Those willing to splash a bit of extra cash for all the bells and whistles can opt for the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The S21 series ships later this month and will be going toe-to-toe with the iPhone 12 range, which Apple released last year.

For the purposes of this comparison, we’ll be stacking the S21 against the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, as they come closest in terms of their pricing.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the smallest and cheapest of the new rangeCredit: samsung

Samsung Galaxy S21 specs

The base S21 is the cheapest of Samsung’s new mobiles and will most likely end up as the best selling gizmo of the trio.

Samsung says its improved the camera and performance of the mobile over last year’s Galaxy S20.

Its three rear cameras mean its got an extra snapper over the iPhone 12, and it features a similar “night mode” for snapping photos in the dark.

Here are the specs:

Dimensions: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm
Weight: 172 grams
Screen: AMOLED, 6.2in
OS: Android 11
Storage: 128GB / 256GB
Selfie camera: 10MP
Main camera: Dual – 12MP main + 12MP ultra wide angle lens + 64MP Telephoto
Unlocking: Under-screen fingerprint scanner
Battery: 4,000mAh
Colours: Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom White, Phantom Gray
Connectivity: 5G
RAM: 8GB

iPhone 12 specs

The iPhone 12 is at the cheaper end of Apple's new blowers — The iPhone 12 is at the cheaper end of Apple’s new blowersCredit: apple

The £799 iPhone 12 is at the cheaper end of Apple’s flagship mobiles, and as such has slightly diminished specs.

The handset boasts 5G connectivity and two rear cameras, with main and ultrawide cameras.

Apple said the mobile also features Night Mode – the AI-powered technology that lets you take great photos in the dark.

Here are the specs:

Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm
Weight: 162 grams
Screen: OLED, 6.1in
OS: iOS 14
Storage: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB
Selfie camera: 12MP
Main camera: Dual – 12MP main + 12MP ultra wide angle lens
Unlocking: Face ID facial recognition
Battery: 3,687mAh for 65 hours of audio playback
Colours: Black, White, Product Red, Green and Blue
Connectivity: 5G
RAM: 6GB

iPhone 12 Pro specs

The iPhone 12 Pro is the same size as the iPhone 12 but with better specs and three rear cameras instead of twoCredit: apple

The £999 iPhone 12 Pro is the same size as the iPhone 12 but with slightly better specs.

It also supports 5G but houses three rear cameras, adding a telephoto lens to the main and ultrawide camera sported by the iPhone 12.

The screen is the same is the iPhone 12’s, and it’s powered by the same A14 chip – Apple’s powerful new phone engine.

Here are the specs:

Dimensions: 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm
Weight: 189 grams
Screen: OLED, 6.1in
OS: iOS 14
Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB
Selfie camera: 12MP
Rear camera: Triple – 12MP main + 12MP ultra wide angle lens + 12MP telephoto lens
Unlocking: Face ID facial recognition
Battery: 3,687mAh for 65 hours of audio playback
Colours: Silver, Graphite, Gold, Pacific Blue
Connectivity: 5G
RAM: 6GB

Samsung Galaxy S21 vs iPhone 12 – Which is best for you?

With specs that line up pretty similarly, it’s tough to call which phone is best for you.

As far as the specs go, if battery life or a wallet-friendly price tag top your list of priorities, then the iPhone 12 is the way to go.

If a camera is more your priority but you don’t want to drop a grand on a phone, then gun for the Galaxy S21.

All in all, we’d suggest sticking to the operating system you know best.

If you’re an avid Android fan, then the Samsung is your best bet, while iOS nuts should stick to one of Apple’s handsets.

Samsung – a brief history

Here’s what you need to know…

Samsung is a major South Korean company made up of many businesses that operate globally
It’s known locally as a “chaebol”, which means “business conglomerate”
It was founded by Lee Byung-chul in 1938 as a trading company
But over several decades, it branched out into food processing, insurance, textiles and retail
It wasn’t until the late 1960s when Samsung entered the electronics industry – for which it’s best known in the west today
It also launched businesses in construction and shipbuilding in the 1970s
Today, Samsung’s most important sources of income are its smartphones and computer chips
The firm accounts for around a fifth of South Korea’s total exports, and roughly 17% of the country’s GDP
More than 320,000 staff are employed by Samsung globally
And in 2017, Samsung turned over the equivalent of £174billion today in revenue