Apple iPhone Air (256GB) vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB)
Side by side comparison between Apple iPhone Air vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6.5"
OLED
OLED
1260x2736
48
MP
MP
18mp
12GB
RAM
RAM
Hexa-core
3149
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
6.4"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1080x2400
12.2
MP
MP
32mp
8GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
4500
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Apple iPhone Air (256GB)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
24 Advantages 
8 Advantages | 28 Common items in both devices |
| Super Retina XDR OLED / Dynamic AMOLED |
| Dolby Vision/HDR10 / HDR10+ |
| 120Hz |
| PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras / PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| BSI sensor |
| HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| +21 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Model | iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) |
| Other model names | iPhone 17 Air (A3260, A3517, A3518) | Galaxy S21 FE 5G SM-G9900 Dual-SIM (Exynos) |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) |  China |
| Brand | Apple | Samsung |
| Release date | 9/19/2025, Announced: 9/9/2025 | 1/7/2022, Announced: 1/4/2022 |
| Depth | 5.6 millimeters (0.22 inches) | 7.9 millimeters (0.31 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 74.7 x 156.2 millimeters (2.94 x 6.15 in) | 74.5 x 155.7 millimeters (2.93 x 6.13 in) |
| Weight | 165 grams (5.78 ounces) | 177 grams (6.2 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Titanium frame, glass front and back Back: Ceramic Shield | Aluminum body, glass front, plastic back |
| Protection against water and others | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Display type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Screen size | 6.5" inches | 6.4" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~88.8% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~85.3% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1260x2736 pixels (19.5:9) | 1080x2400 pixels (20:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 463 PPI | 411 PPI |
| Colors | 1 billion | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Ceramic Shield | Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Display features | 1000nits[typ], 3000nits[peak] Dolby Vision/HDR10 Always-On Display Oleophobic coating screen True-tone Wide color gamut | 1300nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| System version | iOS 26 | Android 12 |
| Firmware update | feature not registered | Android 15 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | One UI 4.1 / 5.1 / 6.0 / 7.0 |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Apple A19 Pro (3nm) | 64bit: Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm) |
| CPU | Hexa-core, 2 processors: 2x 4.26GHz P-Core (Dual-core) 4x 2.2GHz E-Core (Quad-core) | Octa-core, 3 processors: 1x 2.9GHz ARM Cortex-X1 (Single-core) 3x 2.8GHz ARM Cortex-A78 (Triple-core) 4x 2.2GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | A19 Pro GPU (5-core) | ARM Mali-G78 MP14 (854MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| RAM memory | 12GB LPDDR5X | 8GB LPDDR5 |
| Internal storage | 256GB (230GB available) NVMe (SSD) | 128GB (97GB available) UFS 3.1 |
| External storage | Not supported | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card |
| SIM card | e-SIM (Eletronic) | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 5000/1024 Mbps | 2000/1024 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA 800, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat20 VoLTE A3517 (International): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 53, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) A3260 (USA): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 53, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) A3518 (Canada, Mexico, EMEA): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 53, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) | LTE Cat20 (1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE |
| Primary 5G network | A3517 (International): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 77, 78, 79) A3260 (USA): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79) A3518 (Canada, Mexico, EMEA): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79) | SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78, 79) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6, mmWave | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | LTE Cat20 (1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA |
📷 Camera | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 48 megapixels | (triple camera) 12.2 megapixels 12MP ultrawide f/2.2123°13mm1/3"1.12µm 8MP telephoto f/2.476mm1/4.5"1.0µmPDAFOIS3x-optical-zoom |
| Main camera resolution | 8000x6000 pixels | 4032x3024 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps |
| Flash | Dual-LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.6 (aperture) | f/1.8 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm (lens) | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | 1/1.56" inches | 1/1.76" inches |
| Pixel size | 1µm pixel | 1.8µm pixel |
| Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras | PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization on both cameras | OIS: Optical stabilization |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Digital and optical zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Supported | Supported |
| HDR | HDR photo/video on both cameras | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | 4K@24/25/30/60fps 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps Dolby Vision (60fps) 10-bit HDR | 4K@30/60fps 1080p@30/60fps 1080p@240fps (slow motion) 720p@960fps (slow motion) |
📸 Front camera | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | (dual front camera) 18 megapixels 0.3MP SL 3D | 32 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 5184x3456 pixels | 6528x4896 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/1.9 (aperture) | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | 1/2.74" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | 0.8µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Mono sound (not stereo) Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio 3D | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones | 2 microphones |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| USB | USB 2.0 Type-C reversible connector | USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | Type-C reversible connector | Type-C reversible connector |
| TV output | USB Type-C (reversible) | USB Type-C SlimPort® |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 + A2DP/LE | 5.0 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be [wifi7/6E/6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) + MIMO WiFi hotspot | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Not supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, QZSS, NavIC | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock 3D Gyroscope Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock 2D Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 3149 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charger, watts | 30W Wired fast charging 4.5W Reverse charging by cable USB Power Delivery 2.0 | 25W Wired fast charging Reverse charging by cable USB Power Delivery 3.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | 25W Qi2 wireless charging | 15W Qi wireless charging 4.5W Reverse wireless charging |
| Talk time autonomy | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue • Apple Intelligence • Apple Pay • Face ID • MagSafe | • Colors: Graphite, White, Lavender, Olive |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| iPhone Air (256GB) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 128GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | 0.674W/kg (head), 1.501W/kg (body) |