Apple iPhone SE (32GB) vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB)
Side by side comparison between Apple iPhone SE vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
4"
IPS
IPS
640x1136
12
MP
MP
1.2mp
2GB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
1642
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
6.8"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1440x3200
108
MP
MP
40mp
12GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
5000
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 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!
5 Advantages 
35 Advantages | 21 Common items in both devices |
| Aluminum body, glass front / Aluminum frame, glass front/back |
| 16 million |
| Autofocus / PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| BSI sensor |
| HDR photo/video and HDR photo on front camera / HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| +14 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 SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Model | iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) |
| Other model names | iPhone SE A1662, iPhone SE A1723, iPhone SE A1724 | Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (SM-G998U1) Unlocked |
| Country or region available |  (Global, International) |  USA |
| Brand | Apple | Samsung |
| Release date | 3/31/2016, Announced: 3/21/2016 | 1/29/2021, Announced: 1/14/2021 |
| Depth | 7.6 millimeters (0.3 inches) | 8.9 millimeters (0.35 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 58.6 x 123.8 millimeters (2.31 x 4.87 in) | 75.6 x 165.1 millimeters (2.98 x 6.5 in) |
| Weight | 113 grams (3.96 ounces) | 227 grams (7.95 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Aluminum body, glass front | Aluminum frame, glass front/back |
| Protection against water and others | Not supported | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Display type | TFT LED-Backlit IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Screen size | 4" inches | 6.8" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~60.8% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~89.4% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 640x1136 pixels (16:9) | 1440x3200 pixels (20:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 326 PPI | 516 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 4 | Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Display features | Not supported | 1500nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| System version | iOS 9.0 | Android 11 |
| Firmware update | iOS 15 | Android 15 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | One UI 3.1 / 4.1 / 5.1 / 6.0 / 7.0 |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Apple A9 (APL1022) (16nm) | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (SM8350) (5nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 1.84GHz Twister (Dual-core) | Octa-core, 3 processors: 1x 2.84GHz Kryo 680 (Single-core) 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 680 (Triple-core) 4x 1.8GHz Kryo 680 (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | PowerVR GT7600 (6-core, 650MHz) | Qualcomm Adreno 660 (840MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | Basemark OS II: 2163 (2.0) | AnTuTu: 681099 (v8), 809165 (v9) Geekbench: 3539 (v5.2) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| RAM memory | 2GB LPDDR4 | 12GB LPDDR5 |
| Internal storage | 32GB (27GB available) NVMe (SSD) | 256GB (220GB available) UFS 3.1 |
| External storage | Not supported | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) + e-SIM |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 150/50 Mbps | 5000/1920 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | 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 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO TD-SCDMA 1900/2000 (A1724) UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat4 A1662 model: LTE Cat4 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29) A1723/A1724 model: LTE Cat4 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28) TD‑LTE (38, 39, 40, 41) | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 66, 71) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48) VoLTE |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | SA/NSA/Sub6 (2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71) mmWave (260, 261) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, TD-SCDMA, UMTS, TD-HSDPA, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 66, 71) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48) VoLTE |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 |
📷 Camera | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 12 megapixels | (quad camera) 108 megapixels 10MP periscope telephoto f/4.9240mm1/3.24"1.22µmPDAFOIS10x-optical-zoom 10MP telephoto f/2.470mm1/3.24"1.22µmPDAFOIS3x-optical-zoom 12MP ultrawide f/2.213mm1/2.55"1.4µmPDAFSuper-Steady-video |
| Main camera resolution | 4000x3000 pixels | 12000x9000 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps | 8K UHD (7680x4320) 24 fps |
| Flash | Dual-LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/2.2 (aperture) | f/1.8 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 29mm (lens) | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | 1/3" inches | 1/1.33" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.22µm pixel | 1.8µm pixel |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | EIS: Digital stabilization | 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 and HDR photo on front camera | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | 4K@60fps 1080p@240fps 720p@960fps |
📸 Front camera | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 1.2 megapixels | 40 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 1280x960 pixels | 7296x5472 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | HD (1280x720) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.4 (aperture) | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 31mm (lens) | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | 1/2.8" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | 0.7µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Mono sound (not stereo) 16-bit/44.1kHz | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones | 3 microphones |
| Radio | Not supported | FM |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MPEG4, H.264, H.265, MOV | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, AAX+, AIFF | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| USB | USB 2.0 proprietary connector | USB 3.2 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | Type-C reversible connector |
| TV output | Proprietary TV-out | USB Type-C (reversible) |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 + A2DP | 5.2 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) 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 | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Fingerprint sensor (front-mounted) Gyroscope Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock 2D Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gesture Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| Battery type | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 1642 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | 25W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 3.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | Not supported | 15W Qi wireless charging (Qi/PMA) 4.5W Reverse wireless charging |
| Talk time autonomy | 14 hours | feature not registered |
| Standby | 240 hours (10 days) | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| 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 Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold • Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX) • AirDrop • FaceTime • iCloud • Siri • Touch ID | • Colors: Phantom Black, Silver, Titanium, Navy, Brown • Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard) • Samsung DeX • Stylus pen support |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| iPhone SE (32GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998U1 256GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | 1.17W/kg (head), 1.19W/kg (body) | 0.77W/kg (head), 1.02W/kg (body) |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | 0.72W/kg (head), 0.97W/kg (body) | feature not registered |