Samsung Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB)
Side by side comparison between Samsung Galaxy A35 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6.6"
AMOLED
AMOLED
1080x2340
50
MP
MP
13mp
6GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
5000
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-G998W 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!
4 Advantages 
22 Advantages | 36 Common items in both devices |
| Super AMOLED / Dynamic AMOLED |
| HDR10+ |
| 120Hz |
| 16 million |
| LED flash |
| PDAF: phase detection autofocus / PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| OIS: Optical stabilization |
| +29 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 | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Model | Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) |
| Other model names | Galaxy A35 5G SM-A356E/Dual-SIM | Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (SM-G998W) |
| Country or region available |   (Latin America), Brazil |  Canada |
| Brand | Samsung | Samsung |
| Release date | 3/15/2024, Announced: 3/11/2024 | 1/29/2021, Announced: 1/14/2021 |
| Depth | 8.2 millimeters (0.32 inches) | 8.9 millimeters (0.35 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 78 x 161.7 millimeters (3.07 x 6.37 in) | 75.6 x 165.1 millimeters (2.98 x 6.5 in) |
| Weight | 209 grams (7.32 ounces) | 227 grams (7.95 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Plastic body, glass front/back | Aluminum frame, glass front/back |
| Protection against water and others | IP67 certified: dust proof and waterproof over 1 meter and 30min | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Display type | Super AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Screen size | 6.6" inches | 6.8" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~84.8% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~89.4% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1080x2340 pixels (19.5:9) | 1440x3200 pixels (20:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 390 PPI | 516 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass Victus | Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Display features | HDR10+ Always-On Display | 1500nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| System version | Android 14 | Android 11 |
| Firmware update | feature not registered | Android 14 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | One UI 3.1 / 4.1 / 5.1 / 6.0 |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Samsung Exynos 1380 (5nm) | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (SM8350) (5nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core, 2 processors: 4x 2.4GHz ARM Cortex-A78 (Quad-core) 4x 2GHz ARM Cortex-A55 (Quad-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 | ARM Mali-G68 MP5 (950MHz) | Qualcomm Adreno 660 (840MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | AnTuTu: 521998 (v9), 602995 (v10) Geekbench: 2740 (v5), 2931 (v6) | AnTuTu: 681099 (v8), 809165 (v9) Geekbench: 3539 (v5.2) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| RAM memory | 6GB LPDDR4X | 12GB LPDDR5 |
| Internal storage | 128GB (108GB available) UFS 2.2 | 256GB (220GB available) UFS 3.1 |
| External storage | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot) | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot) | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card |
| SIM card | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) + e-SIM |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 3000/1024 Mbps | 5000/1920 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 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat18 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 66) TD-LTE (38, 40, 41) VoLTE | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 29, 30, 66, 71) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41, 46) VoLTE |
| Primary 5G network | SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 26, 28, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78) | SA/NSA/Sub6 (2, 41, 66, 71) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA |
| Secondary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Secondary 3G network | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Secondary 4G network | LTE Cat18 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 66) TD-LTE (38, 40, 41) VoLTE | LTE Cat20 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 29, 30, 66, 71) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41, 46) VoLTE |
| Secondary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6 | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA |
📷 Camera | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | (triple camera) 50 megapixels 8MP ultrawide f/2.2123°1/4"1.12µm 5MP macro f/2.4 | (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 | 8160x6120 pixels | 12000x9000 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps | 8K UHD (7680x4320) 24 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.8 (aperture) | f/1.8 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | 1/1.96" inches | 1/1.33" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | 1.8µm pixel |
| Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | OIS: Optical 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 on both cameras | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | 4K@30fps 1080p@30/60fps 720p@240fps (slow motion) | 4K@60fps 1080p@240fps 720p@960fps |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 13 megapixels | 40 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 4128x3096 pixels | 7296x5472 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.2 (aperture) | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | 1/3.06" inches | 1/2.8" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.12µm pixel | 0.7µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Stereo sound | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 3 microphones |
| Radio | Not supported | FM |
| 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 | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| USB | USB 2.0 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go | 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 (reversible) |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 + A2DP/LE | 5.2 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, 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 | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Hall effect Virtual proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gesture Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charger, watts | 25W Wired fast 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 | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 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: Navy, Iceblue, Lilac, Lemon | • Colors: Phantom Black, Silver, Titanium, Navy, Brown • Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard) • Samsung DeX • Stylus pen support |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Galaxy A35 (SM-A356E/DS 128GB) | Galaxy S21 Ultra (SM-G998W 256GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | 1.12W/kg (head), 1.25W/kg (body) |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |