Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB)
Side by side comparison between Sony Xperia 1 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6.5"
OLED
OLED
1644x3840
12
MP
MP
8mp
6GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
3330
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? Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 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!
7 Advantages 
22 Advantages | 26 Common items in both devices |
| Aluminum frame, glass front/back / Aluminum body, glass front, plastic back |
| LED flash |
| Digital and optical zoom |
| PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| OIS (5-axis): Optical stabilization / OIS: Optical stabilization |
| HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| +19 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 | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Model | Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) |
| Other model names | Sony Xperia 1 (NTT DoCoMo) 64GB, Sony Kumano | Galaxy S21 FE 5G SM-G9900 Dual-SIM (Exynos) |
| Country or region available |  Japan |  China |
| Brand | Sony | Samsung |
| Release date | 5/29/2019, Announced: 2/25/2019 | 1/7/2022, Announced: 1/4/2022 |
| Depth | 8.2 millimeters (0.32 inches) | 7.9 millimeters (0.31 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 72 x 167 millimeters (2.83 x 6.57 in) | 74.5 x 155.7 millimeters (2.93 x 6.13 in) |
| Weight | 178 grams (6.23 ounces) | 177 grams (6.2 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Aluminum frame, glass front/back | 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 | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Display type | OLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Screen size | 6.5" inches | 6.4" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~82% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~85.3% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1644x3840 pixels (21:9) | 1080x2400 pixels (20:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 643 PPI | 411 PPI |
| Colors | 1 billion | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 6 | Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 120Hz |
| Display features | HDR10 100% DCI-P3 HDR BT.2020 | 1300nits[peak] HDR10+ Always-On Display |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| System version | Android 9.0 Pie | Android 12 |
| Firmware update | Android 11 | Android 14 |
| User Interface | feature not registered | One UI 4.1 / 5.1 / 6.0 |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (SM8150) (7nm) | 64bit: Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core, 3 processors: 1x 2.84GHz Kryo 485 (Single-core) 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 485 (Triple-core) 4x 1.78GHz Kryo 485 (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 | Qualcomm Adreno 640 (585MHz) | ARM Mali-G78 MP14 (854MHz) |
| Performance (benchmark) | AnTuTu: 356734 (v7), 418206 (v8) Geekbench: 10985 (v4.4), 2753 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| RAM memory | 6GB LPDDR4X | 8GB LPDDR5 |
| Internal storage | 64GB (48GB available) UFS 2.1 | 256GB (215GB available) UFS 3.1 |
| External storage | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot) | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 1600/150 Mbps | 2000/1024 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 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA 800, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | UMTS 800/850/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat19/13 (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 19, 21, 28) TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41, 42) | LTE Cat20 (1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41) VoLTE |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78, 79) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A | 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 | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | (triple camera) 12 megapixels 12MP telephoto f/2.452mm1/3.4"1.0µmPDAFOIS2x-optical-zoom 12MP ultrawide f/2.416mm1/3.4"1.0µm | (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 | 4000x3000 pixels | 4032x3024 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/1.6 (aperture) | f/1.8 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 26mm lens | 26mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/2.6" inches | 1/1.76" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.4µm pixel | 1.8µm pixel |
| Autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | OIS (5-axis): Optical stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization |
| Zoom | Digital and optical 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@24/30fps 1080p@30/60/960fps BIONZ X | 4K@30/60fps 1080p@30/60fps 1080p@240fps (slow motion) 720p@960fps (slow motion) |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 8 megapixels | 32 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 3264x2448 pixels | 6528x4896 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | Full HD (1920x1080) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/2.0 (aperture) | f/2.2 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 24mm lens | 26mm lens |
| Sensor size | 1/4" inches | 1/2.74" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.12µm pixel | 0.8µm pixel |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Stereo sound 24-bit/192kHz Dolby Atmos | Stereo sound 32-bit/384kHz Dolby Atmos Tuned by AKG |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV |
| Audio formats | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| USB | USB 3.1 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 SlimPort® | USB Type-C SlimPort® |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 + A2DP/LE | 5.0 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax [wifi6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (under display) Gyroscope Hall effect Proximity sensor |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | LiPo: li-ion polymer (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 3330 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Charger, watts | 18W Wired fast charging USB Power Delivery 2.0 | 25W Wired fast charging Reverse charging by cable USB Power Delivery 3.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | Not supported | 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 | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 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: Black, Gray, Purple, White | • Colors: Graphite, White, Lavender, Olive |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Sony Xperia 1 (SO-03L) | Galaxy S21 FE (SM-G9900 256GB) | |
| 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) |