Built for India. Every specification is source-checked before it goes live.
GGadzela

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Side-by-side comparison of specifications, price, camera, battery and performance in India

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Phone 1

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

₹22,464

View details →
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Phone 2

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

₹84,999

View details →
Expert verdict

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Comparison Summary

Price

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is priced lower at ₹22,464, giving it an affordability edge. The price gap is ₹62,535.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G wins
Display

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G features a — display. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers —. Both offer the same refresh rate.

Performance

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G runs the —. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is powered by the —. Both phones share the same chipset, so raw performance will be near-identical.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers a — camera system. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has —. Both phones support 4K video recording.

Battery

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G packs a — setup. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra uses —. Both phones have the same battery capacity.

Software & Ecosystem

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G runs —. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra ships with —. Software update timelines and AI features differ significantly between the two ecosystems.

Spec score

Overall rating breakdown

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

65%

Fair

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

65%

Fair

Strengths and weaknesses

Pros and cons

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

₹22,464

Pros

  • At ₹22,464 it carries IP68 water resistance — extremely rare at this price in 2025
  • 177g weight is exceptionally light for a phone with these specifications
  • 32MP selfie camera with portrait video — still competitive for social media users
  • Wireless charging support is rare at this price point

Cons

  • Exynos 2100 has reached a performance ceiling — newer mid-range chips can outpace it in benchmarks
  • OS updates have ended (hit 4-year limit) — no longer receives Android version upgrades
  • No expandable storage — 256GB only
  • 25W wired charging is slow and no charger is included in box

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

₹84,999

Pros

  • 10× periscope optical zoom is unique and unmatched in this price range after discounts — delivers Space Zoom up to 100×
  • S Pen with low latency makes note-taking, sketching, and document signing natural and responsive
  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 still delivers top-tier gaming and AI performance 2 years after launch
  • At its 2025 discounted price, the S23 Ultra offers better zoom capability than phones double its price

Cons

  • 4-year OS update promise (not the 7 years introduced with S24 series) — it will stop receiving updates sooner
  • At 234g it is heavy — the heaviest phone in this list
  • No anti-reflective coating on the display (introduced with S24 Ultra)
  • Wi-Fi 6E (not Wi-Fi 7 as in S24 Ultra and S25)
Full specifications

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra — Complete specification table

At a Glance
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Starting Price
₹22,464
Lower price
₹84,999
Network
5G
5G
Launched
—
—
User Rating
—
—
Available colours
1 options
2 options
Display
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Screen Size
6.4 inches
6.8 inches
Resolution
2400 × 1080 px FHD+
3088 × 1440 px QHD+
Panel Type
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Refresh Rate
120Hz
1–120Hz LTPO
Brightness
1300 nits peak
2200 nits peak
Performance
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Processor
Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm)
CPU Cores
Octa-core (1× 2.9GHz + 3× 2.8GHz + 4× 2.2GHz)
Octa-core (1× 3.36GHz + 2× 2.8GHz + 2× 2.8GHz + 3× 2.0GHz)
GPU
Mali-G78 MP14
Adreno 740
RAM
8GB LPDDR5
12GB LPDDR5
Storage
256GB UFS 3.1
256GB / 512GB UFS 4.0
Expandable Storage
No
—
Camera
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Main Camera
12MP f/1.8 OIS
200MP f/1.7 OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera
12MP f/2.2
12MP f/2.2
Telephoto Camera
8MP f/2.4 OIS (3× optical)
—
Front Camera
32MP f/2.2
12MP f/2.2
Video Recording
4K @ 60fps
8K @ 30fps
Periscope Telephoto
—
10MP f/4.9 OIS (10× optical)
Telephoto
—
10MP f/2.4 OIS (3× optical)
Battery & Charging
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Battery Capacity
4500 mAh
5000 mAh
Charging Speed
25W wired
45W wired
Wireless Charging
15W (Qi)
15W (Qi)
Reverse Wireless
4.5W
4.5W
Connectivity
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Network
5G SA/NSA
5G SA/NSA
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.3
USB
USB Type-C 2.0
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
NFC
Yes
Yes
Design & Build
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Body Material
Plastic frame and back (matte finish)
Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 back
IP Rating
IP68 (1.5m, 30 min)
IP68
Dimensions
155.7 × 74.5 × 8.2 mm
163.3 × 78.1 × 8.9 mm
Weight
177g
234g
Fingerprint Sensor
Under-display (optical)
Under-display (ultrasonic)
S Pen
—
Built-in S Pen, 2.8ms latency
Software
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
OS at Launch
Android 12
Android 13
UI
One UI 4.1
One UI 5.1
Current OS
Android 15 (One UI 7)
—
Update Status
Reached end of OS updates (4 years completed)
—
AI Features
—
Galaxy AI via software update (One UI 6.1)
Update Promise
—
4 years OS, 5 years security
Price comparison

All variants and prices

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

8GB RAM / 256GB
₹22,464

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

12GB RAM / 256GB
₹84,999
12GB RAM / 512GB
₹99,999
Common questions

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G or Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra target similar market segments. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G starts at ₹22,464 and runs — with a — display and — chip. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at ₹84,999 and offers — with —. If battery life is the priority, compare their mAh capacities. If display quality matters, compare refresh rates and panel types. Neither has a universal advantage — the choice depends on your use case and ecosystem preference.
What is the price difference between Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G starts at ₹22,464 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at ₹84,999 in India. The price difference between base models is ₹62,535. Both phones are available in multiple RAM/storage variants at different price points.
Does Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G have a better camera than Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers a — camera system. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra provides —. Camera quality depends on factors beyond megapixels — including sensor size, aperture, OIS, and computational photography. For the most accurate comparison, refer to independent review sites that run controlled camera tests in the same conditions.
Which phone has longer battery life: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G or Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes with a — battery. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra includes —. Battery life also depends on the display resolution, refresh rate, and software optimisation. A larger mAh does not guarantee proportionally longer life if the display or processor is more power-hungry.
Is Samsung Galaxy S21 FE still worth buying in 2025?
The S21 FE at ₹22,464 is a unique case: IP68 water resistance, wireless charging, 32MP selfie, and a lightweight 177g body in this price range is genuinely rare. However, its OS updates ended in 2026 (4-year limit from 2022 launch). Security patches continue until 2027. If you plan to use it for 1–2 years, it is still capable. For longer ownership, consider newer phones with active update cycles.
Is Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra still a good phone in 2025?
Yes, particularly at its discounted price of around ₹84,999. The 200MP camera, 10× optical zoom, S Pen, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and IP68 rating remain class-leading features. The key limitation is the 4-year OS update promise (ending around 2027) versus the S24/S25 series' 7-year commitment. If long-term software support is a priority, choose S24 Ultra.
More comparisons

Related smartphone comparisons

S21FE
S24FE

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

₹22,464 · ₹39,999

S21FE
S25FE

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

₹22,464 · ₹48,700

S21FE
A55

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy A55 5G

₹22,464 · ₹17,999

S23U
S24U

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

₹84,999 · ₹99,999

S23U
S25U

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

₹84,999 · ₹94,999

S23U
S24

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S24

₹84,999 · ₹49,999

Editorial note

Specifications on Gadzela are sourced from official brand announcements and cross-referenced against published datasheets. Prices shown reflect India launch prices and may vary by retailer or over time. Always verify before purchasing. This page does not contain sponsored placements.