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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S26 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 S26 Ultra
Phone 2

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

4.7(605)

₹1,39,999

View details →
Expert verdict

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Comparison Summary

Price

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is priced lower at ₹22,464, giving it an affordability edge. The price gap is ₹1,17,535.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G wins
Display

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G features a — display. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra offers 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, QHD+, 120Hz. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a higher 120Hz refresh rate.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra wins
Performance

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G runs the —. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Different chipsets mean benchmark scores and power efficiency will vary; check independent reviews for real-world impact.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers a — camera system. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has 200MP + 50MP + 50MP + 10MP. Both phones support 4K video recording.

Battery

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G packs a — setup. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra uses 5000 mAh, 60W. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has a larger 5000 mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra wins
Software & Ecosystem

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G runs —. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra ships with Android 16, One UI 8.5. 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 S26 Ultra

89%

Very Good

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 S26 Ultra

₹1,39,999

Pros

  • 200MP camera with 5× periscope telephoto
  • Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — class-leading performance
  • Privacy Display feature is unique
  • S Pen stylus included
  • 60W fast charging is fastest in the S series
  • 7-year software guarantee

Cons

  • Starts at ₹1,39,999 — very expensive
  • Large and heavy at 214g
  • No 100W+ charging like OnePlus 13
  • No charger in the box
Full specifications

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — Complete specification table

At a Glance
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Starting Price
₹22,464
Lower price
₹1,39,999
Network
5G
5G
Launched
—
March 2026
User Rating
—
4.7/5 (605 ratings)
Higher rating
Available colours
1 options
Cobalt Violet, Black, Sky Blue
Display
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Screen Size
6.4 inches
—
Resolution
2400 × 1080 px FHD+
3120 × 1440 (QHD+, 499 ppi)
Panel Type
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
—
Refresh Rate
120Hz
1–120Hz (adaptive)
Brightness
1300 nits peak
3000 nits peak
Size
—
6.9 inches
Type
—
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Protection
—
Corning Gorilla Armor 2
Privacy Display
—
Yes (world first)
Performance
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Processor
Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
CPU Cores
Octa-core (1× 2.9GHz + 3× 2.8GHz + 4× 2.2GHz)
—
GPU
Mali-G78 MP14
—
RAM
8GB LPDDR5
12 GB / 16 GB LPDDR5X
Storage
256GB UFS 3.1
256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB UFS 4.0
Expandable Storage
No
—
Architecture
—
3nm TSMC
AnTuTu Score
—
~3,900,000
Camera
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Main Camera
12MP f/1.8 OIS
—
Ultra-Wide Camera
12MP f/2.2
—
Telephoto Camera
8MP f/2.4 OIS (3× optical)
—
Front Camera
32MP f/2.2
12 MP, f/2.2
Video Recording
4K @ 60fps
—
Main
—
200 MP, f/1.7, OIS, 100× Space Zoom
Telephoto 1
—
50 MP, f/2.9, 5× optical zoom, OIS
Ultra-wide
—
50 MP, f/1.9, 120° FOV
Telephoto 2
—
10 MP, f/2.4, 3× optical zoom
Video
—
8K @30fps, 4K @60fps
Battery & Charging
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Battery Capacity
4500 mAh
—
Charging Speed
25W wired
—
Wireless Charging
15W (Qi)
25W wireless
Reverse Wireless
4.5W
4.5W
Capacity
—
5000 mAh
Wired Charging
—
60W super fast charging
Connectivity
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Network
5G SA/NSA
5G SA/NSA, 4G LTE
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.0
6.0
USB
USB Type-C 2.0
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2
NFC
Yes
Yes
S Pen
—
Yes (included, with Air Actions)
Design & Build
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Body Material
Plastic frame and back (matte finish)
—
IP Rating
IP68 (1.5m, 30 min)
—
Dimensions
155.7 × 74.5 × 8.2 mm
78.1 × 163.6 × 7.9 mm
Weight
177g
214 g
Fingerprint Sensor
Under-display (optical)
—
Build
—
Armour Aluminium frame, Gorilla Armor 2
Water Resistance
—
IP68 (1.5m/30 min)
SIM
—
Nano SIM + eSIM
Software
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
OS at Launch
Android 12
—
UI
One UI 4.1
One UI 8.5
Current OS
Android 15 (One UI 7)
—
Update Status
Reached end of OS updates (4 years completed)
—
OS
—
Android 16
Updates
—
7 years OS + security
AI Features
—
Galaxy AI (Now Assist, Photo Assist, Creative Studio, Call Screen, Privacy Alerts)
Price comparison

All variants and prices

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

8GB RAM / 256GB
₹22,464

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

12GB RAM / 256GB· Cobalt Violet
₹1,39,999
12GB RAM / 512GB· Black
₹1,59,999
16GB RAM / 1024GB· Sky Blue
₹1,89,999
Common questions

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G or Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Samsung Galaxy S26 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 S26 Ultra starts at ₹1,39,999 and offers 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, QHD+, 120Hz with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. 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 S26 Ultra?
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G starts at ₹22,464 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at ₹1,39,999 in India. The price difference between base models is ₹1,17,535. 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 S26 Ultra?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers a — camera system. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra provides 200MP + 50MP + 50MP + 10MP. 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 S26 Ultra?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes with a — battery. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra includes 5000 mAh, 60W. 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 S26 Ultra worth buying over S26?
Yes, if camera versatility and S Pen productivity matter. The S26 Ultra has a 200MP camera (vs 50MP on S26), 5× periscope telephoto, 100× Space Zoom, integrated S Pen, faster 60W charging, QHD+ display, and Privacy Display technology. At ₹1,39,999 vs ₹87,999, the premium is for dedicated photographers and power users.
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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.