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Samsung Galaxy S26+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

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

Samsung Galaxy S26+
Phone 1

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S26+

4.6(180)

₹1,19,999

View details →
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Phone 2

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

₹22,464

View details →
Expert verdict

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

Price

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is priced lower at ₹22,464, giving it an affordability edge. The price gap is ₹97,535.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G wins
Display

Samsung Galaxy S26+ features a 6.7" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, QHD+, 120Hz display. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers —. Samsung Galaxy S26+ has a higher 120Hz refresh rate.

Samsung Galaxy S26+ wins
Performance

Samsung Galaxy S26+ runs the Samsung Exynos 2600 (2nm). Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is powered by the —. Different chipsets mean benchmark scores and power efficiency will vary; check independent reviews for real-world impact.

Camera

Samsung Galaxy S26+ offers a 50MP + 12MP + 10MP camera system. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G has —. Both phones support 4K video recording.

Battery

Samsung Galaxy S26+ packs a 4900 mAh, 45W setup. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G uses —. Samsung Galaxy S26+ has a larger 4900 mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy S26+ wins
Software & Ecosystem

Samsung Galaxy S26+ runs Android 16, One UI 8.5. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G ships with —. Software update timelines and AI features differ significantly between the two ecosystems.

Spec score

Overall rating breakdown

Samsung Galaxy S26+

88%

Very Good

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

65%

Fair

Strengths and weaknesses

Pros and cons

Samsung Galaxy S26+

₹1,19,999

Pros

  • 2nm Exynos 2600 — excellent performance and efficiency
  • QHD+ display with 2600 nits brightness
  • 45W wired + 25W wireless charging
  • IP68 water resistance
  • 7-year update guarantee

Cons

  • ₹1,19,999 — very expensive
  • No S Pen (that's the Ultra)
  • No charger in the box

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
Full specifications

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

At a Glance
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Starting Price
₹1,19,999
₹22,464
Lower price
Network
5G
5G
Launched
February 2026
—
User Rating
4.6/5 (180 ratings)
Higher rating
—
Available colours
Cobalt Violet, Black
1 options
Display
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Size
6.7 inches
—
Type
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
—
Resolution
3088 × 1440 (QHD+)
2400 × 1080 px FHD+
Refresh Rate
1–120Hz (adaptive)
120Hz
Brightness
2600 nits peak
1300 nits peak
Protection
Corning Gorilla Armor 2
—
Screen Size
—
6.4 inches
Panel Type
—
Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Performance
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Processor
Samsung Exynos 2600
Samsung Exynos 2100 (5nm)
Architecture
2nm TSMC
—
RAM
12 GB LPDDR5X
8GB LPDDR5
Storage
256 GB / 512 GB UFS 4.0
256GB UFS 3.1
CPU Cores
—
Octa-core (1× 2.9GHz + 3× 2.8GHz + 4× 2.2GHz)
GPU
—
Mali-G78 MP14
Expandable Storage
—
No
Camera
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Main
50 MP, f/1.8, OIS, Dual Pixel AF
—
Ultra-wide
12 MP, f/2.2, 120° FOV
—
Telephoto
10 MP, f/2.4, 3× optical zoom, OIS
—
Front Camera
12 MP, f/2.2
32MP f/2.2
Video
8K @30fps, 4K @60fps
—
Main Camera
—
12MP f/1.8 OIS
Ultra-Wide Camera
—
12MP f/2.2
Telephoto Camera
—
8MP f/2.4 OIS (3× optical)
Video Recording
—
4K @ 60fps
Battery & Charging
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Capacity
4900 mAh
—
Wired Charging
45W super fast charging
—
Wireless Charging
25W wireless
15W (Qi)
Reverse Wireless
4.5W
4.5W
Battery Capacity
—
4500 mAh
Charging Speed
—
25W wired
Connectivity
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Network
5G SA/NSA, 4G LTE
5G SA/NSA
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Bluetooth
6.0
Bluetooth 5.0
NFC
Yes
Yes
USB
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2
USB Type-C 2.0
Design & Build
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Dimensions
75.8 × 158.4 × 7.3 mm
155.7 × 74.5 × 8.2 mm
Weight
190 g
177g
Build
Armour Aluminium, Gorilla Armor 2
—
Water Resistance
IP68 (1.5m/30 min)
—
Body Material
—
Plastic frame and back (matte finish)
IP Rating
—
IP68 (1.5m, 30 min)
Fingerprint Sensor
—
Under-display (optical)
Software
Specification
Samsung Galaxy S26+
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
OS
Android 16
—
UI
One UI 8.5
One UI 4.1
Updates
7 years OS + security
—
AI Features
Galaxy AI (Now Assist, Photo Assist, Creative Studio)
—
OS at Launch
—
Android 12
Current OS
—
Android 15 (One UI 7)
Update Status
—
Reached end of OS updates (4 years completed)
Price comparison

All variants and prices

Samsung Galaxy S26+

12GB RAM / 256GB· Cobalt Violet
₹1,19,999
12GB RAM / 512GB· Black
₹1,39,999

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

8GB RAM / 256GB
₹22,464
Common questions

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

Which is better: Samsung Galaxy S26+ or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
The Samsung Galaxy S26+ and Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G target similar market segments. The Samsung Galaxy S26+ starts at ₹1,19,999 and runs Android 16, One UI 8.5 with a 6.7" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, QHD+, 120Hz display and Samsung Exynos 2600 (2nm) chip. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G starts at ₹22,464 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 S26+ and Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
The Samsung Galaxy S26+ starts at ₹1,19,999 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G starts at ₹22,464 in India. The price difference between base models is ₹97,535. Both phones are available in multiple RAM/storage variants at different price points.
Does Samsung Galaxy S26+ have a better camera than Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
Samsung Galaxy S26+ offers a 50MP + 12MP + 10MP camera system. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 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 S26+ or Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
Samsung Galaxy S26+ comes with a 4900 mAh, 45W battery. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 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 S26+ worth buying over S26?
The Galaxy S26+ adds a larger 6.7" QHD+ display (vs 6.3" FHD+ on S26), 45W charging (vs 25W), larger 4900 mAh battery (vs 4300 mAh), and 25W wireless charging. At ₹1,19,999 vs ₹87,999, the S26+ is better for users who want a bigger screen, faster charging and longer battery life.
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.
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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.