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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a better overall camera system for both photos and video, the Apple iPhone 14 is a strong choice, but if you're looking for a phone with a slightly larger screen and a refresh rate that makes scrolling smoother, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE might suit you. The iPhone 14 offers superior photo and video quality, but it comes at a higher cost. The Galaxy S21 FE, while more affordable, provides features like a high refresh rate display and reverse wireless charging, but has a camera system that doesn't quite match the iPhone 14's performance. The iPhone 14 uses iOS, while the S21 FE uses Android, so consider which operating system you prefer. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 14
- Good for taking photos
- Very good for recording videos
- Good battery life
- Very good display quality
- Very good performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
- The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 14.
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
8.0
7.0
The Apple iPhone 14 has very good overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has good overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 14 boasts an 'excellent' selfie camera, complementing its strong performance in photos software experience, dynamic range, low light, and camera versatility. Conversely, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has a 'good' selfie camera and shows solid capabilities in the same categories, although it doesn't reach the same highs as its Apple counterpart.
Photo Quality
7.9
6.9
The Apple iPhone 14 takes good photos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes only fair photos.
The Apple iPhone 14 delivers excellent photos due to its top-rated photos software experience and very good selfie quality, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE captures good photos with a slightly lower, yet very good, photos software experience and good selfie quality. Therefore, if selfies and a refined software experience are paramount, the iPhone 14 may be the better choice, but for cost-conscious users who still want good photo quality, the Galaxy S21 FE remains a competitive option.
Video Quality
8.8
5.9
The Apple iPhone 14 takes very good videos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes poor videos.
The Apple iPhone 14 provides an excellent video experience because it offers strong video stabilization, a higher dynamic range, and superior low light performance, combined with top-notch mic quality. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE provides good video quality with competent stabilization and dynamic range, but falls short compared to the iPhone in terms of the overall software experience and low light capabilities.
Cost
$699
$600
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Apple iPhone 14 has a price of $699 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE costs $600.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.3 Hours
6.7 Hours
The Apple iPhone 14 has 7.3 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has 6.7 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 14 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is 6.4 inches.
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How the Apple iPhone 14 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 14 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$699 | $600 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 16, 2022 | January 29, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.4" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 460 | 401 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A15 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 6 GB | 6 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 8.1/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 8.8/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.3 Hours | 6.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3279 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.78" x 2.81" | 6.13" x 2.93" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.07 oz | 6.24 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Plastic | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)41, 66, 71, 260, 261 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Blue, Purple, Yellow, Midnight, Starlight, Red | Graphite, Lavender, Olive, White, Navy Blue | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 14
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Lance Ulanoff | October 2022
"The iPhone 14 is a capable smartphone with a seriously snappy CPU, lovely screen, and good cameras. The iPhone 14’s camera array is better than the iPhone 13’s, and will make most mobile photogs very happy. It also lasts more than a day on a single charge. This isn’t the fastest or most feature-rich iPhone, but it’s light, fast, and attractive."
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
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Tom's Guide
Philip Michaels | March 2022
"The Galaxy S21 FE is a fine addition to Samsung's S21 lineup, retaining the very best features of those flagship phones for a more modest price. This is a solid phone, matching the performance of the top Android flagships from a year ago and delivering photos that hold their own against some of the best camera phones we've tested."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 14 or the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Samsung
Samsung is one of the most recognizable names in the smartphone industry, standing as the undisputed best-selling brand of Android smartphones in the United States for many years now. Samsung is known for offering a variety of smartphones in all available price points, as well as for implementing cutting-edge technology and innovative features in their flagship devices, ones that often shape the market going forward. The company offers its own unique spin on Android, called One UI, which focuses on offering a multitude of features and is heavily customizable, according to user preference.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
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Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Seth Peoples
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Seth is a US-based product expert focusing on smartphones and he is a moderator of one of the largest smartphone subreddits. His tailored recommendations have helped him earn over 87k comment karma, putting him in the top 1% of Redditors.
Efthimis Kotanidis
Phones Expert
Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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