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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple iPhone 15 offers a premium camera experience suitable for avid photographers or videographers, as it has higher-rated still photo and video quality. Its screen is smaller but higher in quality than the Galaxy S21+, with peak brightness being significantly better, which is useful in direct sunlight. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ provides a larger screen and longer battery life for extended use, along with a higher refresh rate which can make for smoother scrolling and gaming experiences. The iPhone 15 is more expensive and might lead to higher costs for the same amount of storage. However, it is also newer, which usually means longer software support. If the price is a major concern and you prefer Android over iOS, the Galaxy S21+ would be a more budget-friendly option with many competitive features. 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 15
- Very good for taking photos
- Excellent for recording videos
- Best in class performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S21+
- The Samsung Galaxy S21+ has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 15.
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
8.6
7.2
The Apple iPhone 15 has very good overall camera quality, while the Samsung Galaxy S21+ has good overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 15 stands out with its excellent selfie camera and superior photo capabilities, including resolution, dynamic range, low light performance, and a more versatile camera system overall. On the other hand, while the Samsung Galaxy S21+ offers a good camera experience, its selfie camera, dynamic range, and low light performance are not as highly regarded.
Photo Quality
8.5
7.0
The Apple iPhone 15 takes very good photos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21+ takes good photos.
The Apple iPhone 15 takes the best photos in part due to its superior selfie camera quality, which is very important for many users, along with its outstanding photos software experience. The Samsung Galaxy S21+, while still capturing good photos, has a lesser quality in selfie camera, photos software experience, and other areas such as dynamic range and low light performance, making it a step behind the iPhone in these aspects.
Video Quality
9.1
6.6
The Apple iPhone 15 takes excellent videos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21+ takes only fair videos.
The Apple iPhone 15 offers superior video recording capabilities with the best scores in resolution/framerate, software experience, stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and microphone quality, making it the top choice for video. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ also delivers good video quality but doesn't match the iPhone 15 in these areas, particularly in video software experience and microphone quality.
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 15 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S21+ is 6.7 inches.
Cost
$729
$340
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Apple iPhone 15 has a price of $729 and the Samsung Galaxy S21+ costs $340.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple iPhone 15 has 8 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S21+ has 8 hours of battery life.
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How the Apple iPhone 15 and the Samsung Galaxy S21+ compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 15 | Samsung Galaxy S21+ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$729 | $340 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 22, 2023 | January 29, 2021 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.7" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2556 x 1179 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 461 | 394 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A16 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 8.7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 9.2/10 | 6.6/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3349 mAh | 4800 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 | 5.81" x 2.82" | 6.36" x 2.98" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.03 oz | 7.05 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
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, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)2, 5, 25, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Yellow, Pink, Blue, Green, Black | Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gold, Phantom Red | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Lance Ulanoff | September 2023
"Apple finally waves goodbye to the notch in favor of the Dynamic Island on all phones in its new lineup, and on the iPhone 15 that versatile screen technology is paired with new materials, lovely contoured edges, a powerful A16 Bionic CPU, and, yes, the new USB-C port. Even the photography has been leveled up, with a 48MP camera and new portrait processing capabilities."
Samsung Galaxy S21+
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Tom's Guide
Jordan Palmer | May 2022
"All told, Samsung nailed it with the Galaxy S21 Plus. It has most of the strengths of the smaller S21 in a bigger package. It’s got a lot going for it. If you’re coming from an older device, like the Galaxy S10 series, this is a solid upgrade."
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 15 or the Samsung Galaxy S21+
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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Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
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Phones evaluated
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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
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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