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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for a phone with a more premium finish, the OnePlus 11 with its glass back may appeal to you more than the plastic back of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. The OnePlus 11 also offers a larger screen, higher resolution, and sharper display with a higher pixel density, which is great if you enjoy a more immersive viewing experience. For camera enthusiasts, the OnePlus 11 might be the better option as it has a higher photo and video quality. On the downside, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is lighter and was released a year earlier, which might be reflected in its price. Both have similar battery life and run on Android, but the OnePlus 11 is equipped with a newer, potentially faster processor and more RAM, suggesting smoother performance. If wireless charging or using DeX mode is important to you, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE supports these features while the OnePlus 11 does not. Both phones have high refresh rate OLED screens and under-display fingerprint sensors, but only the OnePlus 11 has an alert slider for adjusting the ring/vibrate modes more easily. 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 OnePlus 11
- Good for taking photos
- Good for recording videos
- Very good battery life
- Best in class display quality
- Excellent performance
Advantages of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
- The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has no clear advantages over the OnePlus 11.
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.7
7.0
The OnePlus 11 and Samsung Galaxy S21 FE both have good overall camera quality, though the OnePlus 11 has somewhat better overall camera quality.
The OnePlus 11 boasts a superior selfie camera experience, which may appeal to those who prioritize front-facing camera performance for things like video calls or selfies. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE maintains good camera capabilities overall, but its selfie camera and photo software experience are less robust, making it a more budget-friendly option for users less focused on these aspects.
Photo Quality
7.6
6.9
The OnePlus 11 takes good photos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes only fair photos.
The OnePlus 11 takes very good photos, in part because it delivers a solid selfie experience alongside competent software, dynamic range capabilities, low light performance, and camera versatility. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE also produces good photos but has slightly less impressive low light performance and a lower selfie score, indicating a trade-off between the two devices in terms of front-facing camera quality and low light photo capture proficiency.
Video Quality
7.0
5.9
The OnePlus 11 takes good videos, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE takes poor videos.
The OnePlus 11 takes very good videos as it provides the best video stabilization, dynamic range, and low light performance, along with highly rated mic quality; the video software experience is also very good. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE delivers good video quality with good stabilization and dynamic range, decent low light capability, and fair mic quality, but it has slightly lower marks in video software experience compared to the OnePlus 11.
Battery
8.2 Hours
6.7 Hours
The OnePlus 11 has 8.2 hours of battery life. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has 6.7 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The OnePlus 11 has a screen size of 6.7 inches and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is 6.4 inches.
Cost
$699
$770
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The OnePlus 11 has a price of $699 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE costs $770.
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How the OnePlus 11 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| OnePlus 11 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$699 | $770 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | OnePlus | Samsung | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 16, 2023 | January 29, 2022 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.7" | 6.4" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3216 x 1440 | 2400 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | Yes | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 525 | 401 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD8G2 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 6 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7.7/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 7.6/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 7/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 50 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.2 Hours | 6.7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 5000 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | No | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 0 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | Yes (4.5 watts) | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.42" x 2.92" | 6.13" x 2.93" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.23 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 | 7 | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)41, 66, 71, 260, 261 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | Yes | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Titan Black, Eternal Green | Graphite, Lavender, Olive, White, Navy Blue | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | No | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | No | |
Shopping
OnePlus 11
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Police
Will Sattelberg | April 2023
"The OnePlus 11 isn’t a perfect device, but it’s another big step in the right direction for the company. A great display, incredible performance, and some of the best battery life I've ever seen on a phone helps make this one of the best OnePlus devices in recent years."
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
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Dig into reviews and images
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 OnePlus 11 or the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
About OnePlus
OnePlus, established in 2013, is a smartphone brand that first became known for providing flagship-like devices, at a fraction of the cost compared to more expensive Android competitors. OnePlus focuses on creating smartphones with powerful hardware at reasonable prices. They also bring hardware features normally not seen in other Android phones sold in the US, such as their ultra-fast “Warp Charge” and the beloved “Alert Slider”.
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
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.
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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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