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Galaxy S21 Ultra
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Xperia 1 III
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What we think

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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

If you're looking for a phone with a larger screen and much better battery life, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra could be a great option, and it comes at a budget-friendly price. Alternatively, if you prefer a phone with more built-in storage and a higher resolution screen, the Sony Xperia 1 III offers these features but at a premium price. The camera system is slightly better on the S21 Ultra, so if photography is a priority and you want to save money, it may be the better choice. Both phones have the same processor and RAM, ensuring similar performance levels. 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 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
  • Good for taking photos
  • Good for recording videos
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 1 III
  • Best in class display quality
  • Good performance

Key differences

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Overall Camera Quality

7.8
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Xperia 1 III
6.0
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has good overall camera quality, while the Sony Xperia 1 III has only fair overall camera quality.

Photo Quality

7.8
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Xperia 1 III
5.9
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra takes good photos, while the Sony Xperia 1 III takes poor photos.

Video Quality

7.1
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Xperia 1 III
6.0
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra takes good videos, while the Sony Xperia 1 III takes only fair videos.

Battery

6.7 Hours
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Xperia 1 III
5.6 Hours
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has 6.7 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 1 III has 5.6 hours of battery life.

Cost

$423
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Xperia 1 III
$1,306
Product image
Product image

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a price of $423 and the Sony Xperia 1 III costs $1,306.
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Key similarities

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Screen Size

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a screen size of 6.8 inches and the Sony Xperia 1 III is 6.5 inches.

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How the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 1 III compare to other phones

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Spec Comparison

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Samsung Galaxy S21 UltraSony Xperia 1 III
Samsung Galaxy S21 UltraSony Xperia 1 III

GENERAL

Price
$423
$1,306
Brand
SamsungSony
Operating System
AndroidAndroid
Release Date
January 29, 2021August 25, 2021

SCREEN

Screen Size
6.8"6.5"
Resolution
3200 x 14403840 x 1644
Variable refresh rate
YesNo
Pixels Per Inch
515643
Display Type
OLEDOLED

INTERNAL

Processor
SD888SD888
Internal Storage
128 GB256 GB
RAM
12 GB12 GB

CAMERA

Overall Camera Quality Score
7.9/106/10
Photos Score
7.8/105.9/10
Videos Score
7.1/106/10
Rear Cameras
Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto, Super TelephotoMain, Ultrawide, Telephoto
Main Camera
108 megapixels + OIS12 megapixels + OIS

BATTERY

Battery Life
6.7 Hours5.6 Hours
Battery Capacity
5000 mAh4500 mAh
Wireless Charging
YesYes
Wireless charging Speed
15 W15 W
Reverse wireless charging
Yes (4.5 watts)No

PHYSICAL

Size
6.5" x 2.98"6.5" x 2.8"
Weight
8.01 oz5.93 oz
Back Material
GlassGlass
Stereo Speakers
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

Dual SIM
YesYes
Bluetooth Version
5.25.2
A2DP
YesYes
WiFi Version
6e6
NFC
YesYes
US 5G Bands
(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(SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78

OTHER FEATURES

Biometric unlock
Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Under DisplayFingerprint sensor: Side
Unlockable Bootloader
NoNo
Color
Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Navy, Phantom TitaniumBlack
Stock Android
NoYes
SD Card
NoYes

Shopping

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

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Dig into reviews and images

Android Authority

David Imel | January 2023
"The Galaxy S21 Ultra is a killer combo of great design, blazing-fast performance, a wonderful display, long-lasting battery life, and one of the most versatile camera systems you can get in a smartphone today."

Sony Xperia 1 III

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Dig into reviews and images

TechRadar

James Peckham | August 2021
"For those who enjoy Sony’s Android phones, or who want a top-tier smartphone with a versatile camera, a beautiful screen and strong battery life, this is a great choice. If your budget can stretch to it, and you're a fan of its looks, it could be a great option."

Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 III

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.

About Sony

Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.

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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
8
Proprietary Phones ratings developed
121,500
Recommendations made
68,850
Consumer hours saved

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

Phones Expert
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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