If you prioritize camera capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a better overall camera quality, with more powerful zoom features, and it also offers 8K video recording, which the Sony Xperia 5 III does not. However, the Sony Xperia 5 III provides slightly longer battery life. Screen size on the Galaxy S21 Ultra is larger, which could be more enjoyable for media consumption but can make the phone bulkier in your pocket. Despite being less expensive, the Galaxy S21 Ultra maintains competitive performance and screen quality compared to the Xperia 5 III. Choose the Galaxy S21 Ultra for superior camera and larger screen, or the Xperia 5 III for slightly better battery life and a more compact device. Both phones run on Android, so the operating system experience will be relatively similar. 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
Very good display quality
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 5 III
Good battery life
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.8/10
6.0/10
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has good overall camera quality, while the Sony Xperia 5 III has only fair overall camera quality.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a good selfie quality, which is superior to the fair rating of the Sony Xperia 5 III's selfie camera, making it a better option if selfie performance is very important to you. When considering camera versatility, the Galaxy S21 Ultra also excels with better photos resolution, software experience, dynamic range, and low light performance compared to the Xperia 5 III, offering a more versatile and capable camera system overall.
Photo Quality
7.8/10
5.9/10
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra takes good photos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes poor photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a better camera experience overall, with a good selfie score and higher marks in photo software experience and low light performance - attributes integral to photo quality. On the opposite end, the Sony Xperia 5 III provides a fair selfie experience and scores lower in both photo software experience and low light performance, leading to its less impressive photo quality.
Video Quality
7.1/10
6.0/10
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra takes good videos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes only fair videos.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra delivers superior video capabilities with excellent stabilization and low-light performance, as well as very good video dynamic range and microphone quality. In contrast, while the Sony Xperia 5 III offers a very good video software experience and stabilization, its video quality in low light, dynamic range, and microphone performance are only fair.
Screen Size
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a screen size of 6.8 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.
Cost
$423
$450
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a price of $423 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $450.
"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."
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"
Get a great deal on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 5 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.
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.