Samsung’s struggles to get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE to market are well-documented. A phone that was seemingly supposed to launch somewhere in the middle of 2021 ended up launching right at the start of 2022.
While many have pointed out that this is likely to bring the Galaxy S21 FE into direct competition with Samsung’s Galaxy S22 phones, there’s also the small matter of the iPhone 13 , which launched a few months prior.
Even if Samsung ends up competing with itself, then, it might have just produced a tempting alternative to the market leader. Let’s take a look at how the two phones compare, starting with the all-important matter of price.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE vs iPhone 13 price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE hit shops on January 7, 2022, almost a year after the rest of the Galaxy S21 family. It was a little tardy, to say the least.
Prices start from £699 / $699 / AU$999 for the 6GB RAM/128GB storage model, rising to £749 / $769.99 / AU$1,099 for 8GB RAM and 256GB.
The iPhone 13 landed several months earlier, on September 24, 2021. Prices begin from $799 / £799 / AU$1,349 for the entry 128GB model, moving up to $899 / £879 / AU$1,519 for 256GB and $1099 / £1079 / AU$1,869 for 512GB.
We called the Galaxy S21 FE “far too expensive” in our review, but it’s still a good $100/£100 cheaper than the iPhone 13. What gives?
Design
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE sticks with the basic design language of the Galaxy S21, exemplified by the ‘contour cut’ camera module that melts into the side of the device.
Unfortunately, that shared DNA also includes the use of a ‘glasstic’ body, which makes it feel much cheaper than the iPhone 13.
The iPhone 13 also takes its flat-edged design from its immediate predecessor, in this case the iPhone 12. That was a much more premium-feeling phone than the Galaxy S21, however, with glass surfaces sandwiching a flat aluminum frame.
One area where the Galaxy S21 FE looks better than the iPhone 13 is its display notch, which is of the much more modest hole-punch variety. Apple may have reduced the iPhone 13’s slab-like notch by 20%, but it’s still a bit of an eyesore.
On the other hand, while Apple’s phone lets you securely unlock it with a glance, the Galaxy S21 FE relies on tried and tested fingerprint authentication.
Despite the difference in materials used, both phones are IP68-certified, so they’re equally dust- and water-resistant.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is the bigger device all-around at 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm. The iPhone 13, by contrast, measures just 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.65mm.
They’re a very similar weight, however, at 177g for the Galaxy S21 FE and 174g for the iPhone 13. This reflects the more premium materials used in the Apple device.
When it comes to colors, the Galaxy S21 FE comes in White, Graphite (black), Lavender (pink), and Olive (green). The iPhone 13 offers Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and Product Red. Neither range is particularly extensive, or all that eye-catching.
All in all, the iPhone 13 gets the design nod for its more premium materials and compact form. That said, if you’re not a fan of sharp angles and flat edges, the Galaxy S21 FE’s more curvaceous design might be more to your liking.
Display
Both of these phones have vibrant, bright AMOLED displays, but it’s the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE that takes the win here.
At 6.4 inches, it’s a fair bit larger than the iPhone 13’s 6.1-inch screen. Conversely, the iPhone 13 display is sharper, with a 460ppi pixel density compared to the Samsung’s 401ppi.
But what really hands the Galaxy S21 FE display the win is its 120Hz refresh rate. With the iPhone 13 screen stuck at 60Hz, it feels noticeably less fluid when scrolling through web pages and flicking between home screens.
Our iPhone 13 review called such a feature “nice to have, rather than indispensable”, but it’s difficult to go back once you’ve sampled 120Hz.
It’s also worth reiterating that fundamental difference in display notch approach, because it means that landscape media content is less impeded on the Galaxy S21 FE.
Don’t get us wrong, both of these screens are excellent. But Samsung’s display mastery is on full show here, offering a superior screen for less money.
We called the Galaxy S21 FE’s screen its “strong suit” in our review. Price difference aside, this might just be its only big win over the iPhone 13.
Camera
The Galaxy S21 FE has a triple-camera system compared to the iPhone 13’s dual-camera system. The fact that Samsung’s phone has a dedicated telephoto camera represents its sole win in the camera department, and it’s a relatively minor one.
Both systems are led by 12MP wide sensors, and both also give you 12MP ultra-wides. The Samsung tops this off with an 8MP telephoto, which grants the ability to shoot 1.1x optical and 3x hybrid zoom shots. The iPhone 13 has to crop in for its zoomed shots.
In general image quality terms, however, the iPhone 13 mops the floor with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.
While the Samsung actually captures larger pixels than the iPhone 13 (1.8µm vs 1.7µm), the iPhone has a much wider aperture (f/1.6 vs f/1.8).
But the real hardware advantage for Apple here lies in its sensor shift OIS technology, which was brought over from the iPhone 12 Pro Max. This stabilization system is more advanced than the Galaxy S21 FE’s regular OIS, and together with Apple’s superior algorithms, it can capture much better Night Mode shots.
Beyond that, Apple’s image processing simply results in more balanced shots with more natural lighting. Of the Samsung approach, our reviewer said that “it’s apparent the brand’s scene optimization software has never heard of oversaturation”.
The Galaxy S21 FE’s shots are bright and clear, not to mention eminently social media-ready, but the iPhone 13’s shots are simply more nuanced and ‘as seen’.
Both phones do an admirable job of evening out their tones across each of the camera modules. It means that your shots will look broadly similar, whether shooting on the wide or the ultra-wide (or the telephoto in the Samsung’s case).
There are plenty of camera features to explore with both camera systems. The iPhone 13 gives you Photographic Styles, which let you fundamentally alter the tone of your shots without that fake filter look. You can even make them look more Samsung, if you wish.
Samsung gives you Single Take, which captures brief five- to 15-second snippets and then pulls out the best stills and video footage from it. Dual Recording, meanwhile, permits you to record video on the rear and front camera at the same time.
Specs and performance
Apple has been dominating its Android rivals on the performance front for years now, so it’s no surprise to learn that the iPhone 13 trounces the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE for pure power.
When it launched the iPhone 13, Apple claimed that its six-core A15 Bionic processor was 50% faster than the Android competition. While the Galaxy S21 FE wasn’t around at that point, the Snapdragon 888 it runs on most certainly was.
In our own CPU and GPU benchmarking tests, Apple’s A15 Bionic tends to beat the Snapdragon 888 by a healthy margin.
Not that this really matters much in practical terms, with both phones feeling as crisp and snappy in the hand as you could hope for. High-end games run fluidly on the highest settings in both cases, and general navigation is a joy.
Indeed, the Galaxy S21 FE might just feel the faster of the two given its 120Hz display, even if its processor is the more limited.
If you’ve detected a sense of disappointment surrounding the Galaxy S21 FE’s performance, it’s got nothing to do with the actual experience of using it. Rather, it’s because the Snapdragon 888 is yesterday’s chip, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 now rolling out in higher-end Android phones .
Conversely, the iPhone 13 will continue to be among Apple’s fastest performers – and one of the fastest phones on the market – deep into 2022. Given the iPhone 13’s greater headroom, as well as Apple’s legendary legacy support, it’s likely to stay feeling faster for longer.
When it comes to storage both phones start at 128GB and double up to 256GB. But the iPhone 13 also comes in a 512GB variant – though as stated already, you’ll have to pay a lot more for the privilege.
These are two 5G-ready phones, so they’re ready for the fastest mobile data speeds available in your area.
Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE gives you a 4,500mAh battery, while the iPhone 13 has been shown to pack in a 3,240mAh cell.
Such a straight capacity comparison is pretty meaningless, however, due to the inherent differences between iOS and Android, as well as Apple’s tight hold on both software and hardware.
In short, Apple can wring more stamina out of its phones than Samsung can, which allows it to use smaller batteries. In fact, the iPhone 13’s battery life is significantly better than the Galaxy S21 FE’s.
With the iPhone 13, we found that we would typically be left with 20% at the end of an intensive day of usage. With the Galaxy S21 FE, on the other hand, our reviewer found that “heavy use ensured we’d need to charge the mobile in the early evening to keep it ticking until the next morning”.
Neither phone is anywhere near best-in-class when it comes to recharging. The iPhone 13 supports 20W, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE supports 25W charging.
Given that the likes of OnePlus, Oppo, and Xiaomi frequently fit their phones out with 65W chargers, you’ll forgive our lack of enthusiasm.
That’s another thing: those manufacturers actually give you a charging brick in the box. Neither Samsung nor Apple do that.
Both phones give you 15W wireless charging, but again, other flagship phones will give you much faster speeds.
Takeaway
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE might have arrived a little over three months after the iPhone 13, but it feels like an older phone. While it’s a fine effort, the Galaxy S21 FE finds itself suffering by comparison.
On the plus side the Galaxy S21 FE is around $100/£100 cheaper than its rival, its display is more fluid, and it packs in a dedicated telephoto camera. That’s where its advantages end, however.
The iPhone 13 hands out a hammering in terms of performance, design, battery life, and camera quality. Apple’s smartphone will also remain current for much of 2022, whereas we suspect that the Galaxy S21 FE is going to feel oddly outdated well before the halfway point of the year, if it doesn’t already.
It might be more expensive, but the iPhone 13 represents a better buy than the tardy Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.
Samyang's 135mm lens could be telephoto bargain for Sony mirrorless cameras
If you're a Sony mirrorless camera owner with a penchant for shooting portraits, landscapes and the night sky, Samyang has just released a potential bargain in the form of its new 135mm f/1.8 AF telephoto lens.
Compatible with both full-frame and APS-C cameras with Sony's E-mount, the 135m prime lens is the latest in a series of autofocus-equipped contenders from the South Korean manufacturer (which also trades under the Rokinon brand in the US).
The lens' specs and bright maximum aperture suggest it could be a fine alternative to the pricier Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, which costs $2,099 / £1,750 / AU$2,649. By contrast, Samyang's new 135mm alternative will cost only $999 / £799 (around AU$1,515) when it lands in March.
Naturally, it'll be difficult for Samyang's prime to fully match the optical performance of Sony's 'G Master' lens, with the latter being a marker for money-no-object quality. But previous Samyang primes (including the 24mm, 35mm, 45mm and 75mm) have given Sony's top-end lenses a run for their money, and this new one is its longest option with autofocus.
Thanks to weather-sealing and a rubber focus ring, the AF 135mm F1.8 FE is protected from light rain, snow and dust. The Linear STM (Stepping Motor) should also ensure quiet autofocus performance, making it suitable for video shooters, too.
A focus range limiter, which only works in AF mode, is also on hand to make your focusing snappier. Alongside the standard 'full' focus range (where the AF searches from its minimum focus distance of 0.69m to infinity), you can set it to hunt between 0.69m-2m or from 1.5m-to-infinity. Those three options should set you up nicely for portraits, landscapes and astrophotography.
As you'd expect for an 135mm f/1.8 prime lens, it isn't exactly a small. But it is slightly lighter and more compact than Sony's 'G Master' equivalent, weighing in at 901g and measuring 129.6mm long. Both lenses also share the same filter 82mm filter thread size.
With other bonuses including a focus hold button and custom switch, the Samyang 135mm f/1.8 AF should prove a popular choice when it lands in March for $999 / £799 (around AU$1,515). We're looking forward to testing it out to see just how close it gets to its Sony rival.
Analysis: More third-party joy for Sony cameras
The fact that Samyang's 135mm f/1.8 AF telephoto lens is its fifth telephoto prime for the E-mount illustrates the strength-in-depth that Sony's mirrorless cameras enjoy when it comes to full-frame glass.
While its main rivals, the Canon RF and Nikon Z systems, have quickly improved their lens ranges in the past couple of years, those systems remain more closed than Sony's and don't offer the same level of third-party choice.
This may well change in the near future, but the benefit for owners of Sony mirrorless cameras is the potential for more affordable equivalents of Sony's pricey G-Master lenses. Even if Canon and Nikon's mirrorless cameras do offer adapters that allow you to use their older DSLR lenses.
While Sony's FE 135mm f/1.8 GM is an excellent lens, Samyang's new 135mm f/1.8 AF is effectively half the price – and that could represent great value for hobbyist shooters who can't justify pro-level price tags, particularly for a relatively specialist focal length.
Of course, we'll have to wait to see how Samyang's new lens performs in the real world, but it's shaping up to be another fine option for portrait and landscape shooters looking for a lens that offers a bit more reach than its existing 75mm prime.
Mortal Kombat 12 has been 'leaked' by NetherRealm producer
Mortal Kombat 12 has seemingly been 'leaked' by a producer at series developer NetherRealm Studios.
Jonathan Andersen, a senior production manager at NetherRealm, recently posted a (now deleted) image of his desk covered in Mortal Kombat memorabilia on Twitter (check out the image at VGC ). But eagle-eyed fans spotted that the monitor screen in the corner of the image shows a file titled "MK12_Mast…", while snippets of an email on the screen say "our fans eagerly scrape the internet" and " take extra care with this material" - suggesting Mortal Kombat 12 is in the works.
However, fans suspect the image may not have been an "accidental" leak at all, but instead a tease for the next entry in NetherRealm Studios' fighting game series.
Opinion: an accident or tease?
It's been three years since the release of Mortal Kombat 11, so it would make sense that NetherRealm is working on its next entry in the long-running fighting series. Typically entries in the series are released around four years apart, with Mortal Kombat 11 (2019) released four years after Mortal Kombat 10 (2015) and Mortal Kombat 9 (2011) released four years after Mortal Kombat 10.
What's more, GamesBeat journalist Jeff Grubb claimed in 2021 that he's heard the NetherRealm is working on Mortal Kombat 12, rather than a new Injustice game, due to concerns around whether Warner Bros. Games will sell the studio in the future.
But then there's the question of whether this leak really was an accident. After all, NetherRealm boss and series co-creator, Ed Boon, is notorious for teases, with fans often unsure which of his tweets are teases and which aren't. So a 'leak' tease would be on-brand for the studio.
What's more, the specificity of what's shown in the image (nothing critical but just enough for a tease) seems staged - even if the tweet was removed.
It's likely, then, that Mortal Kombat 12 will be announced in the coming months, and (I imagine) the game will then release in 2023, sticking to the four-year release pattern NetherRealm has followed until now.