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Pixel 6 vs S21 and Google Pixel 5

September 08, 2021

We have almost all the information about the upcoming Pixel 6 and now it’s time to choose – should you stick to Pixel 5 or maybe look elsewhere, like the other great Android smartphone – the Galaxy S21.

Here is our comparison.

Google Pixel 5

The Pixel 5 is a more premium model of the two phones introduced at that unraveling (Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G), and the biggest change over the previous generation is the transition to the Snapdragon 765G chipset. There are no more premium chips for the most powerful Pixel models, although performance has never been the goal of Google phones, especially since they have a custom chipset that controls the functioning of the cameras.

The camera system is another sector that has undergone changes. The previous model had a telephoto camera, and the Pixel 5 changes the zoom to a 16MP ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and 1.0um pixel size. The 12.2MP (f/1.7, 1.4um) main camera with OIS support will be in charge of zooming. These are also the first Pixel phones with support for 4K video recording @60fps. The fingerprint sensor is also located on the back.

The Google Pixel 5 has a 6.0-inch display, with 1080p resolution and a screen refresh rate of 90Hz. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 765G chipset, as stated above, with an X52 modem that allows 5G connectivity (sub-6 and mmWave in some markets). There’s also Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Everything is powered by a 4080mAh battery, with support for 18W charging. There is 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

Verdict – although not as powerful as everyone wished, Pixel 5 has shown to be a good and reliable phone over the past few months. The performance is not flagship, but the difference is almost unnoticeable when compared to its much more expensive competitors.

Still takes the number 3 spot on this list.

Samsung Galaxy S21

At the very beginning, let's mention that it is the KING OF ERGONOMICS! A lot of phones go through our hands, but that phone is so comfortable when you hold it and generally use it with one hand. It is simply amazing! The Galaxy S21 is intended for all those who do not like huge phones and when, in some situations, they need the other hand to do another task at the same time.

It has a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen that utilizes a refresh rate of 120Hz. S21 is powered by a  4,000 mAh battery. It runs on Android 11 and uses the Snapdragon 888 processor for the US market, and the Samsung Exynos 2100 for the EU market, both processors are made in 5-nanometer technology.

The Galaxy S21 has exactly the same camera setup as the previous S20 model: the rear camera modules feature a 64-megapixel telephoto camera, a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. Both phones also have a 10-megapixel selfie camera.

For the S21 model, you have four colors available: Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, and Phantom Pink.

Verdict - Samsung repeated the story from the previous model and the Galaxy S21 again offered the best compact flagship phone in the android world. For anyone looking for a premium phone with a great screen, great cameras, and top performance but in comfortable, manageable dimensions, the Galaxy S21 will offer just that.

Better than Google’s Pixel 5.

Google Pixel 6

We already know important data and characteristics about the future Google Pixel 6, although there are still a few months to know them officially.

Price

According to the information leaked to date, the Google Pixel 6 will be priced below $1,000.

Design

There will be a radical change in the design of the Google Pixel 6 compared to the Google Pixel 5 and the models previously seen. They will be finished in glass and aluminum, with a horizontal camera module located at the top of the terminals (but not at the top).

5G connectivity

In almost all likelihood, yes. Already the last generation, with a mid-range processor, included 5G connectivity, so it is expected that the new Google Pixel 6 will come from your hand. What is not known is the modem that they will incorporate, since Google's own processor is expected for these two models.

Chipset

It is expected that Google's Whitechapel processor will have similar power as Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870, according to the leaks. The key point of this processor will not be the power, but the NPU and the ISP. The NPU is the neural processing unit and the ISP is the image processor. The Pixel will be a photographic mobile, and the hardware will be tailored so that the results are the best that Google can achieve.

Battery

The battery will be 4,500mAh, with no details yet on the power of the fast charge.

Screen

It is expected with a Full HD + panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz.

Cameras

After three years of reusing the Sony IMX363, Google would finally make an important sensor leap with the Google Pixel 6. According to the leaked information, the Pixel 6 will have the new Sony IMX 766, a huge 50-megapixel sensor used by mobiles such as OPPO Find X3 Pro.

This 50-megapixel sensor would be accompanied by an ultra-wide-angle, a telescopic sensor, and a color correction lens. On the periscope zoom, there is talk of eight megapixels and five optical magnifications. Regarding the sensor for color correction, there is no information yet, although it would be the first time we see this technology.

There is no information about the selfie camera, but it is known that we will have a single sensor located on the front of the phone. As usual in Pixels, portrait mode and night mode are expected for the selfie, despite the fact that the information is captured with a single sensor.

Verdict – Although it may not seem as powerful as the S21 in terms of specs (on paper), the Pixel 6 will have its own chipset that will run the whole phone. We have seen how good iPhones can be with a “weaker” configuration than the competition.

In addition, Pixel 6 will be Google’s flagship phone once again and we can definitely expect it to be one of the best 5 phones on the market when it comes out.

It’s our number one on the list simply due to its own chipset, combined with Google’s machine learning.

Final words

We are very excited to see what else will Google put into this already amazing phone. Many others who have seen the latest leaks share our enthusiasm, including many smartphone gadgets and accessories manufacturers, such as the i-Blades company that has already made a smartcase specifically for Pixel 6.

Time will tell, but if you are a Pixel lover – get ready to buy the best Pixel phone ever!