80 PCWorld MARCH 2021FEATURE SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 VS. iPHONE 12
phones are extremely fast—more than the
average app will ever need—but once again,
the iPhone takes the crown.
My pick: iPhone 12.Geekbench 5
Single-core/Multicore
Galaxy S21: 1,076/3,223
iPhone 12: 1,599/4,107Compute
Galaxy S21: 4,621
iPhone 12: 9,4393D Mark Wildlife Unlimited
Galaxy S21: 5,645
iPhone 12: 8,659When it comes to memory, Samsung has
dialed back the RAM a bit from the S20’s
ridiculous 12GB, but the 8GB inside the S21should be plenty. Apple has only 4GB in
the iPhone 12, but iOS 14’s optimiza-
tions make it seem like there’s much
more. Both phones were able to store
dozens of recent app screens and
handle transitions and app switching
without an issue. Samsung also beats
Apple with base storage, offering
128GB in the S21 compared to the
iPhone 12’s 64GB, though you can
upgrade to 128GB for $50.
Battery life is a bit more complicated.
On paper, the S21 boasts a 4,000mAh
battery versus the iPhone 12’s 2,815mAh one,
but real-world results will be much more
important. The iPhone 12’s battery life bested
that of Android phones with nearly twice as
much battery capacity in 2020, and it
outperforms the S21 here too. It’s not a total
rout, though. Both phones did well to last
through an entire day, though I tended to get
a bit more juice with the iPhone 12.
When it comes to charging, neither phone
includes a charger in the box, though both
phones offer fast charging with a capable
charger, 20W with the iPhone 12 and 25W with
the S21. They both offer 10W wireless charging
as well, and the iPhone also offers MagSafe
magnetic charging via optional accessories.
Elsewhere, both phones have sub-6GHz
and mmWave 5G, Wi-Fi 6 for speedy
connectivity, and IP68 water resistance. The
iPhone 12 also has a U1 ultrawide band chip for
precise location mapping, but you’ll need toThe Galaxy S21 isn’t just about looks—it’s also one of the
fastest Android phones you can buy.