Galaxy S21+ 5G Vs iPhone 12 Pro

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G, released in January 2021, and the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, launched in October 2020, represent premium smartphone offerings from their respective manufacturers. While both devices deliver robust performance and advanced camera systems, they differ notably in their display technology, software ecosystem, and approach to camera capabilities. The Galaxy S21 Plus operates on the Android platform, whereas the iPhone 12 Pro runs on iOS.

When considering the long-term usability of these devices, their release timelines and software support policies are key factors.

• Release Timeline: The iPhone 12 Pro was released in October 2020, making it slightly older than the Galaxy S21 Plus 5G, which launched in January 2021. This difference in release date can influence the remaining period of official software support.
• OS Support Duration: Apple typically provides a longer period of major iOS updates for its devices, often extending to five or more years from the release date. The iPhone 12 Pro, as of November 2025, was still receiving iOS updates [18, 21]. In contrast, the Galaxy S21 series, including the S21 Plus, received its final major Android OS update (Android 15-based One UI 7.0) in the first half of 2025, with security updates concluding around February 2026 [37, 40]. This means the iPhone 12 Pro is likely to receive software support for a longer duration than the Galaxy S21 Plus.
• Practical Lifespan: Both devices feature durable builds with IP68 ratings for dust and water resistance. The iPhone 12 Pro incorporates a Ceramic Shield front cover for enhanced drop performance, while the Galaxy S21 Plus uses Gorilla Glass Victus on both its front and back [1, 9, 26, 27]. Users seeking the longest possible software longevity from their device may find the iPhone 12 Pro to be a more suitable option due to Apple's extended support window.

Both the Galaxy S21 Plus 5G and the iPhone 12 Pro offer capable performance for daily tasks and demanding applications, though their underlying architectures differ.

• System Responsiveness: The iPhone 12 Pro handles demanding apps and multitasking smoothly, providing a fluid user experience across the operating system and various applications [12]. The Galaxy S21 Plus also delivers strong performance, ensuring quick app loading and efficient multitasking, suitable for users who frequently switch between applications or engage in mobile gaming [5, 41].
• Battery Behavior: The Galaxy S21 Plus is equipped with a 4800 mAh battery, while the iPhone 12 Pro has a 2815 mAh battery [11, 18, 26]. In real-world usage, the Galaxy S21 Plus generally offers decent battery life, often lasting a full day for moderate users, though heavy use, especially with 5G and the 120Hz display, can lead to more frequent charging [28, 33, 38, 42]. The iPhone 12 Pro's battery performance has been noted as average, with some users finding it requires charging before the end of a heavy day, particularly when using 5G or engaging in intensive tasks like gaming [20, 23, 29, 31].
• Storage Options: The Galaxy S21 Plus is available with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, without an option for expansion [5, 26]. The iPhone 12 Pro offers more flexibility with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage configurations, also without expandable storage [1, 8].

The visual experience on both devices is delivered through high-quality displays, each with distinct characteristics.

• Display Technology and Size: The Galaxy S21 Plus features a larger 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks [9, 26, 30]. The iPhone 12 Pro comes with a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, also known for its excellent color accuracy and contrast [1, 2, 3].
• Resolution and Clarity: The Galaxy S21 Plus has a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 394 pixels per inch (ppi) [9, 26]. The iPhone 12 Pro offers a higher resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels, leading to a sharper pixel density of 460 ppi [2, 3]. Both provide clear and detailed visuals for typical viewing.
• Brightness and Refresh Rate: The Galaxy S21 Plus supports an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz, providing smoother scrolling and more fluid animations, and boasts a peak brightness of 1300 nits [9, 27, 30]. The iPhone 12 Pro features a standard 60Hz refresh rate but offers a peak HDR brightness of 1200 nits, ensuring good visibility even in bright conditions [2, 10].

Both smartphones are equipped with versatile camera systems designed to capture high-quality photos and videos, though they approach imaging with different strengths.

• Rear Camera Systems: The Galaxy S21 Plus features a triple camera setup including a 12MP wide-angle lens, a 64MP telephoto lens with 1.1x optical zoom and 3x hybrid zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens [24, 26]. The iPhone 12 Pro also has a triple 12MP camera system, comprising an ultrawide, wide, and a 2x optical telephoto lens [2, 12]. The iPhone 12 Pro also includes a LiDAR Scanner, which assists with faster autofocus in low-light conditions and enables Night mode portraits [7, 12].
• Photography Performance: The Galaxy S21 Plus is known for producing vibrant and bright photos with impressive dynamic range, though some users note a tendency towards oversharpening [34]. Its ultrawide camera is competitive, but can exhibit some distortion [25]. The iPhone 12 Pro is praised for its consistent image quality, excellent low-light performance across its wide and ultrawide lenses, and natural color reproduction [12, 14, 17].
• Video Recording Quality: The Galaxy S21 Plus is capable of recording 8K video at 24 frames per second (fps) and 4K video at 60fps across all its lenses, including the selfie camera [25, 27]. The iPhone 12 Pro excels in video, offering Dolby Vision HDR video recording at up to 60fps, which provides an expanded range of colors and contrast [1, 12, 15]. Both devices offer cinematic video stabilization.