Gabriel ManceauSmartphone specialistNovember 12, 2021 at 6:03 p.m.

It is in a duel at the top that we find today the iPhone 13 Pro and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Two high-end products that represent the best on the market. Samsung and Apple demonstrate their know-how here by integrating the best technologies to date, for uncompromising (and expensive) smartphones. If you want to have fun, but you don't know which model to choose, this versus will help you see more clearly.

1149 €Read the test10

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

1149 €Read the test10Read the test101149 €1008 €Read the test9

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

1008 €Read the test9Read the test91008 €

Still a solid leader in the mobile telephony market, Samsung is under regular onslaught from the competition. The Korean manufacturer continues to innovate each year to keep its "S" range at the forefront of what is being done in the world of mobile telephony. For its part, the Apple brand improves its models by iteration, without ever playing totally the race for design and technology. Two different philosophies that have the same goal: to design the best smartphone on the market to win the image battle, but also and above all the commercial battle.

Summary

Design: when design and finish do not rhyme

iPhone 13 Pro on the left, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra on the right.

Before going into the details of the design, let's dismiss the obvious. The S21 Ultra like the iPhone 13 Pro are two smartphones with impeccable finishes. The aluminum and glass that make up the two products are as pleasant to the touch as they are resistant to everyday shocks. Both mobiles are also IP68 certified for resistance to dust and water immersion for up to 30 minutes.

The design similarities end there. When you look at the back of the phones, the different choices made by the two brands in terms of integrating their photo modules are obvious. The iPhone 13 Pro has a square photo module, with its three main sensors arranged in a triangle. For its part, the Samsung photo module comes to marry the hull in the upper left corner and the sensors are aligned. If the two photo blocks come out of the phones, we appreciate the originality and the integration effort made by Samsung on its S21 Ultra.

The iPhone 13 Pro on the left, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra on the right.

The more rounded corners of the iPhone 13 Pro are very pleasing to the eye. The same cannot be said for the huge notch that sits enthroned at the top of the screen. Of course, it has been reduced. Admittedly, it is used to integrate the very effective “Face ID”. Admittedly, it has become a real way to distinguish iPhones from other smartphones. But it is nonetheless quite unsightly if we compare it to the small centered punch of the Samsung Galaxy 21 Ultra. Add to that thinner bezels around the screen and Samsung's phone has a more modern design than its competitor.

And gauge level? The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is at the crossroads of the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. If the two Apple smartphones are thinner than their competitor of the day, the Korean phone is wider than the iPhone 13 Pro and narrower than the "Max" version. Finally, the S21 Ultra is higher, thanks to its 20:9 screen format.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

As always, there is no point in debating about tastes and colors. On the other hand, some more objective elements lead us to give the advantage to Samsung in terms of design. If the two phones have exemplary finishes, the integration of the photo module, the notch and the screen borders tip the scales in favor of the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Interface: two excellent proposals

iOS 15 on the left, Android 11 + One UI on the right.

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and the Galaxy S21 Ultra offer the latest version of their respective OS: iOS 15 and Android 11. The changes made by iOS 15 compared to the previous version are to be found on the practical side and not on the aesthetic side. We note a grouping of notifications which now take up less space, or the arrival of the "Concentration" mode which allows you to create several profiles according to your activities. The "Work" mode can for example cut off all notifications from social networks. Apple's native applications also benefit from new features, such as Safari, which now supports downloadable extensions from the App Store.

One of the great strengths of iOS is of course Apple's exemplary software monitoring. The brand promises at least 5 years of updates, which makes it compatible with the latest version of the OS of old smartphones like the venerable iPhone 6S marketed in 2015. A follow-up that we will like to see more often on Android which attempts to catch up with its competitor on this point.

For its part, Samsung comes to dress up Android with its excellent in-house interface, One UI. Both easy to use and extremely complete, the Korean manufacturer's overlay is one of the best available on Android. Emphasis is also placed on the display of notifications and security with more frequent requests for authorizations, when applications want to access your location for example. We also note new software on the video side with the "director's view" mode which allows you to film simultaneously with the rear camera and the front camera of the smartphone.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is compatible with the Samsung S-Pen. If we regret that the latter does not have a dedicated location to accommodate the stylus, we take advantage of its various functionalities. We will remember the quick note taking, the translation on the fly of a selected text with the S-Pen, or the possibility of taking a screenshot more precisely.

Winner: tied

Do not ask us to decide between two interfaces as complete and well thought out. Android or iOS, it's mostly a matter of habit. Where Android users cry out at the lack of customization of iOS, users of Apple's OS see it as a clearer and more intuitive interface to use. The interface is a key element that keeps users going when moving from one generation of smartphone to another. And manufacturers have understood this.

Performance: power to spare

Benchmarks of the iPhone 13 Pro on the left, of the Galaxy S21 Ultra on the right.

In the left corner, the iPhone 13 Pro and its in-house processor, the Apple A15 Bionic, accompanied by 6 GB of RAM. In the right corner, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and its Exynos 2100 processor accompanied by 12 or 16 GB of RAM depending on the configuration. The A14 Bionic chip of the iPhone 12 was already ahead of the SoCs that equipped Android smartphones. The 15 Bionic chip drives the point home by offering unparalleled performance on a smartphone, while being energy efficient. In the benchmarks, this translates into scores that explode the ceiling, both on AnTuTu and on Geekbench.

But how does this translate into everyday life? As you can imagine, both smartphones are infallible when it comes to performing the common tasks that are asked of a smartphone. Installing and launching applications is very fast. The multitasking mode is flawless insofar as the two phones allow you to have very many applications in the background and to come back to them at any time without them restarting.

The Genshin Impact game on the iPhone 13 Pro

It's only once you launch games that the difference between the two phones is really felt. On the most demanding titles like Genshin Impact, the GPU of the SoC A15 Bionic makes the difference. At equal definition, the iPhone 13 Pro is more stable in the display of the number of frames per second. It also takes advantage of graphical effects that are not present on Android smartphones.

Apple does not improve its processor every year for the sole purpose of rolling mechanical benchmarks. By offering such powerful SoCs, the apple brand is ensuring that it has products that will be efficient for several more years, but also capable of receiving iOS updates for a minimum of 5 years.

Winner: iPhone 13 Pro

If you're just using your smartphone to browse the web, stream videos, and check your favorite social networks, the two smartphones we're comparing today offer more than enough power. On the other hand, if you play a lot on mobile and want the best gaming experience available, the iPhone 13 Pro stands out as a reference.

Photo: zoom versus video

Wide-angle shot of iPhone 13 Pro on the left, Galaxy S21 Ultra on the right.

Let's start with the forces present. The iPhone 13 Pro is equipped with three 12-megapixel photo sensors: a wide-angle with open f / 1.5, an ultra-wide-angle (f / 1.8) and a telephoto (f / 2.8) for a 3x optical zoom. For its part, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 108-megapixel wide-angle sensor (f / 1.8), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle (f / 2.2), a 10-megapixel telephoto lens (f / 2.4) allowing to make an optical zoom x3 and a second telephoto lens of 10 megapixels (f / 2.4) for an optical zoom x10.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra therefore offers more versatility, and logically shows more detailed photos, but is also more comfortable with zooms beyond x3. The software processing of the two phones is also quite different. Photos from the iPhone 13 Pro are brighter at wide-angle (thanks to the large f/1.5 aperture) and colors more vibrant.

The x10 zoom of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.

For macro photography, both phones use the ultra-wide-angle sensor, but the iPhone benefits from a focusing distance of 2 centimeters, compared to only 4 centimeters for the Korean smartphone. In short, you have understood, it is played in a pocket handkerchief between the two phones.

Samsung's mobile is capable of filming up to 8K, the iPhone 13 Pro can film in 4K at 60 frames per second in HDR Dolby Vision, a unique proposition on a smartphone. A software update should also bring it the "ProRes" format that can be compared to the RAW format for photography. In general, Apple's mobile offers better video quality and stabilization than the Galaxy S21 Ultra. To find out more, we invite you to consult our complete test of the iPhone 13 Pro.

The iPhone 13 Pro introduces cinematic mode that can be described as "portrait mode in video", with background blur and face recognition that allows autofocus. Limited to 1080p at 30 frames per second (wide-angle only). Although imperfect, this shooting mode has its small effect. For the most picky, it is possible to edit the captured video files afterwards.

Winner: tied

Again, not easy to share the two behemoths. If you prefer the overall rendering of the wide-angle photos of the iPhone 13 Pro, the much more powerful optical zoom of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is very practical to use. If you film a lot with your phone, on the other hand, it is on the side of the iPhone that you will have to turn.

Autonomy: improving, but not everywhere

Autonomy of the iPhone 13 Pro on the left, of the Galaxy S21 Ultra on the right.

The iPhones and the Galaxy S had in common a dedicated autonomy for a few years. This era seems to be over as the iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra have rectified the situation compared to previous models. An improvement made possible by larger capacity batteries, less energy-consuming SoCs, but also a major novelty on the screen side…

Indeed, both phones are equipped with a 120 Hz screen. An energy-intensive technical feature on paper. But that's without counting on the adaptive refresh rate that both phones benefit from. Thus, they are able to go down to 10 Hz in certain scenarios. If you watch a video, the screen will only be 24 Hz, if you play at 30 frames per second, the panel will be limited to 30 Hz, etc. The 120 Hz mode is mainly used when you are scrolling quickly through pages on the web browser or social networks.

And in real life, what does it look like? The Galaxy S21 Ultra and its 3095 mAh battery will last a full day with intensive use. Under the same conditions, the iPhone 13 Pro and its 3095 mAh battery are able to last for a day and a half. This is of course an average and will depend on the uses of each. A slight advantage for Apple in terms of autonomy which is unfortunately tarnished by a recharge which does not shine with its speed.

Both Samsung and Apple no longer provide charging blocks on their high-end smartphones. You will therefore have to take the one you have on hand or put your hand in your wallet to acquire one. The iPhone 13 Pro is compatible with a recharge of only 20W (the magic of lightning…). Enough to fully recharge it in 1h30. For its part, the Galaxy S21 Ultra recharges in about 1 hour and 10 minutes thanks to its 25W compatibility. A recharging speed that is difficult to describe as "fast" today.

Winner: iPhone 13 Pro

Yes, in 2021, an iPhone can emerge victorious in terms of autonomy. Despite less battery capacity on paper, Apple has done a real job on energy consumption and software optimization of its smartphone. If we start to get used to the idea of ​​no longer having a charging block in the box, it is more difficult to design a high-end smartphone that recharges so slowly.

Conclusion

Of the five rounds in this versus, the iPhone 13 Pro wins 2 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra only one. The other two sets are tied. Accounting, the apple phone is a winner. But as always, we invite you to carefully read our two complete tests to be sure to make the best choice.

If you value phone design a lot, use your phone's zoom a lot, or just prefer the Android interface, the S21 Ultra is for you. If you are looking for the best smartphone for playing, for taking videos, but also the most enduring, your heart will surely lean towards the iPhone 13 Pro.

What we think about it at Clubic

Whichever you choose, it's hard to go wrong. Like every year, the latest top-of-the-range models from manufacturers come out eight months apart. It is therefore normal that the latest product to date (iPhone 13 Pro) offers some advantages that its competitor does not benefit from. The beginning of the year will be an opportunity for Samsung to market its Galaxy S22 Ultra, which will bring its share of new features against the iPhone. Fierce competition that benefits consumers as always.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro at the best price

RED by SFR	1149€	See the offer
SFR	1149€	See the offer
Cdiscount	1153€	See the offer
Cdiscount	1153€	See the offer
Amazon	1159€	See the offer
Baker	1159€	See the offer
Darty	1159€	See the offer
E.Leclerc	1159€	See the offer
Fnac	1159€	See the offer
macway	1159€	See the offer
Rue Du Commerce marketplace	1226,91€	See the offer

See more offers

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra at the best price

Fnac marketplace	978€	See the offer
Cdiscount marketplace	984€	See the offer
RED by SFR	999€	See the offer
SFR	999€	See the offer
Darty Marketplace	1008€	See the offer
E.Leclerc	1099€	See the offer
Samsung	1099€	See the offer
Amazon	1200€	See the offer
Darty	1259€	See the offer
Fnac	1259€	See the offer
Rue Du Commerce marketplace	1259€	See the offer

See more offers

Gabriel Manceau

Smartphone specialist

Smartphone specialist

Journalist. Minimalist. Optimistic. I watch new technologies closely without letting myself be hypnotized. Eternal student and modern Viking.

Read other articles

Journalist. Minimalist. Optimistic. I watch new technologies closely without letting myself be hypnotized. Eternal student and modern Viking.

Read other articlesThis article contains affiliate links, which means that a commission may be paid to Clubic. The prices mentioned are subject to change. Read the charter of confidence