Samsung Galaxy S26 FE
What you’d gain
- 2× faster
- Camera score: 7.3 → 8.0
- Battery: 4,500 → 4,900 mAh
- Security updates until around 2033
What you’d give up
- Display score: 8.2 → 7.5
- Heavier: 177 → 193 g
Should You Upgrade From the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
How the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G compares with phones you can buy today: how long it still gets updates, what a new phone would add and what you’d give up. Every number comes from official specs and update policies.
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Our take
Time to upgrade
Security updates end around 2027 Newer phones are about 3.2× faster The best upgrade scores 3.8 points higher on performance and 3.5 on battery OS upgrades ended around 2026
Based on specs and official update policies. It’s your call.
Upgrades we’d look at
Phones with a US launch price up to $900, close to what the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G cost at launch. Choose “Any price” above to also see phones sold without a US price.
OnePlus 15
What you’d gain
- 3.2× faster
- Camera score: 7.3 → 8.4
- Display score: 8.2 → 8.9
- Battery: 4,500 → 7,300 mAh
- Security updates until around 2031
What you’d give up
- Heavier: 177 → 211 g
OnePlus 15R
What you’d gain
- 2.8× faster
- Battery: 4,500 → 7,400 mAh
- Security updates until around 2031
What you’d give up
- Camera score: 7.3 → 6.5
- No telephoto lens (yours: 3× zoom)
- No wireless charging
- Heavier: 177 → 214 g
REDMAGIC 11S Pro
What you’d gain
- 3.2× faster
- Battery: 4,500 → 7,500 mAh
- Security updates until around 2029
What you’d give up
- Display score: 8.2 → 7.6
- No telephoto lens (yours: 3× zoom)
- Heavier: 177 → 230 g
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Scores, speed and updates come from official specs, chip benchmarks (Geekbench 6, 3DMark) and the makers’ update policies. How we rate phones
More upgrade checks for Samsung phones
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Upgrading from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6
Upgrading from the Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
Upgrading from the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G upgrade FAQ
Is the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G still supported?
Samsung promises 5 years of security updates for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, counted from its announcement in January 2022, so they should continue until around 2027. It gets 4 years of OS upgrades, which ended around 2026.
What is the best upgrade from the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
Based on specs, the best upgrade we found is the OnePlus 15, with a PhoneRanked score of 9.4 vs 6.8 for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G. The newest model of the same family is the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE. If you want to spend less, look at the OnePlus 15R. We looked at phones with a US launch price up to $900, close to the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G’s launch price.
How much faster is the OnePlus 15 than the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G?
Going by the benchmarks of their chips, the OnePlus 15 is about 3.2 times as fast as the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G. In Geekbench 6 multi-core it scores 10,941 vs 3,450.
Check another phone · Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G specs and reviews