Apple iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Price in UAE & Gulf

Side-by-side comparison of verified market prices, camera megapixels, battery life, display quality, and processor benchmark scores in UAE & Gulf.

โœ“ Head-to-Head Comparison: โ€ข PriceCR Hardware Benchmark Lab
Apple iPhone 12 design and comparison in UAE & Gulf

Apple iPhone 12

AED 1,549

๐Ÿ† PriceCR Score: 64/100

Lowest verified at UAE Retail Stores

View Apple iPhone 12 Details →
Samsung Galaxy S21 design and comparison in UAE & Gulf

Samsung Galaxy S21

AED 1,300

๐Ÿ† PriceCR Score: 63/100

Lowest verified at Market Benchmark (UAE)

View Samsung Galaxy S21 Details →

โš–๏ธ Head-to-Head Verdict: Which is Better in UAE & Gulf?

In UAE & Gulf, Samsung Galaxy S21 starts from AED 1,300, saving approximately AED 249 over Apple iPhone 12 (AED 1,549). Choose Samsung Galaxy S21 for superior price-to-performance, or Apple iPhone 12 if you require its standout hardware advantages.

Why choose Apple iPhone 12?

  • โœ“ Higher selfie camera resolution (12MP vs 10MP)
  • โœ“ Powered by Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)

Why choose Samsung Galaxy S21?

  • โœ“ More affordable by AED 249 (16% lower price)

๐Ÿ† Crucial Feature Scores (NanoReview Benchmark)

Standardized 0โ€“100 evaluations across display, camera, performance, battery, and overall value.

Apple iPhone 12 (64/100) vs Samsung Galaxy S21 (63/100)
Display Quality & Touch Apple: 75 | Samsung: 55
Camera & 4K Video Recording Apple: 68 | Samsung: 78
CPU Multi-tasking & Speed Apple: 55 | Samsung: 55
Gaming & 3D Graphics Stability Apple: 50 | Samsung: 50
Battery Capacity & Fast Charge Apple: 55 | Samsung: 55
Value for Money & Price Ratio Apple: 69 | Samsung: 67

โœจ Which Phone Wins Your Use Case?

๐ŸŽฎ Best for High-FPS Gaming
Apple iPhone 12

Scores 50/100 in sustained GPU gaming frame rate.

๐Ÿ“ธ Best for Photography & Video
Samsung Galaxy S21

Scores 78/100 with higher resolution and low-light optical sensors.

โšก Battery & Fast Charging King
Apple iPhone 12

Scores 55/100 for all-day runtime and high-wattage charging.

๐Ÿ’ฐ Best Price-to-Performance Value
Apple iPhone 12

Scores 69/100 delivering maximum features per currency unit.

๐Ÿ“ก UAE 5G & 4G LTE Network Compatibility

Official network frequency check for e& (Etisalat) and du networks in the UAE.

e& (Etisalat) Full 5G Ready
5G Band n78 (3.5GHz) / 4G B3, B7, B20
du Full 5G Ready
5G Band n78 (3.5GHz) / 4G B3, B20
Virgin Mobile UAE Full 5G Ready
Operates on du 5G / 4G Infrastructure
UAE Warranty & TDRA Tip: Ensure units carry official TDRA approval to guarantee 1-year manufacturer warranty across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah authorized service centers.

Apple iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Key Specifications Comparison

Specification Apple iPhone 12 Samsung Galaxy S21
Starting Verified Price AED 1,549
at UAE Retail Stores
AED 1,300
at Market Benchmark (UAE) Advantage
Display & Refresh Rate 6.1 inches (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio), Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 625 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) 6.2"
Display Resolution 1170 x 2532 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~460 ppi density) N/A
Processor / Chipset Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm) N/A
RAM & Internal Storage 4GB LPDDR4X RAM 8GB RAM
Rear Primary Camera Dual: 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4ยตm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS + 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120หš (ultrawide), 1/3.6" 12 MP (wide, OIS) + 64 MP (telephoto, 3x hybrid, OIS) + 12 MP (ultrawide)
Front Selfie Camera 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" + SL 3D (biometrics sensor) Advantage 10 MP (wide, Dual Pixel PDAF)
Battery & Fast Charging N/A 4000 mAh
5G Network Support GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G 5G, 4G LTE
Operating System iOS iOS 14.1, upgradable to iOS 18 Android 11, upgradable to Android 15, One UI 7
Build, Weight & Protection 164 g (5.78 oz), Glass front (Ceramic Shield), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aerospace-grade aluminum frame Premium build

Frequently Asked Questions: Apple iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy S21

Which phone is better, Apple iPhone 12 or Samsung Galaxy S21?

Both Apple iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 have distinct advantages in UAE & Gulf. Apple iPhone 12 starts from AED 1,549, whereas Samsung Galaxy S21 starts from AED 1,300. Samsung Galaxy S21 offers better budget value by saving AED 249. Review the side-by-side camera, display, and battery specs table above to decide.

What is the price difference between Apple iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 in UAE & Gulf?

In UAE & Gulf, Samsung Galaxy S21 is priced about AED 249 lower than Apple iPhone 12 based on verified market listings tracked daily on PriceCR.

Which has a better camera and battery, Apple iPhone 12 or Samsung Galaxy S21?

Apple iPhone 12 features Dual: 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1.4ยตm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS + 12 MP, f/2.4, 13mm, 120หš (ultrawide), 1/3.6" with a high-capacity battery. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S21 comes with 12 MP (wide, OIS) + 64 MP (telephoto, 3x hybrid, OIS) + 12 MP (ultrawide) and a 4000 mAh. Check the comparison table for sensor details.