Samsung Galaxy S21 Review – Specs and Price of The New Android Giant
Welcome to a world where less is more. The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the entry-level model in Samsung’s new trio of flagships and offers an attractive mix of features for the price. It has a more reasonable starting price of $ 800, has a 6.2-inch screen for little hands, and doesn’t bother with the ridiculous 100x Space Zoom. (You can still get it on the $ 1,200 S21 Ultra, though.)
You don’t get S Pen support, of course, but the S21 still uses a high-end processor and fast 120Hz screen for smooth animations. The Galaxy S21 is a distillation of what most users want, leaving out the superfluous stuff. But in the land of under $ 800 Android phones, the S21 faces stiff competition.
The Galaxy S series has been the flagship phone for years that can do it all, have it all, but with the Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung has decided to take almost as much as it does to upgrade. What could be a recipe for failure has resulted in an excellent Android smartphone that’s $ 200 cheaper than the Galaxy S20.
With its 6.2-inch screen, a trio of rear cameras, and the same 4,000 mAh battery, the Galaxy S21 isn’t a huge improvement over its predecessor. Of course, it comes with a new camera module and color schemes, as well as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888. But the Galaxy S21 turns out to be a very iterative update; the big changes come to the Galaxy S21 Ultra this time.
For folks clinging to the older Galaxy S10 or, say, a Google Pixel 4 or OnePlus 7T, the array of updates – like a new Dynamic AMOLED display and improved software – makes the Galaxy S21 flagship quite attractive in size and price. Keep reading our Samsung Galaxy S21 review to find out why stuff deletion has worked quite well for Samsung’s new flagship phone.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Main Specs and Features:
- OS: Android 11 with One UI 3
- Screen size: 6.2 inches (2400 x 1080)
- Refresh rate: 48-120Hz
- Processor: Snapdragon 888
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB, 256GB
- microSD: none
- Rear cameras: 12MP wide (f/1.8), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2), 64MP telephoto (f/2.0) with 3x hybrid zoom/30x digital
- Video: Up to 8K at 24 fps
- Front cameras: 10MP
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Battery life: 9 hours and 53 minutes (60hz), 6 hours and 31 minutes (adaptive)
- Charging: 25W (charger not included)
- Colors: Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom White, Phantom Gray
- Size: 6 x 2.8 x 0.31 inches
- Weight: 6.07 inches
Samsung Galaxy S21 Design: Feels Premium, But Not Quite As Advanced As The S21 Ultra
In design, Samsung has made the most obvious changes to the S20 (which we call the best smartphone of 2020), revising the materials used, the colors, and the overall appearance of the device.
There is a 6.2-inch Full HD + AMOLED display on this phone, which we will discuss further in the screen section below. This phone is the smallest member of the Galaxy S21 family and while it may not be as slim as the iPhone 12 mini, those with smaller hands shouldn’t have too much trouble with it.
If you want a larger phone, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus has a larger screen and the Galaxy S21 Ultra has the largest screen of the entire series. However, both phones are more expensive.
Samsung has switched from an all-glass back on the Galaxy S20, a design that wasn’t too exciting in the flesh, to a “Glasstic” back with a matte finish and a new camera block design.
Glasstic is the actual company name for the material, which, as the name suggests, lies somewhere between plastic and glass. It doesn’t feel as premium as a glass back, but the matte finish doesn’t make it feel like cheap plastic either.
Samsung has used the same material on the Galaxy Note 20, but the matte finish feels more appropriate here and is much less glossy than the glass back on the Galaxy S20, meaning it’s less of a fingerprint magnet. Metal edges on the outside of the unit provide a premium, polishing touch.
You have four color options at launch: Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Pink, and Phantom Violet (the shade you see in the image throughout the review); we think purple is the most prominent color here.
The company has made sure that the S21 phone’s camera set looks different from any other on the market. Samsung calls this its Contour Cut Camera, and it’s a divided design to say the least, although we think it looks bold, and it’s something we’ve gotten used to in our time testing the phone. The gold camera array on the Phantom Violet variant is particularly attractive and feels slimmer than on the Galaxy S20, which not only makes it stick out the back of the phone as much.
There is little that can break the slim bezels of the phone: the bottom features the SIM card tray, a USB-C port, and a speaker grill, while on the right side are the power button and volume rocker; however, the Bixby button on the other corporate phones has not returned here. Instead, you can launch the Samsung Assistant by long-pressing the power button.
A downside for some is the switch to a completely flat screen on the Galaxy S21. For generations, Samsung has used displays that curve attractively to the body on the left and right edges, but with the Galaxy S21, this has been dropped.
It’s unlikely to be something you’ll notice unless you’re used to those curved edges, but it’s worth noting if it’s someone who especially loves that design feature, and as is the case with other deleted features, Samsung has the curve. -Edge screen for the S21 Ultra-premium.
All in all, the Samsung Galaxy S21 feels like a premium device, although it is unlikely that it will feel as high-end as the Samsung Galaxy S20 if you own that phone or the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Samsung S21 Display Review: 120hz Refresh Rate Is Great, As Is The Brightness
Difficult to notice a QHD change, but some will be disappointed
The screen deterioration is arguably the most controversial change Samsung has made to the Galaxy S21, with the company switching to a Full HD + display with a lower resolution than the Quad HD display available on the Galaxy S20 2020.
As mentioned, Samsung has done this to keep the price of the new phone low and unless you’ve used a phone with a QHD resolution, we don’t think you can easily tell the difference; We found that all the videos we watched on the S21 looked of high enough quality on the Full HD + panel.
If you already own a Samsung Galaxy S20, although this decision may not impress you, and if you’re looking for Samsung’s best display tech, you’ll want to go for the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which retains the QHD display.
Did Samsung make the right decision here? For the most part, we think so. It won’t be popular with everyone, but more importantly, it allowed Samsung to lower the price of its Galaxy S21 series and it won’t hurt most people’s everyday phone experience very much.
The Galaxy S21’s screen has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, it’s on by default and adaptive, so if you’re playing a mobile game, for example, the screen stays at 120Hz, while if you’re reading an audiobook, the refresh rate drops to save battery.
Samsung has also made significant improvements to the fingerprint scanner on the S21 phones over previous phones. The sensor itself is 70% larger, making it easier to hit and noticeably faster too; It’s not quite as fast as the physical fingerprint scanners you find on other phones, but this is one of the best in-screen scanners we’ve used.
Samsung Galaxy S21 review: One UI 3 And Software
While I’ve been using Samsung phones for years, I’m not the biggest fan of the UI on Android. But with the introduction of One UI in 2018, I gradually got used to the Galaxy series version of Google’s mobile operating system. A UI 3 on the Galaxy S21 (and now older Samsung models updated to Android 11) builds on this goodwill.
The interface is slimmer, complete with a redesigned quick panel and a notification screen that feels less cluttered. I particularly like the redesigned lock screen widgets, as well as the ability to place widgets on the screen and adjust their transparency.
One UI 3 still comes with plenty of options to customize your Galaxy experience, some of which will enjoy. But it can get a bit overwhelming at times when you just want to find a particular setting.
And my word, I don’t like One UI’s main app drawer. Despite the third iteration, the apps are arranged in a seemingly random way so that moving from one phone with lots of apps to another makes finding the apps you want to configure on your home screen less of a nightmare. Compared to the elegance of Android’s app drawer, Samsung is a mess.
I understand Samsung would like me to use their services, but many other Android phones use standard Google features such as password autofill. But One UI 3 tries to force me to use Samsung Pass and my Samsung account, ironically often forgetting the password. It’s fine once you set it up, but it can be frustrating to use until you get used to it. There is certainly still room for Samsung to improve.
However, One UI 3 is better than the previous version. And it’s useful to remember that it comes with many powerful tools, such as a Samsung DeX, which allows the Sasmung Galaxy S21 and other compatible Galaxy devices to connect to an external monitor to turn the phone into a pseudo-Chrome OS. experience.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Review: Cameras
In terms of hardware, the Samsung Galaxy S21 cameras are the same as the Galaxy S20. The triple camera suite consists of a 12 MP main wide-angle lens, a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 64 MP telephoto lens with 3x hybrid optical zoom and 30x spatial zoom.
But Samsung uses Google and relies heavily on computational photo software and updates to improve its trio of rear cameras. And for the most part, the Galaxy S21 achieves this.
Let’s start with the default photo mode. With multiple colors and shades to deal with, plus the light coming in from the left, it provides a smartphone camera workout.
The photo of the Galaxy S21 is full of color and detail, although, as with Galaxy phones in the past, the colors are perhaps a bit more saturated than the Google Pixel 5 I used to compare. The Pixel 5 offers a warmer tone and more lifelike colors, with a better dynamic range.
However, if you zoom in, the S21 selects some finer details, probably due to the telephoto camera, with the grille on the Aston Martin DB5 model and the numbers on the Vox headphone amp being lighter than the Pixel photo. 5.
It’s worth noting that I turned off the Scene Optimizer feature, which uses AI to identify what’s in the frame and adjust the camera accordingly to get the best shot. In practice, I think this can result in over-processing and smudging.
Outdoors with natural light and the S21’s main camera is doing well. While it wasn’t an ideal photographic situation, the Galaxy S21 in the photo below detects more detail than the Pixel 5 in the tower buildings on the right and Canary Wharf in London in the background. However, the Pixel 5 offers a more dynamic range and more lifelike colors.
Speaking of which, it gets a little tricky in low-light situations or artificially lit environments. I found the Pixel 5 to be better at detecting edges and resolving details in low-light areas, while the S21 produces occasional smudged and smooth results.
You really have to look for this though, and I think it’s because the Galaxy S21 raises the ISO and thereby introduces more noise into the dark areas of a shot. I suspect these could be some early issues with AI processing applied to low-light areas, something Samsung could fix with a software update.
Low light also doesn’t help in portrait mode. Thanks to UK social distance rules, I had to take a picture of my friend Claire on the doorstep as the sun was setting; this meant there was the challenge of dealing with low light on one side and a porch on the other.
The Pixel 5 adapts admirably, offers more natural skin tones, and selects details in highlights and shadows. But S21 is struggling a bit, washing and softening Claire’s face too much. And he fails to capture much detail in his hair, especially on the left side.
S21 photos that are not portraits perform better, so I suspect the portrait mode algorithm has a hard time distinguishing what is in the foreground and what needs to be erased; something the Pixel 5 is particularly good at.
In better lighting conditions, the portrait mode is much better for both the rear camera and the 10 MP front camera; See as an example the photo below by Mark Spoonauer from Tom’s Guide.
And by shooting objects instead of faces, the Galaxy S21 provides a beautiful portrait shot.
The Galaxy S21 doesn’t offer the sharpest portrait mode cutouts like the Pixel 5, as Samsung opts for a more gradual blur effect. I prefer the clarity of the Google phone, but the S21 still performs well.
Switch to S21 night mode and low light issues will disappear. In the next shot, the S21 offers brighter, more detailed shots (especially in street lighting) and more colorful than the Pixel 5. With more cameras to capture light and detail, the S21 shows the limitations of the Pixel 5’s dual rear cameras. Night mode can also be used on all three cameras on the Galaxy S21.
Wide-angle shots are expensive on the Samsung Galaxy S21, but once you zoom in, things fall apart. While it captures a wider picture than the Pixel 5, punching through a shot reveals confusing detail, while Google’s phone is much clearer. You will have to consider whether the lack of fine detail is worth a more expensive photo.
It is with the telephoto’s 20x and 30x “Space Zoom” that upgrades to the S21 rearview camera come into play. In particular, the new Zoom Lock feature, which uses AI to identify the subject and stabilize the shot.
This works quite well, and you can get surprisingly clear shots for extreme zooms, even if you have fairly shaky hands. The post-processing cleans up the photo and results in a zoom shot that is not a mess.
Using Space Zoom, I was able to get a fairly clear view of a small tin of coin on my window from across the room. I’m not sure how practical it is for everyday smartphone photography, but it’s an impressive showcase for AI technology.
On the video front, the Samsung Galaxy S21 covers a lot of bases. Like the Galaxy S20, it offers up to 8K recording at 24fps, which is an exaggeration for most, but it does allow you to capture high-quality photos while recording very high-resolution video.
Other high-end features include 1080p video recording at 120fps, making them super smooth. Speaking of smoothness, the Super Steady mode, which uses AI to compensate for shaky footage, works at 1080p 60fps video recording.
Another highlight is the new director’s view when recording videos. You can shoot simultaneously with the front and rear camera and view live thumbnails from multiple cameras. This makes it easy to switch to the best shot for your video. It works quite well and is less of a gimmick than I first thought.
Portrait video, which is basically a renaming of live focus video, is also quite elegant, offering images where subjects are in focus while the background is blurred. If you move around a lot, you will see that the S21 works with its algorithms, which sometimes results in too much detail on the faces.
Other camera updates include an improved Single Shot feature that allows you to take numerous still images and photos with one tap. Single Take now offers featured videos and dynamic slow-motion clips.
Considering all of the above, the Samsung Galaxy S21 offers an update over the Galaxy S20. I don’t think it has what it takes to remove the iPhone 12 Pro Max from our list of best phone cameras and the iPhone 12 could still be on top, but the S21 trades blows with the Pixel 5, beating the phone by far from Google. of areas. The potential for further refinement on the side of Samsung’s AI and computational photography leaves a lot of room for the S21s camera to improve over time.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Review: Release Date And Price
You can order the Samsung Galaxy S21 right now and the phone will go on sale on January 29.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Price in US
Samsung Galaxy S21 Price US is $ 799, you can get the Galaxy S21 with 128 GB of storage, but pay an additional $ 50 and you can get the 256 GB model for $ 849. That’s $ 200 cheaper than the Galaxy S20 a year ago, a huge saving.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Price in UK
Samsung Galaxy S21 Price UK has a starting price of £ 769 for the 128GB model, double storage will be sold for £ 819. The 5G Galaxy S20 cost £ 899, making the S21 £ 130 more cheap.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Price in Nigeria
The Samsung Galaxy S21 price in Nigeria start from 362,780 Naira to 444260 Naira, Samsung Galaxy S21 comes with Android 11, 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display, Snapdragon 888 / Exynos 2100 Octa Chipset, Triple (12MP + 64MP + 12MP) rear camera and 10MP selfie camera. 8 GB RAM and 128 GB ROM / 256 GB ROM.
Just keep in mind that there is only one USB-C cable in the box, so you’ll have to pay for a charger if you don’t already have one. And the S21 comes with just 8 GB of RAM, with no option to hit the 12 GB of the Galaxy S20 unless you go for the significantly more expensive Galaxy S21 Ultra.
The Galaxy S21 beats out its most obvious rival, the iPhone 12, which costs $ 879 for a 128 GB phone. (The $ 799 iPhone 12 only offers 64 GB of storage.) But the S21 is more expensive than the $ 699 Google Pixel 5, which lacks a few raw specs but offers a fantastic camera.
Ironically, the fairly recent Samsung Galaxy S20 FE could pose a threat to the Galaxy S21 as it offers a 120Hz display, a still-powerful Snapdragon 865, and a trio of solid rear cameras for $ 699. The S20 FE is not quite Advanced like the S21, but still has a lot going for it at a sub flagship price.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Review: Performance
In the US, the Galaxy S21 comes with the latest Snapdragon 888 chip, which promises 20% better CPU performance, 35% faster GPU speed and improved AI performance. While there is no option for 12 GB of RAM, the S21 does a lot with 8 GB and I found no lag in my tests.
Speaking of which, by subjecting the Snapdragon 888-equipped S21 to several benchmarks, the chip delivered a multi-core score of 3,302 on Geekbench 5. That’s slower than the iPhone 12, which scored 3,859. But the S21 unsurprisingly outperforms many other Android phones with the older Snapdragon 865.
In terms of graphics performance, the S21 surpassed 33 frames per second in 3DMark’s Wild Life graphics benchmark. It is beaten by the iPhone 12’s 39fps, but it is ahead of other flagship Android phones. In practical use, however, the S21 chews on games.
Both Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 Legends worked perfectly at maximum settings, with the 120Hz refresh rate adding to the smoothness. It’s worth noting that while testing the Snapdragon 888 Galaxy S21, I used a phone with the Exynos 2100.
Built on a 5-nanometer process node like the Snapdragon 888, the Exynos 2100 is intended to deliver a 20% improvement in energy efficiency and a 10% improvement in performance over the latest generation 7nm Exynos 990. At the launch of the S2100 on Geekbench 5, it scored 3391, so it’s on par with the Snapdragon chip, which is gratifying as Exynos chips were previously lagging.
With those games open and a ton of other apps running at the same time, I didn’t notice any lags or unresponsiveness from the S21, although the back did get a little warm.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Review: Battery Life And Charging
Like its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 comes with a 4000 mAh battery. That’s fine for a phone of this size, although it’s a shame Samsung hasn’t increased the capacity a bit. Still, the adaptive refresh rate and improved chip efficiency should provide longer battery life.
The Galaxy S21, set to the 60Hz refresh rate, achieved 9 hours and 53 minutes in Tom’s Guide’s battery test, browsing the web continuously with a screen brightness of 150 nits above 5G.
That’s not long enough to make our phone’s best battery life list, but it beats the iPhone 12’s 8 hours and 25 minutes. And it almost beats the Galaxy S20 by 9 hours and 31 minutes, so the new silicon does its part. seems to be playing.
Left in the default “Adaptive” mode, which dynamically adjusts the screen’s refresh rate, the Galaxy S21 lasted 6 hours and 31 minutes. That’s not surprising, but it’s far from bad when you get a vibrant screen with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Also, the artificial intelligence in the S21 should learn more about my phone usage over time and better optimize battery usage, but that won’t happen overnight.
Charging is where it gets a bit tricky. Fast charging is offered through the USB-C PD standard, increasing battery life up to 55% in 30 minutes in our tests. The problem is, you need to make sure you have a charging pad handy as Samsung only puts the USB-C cable in the box. If you don’t have a charger, Samsung will sell you a 25W charger.
Samsung sang and danced great about this eco-friendly decision; Of course, it also saves Samsung money. Ultimately, I think this is the right move, regardless of motivation. Helping reduce e-waste is worth the added expense and minor inconvenience it can cause for some S21 buyers who are unaware of phone chargers.
Complete Samsung Galaxy S21 Specifications
Versions: SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS (International); SM-G991U (USA); SM-G991U1 (USA unlocked); SM-G991W (Canada); SM-G991N (Korea); SM-G9910 (China)
| NETWORK | Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only) | |
| CDMA 800 / 1900 & TD-SCDMA | ||
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | ||
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 – SM-G991U1 | |
| 5G bands | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave | |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (CA), 5G |
| BODY | Dimensions | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 169 g (Sub6), 171 g (mmWave) (5.96 oz) | |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame | |
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM and/or eSIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM and/or eSIM, dual stand-by) | |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| DISPLAY | Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.2 inches, 94.1 cm2 (~87.2% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~421 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | |
| Always-on display |
| PLATFORM | OS | Android 11, One UI 3.1 |
| Chipset | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) – International Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 (5 nm) – USA/China | |
| CPU | Octa-core (1×2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3×2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) – International Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680 – USA/China | |
| GPU | Mali-G78 MP14 – International Adreno 660 – USA/China |
| MAIN CAMERA | Triple | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 64 MP, f/2.0, 29mm (telephoto), 1/1.72″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55″ 1.4µm, Super Steady video |
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Features | Dual video call, Auto-HDR | |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack | No | |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG |
| COMMS | WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Radio | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) | |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, USB On-The-Go |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) |
| BATTERY | Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | Fast charging 25W USB Power Delivery 3.0 Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W Reverse wireless charging 4.5W |
| MISC | Colors | Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink |
| Models | SM-G991B, SM-G991B/DS, SM-G991U, SM-G991U1, SM-G991W, SM-G991N, SM-G9910 | |
| SAR | 0.74 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) | |
| SAR EU | 0.46 W/kg (head) 1.51 W/kg (body) | |
| Price | $ 799.99 / € 849.00 / £ 769.00 / ₹ 69,999 |
| TESTS | Performance | AnTuTu: 584055 (v8) GeekBench: 3238 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | |
| Camera | Photo / Video | |
| Loudspeaker | -26.4 LUFS (Good) | |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 93h | |
Source: GSMARENA
Samsung Galaxy S21 Review: Verdict
Since Samsung took as much from this phone as it adds, I was prepared to be disappointed by the Galaxy S21. But I didn’t have to worry.
Sure, the plastic back isn’t ideal for a flagship phone, but I quickly got used to polycarbonate, and the Galaxy S21’s overall design is charming, but also more practical than the S20. The lack of hardware updates for the cameras was a bit disappointing, but they still produce flagship quality results and have a ton of features and tools to really dig in.
I would have liked Samsung to push the hardware envelope for the Samsung Galaxy S21, but that’s the domain of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. By doing what I thought was the right choice when it came to removing features, the Galaxy S21 still offers the latest flagship chips, a fantastic display, and powerful cameras in a sophisticated smartphone at a competitive price; one that should cover the iPhone 12.
The only fly in the ointment is the Galaxy S20. If you already have an S20 I don’t think it would benefit from an upgrade. I feel like Samsung knows this and the S21 is more for those with older Galaxy phones or looking for their next phone. If you’re in that position, I recommend that you consider the Galaxy S21 as it won’t disappoint.
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S21?
Buy it if …
You want a smaller Samsung phone
The Samsung Galaxy S21 isn’t the smallest premium phone on the market – that honor probably goes to the iPhone 12 mini – but it’s a good option for anyone who doesn’t want to have an incredibly large smartphone in their pocket. The 6.2-inch screen may seem large on paper, but the phone itself is noticeably smaller than many of its Android competitors.
You need one of the most powerful Android phones
The Samsung Galaxy S21 offers phenomenal performance, and if you need a smartphone that can perform multiple tasks at once in split-screen view or while gaming, it probably is.
If you have a much older phone
If you have the Galaxy S20 then the S21 isn’t an essential upgrade as it doesn’t mean a significant improvement in terms of specs and features, but if you have the S10 or less, the S21 is more likely to be worth buying an upgrade. . It is also suitable for those who have older phones from other manufacturers and want to try a Samsung device.
Don’t buy it if …
You have a Samsung Galaxy S20
As we mentioned above, if you already own the Galaxy S20, there is little reason to upgrade to this phone as it is not a marked improvement in terms of specs and features. Instead, you’ll want to watch the Galaxy S21 Ultra or maybe wait for what Samsung will do next.
You need a lot of storage space
The Samsung Galaxy S21 is crippled by its relatively meager built-in storage and lack of microSD support to expand that. If you need a lot of space on your smartphone for games, music, and videos, you’d better choose almost any other top Android phone as most of them allow you to insert a microSD card.
You want the best of the best
The Samsung Galaxy S21 isn’t the star of the Galaxy S21 family; If you’re looking for the best of the company in 2021, you’ll want to check out the Galaxy S21 Ultra, when your budget can reach its hefty price tag.
