Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra are finally here, and they pack incredible features as expected. The South Korean manufacturer is positioning its latest flagship devices at different price points for a more diverse selection. It basically means that you need to be more mindful now when picking the right Galaxy S21. That said, let’s check out each one of them.
Samsung Galaxy S21
The Galaxy S21 is the smallest of the bunch, thanks to its 6.2″ FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x. The screen supports up to 120Hz and trickles down to as low as 48Hz, depending on the displayed content. Aside from that, Samsung is also bringing auto-blue light control, based on AI, for the best and accurate performance. Due to the smaller form factor, the S21 is using a 4000mAh battery only. Regardless, it still supports Wireless PowerShare and fast wireless and wired charging.
Much like the rest of the Galaxy S21 Series, the corner camera cutout spearheads the new design from Samsung. A new matte finish on the back complements the new camera module, featuring Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gray, and Phantom White for both the S21 and S21+.
Camera-wise, the S21 uses a 12MP f1.8 wide sensor for the back, alongside a 12MP f2.2 ultrawide with 120-degree FOV and 64MP f2.0 telephoto that offers up to 5x optical zoom. The main sensor shoots up to 8K@30fps video while all three shoots up to 4K@60fps. Furthermore, the telephoto lens now comes with improved Space Zoom with tripod-like stability and an AI-powered image stabilizer keeping the viewfinder stable and the photo sharp.
Samsung Galaxy S21+
As for the Galaxy S21+, the experience is just a bit bigger. The screen is now 6.7″ FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x but supports the same 48Hz-120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Due to the bigger screen, the battery is also bigger at 4800mAh. However, the Galaxy S21+ features ultra-wideband or UWB, something the S21 lacks.
Samsung also introduced its Galaxy SmartTag that lets you track items or even pets by attaching its new smart accessory. By utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and UWB, users can keep track of Galaxy devices and SmartTags through the SmartThings Find feature. In the future, with UWB, users will also be able to take advantage of touch-free car unlocking though this is for select cars only.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is where all the fun is. First, it’s the biggest one out of three, thanks to its 6.8″ Dynamic AMOLED 2x display. Furthermore, the screen is dynamic, switching between 120Hz and 10Hz. It’s also the brightest at 1500 nits max brightness with amazing 3M:1 contrast ratio. Compared to the regular Galaxy S20, it’s 25% brighter, 50% better in contrast ratio with 100% color volume.
The camera setup on the S21 Ultra is also different. There are four sensors on the back, alongside a laser AF. These cameras are 108MP f1.8 main, 12MP f2.2 ultrawide, 10MP f2.4 telephoto for 3x optical zoom and another 10MP f4.9 tele for up to 10x zoom. When combined, the S21 Ultra delivers up to 100x Space Zoom and incredible detail quality at 10x.
Samsung’s pro-grade camera may entice professionals as the S21 Ultra’s raw mode supports 12-bit HDR and 12-bit RAW format, offering 64x more colors. But for regular shooters, you’ll be able to take advantage of the best night mode yet out of a Samsung device. The company boasts nona-binning technology that combines nine pixels into one 12MP photo for faster (and brighter) shots and enhanced noise reduction.
Just like how the rumors pointed out, the S21 Ultra now supports S-pen. However, it comes in a thick casing that also houses the S-pen. But since the display of the S21 Ultra is also using Wacom’s technology, you can use the existing S-pen from a Galaxy Tab S7. For the colors, the S21 Ultra comes in Phantom Black and Phantom Silver only.
Other than the cameras and s-pen, only the S21 Ultra supports Wi-Fi 6E, which performs 4x faster than Wi-Fi 6. Samsung claims that downloading 6.5GB Fortnite can be done in 8 seconds only.
When it comes to the software side of things, Samsung Galaxy S21 Series comes with enhanced portrait mode, improved Single Take, and Director’s View that allows users to shoot video with the front and rear cameras simultaneously.
Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus start at $799(~Php38,300) and $999(~Php47,900), respectively, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at a whopping $1,199(~Php57,600). All three devices will become available on January 29th. In the Philippines, the Galaxy S21’s prices are as follow:
Pre-order starts tomorrow, January 15th.
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