Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, S21 + and S21 presented

The Koreans are pushing ahead very early in 2021 and will be putting their top smartphones of the year on the shelves as early as January. As in the previous year, there are three devices: The entry point is the relatively compact Galaxy S21, followed by the S21 +. The ultimate in features and price is again an ultra smartphone, the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

5G is standard

All smartphones in the S21 series will be equipped with 5G, which is why the addition “5G” is actually unnecessary. Samsung is sticking to it (it’s actually called “Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G”), probably because 4G variants are still being sold in a few markets. But Germany is not one of them. A trend that was already foreseeable last year is solidifying: 5G is normal and no longer something special. In the past, no cellular standard has gained broad acceptance as quickly as the LTE successor.

New design with integrated camera unit

Again, the phones consist of a lot of glass at the front and back (Gorilla Glass 7), which is surrounded by a metal frame. All phones, except for one thing: the smallest and cheapest model in the series, the Galaxy S21, has only polycarbonate on the back. Samsung points to the higher break resistance, but we consider this to be a clear disadvantage. Plastic is not that high-quality to the touch and has no place in the premium class (the S21 starts at 849 euros MSRP).

The most noticeable innovation concerns the camera unit on the back, which now merges laterally into the frame and thus no longer looks like a foreign body. It also doesn’t protrude as far as with the Note series and its predecessors: 1.9 millimeters (S21 Ultra) are still powerful, but less than the Note 20 Ultra (2.7 millimeters) and than the S20 Ultra (2.3 millimeters).

While the S21 Ultra is only available in black and white, there is also a purple version of the S21 +; the S21 offers the largest selection with four colors: purple, gray, white and pink. Samsung offers additional color variants exclusively through its online shop. All devices are only available with a matt back.

S Pen optional for the Ultra

The S Pen known from the Note series is also supported for the first time by the S series, but only by the S21 Ultra. The S Pen is optionally available as an accessory, together with a protective cover that also serves as a dock for the S Pen, because the pen on the S21 Ultra cannot be anchored in the device. Samsung has not yet announced the price.

Heavyweight with giant displays

The displays offer the top quality that you are used to from Samsung. An adaptive refresh rate of 120 Hertz is standard, as is OLED technology with HDR10 +. In terms of resolution, the Ultra leaps forward with 3,200×1,440 pixels to 6.8 inches, while the other two models need 2,400×1,600 pixels to reach 6.7 inches (S21 +) or 6.2 inches. Another important difference: while the OLED of the Ultra is rounded on the long sides, the displays of the S21 and S21 + have a flat surface. With all models you can activate the highest possible resolution and the highest frame rate (adaptive) at the same time.

But the large displays have their price: At 228 grams, the S21 Ultra is a real heavyweight, which also allows itself a lot of space in your pocket with 165 x 76 x 9 millimeters. It looks a little better with the S21 +. At 202 grams and 161 x 76 x 8 millimeters, the phone is heavier than its predecessor with 162 x 74 x 8 millimeters and 188 grams, while the S21 looks like a compact model at 172 grams and 152 x 71 x 8 millimeters.

Camera system: big differences

With the camera system you have to draw a line between the S21 Ultra and the other two S21 models. The Ultra model with quadruple optics (including an optical 10xZoom), laser autofocus and high-resolution 40-megapixel selfie camera is the spearhead in the portfolio, the S21 + and S21 have triple optics on the back and a 10-megapixel on the front. Camera used. The specialty: The camera system consists of two wide-angle focal lengths, behind one there is a high-resolution 64-megapixel sensor that realizes a triple optical zoom by cropping to 12 megapixels. This structure can also be found in the previous models, which did not show any disadvantages compared to the Ultra in practice – on the contrary, the S20 + even delivered better photo quality in our quality benchmark.

In professional mode, the S21 Ultra can record 12-bit RAW, which is 64x more color information compared to 10-bit, explains Samsung with reference to a “competitor” – which of course means Apple.

Videos work with all models with high resolution 8K, with 4K being the better choice – at least on the S20 Ultra, 8K was a disappointment) The multi-camera standby, which Samsung has given the appropriate name “Directors View” or “Director’s View”, is new: All three focal lengths (telephoto, wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle) are displayed in live miniature views in the camera preview and you can switch back and forth between the different focal lengths while recording.

The camera systems at a glance:

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra:

• Ultra wide angle with 12 MP, F2.2
• Wide angle with 108 MP (non-binning to 12 MP), OIS, F1.8
• 3xZoom with 10 MP, OIS, F2.4
• 10xZoom mit 10 MP, OIS, F4.9
• Laser autofocus
• Front: wide angle with 40 MP, F2.2

Samsung Galaxy S21 + and Galaxy S21

• Ultra wide angle with 12 MP, F2.2
• Wide angle with 12 MP, OIS, F2.2
• Wide angle with 64 MP, OIS, F2.0 (3x zoom via cropping to 12 MP)
• Front: wide angle with 10 MP, F2.2

New SoC on par with a Snapdragon 888

The stage view requires enormous computing power, with the Exynos 2100 the appropriate SoC is integrated. Manufactured using the ultramodern 5-nanometer process and with the same arrangement of the 8 cores (1x Cortex X1 + 3x Cortex A78 + 4x Cortex A55) as Qualcomm’s 2021 flagship Snapdragon 888, a similar performance should be achieved.

The SoC is flanked by 12 (Ultra) or 8 GB of RAM. The internal memory holds 512/256/128 GB (Ultra) or 256/128 GB. Samsung does without a jack socket and a micro SD slot in all models.

Battery capacity almost constant

There is nothing new about the battery, wireless charging is possible in both directions again and the capacity has remained the same compared to its predecessors, which means: 5,000 mAh for the Ultra and 4,000 mAh for the S21. The capacity of the S21 + has been increased from 4,500 to 4,800 mAh. Samsung was able to achieve good runtimes with the S20 series in the connect test (approx. 9 hours), the successors should not disappoint here either.

On the other hand, the decision of the Koreans not to include a power adapter or headphones is disappointing. Of course, the environmental aspect plays a role, but with a premium product it should at least be possible to request the accessories free of charge if necessary. We would also have wished for more with fast charging. Samsung throttles at 25 watts and refers to the life of the battery. Conversely, does this mean that the battery at Huawei and Co, which refuel with 50-60 watts, loses its maximum capacity earlier? Only time will tell.

Prices and availability

All three models will be available in Germany from January 29th, the Ultra with 128/256/512 GB of storage for 1,249 / 1,299 / 1,429 euros; the S21 + for 1,049 / 1,099 euros (128/256 GB) and the S21 for 849/899 euros, also with 128 or 256 GB memory.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G technical specifications

• Size and weight: 165 x 76 x 9 millimeters, 227 grams
• SoC: Samsung Exynos 2100 (1 x 2,9 GHz + 3 x 2,8 GHz + 4 x 2,2 GHz)
• RAM / Storage: 12 + 128 GB / 12 + 256 GB / 16 + 512 GB
• Display: 6,8 Zoll, Dynamic AMOLED, bis 120 Hz, 1.440 x 3.200 Pixel
• Operating system: Android 11 / One UI 3.1
• Cameras (rear):

• 108 MP, 1 / 1.33 “, f / 1.8, OIS, Weitwinkel
• 12 MP, 1/2.55“, f/2.2, Ultraweitwinkel
• 10 MP, 1 / 3.24 “, f / 2.4, OIS, Tele 3x optical
• 10 MP, 1/3.24“, f4.9, OIS, Tele 10xoptisch

Samsung Galaxy S21 + technical data

• Size and weight: 162 x 76 x 8 millimeters, 200 grams
• SoC: Samsung Exynos 2100 (1 x 2,9 GHz + 3 x 2,8 GHz + 4 x 2,2 GHz)
• RAM / Storage: 8 + 128 GB / 8 + 256 GB
• Display: 6,7 Zoll, Dynamic AMOLED, bis 120 Hz, 1.080 x 2.400 Pixel
• Operating system: Android 11 / One UI 3.1
• Cameras (rear):

• 12 MP, 1 / 1.76 “, f / 2.2, OIS, Weitwinkel
• 12 MP, 1/2.55“, f/2.2, Ultraweitwinkel
• 64 MP, 1 / 1.72 “, f / 2.0, OIS, telephoto 3x optical (cropping to 12 MP)

Samsung Galaxy S21 technical data

• Size and weight: 152 x 71 x 8 millimeters, 169 grams
• SoC: Samsung Exynos 2100 (1 x 2,9 GHz + 3 x 2,8 GHz + 4 x 2,2 GHz)
• RAM / Storage: 8 + 128 GB / 8 + 256 GB
• Display: 6,2 Zoll, Dynamic AMOLED, bis 120 Hz, 1.080 x 2.400 Pixel
• Operating system: Android 11 / One UI 3.1
• Cameras (rear):

• 12 MP, 1 / 1.76 “, f / 2.2, OIS, Weitwinkel
• 12 MP, 1/2.55“, f/2.2, Ultraweitwinkel
• 64 MP, 1 / 1.72 “, f / 2.0, OIS, telephoto 3x optical (cropping to 12 MP)