Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra Flagships Launch With Snapdragon 888, More Affordable Pricing
Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+
The first members of the family are the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, which are of course replacing the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20+. The new smartphones largely share the same feature set, with the Galaxy S21+ being the larger of the two devices. The Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch FHD+ (2400x1080) Dynamic AMOLED display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy S21+ bumps the display to 6.7 inches while retaining the FHD+ resolution.
Both smartphones are powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform, which in this case is paired with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM. Base phones come with 128GB of internal storage, while customers can opt for 256GB if they feel they'll need the extra capacity. Picking the right amount of storage from the onset is even more critical this year, as Samsung has unfortunately removed the microSD slot from the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+.
When it comes to the cameras, both smartphones feature a 10MP selfie camera nestled within a hole punch cutout, along with triple rear cameras. There's a 12MP f2.2 ultra-wide sensor (120-degree FOV), a 12MP f/1.8 wide-angle sensor, and a 64MP f/2.0 telephone system with Hybrid 3x optical zoom and OIS. 30x Space Zoom is also supported on both the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+.
The Galaxy S21 features a 4,000 mAh battery, while the Galaxy S21+ comes with a beefier 4,800 mAh battery. Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 is now supported via the Qi standard, and USB PD 3.0 (PPS) is supported for fast wired charging.
Earlier this week, Qualcomm announced its 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 for under-display fingerprint readers. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ are both rocking this new sensor which is 77 percent larger and 50 percent faster than the previous-generation. Other niceties along for the ride including standard mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G courtesy of the integrated Snapdragon X60 modem, and support for the emerging Wi-Fi 6E standard. And of course, the both smartphones are running Android 11.
As for pricing, the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ are a lot cheaper than their predecessors. While the Galaxy S20 launched at $999, the Galaxy S21 is just $799. Likewise, the Galaxy S21+ starts at $999, which is a $200 price cut compared to its predecessor. In addition, if you preorder between today and January 28th, you'll get $100 and $150 respectively in Samsung Credit along with a free Galaxy SmartTag. Both smartphones will be available on January 29th.
Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the new flagship of the family and shares the same basic design language with the lesser two models, but ups the stakes when it comes to the display, performance, storage, and cameras. Plus, there's one other perk that we're sure that you've already heard about.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 6.8-inch Edge WQHD+ (3200x1440) display, which also supports 120Hz adaptive refresh rates. Whereas the Galaxy S21/S21+ have 8GB of RAM in the base 128GB storage configuration, the Galaxy S21 Ultra ups the stakes with 12GB RAM standard in 128GB and 256GB storage configurations. If you opt for 512GB of internal storage, you'll get 16GB of RAM. Like the Galaxy S21/S21+, there is no longer a microSD slot onboard.
Up front, you’ll find a 40MP selfie camera (a big upgrade from the 10MP unit on the Galaxy S21/S21+), while there are a total of four cameras on the back. There's a 108MP wide-angle sensor with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and two telephoto sensors. The first telephoto sensor is 10MP with 3x optical zoom and OIS, while the second is 10MP with 10x optical zoom and OIS. Also supported is 100x Space Zoom, and you'll find a Laser AF sensor. You can shoot 4K across all cameras (front and back), and in Pro mode, you can output images in 12-bit RAW.
The other big addition with the Galaxy S21 Ultra is support for the S Pen, which was previously an exclusive to the Galaxy Note family in the smartphone realm. The S Pen is an optional accessory, as there is no built-in silo to house it. You can, however, purchase a case that will house the S Pen for you.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is available for preorder between today and January 28th, and you'll receive $200 in Samsung Credit and a free Galaxy SmartTag. It will be priced from $1,199, which is also a $200 discount compared to the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
