Samsung took to the stage today to announce a trio of its flagship S series smartphones, the Galaxy S21, S21+, and the top-of-the-line S21 Ultra, alongside other devices such as the Galaxy Buds Pro and the Galaxy SmartTag+. The flagship smartphones debut a new design and a camera bump that blends with the phones’ frame, premium internals such as the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 SoCs, depending on the region, 120Hz high refresh rate screens, 5G connectivity across the range, and much more.
As for photographic prowess, the top-tier Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts of a quad-camera system, headlined by a second-generation 108MP main camera, followed by the 12MP ultra-wide, dual 10MP telephoto lenses good for 3X and 10X levels of zoom, with the latter sporting a periscope lens that offers up to 100X in hybrid zoom. The S21 and S21+ offer triple cameras at the back.
What’s more? The South Korean giant is also reducing the prices of the devices across the range by $200 in comparison to its predecessors, making the offerings available across a wider price range.
With the differences between the S series flagships further widened in terms of specs, it is bound to create confusion when looking to choose the one that best suits you. To help you with just that, here is a complete comparison of the specs between the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.
| Basis of difference | Galaxy S21 | Galaxy S21+ | Galaxy S21 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.2-inch FHD+ (Flat), | 6.7-inch FHD+ (Flat), | 6.8-inch QHD+, |
| Infinity-O Display (2400×1080), 421ppi | Infinity-O Display | Infinity-O Display | |
| 120Hz adaptive refresh rate | 120Hz adaptive refresh rate | ||
| HDR10+ certified | |||
| Eye Comfort Shield | |||
| Dimensions | 71.2 x 151.7 x 7.9mm | 75.6 x 161.5 x 7.8mm | 75.6 x 165.1 x 8.9mm, |
| Camera | Wide-angle: | Wide-angle: | |
| Ultra-wide angle: | Ultra-wide angle: | ||
| Telephoto:
| Telephoto 1: | ||
| - | Telephoto 2: | ||
| - | Laser AF Sensor | ||
| Video | Up to 8K, 24fps | ||
| Camera | 10MP, F/2.2, 80 degrees, | 40MP, F/2.2, 80 degrees, | |
| Processor | 5nm Snapdragon 888 (Octa-core, 2.8GHz), | ||
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB, 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | |
| No expandable memory | |||
| Battery | 4,000mAh | 4,800mAh | 5,000mAh |
| Charging | USB Power Delivery 3.0 | ||
| 25W Fast Wired Charging support | |||
| 15W (Fast Wireless Charging 2.0) support | |||
| 4.5W Wireless PowerShare | |||
| OS | Android 11 with One UI 3.1 | ||
| Connectivity | 5G Standalone and Non-Standalone, Sub6/mmWave | ||
| Wi-FI 6 | Wi-Fi 6E | ||
| - | Ultra-Wideband | Ultra-Wideband | |
| Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, Type-C | |||
| Others | Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor, IP68 water and dust resistance, 4K 60fps Wired video out, Bluetooth Dual Audio | ||
| Gorilla Glass Victus (Front) | |||
| Glasstic back panel | Glass back panel (Exact spec not mentioned) | ||
| - | S Pen support | ||
| Price | $799.99 | $999.99 | $1,199.99 |
As is evident from the spec sheet, the three devices share a lot in common but differ in more areas than before. While the phones are powered by the same SoC, the top-tier S21 Ultra can be maxed out with a whopping 16GB RAM. Additionally, the S21 and S21+ are nearly identical when it comes to camera prowess. The S21+ and S21 Ultra, however, add Ultra-Wideband support that will help them work as car keys, with item trackers like Samsung’s SmartTag+, and more.
The entry-tier Galaxy S21 ditches a glass back for a Note20-like plastic back and the non-Ultra devices are also sporting FullHD+ displays, instead of the QHD+ from the S20 series, which are the possible areas that the company has cut costs in. The biggest change in the Ultra model is that it now supports the S Pen. However, unlike the Galaxy Note series, the S Pen is an optional accessory that can be had with a specialized phone case. There are also carrier-specific offers for pre-orders of these devices.
Are you going to pre-order any of the S21 series phones? Which one is it and why? Let us know in the comments below!