Samsung’s flagships have always been something to look forward to. This year is no different. With the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, Samsung is looking to push the boundaries of their flagships while striking the right balance with their experiences. For 2021, they are doing this with more variations in screen and phone size with features that complete the overall experience.
That said, like years past, the Galaxy S21 series is launching with three smartphones: the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The latter of the three is Samsung’s technological flagship while the S21 and the S21+ remain their “everyday flagships” which will come with top of the line experiences.
Samsung Galaxy S21 & S21+: Pushing the Boundaries for Everyday Flagships
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ are the “Everyday” flagships of Samsung’s new Galaxy S line up. They come with Samsung’s new Exynos 2100 chipset with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage internationally. In the U.S., they will come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. Powering the smartphone is a 4,000mAh battery in the Galaxy S21 and a 4,500mAh in the Galaxy S21+.
The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ both come with Samsung’s most intelligent display yet: the Dynamic AMOLED 2X which boasts an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. That’s not where the intelligence ends though. Samsung’s new display adapts to the content that you have on-screen. For the S21 and S21+, this feature, known as dynamic refresh, ranges from 48Hz to 120Hz. It also comes equipped with Eye comfort shield which utilises AI to intelligently adapt the amount of blue light emitted to ensure that your circadian rhythm is unaffected. The S21 will come with a smaller 6.2-inch display while the S21+ has a larger 6.7-inch display. Both come with FHD+ resolutions.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: Packing the Tech for the Flagship series
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is this year’s big update. It packs the tech for the flagship series and comes with a big update that could indicate the end of the Galaxy Note line up. Of course, like the S21 and the S21+, the Ultra comes with the top of the line Exynos 2100 chipset internationally and the Snapdragon 888 for the U.S. However, it also comes with a whopping 16GB of RAM with 512GB of memory. If that seems a tad too much, it also has a 12GB variant with 256GB of memory.
When it comes to the display, the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with the largest screen of the bunch – a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X. It comes with the same dynamic refresh feature of its siblings but has a larger refresh range of 4Hz to 128Hz. On paper, the display is a 120Hz display. The screen is also equipped with a Wacom digitizer. Yes, this does mean that it supports the S-pen which comes as an additional add-on. It comes with a case to stowaway the S-Pen.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes equipped with a few more tricks than its siblings. It supports Ultrawide Band (UWB) technology which allows it to be used as a digital car key and it also has Android Auto compatibility. It is also one of the few devices which brings the new version of SmartThings which allows you to control your devices from the Android Auto interface. The S21 Ultra is also the only device in the new series to support WiFi 6E. It also has the capability to support Dual Bluetooth. All this is powered by a 5,000mAh battery.
New Features for a Feature-packed Content Experience
Samsung renews its emphasis on content creation with the S21 series. The devices come equipped with a triple camera setup on the S21 and S21+; while the S21 Ultra comes with a flagship quad camera setup. The triple camera setup comes with a 64-megapixel telephoto sensor, a 12-megapixel wide sensor and a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor. The Ultra’s quad-camera setup comes with a 108-megapixel wide sensor complemented by a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor and two 10-megapixel telephoto sensor. On the front, the S21 Ultra comes with a 40-megapixel sensor while the S21 and the S21+ both come with 10-megapixel sensor.
The camera experience isn’t only focused on the hardware this year. Samsung has augmented the experience with new software features including an improved Space Zoom feature. The augmented Space Zoom has a new Zoom Lock feature which provides “tripod like stabilization” when using Space Zoom. Similar to last year, the S21 and the S21+ come with up to 30x Space Zoom while the Ultra goes all the way to 100x.
Aside from Space Zoom, the new camera experience comes with an updated Single Take experience. Single Take 2.0 comes with even more options from the single-shot taken. Also, the video recording experience comes with a new Director’s View feature which allows users to preview shots from multiple lenses and shift lenses on the fly for the best shot. Vlogger view allows users to capture footage on the front and back cameras simultaneously. You also have the capability to shoot 8K footage in higher frame rates than before as well as 8K video snap. This allows users to capture frames when recording their videos.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series will be available on 29 January 2021 in select markets with pre-orders starting on 15 January 2021. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ will be available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Grey, Phantom White and Phantom Pink while the S21 Ultra will be available in Phantom Black and Phantom Silver.
Prices for the S21 start at USD$799 (MYR3,225.24), the S21+ at USD$999 (MYR4,032.46) and the Ultra at USD$1199 (MYR4,839.96).
In Malaysia, pre-orders are happening from 15 January 2021 until 28 January 2021. The official price and pre-order freebies are listed in the table below.
| Galaxy S21 | 8GB + 256GB | MYR3,699 | Free Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Tag and YouTube Premium Subscription |
| Galaxy S21+ | 8GB + 256GB | MYR4,299 | Free Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Tag and YouTube Premium Subscription |
| Galaxy S21 Ultra | 12GB + 256GB | MYR5,299 | Free Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Tag and YouTube Premium Subscription |
| Galaxy S21 Ultra | 16GB + 512GB | MYR5,899 | Free Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Tag and YouTube Premium Subscription |
Official Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S21
| Display | 6.2-inch Flat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (2400×1080), 421ppi, HDR10+ certified Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate (48~120Hz) Eye Comfort Shield *Measured diagonally, Galaxy S21 5G’s screen size is 6.2″ in the full rectangle and 6.1″ with accounting for the rounded corners, Galaxy S21+ 5G’s screen size is 6.7″ in the full rectangle and 6.5″ with accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and camera hole |
| Dimension & Weight | Dimension: 71.2×151.7×7.9mm Weight: 169g(sub6) |
| Camera | [Front camera] 10MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 80°, F2.2, 1.22µm [Rear camera] Triple camera Ultra Wide: 12MP FF, FOV 120° F2.2, 1.4µm Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 79°, OIS, F1.8, 1.8µm Telephoto: 64MP Phase Detection AF, Hybrid Optic 3X, FOV 76°, OIS F2.0, 0.8µm 30X Space Zoom *30X Space Zoom includes 3x Hybrid Optic Zoom and goes up to 30x Super Resolution Zoom. Super Resolution Zoom includes digital zoom, which may cause some image deterioration. |
| AP | 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor 2.9GHz (Maximum Clock Speed) + 2.8GHz +2.2GHz 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor *May differ by market and carrier |
| Memory | 8GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 256GB internal storage *Storage availability may differ by country, model or carrier. Actual storage space availability may vary depending on pre-installed software and by country, model, file size and format. |
| Battery | 4000mAh (typical) *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 3880mAh for Galaxy S21 Base and 4660mAh for Galaxy S21+. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors. |
| Charging | Improved wireless charging speeds with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare *Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 currently available with Wireless Charger Stand, Wireless Charger Duo Pad, and other devices that support 10W or more wireless charging. Sold separately. Actual charging speed may vary depending on the actual usage, charging conditions, and other factors. Wireless charger requires power connection. Recommend using in-box charging cable and/or travel adapter sold separately for use of third party items may cause damage to the Wireless Charger Stand,Wireless Charger Duo and Wireless Charger Trio or a decrease in charging speed. *Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy S21, 21+, S21 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold2, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Z Flip, Note10, Note10+, S10e, S10, S10+, S10 5G, Fold, S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S8 Active, S7, S7 edge, S7 Active, S6, S6 edge, S6 Active, S6 edge+, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch3, Galaxy Watch Active2, Galaxy Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch. If battery power is lower than 30% Wireless PowerShare may not function. May not work with certain accessories, covers, other brand devices, or some Samsung wearables. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment. |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Network & Connectivity | [5G]5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 [Ultra Wideband] *Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. *Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. *Ultra Wideband supported on Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra. |
| Payment | NFC, MST *Available in select markets. Payment solutions and available features may vary depending on market, carrier, and service providers. |
| Sensors | Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor Proximity sensor, Ambient Light Sensor |
| Authentication | Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: Ultrasonic Fingerprint, Face recognition |
| Audio | [Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio *The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output. Scalable Codec *Available only for certain wearables made by Samsung such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. *AOP: Acoustic Overload Point |
| Video | [Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps) |
| Water Resistance | IP68 *IP68 is based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Rinse residue/dry if wet. Not advised for beach or pool use. |
*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.
Samsung Galaxy S21+
| Display | 6.7-inch Flat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (2400×1080), 394ppi, HDR10+ certified Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate (48~120Hz) Eye Comfort Shield *Measured diagonally, Galaxy S21 5G’s screen size is 6.2″ in the full rectangle and 6.1″ with accounting for the rounded corners, Galaxy S21+ 5G’s screen size is 6.7″ in the full rectangle and 6.5″ with accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and camera hole |
| Dimension & Weight | Dimension: 75.6×161.5×7.8mm Weight: 200g(sub6) |
| Camera | [Front camera] 10MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 80°, F2.2, 1.22µm [Rear camera] Triple camera Ultra Wide: 12MP FF, FOV 120° F2.2, 1.4µm Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 79°, OIS, F1.8, 1.8µm Telephoto: 64MP Phase Detection AF, Hybrid Optic 3X, FOV 76°, OIS F2.0, 0.8µm 30X Space Zoom *30X Space Zoom includes 3x Hybrid Optic Zoom and goes up to 30x Super Resolution Zoom. Super Resolution Zoom includes digital zoom, which may cause some image deterioration. |
| AP | 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor 2.9GHz (Maximum Clock Speed) + 2.8GHz +2.2GHz 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor *May differ by market and carrier |
| Memory | 8GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 256GB internal storage *Storage availability may differ by country, model or carrier. Actual storage space availability may vary depending on pre-installed software and by country, model, file size and format. |
| Battery | 4800mAh (typical) *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 3880mAh for Galaxy S21 Base and 4660mAh for Galaxy S21+. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors. |
| Charging | Improved wireless charging speeds with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare *Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 currently available with Wireless Charger Stand, Wireless Charger Duo Pad, and other devices that support 10W or more wireless charging. Sold separately. Actual charging speed may vary depending on the actual usage, charging conditions, and other factors. Wireless charger requires power connection. Recommend using in-box charging cable and/or travel adapter sold separately for use of third party items may cause damage to the Wireless Charger Stand,Wireless Charger Duo and Wireless Charger Trio or a decrease in charging speed. *Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy S21, 21+, S21 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold2, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Z Flip, Note10, Note10+, S10e, S10, S10+, S10 5G, Fold, S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S8 Active, S7, S7 edge, S7 Active, S6, S6 edge, S6 Active, S6 edge+, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch3, Galaxy Watch Active2, Galaxy Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch. If battery power is lower than 30% Wireless PowerShare may not function. May not work with certain accessories, covers, other brand devices, or some Samsung wearables. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment. |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Network & Connectivity | [5G]5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 [Ultra Wideband] *Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. *Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. *Ultra Wideband supported on Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra. |
| Payment | NFC, MST *Available in select markets. Payment solutions and available features may vary depending on market, carrier, and service providers. |
| Sensors | Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor Proximity sensor, Ambient Light Sensor |
| Authentication | Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: Ultrasonic Fingerprint, Face recognition |
| Audio | [Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio *The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output.. Scalable Codec *Available only for certain wearables made by Samsung such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. *AOP: Acoustic Overload Point |
| Video | [Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps) |
| Water Resistance | IP68 *IP68 is based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Rinse residue/dry if wet. Not advised for beach or pool use. |
*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
| Display | 6.8-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (3200×1440), 515ppi, HDR10+ certified Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate (10~120Hz) Eye Comfort Shield *Measured diagonally, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G’s screen size is 6.8″ in the full rectangle and 6.6″ with accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and camera hole. |
| Dimension & Weight | Dimensions: 75.6×165.1×8.9mm Weight: 227g (sub6) |
| Camera | [Front camera] 40MP Phase Detection AF, FOV 80°, F2.2, 0.7 µm [Rear camera] Quad camera Ultra Wide: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 120°, F2.2, 1.4µm Wide-angle: 108MP Phase Detection AF, FOV 83°, OIS, F1.8, 0.8µm Telephoto 1: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, Optical 3x, FOV 35°,OIS, F2.4, 1.22µm Telephoto 2: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, Optical 10x, FOV 10°,OIS, F4.9, 1.22µm 100X Space Zoom Laser AF Sensor *100X Space Zoom includes 10x Optic Zoom and goes up to 100x Super Resolution Zoom. Super Resolution Zoom includes digital zoom, which may cause some image deterioration. |
| AP | 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor 2.9GHz (Maximum Clock Speed) + 2.8GHz +2.2GHz OR 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor *May differ by market and carrier |
| Memory | 12GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 256GB internal storage 16GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 512GB internal storage *Storage availability may differ by country, model or carrier. Actual storage space availability may vary depending on pre-installed software and by country, model, file size and format. |
| Battery | 5000mAh (typical) *Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Typical value is the estimated average value considering the deviation in battery capacity among the battery samples tested under IEC 61960 standard. Rated (minimum) capacity is 4855mAh for Galaxy S21 Ultra. Actual battery life may vary depending on network environment, usage patterns and other factors. |
| Charging | Improved wireless charging speeds with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare *Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 currently available with Wireless Charger Stand, Wireless Charger Duo Pad, and other devices that support 10W or more wireless charging. Sold separately. Actual charging speed may vary depending on the actual usage, charging conditions, and other factors. Wireless charger requires power connection. Recommend using in-box charging cable and/or travel adapter sold separately for use of third party items may cause damage to the Wireless Charger Stand,Wireless Charger Duo and Wireless Charger Trio or a decrease in charging speed. *Wireless PowerShare is limited to Samsung or other brand smartphones with Qi wireless charging, such as Galaxy S21, 21+, S21 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold2, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Z Flip, Note10, Note10+, S10e, S10, S10+, S10 5G, Fold, S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S8 Active, S7, S7 edge, S7 Active, S6, S6 edge, S6 Active, S6 edge+, Note9, Note8, Note FE, Note5, and wearables such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch3, Galaxy Watch Active2, Galaxy Watch Active, Gear Sport, Gear S3, Galaxy Watch. If battery power is lower than 30% Wireless PowerShare may not function. May not work with certain accessories, covers, other brand devices, or some Samsung wearables. May affect call reception or data services, depending on your network environment. |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Network & Connectivity | [5G]5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 [Wi-Fi 6E] [Ultra Wideband] *Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. *Requires optimal 5G connection. Actual speed may vary depending on market, carrier, and user environment. *Ultra Wideband supported on Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra. *Wi-Fi 6E supported on S21 Ultra. |
| Payment | NFC, MST *Available in select markets. Payment solutions and available features may vary depending on market, carrier, and service providers |
| Sensors | Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor Proximity sensor, Ambient Light Sensor |
| Authentication | Lock type: pattern, PIN, password Biometric lock type: Ultrasonic Fingerprint, Face recognition |
| Audio | [Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio *The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output.. Scalable Codec *Available only for certain wearables made by Samsung such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. *AOP: Acoustic Overload Point |
| Video | [Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps) |
| Water Resistance | IP68 *IP68 is based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Rinse residue/dry if wet. Not advised for beach or pool use. |
*All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.
