Samsung just announced its new flagship smartphone series, the Galaxy S21. The new series consists of three phones: the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. All the smartphones are powered by the Exynos 2100 and come with at least 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. Of course, being the Galaxy S series, the new phones come with impressive cameras. If that wasn’t enough, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with compatibility for the new S Pen and S Pen Pro. If you want a full rundown of the smartphones, you’ll be able to get all the info in our Galaxy Unpacked coverage.
Now to get down to business! The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is already on pre-order around the world. In Malaysia, the pre-orders started at 12:01am on January 15, 2021 and is scheduled to end on 11:59pm on 28th January, 2021. You’ll be able to get your Galaxy S21 smartphone directly from Samsung via their official store. Purchases from the store are entitled to a free Galaxy SmartTag, a free subscription to YouTube Premium and a pair of Galaxy Buds. If you get the S21 Ultra, you’ll be getting a pair of Galaxy Buds Pro and for the S21 and S21+ you’re entitled to a pair of Galaxy Buds Live.
That aside, most of us may be turning to our telcos to get our devices. When you pre-order your Galaxy S21 device from telcos, you’ll be getting an additional Wireless Charger Trio. This should be a welcomed addition considering that the Galaxy S21 series does not come with a charger in the box.
Here’s a rundown of the offers from all the telcos:
Samsung has just announced their new flagship GalaxyS21 series! It’s coming with a new 5nm Octa-core processor with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. You’ll get the #Snapdragon888 in the U.S. or the #Exynos2100 if you’re anywhere else in the world.
Coming in at USD$799 or MYR3,699, the new Galaxy S21 is one of #Samsung’s most promising flagships yet. Join us as we take a look at what comes in the box with the new #PhantomViolet edition of the Samsung Galaxy S21.
CES 2021 is well under way. But we are not talking about CES at this point. No, we are talking about the merging of giants.
Google is undoubtedly one of the most successful tech companies you will ever see in your lifetime, beside Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple. They started out in the Search Engine industry in the midst of the MSN and Yahoo! boom. They bloomed and grew to surpass two of their biggest competition at the time and now they are in everything. They are in applied sciences, corporate backend solutions, automotive, smartphones, computing, and even your homes.
They are also on your wrists with the guise of Android Wear. They do not make any watch hardware on their own though. They have always relied on their partners like Fossil, Motorola, OPPO, and even Vivo to design and create their own iteration of what an Android Wear watch should look like. This situation might change soon though.
As per Google’s Blog post alongside Fitbit’s one in their own blogs too, Fitbit is now a part of Google. As of the 14th of January 2021, Google and Fitbit finally concludes their deal. Google has officially acquired Fitbit.
As we mentioned also, Fitbit is also a giant. They are a giant in their field, the fitness tracker and smart wear field. They have revolutionised the smart wearable devices market in more ways than one.
They are, technically, the largest standalone smartwatch making company in the world currently. They have a more complete product range than any other smartwatch maker in the world right now too. They have simple fitness trackers that look like wristbands and can be easily hidden. They also have full on smartwatches now in their Fitbit Versa line-up. The Versa and Sense watches are clearly also a side effect of them acquiring Pebble a while ago.
Now though, they are a part of Google. What does this mean for you Fitbit users?
On the surface, Google says that this acquisition has always been more about hardware instead of software. They want Fitbit watches and wrist bands. They basically wanted to experiment making their own smart wearable in the future, like how they experimented with smartphone manufacturing when they acquired HTC years ago. They are still making their own hardware today with the Pixel line-up. They have an amazing line-up of Chromebooks too.
The only thing they have not been making on their own then, are smart watches and smart wearables. With Fitbit as part of Google, now they can. So, according to Google, it is not about software and data.
In terms of software though, Google has a thing or two to learn from Fitbit and vice versa. We at techENT love our Fitbit Versa devices because they are so simple to work with. Their interface is easy to understand and navigate it becomes second nature when you acclimatise with them.
We also think that the Fitbit line-up could use a little bit of Google’s magic touch. In that case, they will be easier to pair with Android smartphones, faster too, and probably even more intuitive to connect. We find that these are our biggest pain points using the Fitbit devices. Of course, there is the subject of software integration too. Currently Fitbit’s collected data does not sync to Google’s own fitness app. Maybe we might see a merging of the two apps. At the same time, we doubt we will see that integration happening too soon because Fitbit also has the premium subscription segment.
Source: TechPP
Google has ensured that they will not touch Fitbit’s data pool at this time. They also confirmed that Fitbit’s user data will not be used for Google Ads purposes at this time. From the blog posts from both sides too, it seems that Fitbit will continue business as usual at this time. Which also means that Fitbit devices will remain Fitbit devices for a little longer.
In Google’s blog post, Rick Osterloh’s statement also reads, “the combination of Fitbit’s leading technology, product expertise and health and wellness innovation with the best of Google’s AI, software and hardware will drive more competition in wearables and make the next generation of devices better and more affordable”. We are more excited about this than anything. It means that you can start expecting Google smartwatches soon. You might want to expect some changes in Fitbit’s software approach now too. We hope that it is for the better on both parties. You might even get an Android Wear update for your Fitbit Sense.
Still, we see this as a win-win situation. At this time anyway, the acquisition and merging of the two giants in their space may prove to be just what both companies needed for the uncertain times ahead. For us consumers, we only care about their upcoming devices, and we are expecting them to be miles better than what we have now. Google Watch anyone?
Samsung took the stage to unveil its new Galaxy S21 series. The powerhouse of the line up is the Galaxy S21Ultra! It comes with the Exynos 2100 processor or the Snapdragon 888.
It also comes with a new camera setup for great pictures. This is augmented by software experiences that allow you to capture every moment seamlessly. With Space Zoom with up to 100X magnification, you’ll be able to catch that speck a meter away with no problems.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra will be available for USD$1199 starting 29 January 2021.
Samsung took the stage to unveil its new Galaxy S21 series. The Galaxy S21+ stands in the middle of the line up with a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and the powerful new Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888.
It also comes with a new camera setup for great pictures. This is augmented by software experiences that allow you to capture every moment seamlessly. The Galaxy S21 will be available for USD$999 starting in January 2021.
Samsung unveils their new flagship series the Samsung Galaxy S21 series. The smallest of the bunch is the Galaxy S21 which comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the U.S. and the Exynos 2100 for the rest of the world.
The new smartphone comes with a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X equipped with 120Hz refresh rate. In fact, it can adapt to the best refresh rate to fit your content. Powered by a 4,000mAh battery, it’s built to last the whole day.
The Galaxy S21 is hitting markets soon with prices starting at USD$799 (MYR3,225.24).
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.
Left to Right: Galaxy S21 Ultra in Phantom Black, Galaxy S21+ in Phantom White & Galaxy S21 in Phantom Violet.
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.
Galaxy S21 Ultra in Phantom Silver
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.
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.
[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.
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.
[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.
[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
[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
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.
Xiaomi is at it again. Hot off the company’s announcement of their Mi 11 flagship, the company is announcing not one, but two, entry-level devices which make up their new entry-level line up: the Redmi 9T and the Redmi Note 9T. Both come with specifications that make them contenders for your attention if you are looking to purchase a smartphone on the cheap.
Redmi 9T – A non-5G Device for the in-between
Not all devices need to be 5G enabled – that is a truth that is hard to deny as we are squarely in the transitional time between 4G LTE and 5G. Xiaomi is acutely aware of this and continues to provide options for their consumers. The Redmi 9T is the latest in their 4G LTE devices.
The Redmi 9T comes equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 662. The Octa-core processor comes with 4 cores clocked at 2.0GHz and a supplemental 4 cores at 1.8GHz. The processor is complemented with the Adreno 610 graphics processor. The combination of which should be able to handle most, if not all, tasks that you can throw at it. In fact, it should be able to handle most high-end games (you’ll have to wait on our review for a full breakdown).
Complementing the formidable internals of the Redmi 9T is a 6.53-inch IPS LCD panel sporting a Full HD+. The display comes with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It should be large enough to provide a sufficiently immersive experience. It comes with ample space coming in both 64GB and 128GB. This is complemented with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM.
On the camera front, the main camera setup of the Redmi 9T is a quad-camera setup. The main sensor is a 48-megapixel sensor with a 1/20-inch sensor size and 0.8µm pixel size. It has an f/1.8 aperture and wide-angle with 26mm focal length; equipped with phase detection auto-focus (PDAF). This sensor is complemented with a 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor; and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Up front is an 8-megapixel wide sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.
Redmi Note 9T – MediaTek Powered 5G
Together with the Redmi 9T, Xiaomi also announced their new entry to the Redmi Note series: the Redmi Note 9T. The new entry to the Redmi Note is also the first commercially available smartphone running on the new MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor. The new processor is an entry level processor equipped with 5G technology. It comes with 2-cores clocked at 2.4GHz complemented with 6-cores clocked at 1.8GHz. 4GB of RAM complements the processor in addition to 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.
The Redmi Note 9T comes equipped with a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The smartphone is powered by a 5,000mAh lithium polymer battery which supports 18W fast charging.
On the camera front, the Redmi Note 9T is equipped with a triple sensor main camera setup. It comes with the same 48-megapixel sensor found on the Redmi 9T complemented with a 2-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth sensor. Up front is a 13-megapixel sensor with an f/2.3 aperture.
Pricing & Availability
Model
Variant
International Pricing
Malaysian Pricing (Official)
Availability
Redmi 9T
4GB + 64GB
4GB + 128GB
6GB + 128GB
€159 (USD$194.30/MYR783.48)
€189 (USD$230.96/MYR931.30)
n/a
MYR599
n/a
MYR699
January 9, 2021 (International)
January 15, 2021 (Malaysia)
Redmi 9T (NFC)
4GB + 64GB
4GB + 128GB
€169 (USD$206.52/MYR832.75)
€199 (USD$243.18/MYR980.58)
n/a
n/a
February 2021 (International)
Redmi Note 9T
4GB + 64GB
4GB + 128GB
€229 (USD$279.83/MYR1,128.40)
€269 (USD$328.71/MYR1,325.50)
n/a
January 11, 2021 (International)
Exchange rates used are taken at 6:15pm on January 10, 2021 from xe.com; 1 EUR = 4.92752 MYR & 1 EUR = 1.22198 USD
At the end of last year, we saw a major shift in the world of personal and portable computing. We saw Apple launching their new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with a confusing architecture style. They brought out the new notebooks that comes packing a processor that seems to be made for a smartphone. They call it their M1 chip. Whatever it is, it runs a full class Operating System made for modern day PCs.
A little later after that, Qualcomm also announced that they are going to delve into the mobile computing platform. They are going to get their Qualcomm 800 series System on a Chip (SoC) platforms into a notebook PC in 2021. Today, that dream is made a reality with JOI.
Source: JOI
Welcome to the Qualcomm PC experience with the JOI Book SK3000. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 SoC. We admit, it is not the most updated SoC in Qualcomm’s books. We also admit, it is not a 5G supporting chipset. But it is still a reasonably powerful chipset.
You still get 4G connectivity out of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 850. In this day and age, where 5G is still not available, you are going to get the best connectivity experience with 4G still. It supports any of Malaysia’s network too, so you can get away with just about any data plan. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 is also more powerful than the entry level Processors from both AMD and Intel. In that case, it makes plenty of sense in a notebook.
Unlike the older generation Qualcomm based PCs, the JOI Book SK3000 is not running on some toned-down version of Windows though. It runs on Windows 10 Pro with Bitlocker tools. It is the real deal.
Source: JOI
The small caveat here is that the JOI Book SK3000 only packs 4GB of RAM. We know that Windows can be a little memory hungry at times too, especially if you rely on Google Chrome as your browser. The new Microsoft Edge is a good Chromium based browser though, that does not require a large amount of RAM to work with. Still, we would have loved to see an 8GB RAM size.
It also comes with a 128GB internal SSD which can be expanded via MicroSD card that is hidden with the SIM card tray. We are not entirely sure if you can upgrade the SSD or the RAM at all at this point. We do know that the JOI Book SK3000 is a full aluminium notebook PC though. In that regards, you can expect some nice heft and a high build quality to it.
Still, it is not all that hefty at 1.05kg though. Within that 1.05kg is a 12.5-inch Full HD IPS display. Within the 1.05kg package is also a 4,500mAh battery that with a quoted 10 hours of battery life. Not quite all-day battery life at this point, but 10 hours is still plenty. Obviously because it is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850, it stays on standby when you do not use it to continue receiving emails and other notifications when it is sleeping. In that mode, the battery should last you much longer.
Source: JOI
Source: JOI
Source: JOI
Source: JOI
The JOI Book SK3000 is now available on JOI and GLOO Official stores on Shopee and Lazada. You can also get your pre-order done on GLOO Official website. Of course, you can get your hands on one via SNS Network stores and authorised resellers across Malaysia. The JOI Book will be priced at MYR 2,199 and comes with a 30-day free trial of Microsoft Office.
After their Unpacked events in August and September 2020, Samsung is continuing their momentum with their first Unpacked event for 2021. The official invites have been released for the upcoming event, Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event 2021, it will be held on 14 January 2021, at 11 pm (GMT+8). You can tune in by heading to their official website www.samsung.com/my and https://news.samsung.com/my. The company is touting the new “Everyday Epic” with their official event tagline: ‘ Welcome to the Everyday Epic’.
In conjunction with the upcoming Unpacked, Samsung is inviting users to sign up to get the latest information from Unpacked. If you’re registered successfully between 4 January to 14 January 2021 will be able to redeem a Galaxy Fit2 worth RM179 when they pre-order the upcoming Galaxy series and fulfilled the terms and conditions that apply. If you’re interested, head to www.samsung.com/my/unpacked/ to sign up.
As always, Samsung has not provided any information about the upcoming Galaxy series. However, we do have an inkling thanks to rumours which have surfaced in the past months. We expect that Samsung will unveil their new flagship smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy S21 series during the event. The new Galaxy S21 series looks to be consisting of three devices: the Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S21+, and Samsung Galaxy S21Ultra.
While we do know that we are also left with a whole lot of uncertainty surrounding the device. Many of us are wondering whether the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a Pen Stylus? Is Samsung providing charger without making any additional purchase?
That said, we also know that Samsung does have a new generation of Galaxy Buds in store too with the rumoured Galaxy Buds Pro and a new product called the Galaxy Tags. While the latter seems to be a simple NFC tag, the Buds Pro brings a new design approach and new features to the growing Galaxy Buds line up.
We’ll have coverage of the big news coming out of Samsung’s Unpacked event. So, do stay tuned!
