The Galaxy S21 series is available for purchase as of today, so consumers can finally get some hands-on time with Samsung’s latest 5G flagships.
What’s the catch with that big price drop?
The range encompasses the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. It’s worth mentioning that the ultimate model from the series is also the first Samsung smartphone with S Pen support that isn’t part of the Galaxy Note line. With that said, the new stylus will be sold separately from the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Either way, we’re looking at solid smartphones with impressive, versatile cameras, promising battery life of over a day for typical use, and powerful internals. Including the Snapdragon 888 (expect a day of use plus an effective fast-charging and wireless charging options), and powerful internals, including the latest Snapdragon 888 chip from Qualcomm, the fast processor.
All three devices offer AMOLED displays (from 6.2- to 6.8-inch panels) with adaptive refresh rates going up to 120Hz. While that came at the cost of a minor resolution downgrade (to FHD+) on the more affordable models, the Galaxy S21 Ultra one-ups its direct predecessor by combining this silky smooth ratio with a typical flagship resolution of 3,200 x 1,440 pixels. All three devices start at a whopping $200 less than their immediate predecessors from the Galaxy S20 family – $799, $999, and $1,199. Besides the aforementioned resolution differences, that’s also due to their lack of microSD card support. Not to mention that only the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with truly next-gen camera hardware, whereas the other two are the same as their last year’s equivalents. Last but not least, Samsung achieved additional savings by deciding not to bundle the new devices with a charging adapter or a pair of complimentary headphones. The move mimics the changes Apple made to the iPhone range last year.