Home » Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra 5G, our test

Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra 5G, our test

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In the sea magnum of the Android universe, Samsung’s Galaxy S series smartphones represent the closest offering to Apple’s. As with iPhones, the family is never too large, it is updated once a year and is made up of devices that invest in brand loyalty and ecosystem solidity rather than in the presence of hyper-advanced components that serve to amaze and attract attention.
Building on a consolidated basis, in a market where differentiation is a must, can offer advantages, but also the risk of not surprising enough. With the 2021 update of the Galaxy line, Samsung has largely succeeded in the feat. The technological innovations are relevant to the public to which these devices are intended, the compromises more than acceptable based on the price and expectations of the target.

An entry level as it should be
Galaxy S21, the “economic” model of the family, embodies this strategy very well.
It is a compact phone, with adequate dimensions even for those who don’t have particularly large hands. Let’s start with this detail because in a market dominated by large devices it is an element to be taken into high consideration. Very good handling, therefore, but also the low weight that does not come at the expense of battery life.


The charging unit is 4000mAh (smaller than the mid-range models A52, A52 5G and A72) and can be charged via cable or wireless with 25W fast charging. Another element not to be taken for granted in Android flagships in this price range. Despite the small size, the duration seemed excellent to us. With normal use of the device you can easily reach a day and a half of autonomy. Thanks both to the software optimizations of the One UI 3, and to the presence of the new Exynos 2100 octa-core processor, made with 5nm processes (such as Snapdragon 888, or the latest series of Apple processors).

The new processor
The new Exynos enables high-end performance. Galaxy S21 is snappy and has never given us any problems. The interface is smooth, apps open fast, demanding games run smoothly and – very importantly – without the phone getting too hot.
It’s a major upgrade over last year’s same-priced S20, but it might not be enough to convince a 2020 model owner to upgrade to the 2021 version, even if this time around 5G is standard and not optional. After all, the update cycles are longer (on average three years), and therefore good this way. The leap is instead more evident for those who had an S9 or an S10 and were thinking of updating without abandoning the Samsung ecosystem.

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The differences with the S20
Compared to the S10 and S20, the most obvious step forward is in the design. Here we applaud with conviction Samsung’s choice to abandon the useless rounded edges of the display in favor of a flat screen. The absence of curvature makes the Galaxy S21’s 6.2 ”Dynamic Amoled 2x much more elegant, and it complements it in an aesthetically flawless way with the thin black display frame and the outer frame of the body. It is a detail that some may not like, but which we find embodies a more responsible design philosophy in which details have weight and frills without function are eliminated. The detail of the external frame is particularly visible on the Phantom Violet model we tested, while it is less accentuated on the black model, in case you prefer to avoid it. The advice, where possible, is to observe the various colors live before making the purchase.

Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra 5G, our test

In our opinion, the aesthetic choice of integrating the photographic sector in the metal frame is also promoted. The judgment is obviously subjective, but the originality of the design that distinguishes the S21 from the competition is undeniable and that, inevitably, will soon be taken up by some Chinese competitor as already happened with the side photographic sector of the S20. Less exciting is the back cover, made of Glastic – a material that combines the advantages of plastic with fiberglass. No purely aesthetic problems, but the hand effect is certainly less premium than the back of an iPhone 12 or 12 Pro.However, the material contributes to the lightness of the device – which we really appreciated, especially carrying it in your pocket – and better withstands any falls. . Given the price, Samsung could perhaps have dared something more, perhaps with a Gorilla Glass like that of the superior model, but it is one of those compromises that, as we said above, will not shift the balance in purchasing intentions.

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The memory
The memory allocation is also a compromise, with a single cut of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. All in all that’s okay, since the 128GB in question are UFS 3.1 (so reading and writing are ultra-fast) and that the splitting of the range is eliminated with various memory cuts. The only drawback is that there is no possibility of expanding the storage space, given that there is no support for (very slow) external memory cards. But the typical S21 public will hardly need more than 128GB of memory, and if there is always the cloud, even that of Samsung itself.

Photo and video
The Galaxy S21 has exactly the same specifications as the previous model: the main sensor is a 12MP wide-angle, flanked by an ultra-wide angle with the same resolution and a 64MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom and support for 30X digital “Space Zoom”. There is therefore not much to say, except that the camera performs as well as that of the Galaxy S20, but it does not represent a significant generational leap.

Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra 5G, our test

The color management is very good, even if there is the classic tendency to saturate certain scenes a little too much, especially when HDR manages the polarization of the blue sky. For the rest, the S21 is an excellent camera, reliable, capable of taking very good and detailed photos. However, it is clear that for Samsung the true photographic flagship is not this, but the Galaxy S21 Ultra, with its zoom up to 100X.

Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra 5G, our test

The video equipment is also good, with the ability to shoot movies up to a resolution of 8K (albeit at 24 fps). But already far above normal use is 4K at 60fps; in this mode, however, the stabilization is not the best, or at least it loses a few bumps compared to lower resolutions. Distinctions, once again, that do not interest the potential audience of this phone and that do not affect the general quality of the videos that can be shot with the smartphone, which are extremely good. Instead, you could do something more on night mode, both for videos and photos. It is good, it brings out shots that will not disfigure on social networks, it can be improved with manual settings and above all it does not excessively illuminate the scene, but in some details a lot of detail is lost and the smartphone struggles a bit to manage bright points in a dark scene.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra 5G, our test

Ultra
There is also an Ultra version of the S21, and this year too it is a model that offers the best of technology on the market. The most powerful processor, the largest amount of RAM, and so on. Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G adopts a quad rear camera (ultra wide angle, wide angle and dual telephoto) with 108 MP sensor, with which it is possible to capture 12-bit HDR photos, certainly a step up from those of the simple S21. In addition, thanks to the 12-bit RAW file option, you can keep all the details even for photo editing.

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G includes what Samsung calls the Space Zoom 100X: it should be better than last year’s model, but in fact the claim of having a 100X zoom is simply absurd, it is an impossible function to use. On the other hand, with the improved Night Mode, noise reduction and 12 MP Nona-binning technology, you can capture demanding images, such as a dimly lit room or a night landscape, quickly and in excellent quality.

The photo compartment of the Samsung Galaxy S21 (left) and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (right)

The photo compartment of the Samsung Galaxy S21 (left) and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (right)


Here, for the first time on a Samsung smartphone, it is possible to record video in 4K at 60 fps with all lenses, including the front camera and the four rear lenses, so that you can switch to a different perspective with the same quality as the image. The 8K Freeze function ensures sharp images from 8K videos, while Super Stabilizer delivers the smoothest 60fps video regardless of shooting speed or conditions. There is also Director’s View, a feature that allows you to change framing while filming, previewing the different angles offered by the rear cameras. You can also record videos simultaneously with the front and rear cameras thanks to Double Recording, a function available on Samsung smartphones years ago and then abandoned.

Also this time the battery gives great satisfaction. Weight and dimensions remain important and certainly more difficult to manage than the normal S21, also considering the glass back. But the market offers very few competitors for those looking for a huge and quality display (Dynamic AMOLED 2X 6.8 ‘Quad HD +, with refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz). Plus, you can use it with the S-Pen, Samsung’s stylus previously reserved for the Note only.

The packaging of the new Samsung smartphones does not include a power supply and headphones, as is now increasingly happening even with the top of the range

The packaging of the new Samsung smartphones does not include a power supply and headphones, as is now increasingly happening even with the top of the range


Conclusions
Overall, the final judgment on the Samsung Galaxy S21 is positive. It gave us the impression of being a well-designed smartphone, which doesn’t just mean well-engineered but well thought-out by combining technical expectations, marketing expectations and potential audiences. In other words, it is the perfect phone for those looking for a solid flaghship in the price range around € 800, perhaps moving from a previous Samsung model without leaving the good digital ecosystem of the Korean company. It is a somewhat conservative strategy, which leverages the quality and recognizability of the Galaxy S brand. It is also a risky choice, however, considering the ease of switching from an Android smartphone from one manufacturer to another Android from the competition. And it must be said that this year, with the arrival of the Snapdragon 888, with Oppo’s investments in Europe, the partnership of OnePlus with Hasselblad, the wide and interesting offer of Xiaomi, the Android flagship market returns to be varied and full of captivating alternatives. Similar speech for the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: it is one of the best Android smartphones on the market, to read numbers and data. In use also, however, how many will really exploit all its potential, also considering the minimum 1279 euros required for the purchase?

The Galaxy S therefore remain a certainty, but with the top of the range of the competition on the one hand and the excellent mid-range offer of the new A series, the excellent Galaxy S21 series is likely to find itself in an awkward position. And yet it is worth noting that Samsung is among the very few manufacturers to guarantee software updates for the next four years; in several weeks of testing there was no shortage of updates, mostly security but in some cases also with bug fixes and new features.

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