Samsung Galaxy S21 vs S21+ vs S21 Ultra: What’s the difference?

Source: Samsung Galaxy S21 vs S21+ vs S21 Ultra: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Samsung announced the Galaxy S21 series in January 2021 during its Unpacked event, with three devices to choose from.

The Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra all have a similar design but different prices, specs and features. Here’s how the three devices compare to help you decide which might be right for you if you’re looking to choose between them.

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• S21: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm, 172g
• S21+: 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm, 202g
• S21 Ultra: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm, 228g

All three Galaxy S21 models share the same design principles, although their physical size materials differ between models. The Galaxy S21 is the smallest and lightest, followed by the S21+ and the Ultra is the largest and heaviest.

The S21 and S21+ have flat displays and use plastic for the back like the Galaxy S21 FE, while the Ultra sticks to a glass back and offers curved display edges, giving it a slightly more premium look. The Ultra’s finish also feels a little better than the regular S21 and S21+ models.

The rear camera body is similar on all three models, with the frame extending into the camera body, although the Ultra has a wider body to accommodate the extra lenses and sensors.

All three devices are IP68 water and dust resistant and all three feature a centralized pinhole camera on the top of their display.

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• S21: 6.2 inch, 2400×1080 pixels, 48-120Hz
• S21+: 6.7 inch, 2400 x 1080 pixels, 48-120Hz
• S21 Ultra: 6.8 inch, 3200 x 1440 pixels, 10-120 Hz, S Pen

The Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch display and the S21+ has a 6.7-inch display. Both the S21 and S21+ have Full HD+ resolutions, 2400 x 1080 pixels, while offering an adaptive refresh rate of 48-120Hz. They support HDR10+ and are vibrant and punchy with impressive brightness.

They’re both flat too, which really sets them apart from the previous versions of these phones and the curved S21 Ultra.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has a Quad HD+ resolution with 3200 x 1440 available pixels and an adaptive refresh rate that covers 10-120 Hz. It also supports the S Pen, which was a first for the Galaxy S family at launch, and introduces a whole new set of interactions for this device. The Galaxy S22 Ultra – the 2022 model – now includes the S Pen and basically replaces the Galaxy Note.

The S21 Ultra is also the brightest display Samsung offers, meaning it can cut through reflections to maintain stunning visuals.

Hardware and Specifications

• S21: Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, 8GB, 128/256GB, 4000mAh
• S21+: Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, 8GB, 128/256GB, 4800mAh
• S21 Ultra: Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100, 12/16GB, 128/256/512GB, 5000mAh

All three Galaxy S21 devices run on either the Snapdragon 888 or the Exynos 2100, depending on which region you buy it in. This has been the case for a number of years, but the big difference for the latest generation of Exynos chips is that they’re much closer to Qualcomm in design, so there’s less performance variation between the different hardware. They are all 5G devices.

The Galaxy S21 and S21+ are available in 128GB and 256GB storage options with 8GB RAM. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options. Depending on the model, the main memory is 12 GB or 16 GB. Samsung has removed the microSD card slot – so that’s no longer an option for these devices.

In terms of battery, the Galaxy S21 has a 4000mAh cell under the hood, the S21+ has a 4800mAh battery and the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 5000mAh battery. The devices don’t come with a charger, but they do support fast wired and wireless charging – you just need to provide that charger yourself.

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• S21: Triple rear camera (12MP + 12MP + 64MP), 10MP front camera
• S21+: Triple rear camera (12MP + 12MP + 64MP), 10MP front camera
• S21 Ultra: Quad rear (108MP + 12MP + 10MP + 10MP), 40MP front camera

The camera is the main differentiator between the Galaxy S21 and S21+ models and the S21 Ultra.

The S21 and S21+ both feature a triple rear camera consisting of a 12-megapixel main sensor with 1.8µm pixel size, f/1.8 aperture and optical stabilization (OIS), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide Sensor with 1.4 µm and f/2.2 and a 64 megapixel telephoto sensor with 0.8 µm, f/2.0 and OIS. There is a front camera of 10 megapixels, 1.22 µm and f/2.2.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra, meanwhile, has a quad rear camera consisting of a 108-megapixel main sensor with 0.8µm pixels, f/1.8 aperture, OIS and laser autofocus, a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide sensor (1.4 µm, f/2.2 ) and two 10 megapixel telephoto lenses, one with 1.22 µm, f/2.4 (3x optical) and the other with 1.22 µm, f/ 4.9 (10x optical). It also has a 40 megapixel selfie camera.

There’s a world of difference in performance between these cameras, with the S21 Ultra performing much more convincingly, offering sharper images in almost all conditions. The S21 Ultra excels at zoom images, with shots up to 10x being really good. The S21 and S21+ also offer zoom capabilities, but lack the dedicated hardware to deliver the results you get from the S21 Ultra.

All offer 4K video capture at 60fps from all cameras, with 8K 24fps also offered on the rear.

You can find a detailed comparison of the S21 and S21 Ultra cameras right here.

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Price

• S21: £769 / €849
• S21+: £949 / €1049
• S21 Ultra: £1149 / €1249

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the entry-level model of the range, followed by the Galaxy S21+, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra is at the top of the range.

The Galaxy S21 starts at £769 in the UK and €849 in Europe. The Galaxy S21+ starts at £949 in the UK and €1049 in Europe.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at £1149 in the UK and €1249 in Europe. All three phones will be available from January 29th.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+ are very similar in terms of their offerings, with the main difference being their physical size and therefore display size, as well as a larger battery capacity in the Plus model.

While they’re capable flagships with a beautiful design, great display, and plenty of power, they can’t quite match the camera performance of the S21 Ultra. They’re a fair bit cheaper than the Ultra, but at the same time they’re not much improved over the S20 FE, which is cheaper than both at around the same offering.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra, meanwhile, offers a larger camera that performs much better, a larger and sharper display with support for the S Pen, and a more premium build quality and appearance. It’s by far the most attractive device of the trio, standing out more clearly from the other S21 models than the previous version. If it’s the best you’re looking for, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is what you want.

Or do you have to adopt the Galaxy S22 models?

Writing from Britta O’Boyle. Edited by Chris Hall.

Via: top7bestreviews.com

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