At the recent Unpacked event, Samsung unveiled its latest flagship lineup, the S21 series. Much like last year’s S20 line, the S21 series consists of three models: a base version, a Plus variant, and a high-end Ultra model.
While new Samsung flagships always bring improved hardware and features, the S21 line takes the biggest leap, especially in terms of design. All three S21 phones feature Samsung’s new “Contour Cut Camera design” that makes for a distinct look. The S21 models also all feature a matte finish; this is unlike previous S series devices which have a glossy finish.
Galaxy S21
The base model of the flagship S21 series is, as expected, the smallest of the lineup. The S21 packs a 6.2-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a dynamic refresh rate from 48-120Hz. The phone is also powered by Samsung’s new Exynos 2100 processor that has 5G connectivity.
As for its cameras, the S21 has a 12MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 64MP telephoto (3x hybrid zoom) triple camera setup, as well as a 10MP front shooter. This camera configuration is similar to last year’s S20, at least on paper.
Other features of the phone include up to 256GB of internal storage, an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, IP68 water resistance, and a 4,000mAh battery. The phone also runs on OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11.
Samsung Galaxy S21 specs:
- 6.2-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (48-120Hz refresh rate)
- Exynos 2100 processor (5nm process)
- 8GB RAM
- 128GB/256GB storage
- Rear cameras: 12MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 64MP telephoto (3x hybrid zoom)
- Front camera: 10MP
- 5G, LTE
- Ultrasonic Fingerprint scanner, IP68 certification, USB Type-C port
- 4,000mAh battery with Super Fast charging + Fast Wireless charging + wireless PowerShare
- Android 11 (One UI 3.1)
Galaxy S21+
Up next, we have the S21+, the bigger brother of the base S21. This phone features a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with the same dynamic refresh rate of 48-120Hz. The S21+ also has a slightly larger batter at 4,800mAh, as well as ultra wideband support.
Aside from the aforementioned features, the S21+ shares the same specs as the base S21, including the same camera setup and Exynos processor.
Samsung Galaxy S21+ specs:
- 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (48-120Hz refresh rate)
- Exynos 2100 processor (5nm process)
- 8GB RAM
- 128GB/256GB storage
- Rear cameras: 12MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 64MP telephoto (3x hybrid zoom)
- Front camera: 10MP
- 5G, LTE, UWB
- Ultrasonic Fingerprint scanner, IP68 certification, USB Type-C port
- 4,800mAh battery with Super Fast charging + Fast Wireless charging + wireless PowerShare
- Android 11 (One UI 3.1)
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Finally, we have the S21 Ultra, the top-end of Samsung’s new flagship lineup. Headlining the S21 Ultra is a 108MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 10MP telephoto (3x optical zoom) + 10MP periscope telephoto (10x optical zoom) quad camera setup that’s complemented by a 40MP main camera.
As for its display, the S21 Ultra has a large 6.8-inch AMOLED screen with a WQHD+ resolution and a 10-120Hz dynamic refresh rate. The phone also has a 5,000mAh battery, as well as up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.
The highlight feature of the S21 Ultra though is that it supports Samsung’s S-Pen–a first for the S series. This means fans of Samsung’s Note lineup now have a reason to check out the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Though with the S21 Ultra’s S-Pen support, it remains to be seen if Samsung will continue releasing Note devices in the future.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra specs:
- 6.8-inch WQHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (10-120Hz refresh rate)
- Exynos 2100 processor (5nm process)
- 12GB/16GB RAM
- 128GB/256GB/512GB storage
- Rear cameras: 108MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide + 10MP telephoto (3x optical zoom) + 10MP periscope telephoto (10x optical zoom)
- Front camera: 40MP
- 5G, LTE, UWB, Wi-FI 6E
- Ultrasonic Fingerprint scanner, IP68 certification, USB Type-C port
- S-Pen compatible
- 5,000mAh battery with Super Fast charging + Fast Wireless charging + wireless PowerShare
- Android 11 (One UI 3.1)
The Samsung Galaxy S21 is priced at PHP 47,990 while the Galaxy S21+ has an SRP of PHP 58,990. Finally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at P69,990 for the 256GB model and P79,990 for the 512GB pre-order-exclusive model.
Pre-orders for the S21+ are available starting January 15 to 28, 2021. Each pre-order will come with Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Tab A 8.0, Galaxy SmartTag, and a 25W Travel Adapter for free. The S21 and S21+ will then release on February 5 and January 29 respectively.
As for the S21 Ultra, the phone will be available for pre-order from January 15-21. Each pre-order will come with freebies worth PHP 20,000, including Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Tab A 8.0, Galaxy SmartTag, and a 25W Travel Adapter. The Ultra will be available starting January 29, 2021.
For more info on pre-orders, visit www.samsung.com/ph/ to learn more, or pre-order via www.samsung.com/ph/s21preorder/.