Galaxy S21 series vs itself: Which of the three flagships should you buy?

The highly anticipated Galaxy S21 series is finally official. Information technology is true that many characteristics were revealed through countless leaks that preceded Unpacked 2021, and this may have taken abroad from the excitement surrounding the event, but at least nosotros at present know with utmost certainty what to wait from Samsung's new flagship series.

Comparing Samsung'south make-new trio of flagships is made a lot easier by the fact that the Galaxy S21 and the Milky way S21+ variants are near identical. Whatsoever makes them different can exist summarized in a few sentences: the Milky way S21+ has a larger 6.vii-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (versus 6.2-inch), a larger 4,800mAh battery instead of a 4,000mAh unit, and it benefits from UWB (ultra-wideband) while the base of operations model lacks this applied science. The Galaxy S21+ has a Gorilla Glass Victus back console whereas the base model's is made of plastic, simply they both have Victus display protection.

These discrepancies aside, they are virtually one and the same device. The Galaxy S21 and Milky way S21+ accept an identical rear-facing triple-camera configuration (12MP wide / 12MP ultra-broad / 64MP telephoto) and 10MP selfie sensor. Fun fact: Information technology'south the exact same camera setup you can find on the Milky way S20 and the Milky way S20+.

Retentiveness options are also streamlined and include 8GB of RAM and 128GB / 256GB of storage. And although differently-sized, their displays take the same characteristics including a FHD+ resolution and a dynamic refresh charge per unit of 48-120Hz.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra stands out thanks to a scattering of meaningful upgrades

If the Galaxy S21+ is a larger version of the base model then the Milky way S21 Ultra stands out through major differences in specs and design. The top-tier variant does follow the same design language every bit the residual of the series just the camera bump is much more prominent thanks to the inclusion of ii boosted sensors.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the but model of the three to boast a high WQHD+ display resolution. The 6.viii-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel has a more granular adaptive refresh rate with a range of x-120Hz and it even supports 120Hz at maximum resolution.

Furthermore, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a unlike camera setup boasting a new wide-angle 108MP sensor with OIS and Phase Detection autofocus, a 12MP ultra-wide (f/ii.2) sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus, and two 10MP telephoto shooters with Dual Pixel autofocus that can reach a combined zoom of 100x.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is capable of recording [electronic mail protected] videos with all iv of its rear-facing cameras – something that'southward non available for the rest of the series. Likewise, information technology's the merely S21 variant to avowal a laser autofocus module, a 40MP selfie camera, and Wi-Fi 6E. The phone has a larger v,000mAh bombardment and retentiveness options include 12GB / 16GB of RAM and 128GB / 256GB / 512GB of built-in storage.

Finally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the simply model of the three to offering Due south Pen compatibility. The accompaniment is sold separately, on its own or arranged with a case, just information technology doesn't work with the other two Galaxy S21 models because they don't have the aforementioned digitizer as the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Features they all have in common

Although the Galaxy S21 Ultra is considerably different than the other ii variants, there is some overlapping in several areas where they all share the same characteristics.

To brainstorm with, all three variants utilize the Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 chipsets depending on region. Likewise, they all use Qualcomm's make-new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor chosen the 3D Sonic Sensor Gen ii and information technology should perform the aforementioned across the board. Disappointingly, they also lack expandable storage.

Samsung DeX and Wireless PowerShare are par for the course and all three models have a metal camera housing, the aforementioned IP68 rating, and meridian out at 25W fast charging. Speaking of which, Samsung has removed the charger and the wired earbuds from the retail boxes for the entire serial and has argued that it'due south fighting against due east-waste material in the process.

Which Galaxy S21 model should you purchase?

Before we even endeavour to answer this question we should take a closer look at the official prices. The Galaxy S21 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will hit the market for $799 / €849 / £769. The Galaxy S21+ with the same retention configuration will go on sale for $999 / €ane,049 / £949, and finally, the Milky way S21 Ultra with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will be priced at $1,199 / €1,249 / £one,149. The Southward Pen will be sold for $39 while the S Pen silicon instance and Southward Pen Articulate View case will be available for $69 and $89.

If you lot're a Galaxy S fan who has never used a Galaxy Notation before and y'all're tempted to finally requite the S Pen a try then the Milky way S21 Ultra is the only fashion to become. This is equally true if you're looking for the best camera and display experience.

All the same, if mobile photography isn't your priority and if y'all're not interested in the S Pen to begin with then yous might be better off buying the Galaxy S21 or the Galaxy S21+. And picking between these two models shouldn't be too difficult. The base variant is slap-up for people who may be looking for a more compact phone and don't care for ultra wide-band tech, whereas the Milky way S21+ should be picked up by flagship enthusiasts who desire UWB and don't like the idea of paying a premium price for a polycarbonate dorsum panel.

Check our device comparison widget below for a closer look at the flagship trio and don't forget to striking the Full Comparison button for a more consummate view of the specs side by side. Have you lot made upwardly your mind regarding the Galaxy S21 series? Which model would you exist more than inclined to buy and why? Feel complimentary to share your thoughts in the comment department.

General Data

Model Name

Galaxy S21

Galaxy S21+

Galaxy S21 Ultra
Model type

Bar

Bar

Bar
Colors

Violet (Violet)Pink (Pink)Gray (Gray)White (White)

Silver (Silvery)Blackness (Black)Violet (Violet)Red (Scarlet)Gold (Gold)Pinkish (Pinkish)

Black (Black)Silver (Argent)Brown (Brown)Navy (Navy)Titanium (Titanium)
Announced

2021, January

2021, January

2021, January
Released

2021, January

2021, January

2021, Jan

Physical specifications

Dimensions

Bar: 151.vii x 71.2 10 seven.9 mm

Bar: 161.five 10 75.6 x seven.8 mm

Bar: 165.1 x 75.6 x viii.9 mm
Weights

171g

202g

229g
IP rating

IP68

IP68

IP68