Samsung has revealed its latest generation of flagship smartphones – the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and the Galaxy S21 Ultra – which build on the decade-long Galaxy legacy with key improvements to the camera, design and performance.
The new Samsung Galaxy S21 series is available for pre-order today and goes on sale on January 29.
After a year when COVID had us isolating and social distancing, customers became even closer to their devices to connect to the outside world and share their content on social media.
“The events of 2020 have changed us fundamentally. Mobile technology specifically, has been critical in facilitating connectedness, stability of work, education and foster self-expression. Mobile devices are today, more critical than ever,” said Garry McGregor, Senior Vice President – IT & Mobile, Samsung Electronics Australia.
“It is Samsung’s responsibility to rise to that occasion with new innovation that responds to this need. Now, more than ever.
“With the Galaxy S21 range, there are three models that meet a multitude of personal preferences.
“With an advanced, pro-grade camera system, an exceptionally smooth, immersive display and the S21 Ultra with the most powerful battery of any S series device.
“The Galaxy S21 and S21+ deliver everything you expect from a Galaxy device and have been designed for Aussies who want a sleek, bold and premium smartphone experience. “Along with the incredible new design, there is an incredible camera experience – with pro-grade camera capabilities and new video innovations that will let you capture what matters most, with unbelievable ease and spectacular results.
“The S21 Ultra is for those who demand the ultimate premium smartphone experience with cutting-edge technology.
“The S21 Ultra takes productivity and creativity up a notch by extending the incredibly popular S Pen experience to the Galaxy S series for the first time.”
DESIGN
The Samsung S21 series has had a significant design refresh with a sleeker look and feel.
The chunky camera bump from last year’s S20 is still there but it now blends into the device’s metal frame.
The back panel has lost the predecessor’s glossy surface but now has a matte finish that is designed to resist fingerprints.
And the devices will be available in a range of eye-catching colours with two-tone finish including Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom White, Phantom Pink and Phantom Grey.
All of the S21 smartphones also have an IP68 rating which make them water and dust resistant.
DISPLAY
The Galaxy S21 (6.2-inch) and S21+ (6.7-inch) both have an edge to edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and viewing.
the display can also adjust the frame rate based on the content you’re watching whether it’s on your social feeds or streaming services.
The S21 and S21+ both have flat displays while the S21 Ultra has a larger 6.8-inch screen that has slightly curved edges.
S21 Ultra has a 25 per cent brighter screen.
All displays also have Eye Comfort Shield – a feature designed to reduce eye fatigue.
CAMERA
The standout feature of the Samsung S21 series once again is the camera system.
Samsung says the camera has become the number one feature that moves smartphone users to upgrade their devices.
Using that logic, the S21 series is sure to attract plenty of customers.
There is an AI-powered triple and quad (S21 Ultra) camera system with pro-grade features so you can easily capture stunning photos and videos.
Improved 8K snap allows users to obtain sharp 8K images from their 8K video footage while Super Steady keeps your videos super smooth even when shooting 60fps.
Directors View is an all-new feature that which allows users to capture video from the front and rear camera simultaneously.
You can choose which of three rear cameras to choose from to shoot together with the front camera which appears picture in picture so you can film your reactions or your side of the conversation.
Pro Mode also allows filmmakers to set up the camera and capture audio wirelessly from paired Bluetooth earphones like the new Galaxy Buds Pro.
The popular Single Take is back with added prop-style video settings so you don’t have to decide to take a photo or shoot a video because you can do it all and choose from a number of versions of the images and videos which have been optimised with filters and effects.
There is a 10-megapixel front camera and a triple camera system made up of a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 12-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 64-megapixel telephoto camera.
On the Samsung S21 Ultra is a 40-megapixel front camera and the quad camera system made up of an ultra-wide 12-megapixel camera, a 108-magapixel wide-angle camera two 10-megapixel telephotos cameras.
Also onboard the S21 Ultra is the 100x Space Zoom and with the new Zoom Lock feature taking an image is a lot more stable even at full zoom.
The S21 and S21+ both have 30x Space Zoom and the same steadying features to take your zoomed in images.
PERFORMANCE
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+ are powered by a 5nm 64-bit octa-core processor with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage.
The S21 Ultra has 12GB and 16GB RAM depending on the variant with up to 512GB internal storage. The S21 series does not have expandable storage. All models in the S21 series support a Single SIM plus an e-SIM
The entire line of Galaxy S21 smartphones are all 5G devices – there are no 4G options.
On the wi-fi side, the S21 line-up also supports the faster Wi-Fi 6 standard which means you can enjoy connection speeds up to four times faster with a Wi-Fi 6 router or mesh system than the previous wireless standards.
The S21 smartphones are all running Android 11.
S PEN
The S Pen is a trademark feature of the Galaxy Note smartphones but for the first time the S Pen will work on another Samsung smartphone – the S21 Ultra with Wacom’s technology that will allow you to write and draw on the screen.
You can use an existing S Pen from the Galaxy Note or the Galaxy Tab or purchase an S Pen on its own or with a compatible case which has a storage slot for the S Pen.
BATTERY
The S21 has a 4,000mAh battery while the S21+ includes a 4,800mAh battery.
And, as you’d expect, the S21 Ultra has the largest battery of the range at 5,000mAh.
Samsung has taken a leaf out of the Apple book and has not included a charger in the box.
All you get is a USB-C cable to use with your existing charger.
And there’s the option to charge the phone wirelessly with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0.
PRICING
| Model | ROM | RAM | RRP | Colours | |||
| Galaxy S21 Ultra | 512GB | 16GB | $2,149 | Phantom Black | Phantom Silver | ||
| 256GB | 12GB | $1,949 | Phantom Black | Phantom Silver | |||
| 128GB | 12GB | $1,849 | Phantom Black | Phantom Silver | |||
| Galaxy S21+ | 256GB | 8GB | $1,649 | Phantom Black | Phantom Silver | Phantom Violet | |
| 128GB | 8GB | $1,549 | Phantom Black | Phantom Silver | Phantom Violet | ||
| Galaxy S21 | 256GB | 8GB | $1,349 | Phantom Grey | Phantom White | Phantom Violet | Phantom Pink |
| 128GB | 8GB | $1,249 | Phantom Grey | Phantom White | Phantom Violet | Phantom Pink | |
AVAILABILITY
The Samsung S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra are available now for pre-order with a bonus pair of Galaxy Buds Live or the new Galaxy Buds Pro if you pre-order the S21 Ultra.
They go on sale on January 29.
