With 2021 just kicking off, Samsung wasted no time to unveil the latest in the Galaxy range, the S21 lineup. Pushing the release window up from February last year for the S20, the latest range of phones from Samsung look to improve on all aspects, while offering a striking design and value proposition. Launching alongside the Galaxy Buds Pro, the new S21 range includes the new Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra, and will hit retail stating January 29th.
Starting the linup we have the Samsung Galaxy S21 is available in Canada in ‘Phantom Pink,’ ‘Phantom Violet,’ ‘Phantom White’ and ‘Phantom Grey.’ The 128GB model will cost $1,129.99 CAD, with the 256GB offering being priced at $1,199.99 and will only be available in Phantom Grey. The Samsung Galaxy S21+ will come in ‘Phantom Violet,’ ‘Phantom Silver’ and ‘Phantom Black’ and will start at $1,399.99 for the 128GB model and $1,469.99 for the 256GB variant with this offering only coming in the Phantom Black colour.
| GALAXY S21 SPECS | |
|---|---|
| SoC | Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100 internationally) |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 128 or 256GB |
| Display | 6.2-inch Flat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED (2400×1080), 421ppi, HDR10+, Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, Eye Comfort Shield |
| Rear cameras | 12MP wide (f/1.8, OIS, DPAF), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 120° FoV, FF), 64MP telephoto (f.2.0, 3x hybrid, OIS, DPAF) |
| Front camera | 10MP (f/2.2, 80° FoV, DPAF) |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh (with wireless and reverse wireless charging) |
| Software | One UI 3.0 (Android 11) |
| Other | Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, IP68, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers |
| Dimensions | 71.2 x 151.7 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 171g |
Both the S21 and S21+ will offer similar specs, delivering a Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB of RAM and be offered in either 128GB or 256GB of storage. On the display side, both phones will sport a 1,080 x 2,400 resolution display, although the S21 will be plastic in comparison to the glass seen on the rest of the S21 range. The S21+ will also feature a slightly bigger battery at 4,800mAh compared to 4,000MmAh in the S21 and be slightly bigger 6.7-inch display compared to the 6.2-inch.
| GALAXY S21+ SPECS | |
|---|---|
| SoC | Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100 internationally) |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 128 or 256GB |
| Display | 6.7-inch Flat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED (2400×1080), 394ppi, HDR10+, Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, Eye Comfort Shield |
| Rear cameras | 12MP wide (f/1.8, OIS, DPAF), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 120° FoV, FF), 64MP telephoto (f.2.0, 3x hybrid, OIS, DPAF) |
| Front camera | 10MP (f/2.2, 80° FoV, DPAF) |
| Battery | 4,800 mAh (with wireless and reverse wireless charging) |
| Software | One UI 3.0 (Android 11) |
| Other | Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, IP68, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers |
| Dimensions | 75.6 x 161.5 x 7.8 mm |
| Weight | 202g |
The flagship of the range, the S21 Ultra comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from the top end device. And unline the S20 Ultra, it will feature a 6.8-inch WQHD+ display that can be set to full resolution (WQHD+) and 120Hz at the same time, and will feature compatibility with the Note’s and Tab’s S Pen stylus. The Ultra is also the only S21 device to retain the curved display sides. It should be noted that although the S21 Ultra supports the S Pen, it must be purchased separately.
The S21 Ultra quad-camera system sits as the premire feature of this flagship device, featuring a 108MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide, and two telephoto lenses. As with other phones in the S21 range, it will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 12GB or 16GB of RAM and either 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. The S21 Ultra will also feature a mysterious 5,000mAh battery to ensure you always have juice as you take pictures on the go.
| GALAXY S21 Ultra SPECS | |
|---|---|
| SoC | Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100 internationally) |
| RAM | 12 or 16GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 128, 256, or 512GB |
| Display | 6.8-inch Edge WQHD+ Dynamic AMOLED (3200×1440), 515ppi, HDR10+, Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, Eye Comfort Shield |
| Rear cameras | 108MP wide (f/1.8, OIS, PDAF), 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 120° FoV, DPAF), 10MP telephoto 1 (f.2.4, 3x optical, OIS, DPAF), 10MP telephoto 2 (f/4.9, 10x optical, OIS, DPAF), plus laser AF sensor |
| Front camera | 40MP (f/2.2, 80° FoV, PDAF) |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh (with wireless and reverse wireless charging) |
| Software | One UI 3.0 (Android 11) |
| Other | Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, IP68, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers |
| Dimensions | 75.6 x 165.1 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight | 229g |
The S21 Ultra will come in ‘Phantom Black’ and ‘Phantom Silver’ with the 128GB model costing $1,649.99, with the 256GB offering priced at $1,719.99 and finally, the 512GB Phantom Black model will set consumers back $1,889.
Costing less than last years S20 range across the board, and delivering notable improvements and a striking new look, the S21 series of phones looks to be a great series of devices for Samsung, and a amazing start to 2021 for anyone excited about mobile tech. Pre-order for the S21 range will start January 14th, with them shipping to consumers on the 29th. You can find more information about the Galaxy S21 Range at Samsung, along with details about ordering and pre-order bonuses.
