Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 + and S21 Ultra preview: hands-on and first impression

Samsung has just announced its three latest smartphones; the Galaxy S21, S21 + and S21 Ultra. DroidApp has been allowed to play with it for a while. What are our initial findings?

Galaxy S21 preview

A few months earlier than usual, Samsung announced the new S series. Today we were introduced to the Galaxy S21 series; consisting of the Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 + and S21 Ultra. We have already had the opportunity to test the three smartphones at DroidApp, so it is time to share our first findings.

Samsung Galaxy S21

We start with the Samsung Galaxy S21, which will be available in four colors, including the pink color. I really like the matte finish. You can see the color of the back at the edges of the screen. Compact is not the right word, but due to its smaller size, the S21 feels surprisingly good in the hand. In addition, with a weight of 172 grams, it is relatively light.

What all three devices in the S21 series have to contend with is that they are all extremely smooth. We advise against using them in advance without a cover. Before you know it, they will slide out of your hand or the sofa. The device responds quickly, as you would expect from a high-end smartphone. I must honestly say that you do not immediately have the idea that you have a plastic smartphone in your hands, but for the price of the devices, you can actually expect some more premium materials.

The colors in which the device will appear in the Netherlands can be seen in the photo. This means that with the S21 you can choose from four colors, including a pink color.

Galaxy S21 +

One step bigger is the Galaxy S21 +. Despite a weight of thirty grams more and somewhat larger dimensions, it has no difference with the S21. The screen is a 6.7-inch panel and is therefore in between the regular model and the Ultra. The pink color in which the S21 is available does not come to the other two models in the series.

The S21 + comes in a total of five colors, with the Phantom Red and Phantom Gold being sold only through Samsung’s online store. In terms of ease of use and possibilities, the specifications are the same as those of the S21. The battery capacity of the Galaxy S21 Plus is a bit higher; 4800 mAh compared to 4000 mAh with the Galxy S21.

It is striking that a so-called flat screen has been chosen for all three smartphones. This means that the edges do not continue on the side of the devices. This was still the case with previous generations. Samsung has also said goodbye to the Bixby screen. You now have the option to use Google Discover on the left-most home screen.

Galaxy S21 Ultra

Completely different is the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is really different from the two other models from the S21 series. Personally, I think the Ultra is a really big baking beast. You must have large hands if you want to have it comfortable in your hand. In addition, it is also very heavy, with a weight of 228 grams. I think he looks a bit rude myself. It is very large and the camera module is even thicker.

There is an extensive smartphone in return. For the first time in the Galaxy S series you can use the S Pen. This really only works with the S21 Ultra, the pen does nothing with the two other models from the S21 series. You can use the pen of a Galaxy Note, although that does not get everything out of the S Pen, Samsung tells us.

Despite the fact that you pay a hefty price for the device, you do not get the S Pen as a gift. You can buy it for an amount of 40 euros. If you do this, you will also receive the accompanying case, in which you can store the pen. Samsung has thought about this creatively, but makes the device even bigger. You can neatly store the S Pen on the left side of the case, but personally I would have liked it even better that you could just put it in the device, as we know from the Galaxy Note.

Another key feature of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is of course the camera. You can’t miss it with this enormous camera module. There is a 108 megapixel sensor, along with a 12MP wide angle lens and twice a 10MP telephoto lens. The possibilities are endless. Space Zoom is a name that also returns with the Ultra. This allows you to zoom in 100x, as we also saw with the Galaxy S20 Ultra. I do doubt the advantages of it, because it is digital zoom that is used, something that never improves the quality of the photo.

Cool I think, and that can also be found on the S21 and S21 +, the Director View in the video camera. This allows you to switch directly between the normal, zoom or wide-angle lens and you can immediately see, on the screen, everything you get on the screen. The front camera can also be activated at the same time, so that you can also incorporate yourself in the video.

Conclusion

Samsung has released another set of beautiful devices, but we don’t see the real innovation. They are improvements on the Galaxy S20 series, with a new (Exynos 2100) processor and the S Pen for the Ultra. An extensive review will have to show whether the new series has even more improvements than the S20 series. We especially hope for improvements in battery life. In our Galaxy S20 review, we were not satisfied with the battery life and it was worthless. It is a pain point of the Exynos chipset, because in our Galaxy S20 FE review, the 5G version with Snapdragon processor proved that Samsung can indeed deliver a good battery life.

It is different too. The phones are no longer supplied with a charger, which you have to buy optionally. The charger that is sold separately charges the devices with 25W, not a breakthrough speed compared to the competition. In addition, it is no longer possible to expand the memory of the three devices.

As soon as we have the device in to review, we will work extensively with it!

Don’t want to wait any longer for the S21? You can pre-order them from now on, where you will receive free gifts.

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