Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Plus all have a few things in common, but they’re all distinct.
If you can locate one of the three Galaxy S21 models, they’re still excellent devices. The most difficult part is deciding which one to go with.
The Galaxy S21 line includes regular, Plus, and Ultra variants, exactly like the recently released Galaxy S22. Our favourites all start around $400, so it’s not an easy option to get your hands on one of them right away.
The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are all covered in great depth in the sections below. We hope that after reading this, you’ll be able to choose which one is best for you.
Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Comparison of Prices by Samsung
The basic Galaxy S21 costs $799, which is the lowest price you’ll find for a Galaxy S21. Prices start at $999 for the S21 Plus, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra costs $1,299 for the device. If you want greater storage space, or more storage and RAM capacity in the case of the Ultra, you may spend more on all three variants.
If you want one of the three new Galaxy S21 phones with 256GB of storage, you’ll need to fork out an extra $50. So, for example, the $849 256GB Galaxy S21. Galaxy S21 Ultra costs $1,379 for a 512GB model. That’s $20 less than the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s launch price from a year ago.
It was made accessible to the general public on January 29th, and is now available through all the major wireless carriers and unlocked from a variety of sources.
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Specs
| Galaxy S21 | Galaxy S21 Plus | Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $799 | $999 | $1,299 |
| Display (Resolution; Max. refresh rate) | 6.2 inches (FHD, 120Hz) | 6.7 inches (FHD, 120Hz) | 6.8 inches (QHD, 120Hz) |
| Rear cameras | 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 64MP telephoto | 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 64MP telephoto | 108MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 10MP 10x telephoto |
| Front camera | 10MP | 10MP | 40MP |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 12GB/16GB |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB |
| Operating System | Android 11 with One UI 3.0 | Android 11 with One UI 3.0 | Android 11 with One UI 3.0 |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh | 4,800 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Size | 5.9 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm) | 6.4 x 2.9 x 0.3 inches (161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm) | 6.5 x 2.9 x 0.4 inches (165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm) |
| Weight | 6.1 ounces (172g) | 7.1 ounces (202g) | 8.0 ounces (228g) |
Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra: Design differences
Every Galaxy S21 has a new curved back camera bump and a familiar front display with a centred punch-hole camera. In terms of the screen size, however, the Galaxy S21 is 6.2 inches, the Galaxy S21 Plus is 6.7 inches, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra measures 6.8 inches. In order to accommodate the additional sensors, the Ultra sports a bigger camera bump.
The S21 Ultra has a somewhat changed display as well. In contrast to the S21 and S21 Plus, it features curved edges that make it more comfortable to hold in your hand.
The Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra both include Gorilla Glass Victus on the back, which is the strongest glass on smartphones now. Rather than the terrible plastic back we saw on the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy S20 FE, the Galaxy S21 features a polycarbonate rear.
Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra: Display
Samsung’s Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra all come with 6.2-inch screens, while the Galaxy S21 has a larger 6.7-inch screen. This is the primary distinction among the three panels, although it is by no means the only one to be taken into account.
The S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra all feature FHD screens, while the S21 Ultra has a QHD resolution screen. Because of this, the S21 Ultra’s display will provide more fine detail than lesser devices.
The 2.5D screens of the S21 and S21 Plus are just slightly curved, as opposed to the somewhat curved ones on the S21 Ultra, as previously reported. A phone’s curvature makes it more comfortable to hold in your hand, but it also increases the risk of accidently touching an active area of the display.
All panels have a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz in common. However, with the S21 Ultra, the display has more control over this rate. Ultra’s refresh rate may range from 10Hz to 120hz whilst S21’s refresh rate can range from 48hz to 120hz.
In order to conserve battery life, this function allows the phones to reduce their refresh rate when it isn’t needed. Depending on what you’re doing on the phone, all three phones modify this refresh rate.
Comparing the cameras of the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra
Both the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21 Plus have the same three cameras. A 12MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and a 64MP telephoto camera make up the trio. There’s also a 10MP front-facing camera.
However, the S21 Ultra has a lot more camera options. Instead, it has a 108MP primary camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and two 10MP telephoto cameras with 3x and 10x zoom capabilities. In addition, the S21 Ultra has a laser autofocus sensor for better tracking of your subject matter in images. In addition to the major changes on the rear, the front-facing camera has been upgraded to a 40MP sensor as well.
There are a number of camera capabilities common to all three phones, including as single-shot shooting and 8K video recording as well as director’s view video recording. Better low-light shooting should be possible with the Galaxy S21 Ultra thanks to its upgraded Bright Night sensor.
Performance comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Snapdragon 888 will be found inside every S21 model available for purchase in the United States. Exynos 2100 is the chipset used by Samsung for the S21 in countries other than the United States.
In comparison to the Snapdragon 865 processors in the S20 series, the Snapdragon 888 is said to deliver a 20% boost in CPU power and a 30% increase in GPU power. A 10% increase in power or a 20% increase in efficiency is possible with the Exynos 2100 compared to the Exynos 9000. However, given that both chips use the newest 5nm manufacturing technology to pack more power into the same size piece of silicon and that both include integrated 5G modems, we won’t know which one is superior until benchmark results are in.
The S21 and S21 Plus both include 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage, respectively. Storage capacities for the S21 Plus range from 128 gigabytes to 512 gigabytes.
As far as battery and charging are concerned, Samsung’s three newest phones are all very different.
The battery size grows in proportion to the cost of the various S21 variants. There is a 4,000mAh battery in the Galaxy S21, a 4,800mAh battery in the Galaxy S21 Plus and a 5,000mAh battery in the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
All versions have a cable charging capability of up to 25W. If you’re looking for a way to charge your phone or other devices wirelessly, you may do it at a maximum of 15W. If you want a charger, you’ll need to buy one separately or utilise one you already have laying around since none of the Galaxy S21 variants will come with one.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: 5G and connection differences.
This is one of the few places where every phone is exactly the same. Regardless of the S21 model you choose, you’ll be receiving 5G built-in via the chipset, which supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave frequencies. In contrast to the S20, the S21 doesn’t have a 4G variant available, which is a shame because the 5G version costs $100 more.
Ultrawide Band (UWB) chips are found in the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra models. This is a new type of hands-free control that you may use to locate Samsung’s new SmartTag trackers or unlock your automobile, for example.
Using the S21 Ultra, you may discover much more. Even more impressive is Samsung’s S21’s ability to connect to WiFi 6E—the world’s fastest and lowest-latency network.
A stylus-enabled smartphone has never been a part of a Samsung Galaxy phone before now, thanks to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Unlike the built-in accessory on the Galaxy Note 20, this is a distinct peripheral that can be obtained by purchasing certain Samsung-made phone covers. It costs $40 for the S Pen and $69.99 for the cases. Towards the end of the year, Samsung is expected to release a S Pen Pro with Bluetooth connection.
Samsung Galaxy S21 versus Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: Predictions
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the ideal option if you want the finest of the S21 series. Of all of these, it’s the most costly, but it comes with the best-looking and best-performing touchscreen display, the largest battery, the most and highest-resolution cameras, as well as the most RAM and storage space available.
Size is the biggest distinction between the S21 and S21 Plus. The S21 Plus, on the other hand, features a more premium glass-backed structure, an ultra wideband processor, and a larger battery capacity. For an additional $200, the S21 Plus has a slew of useful features, but the S21 is still a decent choice for those who want to keep their phones compact or who want to save money.
Remember, too, that the Galaxy S22 will be available at the same rates as the S22, with upgraded features on every level. Consider the more costly but more futuristic Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldables if you’re looking for something different.