The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G succeeds the Samsung Galaxy S20 with a package bearing traits of being more appreciable. This package happens to bear more capable smartphone hardware, for a price cheaper than what we got on the former. This article focuses on the specs and price, to help you make your purchase decision.
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G Key Specs and Features
- 6.2-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2x Display, 1080 x 2400 Pixels (421 ppi), 120Hz Refresh Rate
- Android 11, One UI 3.1
- 8GB RAM
- Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (USA) / Octa-core Exynos 2100 (Global)
- 128GB / 256GB Built-in Storage
- 12MP + 64MP + 12MP Triple Rear Camera
- 10MP Front Camera
- Fingerprint Sensor (Under Display, Ultrasonic)
- 25W Fast Charging
- 15W Wireless Charging
- 4.5W Reverse Charging
- Water and Dust Proof (IP68 certification)
- 4000 mAh Non-Removable Li-ion Battery
Design and Display
The Samsung Galaxy releases in the past few years haven’t really been very exciting in my opinion. There hasn’t really been any headline-breaking news in aesthetics. Aside from sizes, colors, and some alterations, the design on the rear has pretty much been the main distinguishing feature in terms of aesthetics.
This year, Samsung has employed a dual-color system on the rear, where the camera module and the rear cover bear different colors. The camera module itself is a bump-bearing triple camera. There is an LED flash beside the camera module and on the bottom, we have the Samsung branding, indicating it’s a Samsung smartphone.
What’s more, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G features a Glasstic material on the rear, which is pretty much Samsung’s way of describing a Plastic covering that looks like glass. This pretty much draws my mind back to the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, which had a plastic rear covering.
Enthusiasts who desire to purchase this phone will have four color options and they include Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, and Phantom Pink.
Moving up front on this Android smartphone, we find a familiar setup, it’s a display with a centralized punch-hole camera. The specs of this display may not be the same as seen on others, but there is no denying the fact that it looks the same as the ones seen on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the Samsung Galaxy A71.
This display, is a 6.2-inch dynamic AMOLED display, with a resolution of 1080 x 2400, a density of 421 PPI, and a 120Hz refresh rate, which has pretty much become the standard for high-end mobile phones.
No Charger and No Headphones
Apparently, Samsung has sort of caved into the trend Apple began with the iPhone 12 series. The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G comes in as the second brand after Xiaomi, with the Xiaomi M11, to release a smartphone without offering headphones or a charger in the box.
This move has been said to be linked to measures taken to reduce the carbon footprint that goes along with transporting bigger packages.
The Cameras
The Camera Department isn’t really a deal sealer for me. It sort of takes the cameras from a predecessor with pretty much less than a handful of improvements. Please note that this is just based on the specs description, daily use might offer a different opinion.
On the rear, we have a 12MP primary wide-angle camera with an aperture of f/1.8, a 64MP primary camera with an aperture of f/2.0, and a 12MP ultrawide camera with an aperture of 120˚ field of view and an aperture of f/2.2. This rear setup can record videos up to 8k @ 30fps.
The cameras feature optical zoom, phase detection autofocus, and Optical Image Stabilisation.
Comparing this setup to what we had on the preceding Galaxy S20 reveals equal numbers, in megapixels, aperture, field of view, and maximum video resolution.
Moving on to the front, we have a single 10MP camera tucked in a center-based punch hole. This camera has an aperture of f/2.2. The maximum video record here is capped at 4k @ 60fps. In summary, we have also got the same specs numbers as seen on its predecessor.
This is exactly the same camera as available in the Galaxy S21 Plus.
Notable mentioned here is the Director’s mode feature Samsung introduced with the S21 series. The director’s mode feature utilizes image signal processors, to show three different camera handles at the same time, this pretty much reminds me of the bothie effect introduced with the Nokia 8.
Hardware and Software
Take away the processor, and we will be left with a spec sheet that bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor. At this point, it kind of feels like I am repeating myself, but the fact holds.
However, the new processor shouldn’t be trivialized. The all-new 5nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor (USA / China variants) and the 5nm Exynos 2100 processor (International variant) both facilitate new features as well as an overall improved performance.
The other performance facilitators include Mali-G78 MP14 (International) or Adreno 660 (USA/China) GPU, 8GB RAM, options for either 128GB or 256GB internal storage, and a non-removable 4000mAh battery.
Enthusiasts will also be served with 25W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.
On the software side, we have the One UI 3.1 user interface running on the Android 11 operating system.
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Connectivity
The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G features a USB Type-C Port, low-energy Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and dual-band WiFi.
Internet connectivity here is capped at 5G, which means enthusiasts can utilize 5G connectivity for downloads, uploads, and streaming.
Where to Buy Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Amazon Canada – See Offers | Amazon UK – See Offers | Amazon US – See Offers
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G Price and Availability
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G price starts at $160 for the refurbished 8GB / 128GB variant. The Galaxy S21 5G costs 380,000 Naira in Nigeria, 115,000 KES in Kenya, and 5,200 GHC in Ghana. You can buy used and refurbished Samsung Galaxy S21 5G in Nigeria on Jumia, Jiji, and other stores in the country.
The smartphone was announced on January 14th, 2020, and was available for purchase from January 29th, 2020.
Samsung Galaxy S21 5G Specs
Here are a few specs of the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
- Platform: Android 11, One UI 3.1
- Processor: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 Octa-core Processor (2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 2.42 GHz tri-core Kryo 680 & 1.80 GHz quad-core Kryo 680) – USA / China – Exynos 2100 Octa-core Processor (2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2.80 GHz tri-core Cortex-A78 & 2.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A55)
- GPU: Mali-G78 MP14 (International) – Adreno 660 (USA/China)
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Colors: Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink
- Dimension: 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm
- Weight: 169 g
- SIM Type: Nano-SIM
- SIM Count: Dual-SIM
Display
- Display: 6.2-Inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1080 x 2400 Pixels, ~87.2% Screen-to-body Ratio, 120Hz Refresh Rate, HDR10+
- Screen Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
- Foldable Display: No
Camera
- Rear Camera: 12MP (Primary, wide) f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS + 64MP (Telephoto) f/2.0, PDAF, OIS, 1.1x optical zoom, 3x hybrid zoom + 12MP (Ultrawide) f/2.2, 120˚ FOV, Video Stabilisation
- Rear Camera Features: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
- Front Camera: 10MP Camera, f/2.2, Dual video call, Auto-HDR, Dual Pixel PDAF, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Storage
- Built-in Storage: 128GB / 256GB
- Memory Card Support: No
- Bundled Cloud Storage: –
Network Support
- 2G GSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
- 2G CDMA 1X: 800 / 1900
- 3G WCDMA: 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
- 3G CDMA EVDO: CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
- 4G LTE: LTE bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71
- 5G: SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave
Internet and Connectivity
- GPRS: Yes
- EDGE: Yes
- 3G/WCDMA/HSPA: Yes
- HSPA+: Yes
- CDMA EVDO: –
- 4G LTE: Yes
- 5G: Yes
- WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band
- Wi-Fi Hotspot: Yes
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
- NFC: Yes
- Infrared Blaster: No
- USB Port: USB Type-C (USB 3.2)
Messaging
- SMS/MMS: Yes
- Instant Messaging: Yes
- Push Emails: –
- Email Protocol: –
Entertainment
- Music Player: Yes
- Video Player: Yes
- FM Radio: Yes (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent)
- Loudspeaker: Yes
- 3.5mm Jack: No
Navigation
- Navigation: A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
- Maps: Yes
Sensors and Control
- Digital Compass: Yes
- Accelerometer: Yes
- Proximity Sensor: Yes
- Light Sensor: Yes
- Barometer: Yes
- SpO2: –
- Pedometer: –
- Heart Rate Monitor: –
- Gyroscope: Yes
- Fingerprint Scanner: Yes (Under display, ultrasonic)
- Iris Scanner: –
- Face Unlock: Yes
- Stylus Pen: –
- Intelligent Digital Assistant: Google Assistant, Bixby
- Motion Sensing / Gesture Control: –
- Voice Control: Yes
Other Features
- Video Streaming: Yes
- Active Noise Cancellation: –
- Wireless Charging: Yes, Qi / PMA Wireless Charging (15W Capacity) + 4.5W Reverse wireless charging
- Built-in Mobile Payment: –
- Water Resistant: Yes (IP68 – up to 1.5m for 30 mins)
- Dust Resistant: Yes
- Image Editor: Yes
- Video Editor: –
- Document Viewer: –
- Document Editor: –
Battery
- Battery: 4000 mAh Non-Removable Li-Po Battery
- Talktime: –
- Standby Time: –
- Fast Charging: 25W Fast Charging Capacity, Power Delivery 3.0, 15W Fast Wireless Charging
