This story was originally published on January 14, 2021, and last updated on April 19, 2021.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is here! And if you follow tech closely, we’re sure you’ve seen its specs leaked all over the internet. Today, we finally get the official specs and pricing for the phones.
Here’s a quick rundown of the Galaxy S21 series’ prices:
- Galaxy S21: PHP 47,990 (256GB only)
- Galaxy S21+: PHP 57,990 (256GB only)
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: PHP 69,990 (12GB + 256GB) & PHP 79,990 (16GB + 512GB)
These handsets will be available for pre-order starting January 14 until January 28. Those who pre-order the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra will receive free YouTube Premium for four months, free shipping nationwide (restrictions apply), and free Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag.
In case you don’t want to read more, we’re placing the specs of the Galaxy S21, S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra in table form below:
| SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 | SAMSUNG GALAXY S21+ | SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 ULTRA | |
| DISPLAY | 6.2-inch Flat FHD+, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 48-120Hz adaptive, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | 6.7-inch Flat FHD+, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 48-120Hz adaptive, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | 6.8-inch Edge QHD+, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 10-120Hz adaptive, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| PROCESSOR | Samsung Exynos 2100 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Samsung Exynos 2100 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Samsung Exynos 2100 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 12GB/16GB |
| STORAGE | 128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB | 128GB/256GB/512GB |
| SOFTWARE | OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11 | OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11 | OneUI 3.1 based on Android 11 |
| REAR CAMERAS | Main: 12MP, OIS, Dual Pixel, f/1.8 Ultra-wide: 12MP, FF, 120° FOV, f/2.2 Telephoto: 64MP, 3X, OIS, f/2.0 | Main: 12MP, OIS, Dual Pixel, f/1.8 Ultra-wide: 12MP, FF, 120° FOV, f/2.2 Telephoto: 64MP, 3X, OIS, f/2.0 | Main: 108MP, Phase Detection, OIS, f/1.8 Ultra-wide: 12MP, Dual Pixel, 120° FOV, f/2.2 3X Telephoto: 10MP, OIS, f/2.4 10X Telephoto: 10MP, Dual Pixel, OIS, f/4.9 Laser AF |
| FRONT CAMERAS | Main: 10MP, 80° FOV, f/2.2 | Main: 10MP, 80° FOV, f/2.2 | Main: 40MP, 80° FOV, f/2.2 |
| CONNECTIVITY | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, UWB | 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, UWB |
| BATTERY | 4,000mAh, 25W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging | 4,800mAh, 25W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging | 5,000mAh, 25W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging |
| COLORS | Phantom Violet Phantom Gray Phantom Pink Phantom White | Phantom Silver Phantom Violet Phantom Black Phantom Gold Phantom Red | Phantom Black Phantom Silver Phantom Titanium Phantom Navy Phantom Brown |
| OTHERS | IP68 rated, Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor | IP68 rated, Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor | IP68 rated, Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor |
We aren’t getting all the color variants of the Galaxy S21 series. The Phantom Pink and Phantom White variants of the S21 won’t be available. The Phantom Black of the S21+ won’t be available either. There are also Samsung.com exclusive colorways: Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown for the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Phantom Gold and Phantom Red for the Galaxy S21+. We haven’t heard if these will be offered locally. But Samsung will sell all the other options in the Philippines.
All the handsets look similar with its new Contour Cut Camera. The camera bump extends to the upper left corner and blends into the frame, giving it a Phantom of the Opera-like design. The Galaxy S21 series gets better durability with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, which is the toughest Gorilla Glass yet.
The frame and camera bump’s colors vary depending on the device’s color. The Phantom Black model has a black frame and camera bump, while the Phantom Violet and Phantom Pink both have a copper frame and bump. The Phantom White has a silver hue to it.
The Galaxy S21 gets the “glasstic” treatment similar to the Galaxy A series phones, while the Galaxy S21+ and S21 Ultra get glass backs.
Locally, we’re getting an Exynos 2100 to power these flagship phones. It’s said to be better or comparable to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, which powers the Galaxy S21 in other markets. The company also promised over 40% better performance compared to its predecessor, the Exynos 990. The Galaxy S21 Ultra gets Wi-Fi 6E, which Samsung claims is around 2x faster than standard Wi-Fi 6. This flagship model as well as the S21+ support Ultra-wideband (UWB) capabilities, which means it can turn your smartphone into your car key and open car doors for you, at least with compatible cars.
The Galaxy S21 and S21+ both support FHD+ 120Hz on their 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively. While this is a downgrade from the 1440p+ resolution of the S20 series, you do get an adaptive refresh rate here. Meanwhile, the 6.8-inch S21 Ultra comes with a WQHD+ display with an adaptive refresh rate of 10Hz to 120Hz and peak brightness of 1,500nits, which is the brightest on a Galaxy smartphone.
All have Infinity-O displays, which means there’s only a tiny punch-hole for the front-facing camera, and there are no curved-edge displays here, or at least those that are extended to the far edges of the handsets. All phones also support Eye Comfort Shield to help reduce eye fatigue.
And as we’ve heard, the Galaxy S21 Ultra gets S Pen support. It won’t be included in the box, though. Samsung will sell cases for the Ultra where you can hide the S Pen alongside the phone.
There won’t be any major surprises in the camera department, but they still get some upgrades, especially with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The base S21 and S21+ have similar setups as their S20 counterparts with a 12-megapixel main, 64-megapixel telephoto, and 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensors, alongside a 10-megapixel sensor in front.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra will inherit the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s 108-megapixel sensor and the 12-megapixel ultrawide lens on the Galaxy S21 and S21+. But this variant will get two telephoto sensors: a 3x optical telephoto and a 10x optical “super” telephoto, which will add 130% larger pixel autofocus on both lenses. And the 10x optical sensor allows Samsung to bring back its 100x Space Zoom. Samsung is said to use a laser autofocus sensor to avoid the focusing issues of the S20 Ultra. It has what Samsung calls Zoom Lock, so it can take photos even in what it says is the “shakiest conditions.” In front, it has a 40-megapixel camera.
Some other camera improvements include S21 Ultra’s support for 4K at 60 frames per second recording with all of its lenses. It also supports 12-bit RAW file with the primary sensor. Its Super Steady stabilization mode has been improved, too.
Night mode is getting improvements, too, with a Fast Bright Night sensor and better noise reduction, promising studio-like shots in low light environments. In a demo comparing the S21 Ultra with the S20 Ultra, the images produced are certainly brighter and crisper.
There’s a new Directors View mode that allows you to see, switch, and select the best shots to produce the best videos. Vlogger View lets you capture video using the front and rear camera simultaneously. And paired with the new Galaxy Buds Pro, you can capture both ambient sounds and your voice with multi-mic recording. In Pro Video Mode, you can setup the Galaxy S21 on a tripod and use the Buds Pro as your voice mic.
Samsung improves its Single Take feature with 5x more AI processing, promising to capture all the details in every shot. Shooting time is now adjustable up to 15 seconds, so you have more photos and videos to choose from.
As you can tell, battery capacities are almost the same as its predecessors. The Galaxy S21 will have a 4,000mAh battery, the Galaxy S21+ will have 4,800mAh, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra will have 5,000mAh. All models support up to 25W fast-charging wired charging or 15W wireless going in and 9W going out.
Pre-order details
We wanted to share additional information on the pre-order mechanics for the Galaxy S21 series, which is happening from today, January 15, until January 28.
During this period, the Galaxy S21 Ultra will be bundled with gadgets and accessories worth up to PHP 20,000 through Samsung Experience stores, select Abenson and SM Appliance stores, and authorized Samsung online partners. Those who pre-order will receive the Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Tab A 8.0, Galaxy SmartTag, and a 25W travel adapter. The same offer is available through Globe and Smart until January 24.
Those who pre-order through Samsung.com will get as much as PHP 16,000 worth of freebies, including the Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy SmartTag, and a PHP 5,000 discount.
If you want to get your hands on the 512GB Phantom Black model, that is a pre-order exclusive.
The Galaxy S21+ will also get freebies worth up to PHP 19,000 through Samsung Experience stores, select Abenson and SM Appliance stores, and authorized Samsung online partners. Those who pre-order will get the Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Tab A 8.0, Galaxy SmartTag, and a 25W travel adapter. Globe and Smart subscribers can avail of the bundle until January 24.
If you pre-order through Samsung.com, you can get as much as PHP 13,000 worth of freebies, including the Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy SmartTag, and a PHP 3,000 discount.
This pre-order promotion will be available only while supplies last.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra and S21+ will be available through the aforementioned outlets starting January 29. The Galaxy S21 will arrive in stores on February 5, and we updated the price to PHP 47,990 instead of PHP 49,990 published in our original story.
The new Galaxy S21 series is covered by the company’s Samsung Care+ Coverage, which you can find out more on at samsung.com/samsung-care-plus. This optional coverage is available for an additional fee and offers extended warranty and coverage for accidental and liquid damage for up to 24 months.
We have also updated information on other color options for the Galaxy S21+, which include a Phantom Red and Phantom Gold color. But these are only available in some regions, which doesn’t include the Philippines as far as we know.
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G HERE. *
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G HERE.
Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G HERE.
Introducing the Galaxy 14-Day Trial Program
Samsung is now offering the Galaxy 14-Day Trial Program for every purchase of select flagship smartphones—the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
Buy the Galaxy S21 Series 5G and decide whether to keep or return the unit with a full refund within 14 days (depending on the device’s condition). The program runs until April 30, 2021, at select Samsung Experience stores.
To learn more about this program and the participating Samsung Experience stores, click here.
UPDATE 1: 2021/01/15 10:32 A.M. GMT+8 BY NICOLE BATAC
Added pre-order details
UPDATE 2: 2021/04/19 9:45 A.M. GMT+8 BY NICOLE BATAC
Added information on the 14-day trial program
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