Here is an honest and complete Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review, but before we feed you with everything you need to know about this beastly device we just want you to know that this is arguably the best Android phone in the market right now (if not the best phone overall).
The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes in a more sleek design and offers faster and better performance, thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chip. And, unlike the normal Galaxy S21, you’re not forced to make many trade-offs. You will get a better main 108MP camera, a glass back instead of plastic, more RAM, and a higher-res display.
As I will be showing you in my Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review, there are some trade-offs, including the lack of a charger in the box. But overall, this is the best Android phone money can buy for those willing to pay a premium and one of the best phones overall.
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Key specifications
Display: 6.8 inches AMOLED (3200 x 1400); 10 to 120Hz
CPU: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 12GB, 16GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Rear cameras: 108MP wide (f/1.8), 12MP ultra wide (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto (3x zoom, f/2.4), 10MP telephoto (10x zoom, f/4.9), laser AF sensor
Front camera: 40MP (f/2.2)
Video: 8K 30 fps/4K 60 fps
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Battery life: 11 hours 25 min (60Hz), 10:07 (adaptive)
Wireless: 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, UWB
Size: 6.5 x 2.97 x 0.35 inches
Weight: 8.08 ounces
Samsung Galaxy S21 release date and price
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra was released on January 29, 2021, so you’re now able to buy the phone in the US, UK, and every other part of the world. The launch event was on January 14, meaning that both the official announcement and the release date are a month earlier than we are used to seeing for the company’s flagship smartphone. Samsung is changing trends in 2021.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra price is also notably cheaper than the S20 Ultra at launch, Although you might still going to spend a lot. It starts at $1,199 for a version with 128GB of internal storage and 12GB of RAM.
Remember that there’s no microSD card slot for expandable storage, thus if you’re keen on taking voluminous 4K 60fps or 8K 24fps video, you’ll wish to consider the 256GB or 512GB storage sizes – additionally the} latter of these sizes also bumps up the RAM to 16GB.
Is it only too rich for you? The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 plus don’t tout ‘Space Zoom’, S Pen support, or 108MP/40MP photos, however, you are going to get the 3x optical zoom and slick style, at a way cheaper price.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Design
With its 0.35 inch profile and weight of 8.08 ounces, the S21 ultra is thicker and heavier than the iPhone 12 pro max. The display is gently arced, in contrast to the absolutely flat regular Galaxy S21, however not annoyingly so. I ne’er accidentally broached one thing on screen as I did with last year’s ultra.
The Galaxy S21 ultra comes in exactly 2 colors from carriers: Phantom Black and Phantom Silver. I would go for black thanks to its slimming impact. Samsung.com is providing exclusive S21 ultra colors, though, such as Phantom Navy, Phantom titanium, and Phantom Brown.
One of the interesting style upgrades is that the 1.7x larger fingerprint detector. It makes it easier to unlock the phone, and that I found that the S21 ultra didn’t request me to press the detector once more like previous phones.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Display
The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display on the Galaxy S21 ultra is just one of the most effective screens on a phone. It’s bright, vivacious, and does not cause you to choose from the best resolution and highest refresh rate like its forerunner.
Yes, you’ll be hypnotized once watching videos on this phablet. the colors are as wealthy as ever, and also the viewing angles are nice and wide once binge-watching on Netflix. Samsung claims the S21 Ultra has a 3 million:1 contrast ratio, which is 50% more than the S20 Ultra. And there’s an Eye Comfort Shield feature that is built to reduce eye fatigue by reducing blue light.
But the ultra surpasses the iPhone with its dynamic refresh rate. Not solely does one get super sleek scrolling and gameplay, you currently get 120Hz and quad HD resolution at the same time. therefore you don’t choose from the best resolution and highest refresh rates.
We did have a check on the screen brightness of the Galaxy S21 Ultra outdoors, and it automatically amps up to a super-bright 1,500 nits when required. Other smartphones with AMOLED screens, including the S21 and S21 Plus, max out at 1,200 nits, and every little bit helps in direct sunlight.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Performance
At the heart of all three S21 phones, you’ll find one of two speedy chipsets: either Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 (US) or Samsung’s own Exynos 2100 (outside the US). This is supported by a 12GB RAM or a 16GB option.
This flagship did quite impressively outstanding on our benchmark scores. On Geekbench 5, the Galaxy S21 Ultra thumped 3,440 on the multi-core test and 1,123 on the single-core. Although that’s behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which cleared 4,100 and 1,600, it’s still the best scores we’ve seen so far from an Android device.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra also performed well on the 3DMark Wild Life graphics benchmark, hitting 34 fps. The iPhone 12 Pro Max averaged 54 fps.
On our editing test using the Adobe Premiere Rush app, the Galaxy S21 Ultra took one minute and two seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. That’s faster than the Note 20 Ultra’s one minute and sixteen seconds.
Unfortunately, there’s no micro SD card slot on the Galaxy s21 ultra, so you’re stuck with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage space. While this is unfair, it is quite reasonable considering the price drop on such a powerful device.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Camera
The camera is where the Galaxy S21 Ultra really stands out the most against the S21 and S21 Plus. There’s a main 108MP wide sensor and 12MP ultra-wide camera, which is supported by a laser autofocus sensor.
You will feel like a secret agent while zooming with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. While the iPhone 12 Pro Max is stuck at 2.5x optical zoom, the S21 Ultra packs two telephoto lenses of 3x and 10x optical zoom.
The 108MP main camera is capable of capturing 12-bit HDR photos with 64 times richer color data and even more than three times the dynamic range of the S20 Ultra. Plus, there’s a 12-bit RAW file option in Pro mode. Samsung also claims it has also improved the Portrait mode on the S21 series by leveraging AI to better separate the subject from the background. The S21 Ultra delivers a great bokeh effect here.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra also performs very well in low light, thanks to a faster Bright Night sensor and 12MP Nona-binning technology for reducing noise reduction. In this comparison, you can take great pictures at night with the S21 Ultra camera compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, although the iPhone’s colors look more natural.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Battery life and charging
The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5,000mAH battery life was solid during our normal testing which includes surfing, streaming, and gaming amounting to over eleven hours. Its 5,000mAh battery matches the S20 Ultra capacity, and you’re going to get an all-day battery life if you don’t change Samsung’s default settings. The resolution is set to 1080p out of the box but there’s a big difference between Full HD and Quad HD.
Another good thing is the fact that the 120Hz refresh rate is variable. It’s technically up to 120Hz, but it won’t be so high if it doesn’t need to be, reducing the battery drain. Samsung’s backend software will automatically adjust between 10Hz and 120Hz, depending on your activity: reading an eBook (low) vs playing a 3D game (high).
You won’t get a charger in the box with the Galaxy S21 ultra, and Samsung is betting that you have an old one at hand, or that you’ll buy one at a newly discounted price. Included is a USB-C-to-USB cable, but you’ll want one of the newer fast chargers for this phone to speedily charge it at 25W. Using a 25-watt charger, the S21 Ultra reached 55% in 30 minutes and 31% in 15 minutes.
What we think about the Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung almost perfected the big-screen phone with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The display is best-in-class, the cameras are much improved and you can even use this phone as a Galaxy Note if you want to. Personally, I see the S Pen support as more of a bonus because of the added cost.
There are some things we don’t like about this flagship. It’s a bit big and heavy, and the lack of a charger and microSD card slot both sting. And while the S21 Ultra is fast, it’s still a step behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Then again, Samsung’s phone lasts longer on a single charge and lets you capture great images even from a distance with its cameras.
Overall, if you’re looking for the pinnacle of Android phones, the S21 Ultra is it. And the fact that you don’t necessarily have to blow up your savings (except if you’re seeking to up the options) for this flagship makes it even more suitable as our top choice.
| What we like | What we do not like |
| Best camera zoom | No micro SD card slot |
| S pen support | No charger in the box |
| Great battery life | |
| 120Hz refresh rate |
Thank you for going through the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review. we do hope to have helped you in making an informed decision on your smartphone buying/upgrade quest (smiles), that is our sole aim here, and we’ll be happy to hear from you what your experience with the phone is like and don’t forget to share this post with friends and loved ones if you find it helpful.