Samsung unveils powerful new Galaxy S21 smartphones – All the details

Samsung launched its new Galaxy S21 range of smartphones at its Unpacked 2021 event on Thursday 14 January.
The new range of devices comprise the Galaxy S21, S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra, and each sports an overhauled design and a refreshed camera system that wraps around the side of the smartphone.
Like the previous-generation Galaxy S20 devices, all smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy S21 will offer 5G connectivity in addition to high refresh-rate OLED displays.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, however, also boasts support for Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, which Samsung states is around two-times faster than standard Wi-Fi 6.
The South African versions of all three smartphones are powered by the Samsung Exynos 2100 chipset, which is far more power-efficient than previous-generation chips.
Following the precedent set by Apple last year, Samsung has also omitted charging adapters and headphones from the packaging of its new smartphones.
Camera and design
The design of the Galaxy S21 series has been overhauled, with all three smartphones sporting a new Contour Cut Camera Design, which sees the rear camera bump wrapping to the side of the smartphone.
They also sport an updated matte finish and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra includes support for the company’s S Pen stylus, although this is sold separately.
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a quad-lens rear camera system, which includes ultra-wide and wide lenses in addition to two optical lenses for dual zoom support.
The primary sensor on the Galaxy S21 boasts an impressive 108MP resolution and is capable of recording 8K video at 30fps and capturing great low-light shots.
Samsung’s Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 smartphones have a triple-lens rear camera which also supports 8K video recording, as well as a single front-facing camera. embedded in a punch-hole cutout in the display.
Hardware
One of the marquee features of the Samsung Galaxy S21 lineup is the display technology present on all three devices.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ feature edge-to-edge adaptive 120Hz AMOLED displays with FHD+ screen resolutions.
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra boasts a 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED display which can adapt its refresh to anywhere between 10Hz and 120Hz depending on the demands of the application you are using.
The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ have flat displays, while the display on the Galaxy S21 Ultra curves around the sides of the device.
These adaptive displays work together with the large batteries on the new Galaxy S21 series to deliver impressive battery life.
The battery capacities of the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra are 4,000mAh, 4,800mAh, and 5,000mAh, respectively.
Availability
These three new devices will be available in the following colours:
- Galaxy S21 – Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Pink.
- Galaxy S21+ – Phantom Silver, Phantom Black, Phantom Violet.
- Galaxy S21 Ultra – Phantom Silver, Phantom Black.
The new Samsung smartphone lineup will launch on 29 January at the following prices:
- Galaxy S21 – R17,999
- Galaxy S21+ – R21,499
- Galaxy S21 Ultra – R27,999
Below are the specifications of the new Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphones which will be available in South Africa.
Samsung Galaxy S21
Samsung Galaxy S21 | |
---|---|
OS | Android 11 |
Display | 6.2-inch 1,080 x 2,400 OLED 120Hz |
Processor | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage | 128GB, 256GB |
Rear camera | 64MP + 12MP + 12MP |
Front camera | 10MP |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 |
Cellular | 5G |
Durability | IP68 |
Battery | 4,000mAh |
Samsung Galaxy S21+
Samsung Galaxy S21+ | |
---|---|
OS | Android 11 |
Display | 6.7-inch 1,080 x 2,400 OLED 120Hz |
Processor | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
RAM | 8GB |
Storage | 128GB, 256GB |
Rear camera | 64MP + 12MP + 12MP |
Front camera | 10MP |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 |
Cellular | 5G |
Durability | IP68 |
Battery | 4,800mAh |
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
---|---|
OS | Android 11 |
Display | 6.8-inch 1,440 x 3,200 OLED 120Hz |
Processor | Samsung Exynos 2100 |
RAM | 12GB |
Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, microSD |
Rear camera | 108MP + 12MP + 10MP + 10MP |
Front camera | 40MP |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 |
Cellular | 5G |
Durability | IP68 |
Battery | 5,000mAh |