Samsung kicked off the final day of the “all-digital” CES 2021 by unveiling its latest flagship smartphone: the Samsung Galaxy S21. Here’s everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, and the S21 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21+
The Galaxy S21 (6.2″ display) introduces an “all-new, iconic Contour Cut Camera housing that seamlessly blends into the device’s metal frame for a sleek, yet striking, aesthetic.” (The Galaxy S21+ [6.7″ display] complements its larger display with a larger battery.) The display is an edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, and Samsung says the display automatically adjusts the frame rate depending on what you’re looking at, while its built-in Eye Comfort Shield automatically adjusts the blue light based on the time of day, what you’re doing on your phone, and more.
The new line has an improved 8K Snap feature, which makes grabbing still images from 8K video footage (shot at 60fps) a breeze. A new “Director’s View” helps you decide the best shot for the moment, and “Vlogger View” lets you capture video with both the front- and rear-facing cameras to ensure you don’t miss a minute of the action… or your reaction. Internal camera improvements help ensure your subject is properly distanced from its background and help cut down on wobble with an improved Space Zoom.
The new handsets are secured with Samsung Knox Vault, which is now supported by tamper-resistant secure memory, in addition to Samsung’s secure processor. Removing metadata from photos before you share is also easy, and you can also choose exactly where your photos can (and can’t) be shared with an all-new Private Share feature.
The phones are available in both 128GB and 256GB versions and include color options such as Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom Pink, Phantom White, Phantom Gold, and Phantom Red. (Not all colors are available on both models, with both capacities, or at all retailers.) Pre-orders begin today — Thursday, January 14 — at 11 a.m. EST. Pricing for the Galaxy S21 starts at $799.99 and Galaxy S21+ starts at $999.99. The phones release on January 29.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Like the S21 and S21+, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra also introduces the “iconic Contour Cut Camera housing.” Larger than both of the other new handsets, the S21 Ultra (6.8″ display) offers both a 120Hz refresh rate and a Quad HD+ display, with a 25% brighter picture and a 50% better contrast ratio than the S20.
The phone’s quad rear camera (ultra-wide, wide and dual tele-lenses) features an upgraded 108MP pro sensor and lets you (for the first time on a Galaxy handset) shoot in 4K at 60fps across all lenses (including the front-facing lens). A 100x Space Zoom powered by Samsung’s first-ever Dual-tele lens system and improved Bright Night sensor help make all of your photography look as good as you envision it.
Big news for Note fans: for the first time on any S Series device, you can finally use the Samsung S Pen on the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
The phone is available starting on January 29 in a variety of colors (Phantom Silver, Phantom Black, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown) and with storage capacities between 128GB and 512GB. (Not all colors are in both capacities or at all retailers.) Pre-orders begin today — Thursday, January 14 — at 11 a.m. EST. Pricing for the Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at $1,199.99.
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