In many ways, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra should have been like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. It was a strong phone that, in certain places, was a little rough around the edges – and as a result, it didn’t get a perfect grade last year. However, the S21 Ultra improves on last year’s model while also introducing new features that had previously only been available on the Galaxy Note line. As costly as it is, it’s no longer a mid-range phone but one that has fewer drawbacks and offers more use in the long run.
In this Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review, we will be sharing with you all the details.
Reasons To Buy
- A Stunning 6.8 inches 120 Hertz WQHD+ screen
- Quite Powerful flagship-grade hardware specs
- Has a camera system that is feature-packed
- S Pen Digital Stylus support
- It is 5G network compatible
- A Large and long-lasting battery of 5,000mAh
Reasons To Avoid
- Despite a drop in price, it is expensive
- It is not equipped with S Pen Digital Stylus (You have to buy it separately)
Specifications
- Display: 6.8-inch AMOLED (3200 x 1400) | 10 to 120Hz
- RAM: 12, 16 GB
- CPU: Snapdragon 888
- Storage: 128, 256, 512GB
- Rear cameras: 108MP wide, 12MP ultra wide , 10MP telephoto, laser AF sensor
- Front camera: 40 Megapixels (f/2.2)
- Video: 4K 60 fps/8K 30 fps
- Battery life: 11 hours and 25 min (60Hz)
- Battery Capacity: 5,000 mAh
- Wireless: UWB, Wi-Fi 6E, 5G
- Weight: 8.08 ounces
- Size: 6.5 inches x 2.97 inches x 0.35 inches
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Design and Colors
In terms of sheer size, the S21 Ultra is a big device. It’s true that the contour cut camera design integrates the camera’s bump into its glass back, but it is still a large device that needs two hands to use.
In comparison to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the S21 Ultra has a thickness of 0.35 inches and a weight of 8.08 ounces. The display is somewhat curved, but not in a way that is overbearing. In contrast to last year’s Ultra, we never accidentally touched anything on the screen this time around.
Only Phantom Black and Phantom Silver are available from carriers for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Because of its slenderizing properties, I’m considering a black dress. There are a few colors available just on Samsung.com for the S21 Ultra, including Phantom Navy, Titanium and Brown.
The 1.7x bigger fingerprint sensor is one of our favorite design tweaks. Using the S21 Ultra, we didn’t have to tap the sensor twice to unlock the phone, unlike on earlier phones.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Display
The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 6.8 inches Dynamic AMOLED display is one of the greatest panels on a smartphone. Bright and lively, it doesn’t force you to pick between the best resolution and refresh rate like its predecessor.
It’s true that using this phablet to view videos would keep you engrossed. When binge-watching on Netflix, the colors are as vibrant as ever and its viewing angles are as broad as ever.
But the Ultra has a dynamic refresh rate that outperforms the iPhone. With 120Hz and quad HD resolution, you’ll be able to enjoy smooth scrolling and games, as well as 120Hz. So that you don’t have to pick between the best resolution and the highest refresh rates.
S21 Ultra is also capable of automatically lowering the refresh rate to 10Hz in order to save on battery consumption..
In addition to that, the S21 Ultra’s display can reach 1,500 nits of brightness, making it simple to read outside. Averaging 821 nits, the S21 Ultra tops the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 654 nits in our tests.
Compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 84.8 percent DCI-P3 color gamut, the S21 Ultra’s display was able to produce 81.4 percent of the color spectrum in our lab testing.
With a 0.07 Delta-E score, the iPhone’s screen was a little more accurate than the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s (0.35).
Samsung claims that the S21 Ultra boasts a contrast ratio of 3 million:1 compared to the S20 Ultra’s 2 million:1. Additionally, the Eye Comfort Shield function reduces eye tiredness by minimizing the amount of blue light that enters the computer.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Cameras
The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s cameras are the most noticeable difference between the S21 and S21 Plus. An autofocus laser sensor and a 108MP wide-angle sensor round out the features of this phone.
This phone will give you the feel of a secret agent every time you zoom in. Compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the S21 Ultra has two telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zoom.
With the new Zoom Lock function, a single touch may help you stabilize your shot at a distance of up to 100x.
More than three times as much dynamic range as the S20 Ultra can be captured with the 108 MP primary camera’s 12-bit HDR images, which have a color depth of 64 times richer. There’s also a 12-bit RAW option in Pro mode.
The S21’s Portrait mode has also been enhanced, according to Samsung, by using AI to better distinguish the subject from the backdrop. The bokeh effect produced by the S21 Ultra is stunning. On iPhone 12 Pro Max, the skin tone is a little warmer, but overall, the S21 photo looks fantastic.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Video
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is capable of recording 8K video at 30 fps and all the cameras can record 4K videos at up to 60 fps on the video side. Even more impressive is the Director’s View video update.
A new vlogger mode allows you to simultaneously shoot video from both the front and rear cameras. While you’re capturing video, you can view live thumbnails of each camera, allowing you to quickly switch between them if necessary.
As for moving around a lot when filming, that’s OK. S21 Ultra’s Super Steady mode lets you record smooth video even while you’re speeding up a hill.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Performance
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor, along with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, powers the Galaxy S21 Ultra, making it one of the first phones to do so.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Battery Life and Charging
This is the phone for those looking for a phone that can be used all day long. During our 5G web surfing battery test, the S21 Ultra’s 5,000 mAh battery provided 11 hours and 25 minutes of battery life. We’ve ranked the Ultra higher on our list of the best phone batteries since it outperforms the iPhone 12 Pro’s 10:53.
Note that this is with the 60Hz display mode enabled and that adaptive mode (up to 120Hz) is activated, which reduces battery life. We recorded a runtime of 10 hours, 7 minutes in this mode.
The fact that you have to purchase a charger separately is the biggest disappointment. As long as your phone has USB-C and you haven’t purchased a new one in the previous few years, you’ll have to shell out additional money.
For the S21 Ultra, a 25-watt charger gave it a 56 percent charge in 30 minutes and a 31 percent charge in 15 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra S Pen
With a Wacom digitizer embedded into the display, this is the first time ever that a Galaxy S device has been capable of using the S Pen. S Pen, an optional accessory, allows you to do the same things you do with Galaxy Note 20 and 20 Ultra, such as drawing, sketching, and taking notes. It’s also useful for signing paperwork fast.
Remember that the S Pen is available separately and you’ll need a suitable case if you need to store it when it is not in use. For $69.99, Samsung offers a Silicone Cover with a S Pen.
There is a lot of extra weight in this cover for an already heavy phone. Using the S Pen, you’ll be able to swiftly scribble down notes with Screen Off memo and other handy features. However, unlike the Note 20 Ultra, you cannot use the S pen as a remote control since Bluetooth is not included. For example, you can’t skip music or manage slideshows by pressing a button.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, 5G, and UWB
5G is the first wireless protocol supported by Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra. Higher peak speeds and improved power efficiency are expected to be achieved with the Qualcomm modem in this smartphone.
Using T-Mobile in our area, we were pleased with the quality of service. We experienced download rates in excess of 160Mbps. It’s not great, but when we put the identical SIM card in the iPhone 12 Pro Max, we got just 100 Mbps.
Furthermore, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first phone that supports Wi-Fi 6E, a fresh standard that provides quicker speeds and more total bandwidth when you use a compatible router for Wi-Fi 6E.
Finally, the S21 Ultra includes UWB, which makes it simpler to transfer data with other UWB devices, including the Galaxy S21 Plus. This phone will also serve as a digital key for some of the automobiles starting in 2022.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Software and SmartTags
Galaxy SmartTags from Samsung are a must-have if you are often losing your items. You may use this tag and the SmartThings Find app to locate anything from your keys to your backpack. The other Samsung products, such as phones, smartwatches, tablets, and earphones may also be tracked using the SmartThings app.
Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Galaxy S21 Plus & Galaxy S21
Compared to the S21 and Plus, the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers the most powerful zooms (100x versus 30x), the clearest display, and the highest quality camera (108MP vs 64MP) (QHD vs 1080p).
Furthermore, the Ultra’s screen has a higher dynamic range, ranging from 120Hz to 10Hz, compared to 48Hz on the S21 and S21 Plus. Battery life is saved by using this method. Additionally, the S21 Ultra’s battery is more powerful than the S21’s and the S21 Plus’s combined 4,000 mAh (4,800 mAh).
Lastly there is the S21 Ultra with 12GB to 16GB of RAM, which is more than enough for the S21 and S21 Plus. S21 Ultra offers 512GB capacity, whereas S21 has 256GB storage.
Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 12 Pro Max
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s primary rival. The A14 Bionic chip in Apple’s phone provides speedier performance, while the Ceramic Shield front display is supposed to be more resistant to scratches. Also, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is smaller and lighter than the previous model.
In comparison to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, the Galaxy S21 Ultra offers a slew of benefits. A 120Hz display, a longer battery life, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner are just some of the features of Samsung’s new phone. In our opinion, it’s worth the extra $100.
Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 13 Pro Max
We love the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, but iPhone 13 Pro Max is surely a close second with almost same screen size and capability for 120Hz refresh rate.
In spite of Samsung’s forays towards foldable technology, the S21 Ultra is the greatest rival to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Both companies improved their cameras significantly this year, but the benefits they provide vary somewhat, making it difficult to choose between the two if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
However, there are still lots of gray areas to go through before you can decide between the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, even if certain categories clearly favor one over the other.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 3
The latest foldable phones from Samsung have arrived. Samsung’s latest smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold 3, shows off the company’s display and hardware design capabilities. Samsung’s Fold 3 is a large, powerful phone designed to replace the Galaxy Note range (RIP).
However, unlike the S21 Ultra, the Z Fold 3 supports the S Pen. When it comes to smartphones, Samsung devotees should stay with the S21 Ultra for 2014.
Update: We’re working on a face-off between the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy S21 Ultra, so you can see which is the best choice for you. There are better options out there if you’re sick of your current phone’s design, but keep in mind that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (or Galaxy Z Flip 3 depending on your preference) is very pricey.
Android 12 Update for S21 Ultra
In mid-November 2021, Samsung introduced One UI 4 for the S21 Ultra. The UI and privacy features have been greatly enhanced with Android 12, which is now available as part of the Jelly Bean release. Using the Color Palette, you can now choose your system’s accent color or view the privacy dashboard to check which applications are listening in on your microphone, camera, and GPS.
Should You be Buying it?
This is the best smartphone with all of the bells and whistles you’ve ever seen? In our opinion, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best smartphone available right now. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is a close second, but it lacks the design refinement and consistency in the camera that would allow it to compete with the Galaxy S21 Ultra in terms of performance. According to Samsung, their newest flagship smartphone is the best smartphone presently available on the market in terms of display, camera, and software. Wi-Fi 6E and UWB, as well as other advanced connectivity choices, are provided.
Despite the presence of bloatware and adware, One UI is still the greatest Android software on the market today. As a bonus, Galaxy S21 Ultra will get 3 major Android OS upgrades and four years’ worth of security patches. In addition, the phone’s battery life is exceptional. In terms of wireless and cable charging, it could have been a little quicker. Although the headphone port and microSD card slot are lacking from the device, these features are also absent from many of its rivals.
Conclusion
The Samsung S21 is a terrific phone that has all of the features you’d expect from a flagship device in its price range. The price tag of four figures makes it tough to sell, especially in these times of economic uncertainty, but it is still a realistic alternative.
When compared to the standard S21, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is £380 more expensive, and with people checking their wallets more carefully than ever, it may not be deemed a sensible buy at this time.
In the event that you are lucky enough to be able to acquire one, you will almost certainly be happy. It’s just great.
We hope you enjoyed our Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Review and found it informative.