Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Review: Is This the Best Big Android Phone Yet?
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra arrived less than a year after its predecessor, the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and set a new gold standard for big Android phones. Launched alongside the smaller Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, the Ultra has a fresh design, upgraded hardware, and a performance to match. Its pricing starts at $1,200 — significantly less than the $1,400 sticker of last year’s Ultra model.
KEY SPECS
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
• 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120 Hz maximum refresh rate and HDR10+ compatibility, S Pen stylus support
• Quadruple camera with 108MP main, dual 10MP telephoto with 3x and 10x optical zoom, 12MP ultra wide, Laser autofocus, 40MP selfie camera
• 12/16GB of RAM, 128/512GB of UFS 3.1 storage
• 5G, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity
• 5,000 mAh, fast wired and wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
• Built-in stereo speakers, waterproof body
Over the course of a week, I took a break from my iPhone and used the Galaxy S21 Ultra as my daily driver. The captivating display and the exceptional camera experience left me wondering if I’d make the switch back.
The newcomer is a legit Android powerhouse, and comes with an elegant design, too, creating a perfect marriage between performance and build (the camera bump alone is a bona fide masterpiece). When you add in the insane camera specs, buyers looking for the ultimate big-screen phone should have the Galaxy S21 Ultra at the top of their list.
The new Ultra is also the legendary smartphone family’s first product to have S Pen support. The iconic stylus has been a calling card for the Samsung Galaxy Note product lineup since its genesis in the distant 2011.
After analyzing the phone’s design and overall performance, and comparing it with other Android and Apple phones I’ve tested, here’s what impressed me most about the S21 Ultra’s camera, design, display, and performance.
The Camera
With the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung has managed to deliver an even more capable camera setup than the one found in the S20 Ultra. The latest iteration has a quad camera, headlined by a 108MP main sensor that can capture insanely sharp photos in full resolution, as well as detail-rich 12MP images in scenes with poor lighting.
As far as zoom capabilities go, they alone should make photography enthusiasts seriously consider switching to the S21 Ultra. The new big-screen Android packs not one, but two telephoto lenses with 3x and 10x optical zoom, which ensures that photos taken from far away look as similar as possible to a real camera’s quality.
For comparison, the awesome triple camera of the iPhone 12 Pro Max has 2.5x optical zoom and 12x digital zoom. They are nowhere near the 10x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom that its Samsung-made rival offers, giving mobile shutterbugs the opportunity to capture shareable images of objects that are impossibly far away.
In terms of sheer versatility, the camera sensors on the back of the phone are a pocket-friendly alternative to a pricey camera with several interchangeable lenses.
The device’s video recording capabilities are peerless, too. All of the product’s camera sensors (selfie included) can capture crisp 4K footage at 60 frames per second. The device’s main camera, on the other hand, can capture 8K video (and still images in the process) with four times more pixels than 4K footage.
Best of all, the vast amount of Galaxy S21 Ultra photography and videography tools are easy to access via an intuitive user interface. I was impressed by the Director’s View for recording video. It allowed me to simultaneously preview feed from all camera sensors before choosing which one to record with.
The Design
I tip my hat to Samsung’s design team for making the camera bump of all Galaxy S21 models stand out by seamlessly integrating it into the phones’ metal frame. It gives every iteration a distinctly new and luxurious look. Sporting the busiest camera setup from the trio, the Galaxy S21 Ultra showcases the new trend best.
Because its display is almost completely bezel-free, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is surprisingly compact for a phone with 6.8-inch display. Its slightly curved edges make it narrower and easier to use with one hand than the 6.7-inch screen-toting iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The S21 Ultra is as durable as big screen phones get, too. It's made using the latest and strongest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and it’s fully waterproof with an IP68 rating.
With a weight of 8 ounces, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is on par with the range-topping iPhone 12 Pro Max. Some might consider the phone a tad heavy but, considering the quality materials used in its making (glass typically weighs more than plastic), that's not surprising.
The Display
The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best I have experienced to date. It is sharp, vibrant (every pixel is individually backlit), and thanks to a 120 Hz maximum refresh rate, a joy to use.
The onscreen interactions are incredibly smooth and more memorable than on a display with a regular 60 Hz refresh rate. Gaming on the phone is particularly awesome, because many popular titles support a high refresh rate. Samsung's display, like big camera zoom, sets the S21 Ultra apart from the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Adaptive motion smoothness is a subtle but meaningful screen upgrade that the Galaxy S21 Ultra brings, too. The feature automatically adjusts the panel’s refresh rate to save power, so users no longer have to choose between the highest screen resolution or the smoothest viewing experience. When it comes to visuals, Samsung has made sure that users can have their cake (and eat it too).
The Performance
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S21 Ultra with the latest Snapdragon 888 chipset by Qualcomm. The chip utilizes a cutting-edge 5-nanometer technology, which has allowed its maker to fit more transistors into less space. This means that the 888 SoC is incredibly powerful, yet energy-efficient.
Just like the model it replaces, the Galaxy S21 Ultra packs not only a powerful chipset, but also more RAM than most laptops, as well as ultra fast UFS 3.1 storage. As a result, opening apps and switching between a multitude of them happened instantly on the device.
The 5,000 mAh battery of the Galaxy S21 Ultra has the same class-leading capacity as the one that's powering the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Combined with its energy-efficient chipset and display panel, it allowed the phone to easily make it through a full day of heavy use between charges.
Lowering the screen resolution and disabling its adaptive refresh rate will extend the product's battery life even further. Of course, like many Galaxy products that precede it, the S21 Ultra is compatible with fast wired and wireless charging.
S Pen
For the time being, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first and only Samsung Galaxy S phone that’s compatible with the S Pen stylus. The functionality makes the phone a mighty tool for creative and productive personalities, second only to a Galaxy Note.
It’s important to note that S Pen support on the Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn’t appear to spell an end of the Galaxy Note product line. The stylus is as an optional accessory that lacks Bluetooth connectivity, and whose storage requires a dedicated case. It is convenient — but not as capable as a Galaxy Note S Pen.
Wrap-Up
The latest big-screen Galaxy has futureproof 5G and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, but no microSD card slot. Samsung hasn't skipped this feature in a Galaxy S product since since 2015, but I didn't find its lack concerning. The phone comes with abundant storage even in entry-level guise — 128GB is enough for most consumers.
Following an industry trend that Apple started last year, the Galaxy S21 Ultra (and its smaller siblings) lacks a bundled charging adapter and wired earbuds. I don't think that this is a dealbreaker either — there are plenty of great and reasonably priced chargers and wireless earbuds to pick from.
The $1,200 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra variant has 12GB of RAM and 128 GB of UFS 3.1 memory. Doubling the storage to 256GB costs $50 more, and a top-spec S21 Ultra with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard memory costs $1,380. Samsung has an impressive trade-in program, which will save buyers up to $800 with a trade-in of an eligible device.
Read More:
A Helpful Guide to Buying a New Samsung Galaxy Smartphone
Affordable Phones Under $500 We Tested and Liked
Shop Our Favorite Noise-Canceling Earbuds
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