Samsung's new flagship Android phone is packing so much heat, the iPhone 12 Pro Max gets burned to a crisp.
The Galaxy S21 phones don’t come out for another week and everyone’s already mad at Samsung. The microSD slot is gone! There’s no power adapter included in the box anymore! The regular S21 is made out of plastic!
Relax keyboard warrior, these things are all true. But also true: you will live just like you do without a headphone jack. It’s not the end of the world. Frankly, I’m more surprised Samsung kept the memory card around as long as it did. Apple, Google, OnePlus — almost everyone pumping out premium phones doesn’t have it.
The death of the bundled power adapter is unfortunate (or fortunate if being pro-Earth is your POV). However, the good news is the S21 and S21 Ultra (Samsung didn’t send me an S21+ to review) are both staggeringly great. Samsung’s refreshed the design with a bold, striking “contour cut camera,” more powerful performance, longer battery life, and — in the specific case of the S21 Ultra — big camera upgrades and S Pen support.
I spent the last week using both new Android phones. This review is going to focus on the S21 Ultra, mainly because there’s more new stuff to talk about. (It’s got two telephoto cameras.) Not since the Galaxy Note 7 (a terrific phone that was by doomed by its flawed battery design) has any non-folding Samsung phone swept me off my feet the way the S21 Ultra has. It’s the best gargantuan phone you can buy. Even better than its archenemy, the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. A happy family.Raymond Wong / Input
From the moment the leaks hit the internet, I was already on board with the S21 Ultra’s design. The S21 Ultra is a massive phone with a 6.8-inch display, but Samsung’s embraced the girth with evocative shapes that scream bold and powerful. In matte Phantom Black, the S21 Ultra is a stealth bomber; the S20 Ultra is a school bus in comparison. Indeed, the matte black backside is sleek and easily my favorite black on any phone ever. It’s not fingerprint-repellent, but the greasy prints rub right off which is better than the oiled-up mess of the glossy S20 Ultra. Gloss glass phones need to die. They’re just yucky at this point.
Curves, in the right places, help make a huge phone actually usable with one hand.Raymond Wong / Input
Some people dislike the “contour cut camera” design. I find it the most visually distinct camera bump other than the iPhone 11/12 Pro's. Just like the Note 20 Ultra, the three main cameras are covered with three pronounced, but symmetrically pleasing rings; additional cutouts for the secondary telephoto camera, laser autofocus sensor, and LED flash align parallel. There’s no tacky “Space Zoom 100X” branding on the bump either. Nor is there the IMEI or “Manufactured in Korea” stamped below the Samsung logo. I want to think that my criticism of these in both of my reviews informed Samsung’s designers.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max's width makes it feel more brick-like than the Galaxy S21 Ultra.Raymond Wong / Input
All of this is secondary to how the S21 Ultra feels in the hand. This is going to sound really weird because it doesn’t seem possible, but despite being thicker (8.9mm vs. 7.4mm) and taller (165.1 mm vs. 160.8mm), the S21 Ultra feels better in the hand because it’s narrower (75.6mm vs. 78.1mm). The 2.5mm difference may not seem like much, but I can feel it. The iPhone 12 Pro Max feels like a brick because of its sharp straight edges. I chuckle whenever I pull it out because it really does feel like something big and durable enough to smack someone around with. The S21 Ultra’s gently curved display edges (with thinner bezels) and rounded metal frame make it less wieldy. I don’t have huge hands and I can comfortably use it with one hand; a Game Boy-style grip with two hands is a must with the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display on the S21 Ultra is an absolute showstopper. Big, high-res (3,200 x 1,440), and absurdly bright (peak 1,500 nits). I don’t need DisplayMate to declare it the best screen on any smartphone. My late-night doom scrolling and Netflix binging is proof enough. The Eye Comfort Shield technology that filters more blue light must be doing something if I can’t look away from the screen.
The 6.8-inch display on the S21 Ultra is chef's kiss. Battery life is terrific.Raymond Wong / Input
Last year, Samsung introduced 120Hz refresh rate on the S20 series to combat phones from the likes of OnePlus who’ve been doing high refresh rate displays for years. The caveat was that 120Hz didn’t work at full 1,440p resolution, only 1080p. It does on the S21 Ultra. The screen now ramps from 10Hz to 120Hz depending on the activity. It’s some real magic at work; you get maximum fluidity when you need it without taking a big hit to battery life. Speaking of which, battery life is bonkers. The 5,000 mAh battery lasts and lasts. I’ve only needed to charge it up every day-and-a-half to two days. I have not felt any urge to drop the refresh rate down to 60Hz to extend battery life; I can only imagine the even longer battery life you will get with more modest screen time.
But what about the excised microSD card slot and removal of the power adapter? I’m not happy that Samsung’s dropping features that differentiated its phones from iPhones or OnePluses, but I’m not upset enough by to care. My favorite Android phone of 2020 was the OnePlus 8 Pro and it didn’t have a memory card slot. I’ve used iPhones for over a decade and the lack of microSD never stopped me from buying them.
I’m not happy that Samsung’s dropping features, but I’m not upset enough to care.
Oh hey, that's us on Google Discover. Just swipe to the left of your main home screen.Raymond Wong / Input