You might be looking at the Samsung Galaxy S21 and wondering if it’s the best phone you can get right now. While it’s definitely one of the best phones available, each of the three S21 models have their share of flaws. What’s more, while Samsung has knocked the price of each model down by a couple hundred dollars from previous Galaxy S phones, the S21 is still pretty expensive compared to some of the other best Android phones.
It’s those rivals we’re looking at here. If you’re weighing whether to buy a new Android phone, but aren’t convinced by Samsung’s latest offering, we have rounded up the best Galaxy S21 alternatives for you to check out.
Organized by key features, some of the phones do a better job than the S21 in certain areas, while others offer identical or comparable abilities while costing less. We highly rate all of them, so whether you pick up an S21 or a different device, you’re guaranteed to get a great phone.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative for fast charging
OnePlus 8T (Image credit: OnePlus)
Samsung doesn’t include a charger with any phone in the Galaxy S21 series, requiring you to either use a charger you’ve already got or pay up for a new accessory. It’s the same move Apple made with the iPhone 12, and while it may be good for the environment, it does add on to the cost of your phone.
Even if you pick up a charger for your Galaxy S21, all three models offer a maximum of 25W fast charging when plugged in and up to 15W for wireless charging. That’s acceptably quick, but certainly not class-leading.
The OnePlus 8T and Oppo Find X2 Pro offer 65W charging out of the box, which is certainly impressive. The OnePlus 8 Pro offers more modest 30W fast charging, but also up to 30W wireless charging if you want to ditch the cables. Even the budget-centric OnePlus Nord N10 5G offers 30W charging for less than $300, beating the Galaxy S21 on both charging speed and price.
Our pick: OnePlus 8T — it’s more fully featured than the Nord N10 and more widely available than the Oppo Find X2. OnePlus’ flagship lasts longer than every S21 model save for the Ultra, and it charges much faster.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative for compact phones
Pixel 5 (Image credit: Google)
The smallest available Galaxy S21 is the basic S21, which measures 6.2 inches. That’s fairly small compared to the 6.7-inch Plus and 6.8-inch Ultra models, but it’s no good if you like to have a phone that will easily slip into a jeans pocket.
It’s surprisingly hard to find smaller phones than that these days. If you want something much dinkier, there’s the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini, or the 4.7-inch iPhone SE if you want something a lot cheaper. On the Android side, your best option is probably the Google Pixel 5 at 6 inches. There’s also the Pixel 4a at 5.8 inches if you don’t mind a phone with less stylish design and fewer flagship features.
Our pick:Pixel 5 — Assuming an iPhone 12 mini is a non-starter for Android fans, the Pixel 5 is a compact phone that delivers a great camera.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative for storage
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (Image credit: Future)
Samsung killed off a big legacy feature this year for users who like using expandable, removable storage with their phones. All Galaxy S21 models ship without an SD card slot, limiting you to the onboard storage for whatever model you buy. That’s a potential problem if you’re a keen photographer or videographer who will easily fill up even 256 GB or 512GB of storage.
If you want removable storage, you can turn to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, which still features a microSD card slot. Alternatively, less expensive phones like the Samsung Galaxy A71 5G let you expand storage by up to 1TB via a microSD card. Another option — spring for cloud storage, as Google One storage plans cost $9.99 a month for 2TB.
Our pick:Galaxy Note 20 Ultra — not only can you max out on-board storage at 512GB, but the microSD slot lets you add up to 1TB of storage.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative for stylus compatibility
Galaxy Note 20 (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Only the Galaxy S21 Ultra works with an S Pen, the first Galaxy phone outside of the Note to offer such support. But the stylus is sold separately, meaning you’re paying another $40 on top of the $1,199 cost of your phone. And that’s before you buy a case, which you’ll need to do as the S21 offers no slot to store the S Pen.
In this case, it’s hard to top the original, as both the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra offer a built-in S Pen. If you don’t mind going the bargain route, Motorola’s $299 Moto G Stylus — an updated version to last year’s Moto G Stylus— includes a stylus, though it’s not nearly as fully featured as the S Pen. You will get long battery life from the Moto G Stylus, though.
Our pick:Galaxy Note 20 — This is the cheaper of Samsung’s two Note 20 models, and it’s also $200 less than the Galaxy S21 Ultra. And you don’t have to pay extra for the S Pen.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative for battery life
Moto G Power (2021) (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The battery life for the Galaxy S21 Ultra impresses, as Samsung’s phone lasted 11 hours and 25 minutes on our Tom’s Guide battery test. That places it on our best phone battery life list (though the S21 Ultra achieves that result with the adaptive display feature turned off). The other S21 models turned in times that were closer to the result for the average smartphone.
The longest lasting smartphone we’ve tested this year is the Moto G Power (2021), and while that phone boats some good features for a $249 device, it’s a big step down from the experience of using a Galaxy flagship. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the device to get if you want a long battery life, but don’t want to skimp on features.
It’s hard to outdo the camera hardware of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Not only do you get a 108MP main camera, a 40MP selfie camera and a 12MP ultrawide, you also benefit from two 10MP telephoto cameras, one with 3x zoom and the other with 10X zoom. The S21 and S21 Plus still have outstanding photography powers too, with their combination of 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 64MP telephoto and 10MP selfie cameras.
In terms of the best camera phones, there’s only one that beats the Galaxy S21 Ultra – the iPhone 12 Pro Max. That’s almost as expensive as the S21 Ultra, but it’s the price you have to pay for ultimate photo performance.
For cheaper options that still give the S21 series a run for its money, the Google Pixel 5 will offer equally good main and ultrawide photography, though it lacks a dedicated telephoto sensor. Still, the Pixel’s Super Res Zoom feature more than makes up for that lack of hardware by tapping into Google’s computational photography powers. For a cheaper version, the Pixel 4a 5G boasts the exact same camera hardware as Google’s flagship device.
Our pick:Pixel 5 — assuming you don’t want to convert to an iPhone, Google’s flagship is the best camera phone you can get outside of the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative for pure Android
Motorola Edge Plus (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
At its core, Android 11 is the same on every device. But phone makers can tweak the interface, and Samsung’s One UI 3.0 on the Galaxy S21 models can come across as overbearing to some people.
We’re big fans of OnePlus’ OxygenOS because of its sharp design and limited number of unwanted apps. You’ll find it preinstalled on the OnePlus 8T, but it’s also available on older OnePlus phones like the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro. Motorola also does a good job of not cluttering up Android, and the few things it introduces, such as gesture-based Moto Actions, are actually useful. The $999 Motorola Edge Plus comes the closest to matching the Galaxy S21 feature set.
Still, the purest version of Android can be found on the Google Pixel line of phones. The Pixel 5 is the pinnacle of Google’s crop of phones for the moment, and while its hardware is lacking in a few areas compared to the Galaxy S21’s, the user experience is top notch.
Our pick:OnePlus 8T — OnePlus’ phones offer the best assortment of features without imposing too much on the Android experience.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative on performance
iPhone 12 Pro Max (Image credit: Future)
It’s hard to beat any of the Galaxy S21 models and their Snapdragon 888 system-on-chip — at least among Android phones. The Galaxy S21 benchmarks are the best we’ve seen from any Android phone, which isn’t surprising since Samsung’s devices are the first to arrive in the US with the new Qualcomm chipset.
But as good as the S21 models are in terms of performance, they’re still out-muscled by the iPhone 12 family and Apple’s A14 Bionic processor. The iPhone 12 produces better benchmarks in our testing, including real-world tests like transcoding videos.
If you’re committed to Android, a powerhouse like the iPhone 12 Pro Max may be a non-starter. In that case, you may want to hold off a few months to see what other Android phones arrive with a Snapdragon 888 inside and how they compare to the Galaxy S21.
Our pick:iPhone 12 Pro Max — iOS or Android debate aside, this is the best performing phone out there, and it’s cheaper than the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Best Galaxy S21 alternative on price
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
While the Galaxy S21 models may be cheaper than their predecessors, the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra still cost $999 and $1,199, respectively. That’s a lot to pay for a phone for some people, though at least the Galaxy S21 offers a decent alternative at $799.
For lower-priced flagships, it’s hard to beat either OnePlus or Google. The OnePlus 8T starts at $749 and features a display with a 120Hz refresh rate as well as solid performance and fast charging. The Pixel 5 is even cheaper at $699, though Google dialed back on the processing power to reach that price.
Our pick: OnePlus 8T — Outside of Samsung’s own phones, the flagship devices out of OnePlus come the closest to matching the Galaxy S lineup on a feature-by-feature basis.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Artificial intelligence‘s recent rise to the forefront of business has left most office workers wondering how often they should use the technology and whether a computer will eventually replace them.
Those were among the highlights of a recent study conducted by the workplace communications platform Slack. After conducting in-depth interviews with 5,000 desktop workers, Slack concluded there are five types of AI personalities in the workplace: “The Maximalist” who regularly uses AI on their jobs; “The Underground” who covertly uses AI; “The Rebel,” who abhors AI; “The Superfan” who is excited about AI but still hasn’t used it; and “The Observer” who is taking a wait-and-see approach.
Only 50% of the respondents fell under the Maximalist or Underground categories, posing a challenge for businesses that want their workers to embrace AI technology. The Associated Press recently discussed the excitement and tension surrounding AI at work with Christina Janzer, Slack’s senior vice president of research and analytics.
Q: What do you make about the wide range of perceptions about AI at work?
A: It shows people are experiencing AI in very different ways, so they have very different emotions about it. Understanding those emotions will help understand what is going to drive usage of AI. If people are feeling guilty or nervous about it, they are not going to use it. So we have to understand where people are, then point them toward learning to value this new technology.
Q: The Maximalist and The Underground both seem to be early adopters of AI at work, but what is different about their attitudes?
A: Maximalists are all in on AI. They are getting value out of it, they are excited about it, and they are actively sharing that they are using it, which is a really big driver for usage among others.
The Underground is the one that is really interesting to me because they are using it, but they are hiding it. There are different reasons for that. They are worried they are going to be seen as incompetent. They are worried that AI is going to be seen as cheating. And so with them, we have an opportunity to provide clear guidelines to help them know that AI usage is celebrated and encouraged. But right now they don’t have guidelines from their companies and they don’t feel particularly encouraged to use it.
Overall, there is more excitement about AI than not, so I think that’s great We just need to figure out how to harness that.
Q: What about the 19% of workers who fell under the Rebel description in Slack’s study?
A: Rebels tend to be women, which is really interesting. Three out of five rebels are women, which I obviously don’t like to see. Also, rebels tend to be older. At a high level, men are adopting the technology at higher rates than women.
Q: Why do you think more women than men are resisting AI?
A: Women are more likely to see AI as a threat, more likely to worry that AI is going to take over their jobs. To me, that points to women not feeling as trusted in the workplace as men do. If you feel trusted by your manager, you are more likely to experiment with AI. Women are reluctant to adopt a technology that might be seen as a replacement for them whereas men may have more confidence that isn’t going to happen because they feel more trusted.
Q: What are some of the things employers should be doing if they want their workers to embrace AI on the job?
A: We are seeing three out of five desk workers don’t even have clear guidelines with AI, because their companies just aren’t telling them anything, so that’s a huge opportunity.
Another opportunity to encourage AI usage in the open. If we can create a culture where it’s celebrated, where people can see the way people are using it, then they can know that it’s accepted and celebrated. Then they can be inspired.
The third thing is we have to create a culture of experimentation where people feel comfortable trying it out, testing it, getting comfortable with it because a lot of people just don’t know where to start. The reality is you can start small, you don’t have to completely change your job. Having AI write an email or summarize content is a great place to start so you can start to understand what this technology can do.
Q: Do you think the fears about people losing their jobs because of AI are warranted?
A: People with AI are going to replace people without AI.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that it would provide up to $325 million to Hemlock Semiconductor for a new factory, a move that could help give Democrats a political edge in the swing state of Michigan ahead of election day.
The funding would support 180 manufacturing jobs in Saginaw County, where Republicans and Democrats were neck-in-neck for the past two presidential elections. There would also be construction jobs tied to the factory that would produce hyper-pure polysilicon, a building block for electronics and solar panels, among other technologies.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on a call with reporters that the funding came from the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022. It’s part of a broader industrial strategy that the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, supports, while Republican nominee Donald Trump, the former president, sees tariff hikes and income tax cuts as better to support manufacturing.
“What we’ve been able to do with the CHIPS Act is not just build a few new factories, but fundamentally revitalize the semiconductor ecosystem in our country with American workers,” Raimondo said. “All of this is because of the vision of the Biden-Harris administration.”
A senior administration official said the timing of the announcement reflected the negotiating process for reaching terms on the grant, rather than any political considerations. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss the process.
After site work, Hemlock Semiconductor plans to begin construction in 2026 and then start production in 2028, the official said.
Running in 2016, Trump narrowly won Saginaw County and Michigan as a whole. But in 2020 against Biden, both Saginaw County and Michigan flipped to the Democrats.
Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.
The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.
Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.
The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.
Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.
On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.
The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.
More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.
Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:
You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!
Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.
Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.
There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.
Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.
Successful people tend to be secretive.
Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.
Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.
Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.
