A last-minute Galaxy S21 series leak has dished out plenty of marketing videos.
One of the videos shows the Galaxy S21 Ultra S-Pen case in action.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series launch is but a few hours away, but we already have a great idea of what to expect from the occasion. Now, serial leaker Evan Blass has posted a ton of marketing video footage to leave nothing to the imagination.
The videos show everything from camera specs and modes to colorways and more. We also get a couple of clips focused on UWB functionality and the Galaxy Buds Pro‘s intelligent active noise cancellation. But we’re particularly interested in a video showing off the Galaxy S21 Ultra S-Pen. Check it out below.
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We get a close look at the S21 Ultra along with a case that holds the S-Pen on the left-hand side. This does add a fair bit of thickness to the left side, but it doesn’t seem thick to the point of major discomfort. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the leaked S-Pen case, but we do get a look at the actual process of removing it for usage.
Otherwise, the clip shows a user tapping, scrolling, and doodling with the digital pen. The phone is also expected to support Air View functionality, delivering extra features (e.g. image previews) by hovering the S-Pen over specific areas of the screen. We’ll likely get a good look at this functionality and more in a few hours’ time.
Do you prefer an S-Pen slot or an S-Pen case? Give us your answer by taking our poll below or leaving a comment.
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Samsung unveiled its first 2021 flagship earlier than usual, taking the wraps off of the Galaxy S21 series at an event earlier today. Once again, three devices make up the series. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra will be vying for your attention and dollars. Of course, the first question on many people’s minds is how the phones stack up against the best phones you can buy, which includes Google’s Pixel 5. Here’s a quick look at the Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 5!
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 5
Specs
Google Pixel 5
Samsung Galaxy S21
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Display
6-inch OLED FHD+ 2,340 x 1,080 at 432ppi 90Hz refresh rate 19.5:9 aspect ratio
6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED Flat FHD+ 2,400 x 1,080 at 421ppi Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ certified
6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED Flat FHD+ 2,400 x 1,080 at 394ppi Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ certified
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED Curved WQHD+ 3,200 x 1,440 at 515ppi Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ certified
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Samsung Exynos 2100
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Samsung Exynos 2100
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or Samsung Exynos 2100
RAM
8GB
8GB
8GB
12 or 16GB
Storage
128GB
128 or 256GB
128 or 256GB
128, 256, or 512GB
MicroSD
No
No
No
No
Battery
4,080mAh Fast wired charging Wireless charging Reverse wireless charging
4,000mAh Fast wired and wireless charging Reverse wireless charging
4,800mAh Fast wired and wireless charging Reverse wireless charging
5,000mAh Fast wired and wireless charging Reverse wireless charging
Rear: – Wide-angle: 12MP, ƒ/1.8, 1.8µm with OIS and dual-pixel AF – Telephoto: 64MP, ƒ/2.0, 0.8µm with OIS and phase-detection AF – Ultra-wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4µm with 120-degree FoV
3x hybrid optical/digital zoom 30x “Space Zoom”
Front: – 10MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.22µm, with dual-pixel AF
Rear: – Wide-angle: 12MP, ƒ/1.8, 1.8µm with OIS and dual-pixel AF – Telephoto: 64MP, ƒ/2.0, 0.8µm with OIS and phase-detection AF – Ultra-wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4µm with 120-degree FoV
3x hybrid optical/digital zoom 30x “Space Zoom”
Front: – 10MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.22µm, with dual-pixel AF
Rear: – Wide-angle: 108MP, ƒ/1.8, 0.8µm with OIS and phase-detection AF – Telephoto: 10MP, ƒ/2.4, 1.22µm with OIS, dual-pixel AF, and 3x optical zoom – Telephoto: 10MP, ƒ/4.9, 1.22µm with OIS, dual-pixel AF, and 10x optical zoom – Ultra-wide: 12MP, ƒ/2.2, 1.4µm with dual-pixel AF and a 120-degree FoV – Laser AF sensor
10x optical zoom 100x “Space Zoom”
Front: – 40MP, ƒ/2.2, 0.7µm, with phase-detection AF
Connectivity
4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 6E support
4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 6E support
4G LTE support 5G (sub-6GHz, SA and NSA, mmWave) Wi-Fi 6E support
Operating System
Android 11
One UI 3.1 Android 11
One UI 3.1 Android 11
One UI 3.1 Android 11
Water resistance
IP68
IP68
IP68
IP68
Color
Just Black, Sorta Sage
128GB in Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom Pink, and Phantom White
256GB only in Phantom Gray
Future colors: Phantom Gold and Phantom Red
128GB in Phantom Violet, Phantom Silver, and Phantom Black
256GB only in Phantom Black
Future colors: Phantom Gold and Phantom Red
128 GB in Phantom Silver and Phantom Black
256 and 512GB in Phantom Black
Future colors: Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown
Dimensions and weight
144.7 x 70.4 x 8mm 151g
151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm 171g
161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm 202g
165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm 229g
Design
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Samsung continues to refine the Galaxy S series design, with a particular focus on the rear camera housing. The “contour cut” camera looks sleeker and more aesthetically pleasing, especially with the options that offer contrasting colors. There’s still a significant camera bump, but it looks a lot better at first glance.
The regular Galaxy S21 comes with a “glasstic” build that is less premium but more durable than the all-glass bodies of the Plus and Ultra. A punch-hole to house the front-facing camera is the only blemish on the near bezel-less front. These are all good-looking devices, offering an improvement over their predecessors.
On the other hand, the Pixel 5’s design is a dramatic overhaul compared to previous generations. A punch-hole notch is tucked away in the corner, and the thin bezels are welcome. However, the physical fingerprint scanner and dual rear camera setup give the phone an old-school feel, which is furthered by the feel of the textured aluminium chassis.
The Sorta Sage colorway is the standout, but the Pixel 5’s design is a lot more muted than what you get with the Samsung Galaxy S21 devices.
Features
Credit: Adam Molina / Android Authority
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus are quite similar. The major difference is the display’s size — 6.2-inch vs 6.7-inch — and the battery capacity. You get flat displays with a Full HD+ resolution with the two. Additionally, both have the same Snapdragon 888 processing package (Exynos 2100 in global markets), 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, and an identical camera setup.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the one you want if you want to kick things up a notch. The display is curved, a touch larger at 6.8-inch, and with a higher QHD+ resolution. However, all three come with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. While the processor is the same, you can go up to a whopping 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage as well.
Additionally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra stands apart from its siblings by being the first Galaxy S phone to feature S Pen support. Nevertheless, you won’t get a built-in slot for the stylus and unlike the Galaxy Note series, you’ll have to buy it separately.
Credit: Adam Molina / Android Authority
Unfortunately, the Pixel 5 is at a lower level compared to the new Galaxy S21 range where raw power is concerned. You get the Snapdragon 765G under the hood, backed by 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The 6-inch Full HD display’s 90Hz refresh rate and stock Android contribute to smooth performance. Even so, the Pixel 5 is not going to win any performance races against the Galaxy S21 series phones.
The Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra come with 4,000mAh, 4,800mAh, and 5,000mAh batteries respectively. We’ll need to run tests to figure out battery life, but things look good on paper. The Pixel 5’s 4,080mAh offers impressive battery life, with Android Authority’s own David Imel enjoying up to eight hours of screen-on time in his review.
The Galaxy S21 and Pixel 5 are comparable flagships, but Samsung’s phones smash Google’s for raw power.
All four phones feature high-end staples like an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, fast charging, and wireless charging. You can also use them to charge other phones and peripherals, like smartwatches and wireless earbuds, with their reverse wireless charging feature.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus come with a 12MP wide-angle lens, a 12MP ultra-wide angle shooter, and a 64MP telephoto lens. In contrast, the Galaxy S21 Ultra bumps the primary telephoto to 108MP and tacks on a second 10MP telephoto as well.
The Pixel 5 falls behind on the spec sheet in this regard as well, with “just” a dual rear camera setup, comprising a 12.2MP primary shooter and 16MP ultra-wide lens. However, Google relies on software to bolster camera performance, and it’s no surprise that the Pixel 5 is one of the best camera phones you can get. It’ll be interesting to see how the Galaxy S21 series and other upcoming 2021 releases fare against Google’s best.
Price
The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is currently available to pre-order and will go on sale from January 29. The Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will start at $799.99, $999.99, and $1,199, respectively. In the UK and Europe, the series will retail for £769/€849, £949/€1,049, and £1,149/€1,249, respectively.
On the other hand, you can get the Pixel 5 for $699/£599/€629.
Google Pixel 5Google’s first 5G smartphone
The Google Pixel 5 may not be the high-end Pixel we were expecting, but it’s a pretty compelling mid-range option. Google is going back to basics with the Pixel 5, ditching higher-end features like face recognition and the quirky Motion Sense gestures.
Samsung Galaxy S21 vs Google Pixel 5: Which should you buy?
Credit: Adam Molina / Android Authority
It’s flagship vs upper mid-ranger, and the flagship unsurprisingly takes the win if you value performance over all else. Of course, the Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Ultra are far more expensive as well.
The most interesting comparison is between the Pixel 5 and Galaxy S21 though. Samsung is carrying forward the lessons from the Galaxy S20 FE, with the Galaxy S21’s $799 making for a very enticing option. It brings flagship performance, a flashier design, and a more feature-packed camera for $100 more.
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The Pixel 5 is slightly smaller, understated, comes with the promise of timely updates, and takes fantastic photos. The Google phone is one of the best in this price range, but at least on paper, the Galaxy S21 offers more bang for your buck.
If you’ve pre-ordered a brand new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, you’re probably going to want to protect it. One of the best ways to go about doing so is by picking up a rather bulky case, though that comes at the cost of hiding the beautiful design of your new smartphone. If you’re willing to compromise on protection in order to show off your new device, then you can’t go wrong by picking up a clear case instead. The Galaxy S21 Ultra has just come out, but there are already some options for Galaxy S21 Ultra clear cases that you can pick up!
Crystal clear
This is Samsung’s official clear case, and it’s one of the most barebones that you can get.
Crystal clear
This is Samsung’s official clear protective case, providing slightly more protection.
Perfect for videos
This is Samsung’s official clear standing case – great for watching videos with your phone propped up!
Spigen’s best
This is a clear case from one of the best in the business – Spigen. It’s completely clear and offers a lot of protection.
Enhanced protection
This is a clear case from one of the best in the business – Spigen. It’s not quite as clear, though it offers more protection.
Slim and light protection
This is a clear case from ESR that’ll protect your smartphone from everyday bumps.
Slim and light protection
This is a pretty basic cheap and clear case from Restoo that protects your phone.
Slim and light protection
This case from ATRAING is cheap and clear, and it’s anti-yellowing to prevent discoloration.
Frosted Matte finish
This case from Ringke comes with a Frosted Matte finish, giving your phone a unique spin.
If you’re going for a nice clear case to show off your smartphone’s design, then any of the above will do the job for the most part. Some are cheaper than others, while some are more protective than others. The bulkier the better for protection, so it’s up to you to decide which is the best for you. If you have Samsung store credits, you should definitely pick one up directly from Samsung, since those cases offer guaranteed compatibility with the phone with the tightest tolerance. These first-party cases are made by Samsung for the Galaxy S21 Ultra specifically, so there’s no way you can go wrong with them. But, admittedly, they are a bit expensive, and the options on Amazon are surprisingly cheaper. You can get options from Spigen and Ringke, both of whom are reputable by this point for their offerings across a variety of devices. The Spigen cases are the ones that we have personally used on a lot of different phones over the years, so we can attest to their quality. The Ringke case has a quite unique frosted matte finish, giving your phone a different spin with its look and finish. The other options are decent too, so pick one that suits your needs and budget!
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the ultimate overkill in the new 2021 flagship series, packing in a flagship SoC, a premium build, a great display, and an amazing camera setup, as well as all the extras expected on a premium flagship.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphones have finally arrived, and they add to the Galaxy S lineup’s legacy of innovation. With the latest Galaxy S21 devices, we see major improvements in several areas, including performance — thanks to the Snapdragon 888 or the new Exynos 2100 chipset, security with the more efficient ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, improved software experience with One UI 3.1, UWB, and a lot more. The new Galaxy devices also get a host of new camera features — even though Samsung uses almost the same camera hardware as the previous generation.
In this article, we will discuss an entire lot of new software and hardware additions to the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Before we begin, he is an overview of the camera specifications of the latest Galaxy series:
Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra Photography Features
Single Take 2.0
Samsung introduced the Single Take feature last year with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. It allows users to capture fast-changing scenarios by recording a short video clip of up to 10 seconds instead of just one single photo and then letting them pick what fits the best according to their needs.
With the Galaxy S21 series, Samsung has announced Single Take 2.0 that now captures more frames each second. Now, the feature also records the section as a slow-motion video clip so you can share the most action-packed events with great detail and the added dramatic effect of slow-mo.
8K Video Snap
Just like the Single Take 2.0 mode, the Galaxy S21 devices can also capture a short 8K video clip to ensure that you don’t miss any crucial moment. This video clip can eventually render an image in 8K resolution (or approximately 32MP).
Enhanced Portrait Mode and DSLR-like Bokeh
Samsung claims to have greatly improved the portrait mode on the Galaxy S21 devices. The images now use AI to emulate a professional camera. The phones use AI for three-dimensional depth, sensing to achieve a more natural-looking background blur. Besides, the AI also enhances portraits to look like they were shot under studio lighting.
Furthermore, the Galaxy S21 smartphones also receive various face-lighting effects in the portrait mode, similar to the stage lighting effects already popularized by the iPhones. The smartphones primarily feature three lighting modes as High-key mono, Low-key mono, and Backdrop for studio-like results.
Samsung ISOCELL HM3 108MP sensor on Galaxy S21 Ultra
With the Galaxy S21 series, Samsung announced its latest ISOCELL HM3 sensor which succeeds the recently announced ISOCELL HM2. The ISOCELL HM3 sensor is 1/1.33″ in size with pixels measuring 0.8μm — just like the ISOCELL HMX and HM1 sensors. With the help of 9-in-1 pixel binning, the sensor captures 12MP images by default with large resultant pixels measuring 2.4μm.
Although the ISOCELL HM3 resembles the HMX and HM1 sensors in terms of specifications, it comes with improved color and exposure perception. In addition to the ISOCELL Plus technology that improves the sensor’s efficiency, it supports 12-bit color recording and allows it to capture 64x more colors than the previous generations. Additionally, the Smart ISO Pro widens the range for HDR photography while the Super PD Plus feature allows for 50% more accurate autofocussing.
12-bit HDR and 12-bit RAW photography
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is also capable of capturing photos with HDR and RAW shots in 12-bit. This means that images in this mode will have about 68 million colors — or 64 times the colors in a 10-bit image. As you can expect, this allows for a finer transition between one color to another on a photograph, essentially eliminating color noise to a great degree. An average user may not detect the difference between 10-bit and 12-bit color, but the upgrade is of great importance to professional photographers.
Dual telephoto cameras and 100x Space Zoom
Samsung is reintroducing the 100x Space Zoom with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. But unlike the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which only features a 4x telephoto setup, the Galaxy S21 Ultra features a more advanced 10x periscope camera for crisper long-range images. Inarguably, this is among the most advanced telephoto cameras available on any handheld device.
To top it up, Samsung also offers a secondary telephoto camera set at 3x optical zoom. The company claims there is a seamless and automatic transition between the two telephoto cameras based on the level of the zoom or focal range at which you are attempting to shoot.
Zoom Lock
To ensure that the long focal range does not hamper users’ ability to pan and focus, the Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with AI-backed stabilization to improve OIS. The smartphone also features “Zoom Lock” that uses AI to add a slight delay while moving the smartphone to ensure the panning is smooth and non-jittery. Samsung also claims the Zoom Lock feature will provide tripod-like stabilization, which may actually be the case. Check out a demonstration of the feature in our Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra hands-on article or the video below:
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Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra Video Features
Unlimited video recording
As Samsung made quite evident at the Galaxy Unpacked event, the Galaxy S21 smartphones are meant not to limit users in any way, especially when it comes to video recording. There is no automatic cut-off timer, and you can keep recording videos as long as you desire.
Director’s View
The Galaxy S21 series is a no-compromise device in terms of performance. This allows smartphones to have some truly amazing features, such as the Director’s View. This feature allows users to record a video using multiple cameras and from different viewpoints. Simultaneously, the feature also gives users the liberty to switch between any of the cameras mid-roll without having to stop or pause the video.
Vlogger View
The Vlogger View on Galaxy S21 smartphones allows users to use the front camera alongside the rear camera. This allows video content producers, especially vloggers — whom this mode is named after, to capture their reactions while also recording something from the rear camera.
Multi mic recording
With the Galaxy Note 20 series, Samsung launched the Video Pro mode. In that mode, users could switch among different microphone modes while recording a video. The Galaxy S21 series takes a step further with this feature that allows users to use multiple microphones to be used as simultaneous audio sources. Using this feature, you will be able to record audio with the microphones on the smartphone and the Buds Pro simultaneously.
4K recording at 60fps across all 5 cameras
All five cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra can record hyper-smooth 60fps videos at 4K resolution. Alongside the above-mentioned features, such as unlimited video recording and Director’s View, [email protected] video recording makes the Galaxy S21 Ultra a supreme device for video recording.
When will the Galaxy S20 series get these camera features?
Samsung has a kind heart when it comes to bringing new features to older smartphones, and the same can be true for some of these features — at least those that can easily run on older hardware. While Samsung does not categorically clarify the availability of these features on older flagships, make sure to check out the XDA News Portal for any updates.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the ultimate overkill in the new 2021 flagship series, packing in a flagship SoC, a premium build, a great display, and an amazing camera setup, as well as all the extras expected on a premium flagship.
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