Samsung today released three iterations of its most important phone of the year. The 6.2 inch Galaxy S21, 6.7 inches Galaxy S21 Plus and 6.8 inches Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Faster, more economical screens
Samsung made the refresh rate of the screens of its phones with the Galaxy S20 faster: they went from 60Hz to 120Hz. That looks and feels smoother, because the frame rate is twice as high as you are used to. But that higher speed also consumes more power, so it was switched off by default on the S20.
Samsung has found the solution with the new Galaxy S21. The screens use Adaptive Refresh Rate: the frame rate is adjusted according to what the user is doing. If you scroll through menus or sites, everything flows by at 120 frames per second. If you watch a video, the speed goes to 60Hz: the frame rate of most videos, and it saves the battery.
From S21 in S21 More can step from 120Hz to 48Hz, and the S21 Ultra can even go all the way down to 10Hz. That saves the battery even more, and when reading an e-book, for example, that low speed is pleasant for your eyes too. These are the best smartphone screens available right now: colorful, excellent HDR performance with high peak brightness and a choice of different color profiles.
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Unique, fashionable back
Almost all telephones look alike from the front, but those backs are also becoming more uniform. Samsung has decided to turn the ‘camera island’ with multiple lenses into a kind of peninsula.
The camera plane is not separate from the edge, but just overflows into it. Made of the same material as the rim, in the same color: gold, silver, rose or black. Samsung has not tried to hide the cameras, but rather accentuates them. And that is allowed, because:
Excellent camera systems
The Galaxy S21 has excellent camera systems. The real camera freak should go for the S21 Ultra. Four lenses: a main lens with 108 megapixels, a 12 megapixel ultra-wide angle lens and two telephoto lenses with 10 megapixels, one of which has a 10x optical zoom.
That optical zoom makes all the difference: you take photos that were normally not possible with a smartphone. Certainly combined with the night mode of the S21: make a close-up of the moon, filling the screen and with the craters in view. The Ultra also has a laser for focusing. Great for things that move quickly, but also for taking a macro photo up close.
The S21 and S21 Plus do not have an optical zoom lens, but they do have greatly improved camera software. You notice this at night, for example: the night photos are becoming more and more impressive, with more detail, much less noise and a more natural result.
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Ultra-wideband
In addition to WiFi and Bluetooth, the S21 phones also support a new wireless standard. Ultra-wideband is a new technology that makes the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra very future-proof. For example, with ultra-wideband you can not only see that there is another device in your area, but also where it is. It’s almost like a modern gadget radar.
What can you do with that? Opening new cars, for example. The S21 Plus and S21 Ultra work as car keys for new models from Audi, BMW and Ford, among others. Handy so that you don’t have to take your keys with you, but also when lending your car. It is the near future: the first models that work with the technology will not appear until next year.
You can already use it now: with ultra-wideband you can also find the Samsung SmartTags more easily. The search labels that you attach to your keys, for example. If you lose them, you will see on your phone not only that they are nearby, but also in which direction to look.
Lower prices
Smartphones have become increasingly expensive in recent years. Samsung is breaking with that tradition: the Galaxy S21, with a price from 849 euros, is about 150 euros cheaper than the new price of the S20 last year. The S21 Plus and S21 Ultra are also a bit cheaper than their predecessors, and that’s good news for everyone.
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