Samsung has a pretty impressive trio of Android phones on its hands between the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra. All three handsets look to bring impressive specs and features for their respective price points, but among them, the baseline S21 and top-tier S21 Ultra stand out as the two most compelling.
One the one hand, we have the Galaxy S21. It has the ultra-powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset, a 120Hz AMOLED display, great cameras, and a big 4000 mAh battery for just $800. That's a lot of phone for considerably less money than something like the iPhone 12 Pro, making it a really appealing value option.
Then there's the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which steps up to a $1200 asking price and delivers a few meaningful upgrades — namely an unbeatable camera system with impressive zoom capabilities, a larger display and battery, and a more premium glass design.
One of our AC forum members posted that they're having trouble deciding between the two devices, and sure enough, our other members were quick to chime in with their two cents.
Well you need to go with what you are comfortable holding and go with that. I had the S9 and was just too small for me so have always gone with plus or Ultra. If any of the stores like best buy have displays, may be best to see. Although with all going on, may not be allowed anymore. /shrug.
jlangner
If you get a chance stop by a bestbuy or carrier store they should have it on display and play with them. I did at bestbuy, I have a galaxy s9 which is a great size for me perfect balance with big screen and overall size. The curved Ultra is more subtle this year so its not all that bad but its there. But the flat glass on the s21 is great, the bezels are very tiny compared to something like...
Johnson21x
My stupid little hands can't handle the plus or ultra comfortably, so it's the base S21 for me. I doubt I'll see any difference in screen resolution. Also, the camera glass on my S10 is cracked, so any new phone camera will be an upgrade for me.
kjjb0204
I had the size dilemma last year going from a S10 to a S20U that resulted in 700 trips to various stores to play with the S20U. Even when I ordered I was still in doubt. After about two months of using the S20U I had completely forgot about the size and it felt normal. Now I would be afraid to do the opposite, go back to a smaller phone. The larger screen is easier on the eyes for reading, better...
Emig5m
This got us wondering — Would you rather have the Galaxy S21 or S21 Ultra?
Join the conversation in the forums!
The full Galaxy S experience for less
While the Galaxy S21 may not be a "cheap" phone, it does manage to deliver excellent value for the price. Virtually nothing about its experience is compromised and that's evident with every spec. Between the Snapdragon 888, 120Hz display, triple camera system, and tons more, this is a phone that you'll want to keep using for years to come.
