I HAVE been using Xiaomi's Mi9T, described as a flagship killer, for almost a year, so switching to Samsung's most flagship phone surely piqued my curiosity.
Flagship killer phones are those which share almost near similarities to flagship phones but at almost half the price. Thus, of course, given it is cheaper, there would be some trade-offs.
So, this review of the Samsung S21 Ultra, which I had for two weeks, is the best opportunity to compare both phones and see where a flagship killer is lacking – and whether it is worth forking out the extra cash for the best of the best.
First, the Xiaomi Mi9T boasts a decent camera, a Snapdragon 730 chip, and an AMOLED screen. The phone does almost every task decently well, with no lags, including gaming.
But during the unboxing of the S21 Ultra, it is hard not to notice the feel of the phone which is more premium and solid. However, the placement of the camera could have been done better.
Holding the phone, your fingers are bound to touch and smudge the camera lenses.
When the phone was turned on, the screen was clear, crisp and bright.
The S21 Ultra boasts a Dynamic AMOLED screen which looks better than the screens on most laptops, and that is not even the best part about the display.
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The phone also has a 120HZ display, which makes scrolling smooth as silk. Browsing through the phone, one would notice how pleasant it is to the eyes. And this translates to certain apps and videos.
Due to the brightness, clarity and 120HZ screen, video footage is not only clear but appears smooth, natural and more than pleasant to watch.
When it comes to gaming, it is easier to do it on the S21 Ultra with more intense graphics, despite the Samsung Exynos 2100 processor, which most cheaper phones are not able to handle.
Of course, I wished for the slightly better Snapdragon 888 chip on this phone. But checks showed that the chip is only available on S21 Ultra's sold in the USA and China.
While playing 'F1 Mobile' the S21 Ultra does get hot. And after a few rounds, lags started to happen – although it is uncertain whether this is due to the hardware of the phone of network disruption.
When it comes to camera performance, Samsung did not only bring some of the best hardware to the table but features, too.
Yes, the camera can capture images much better than my flagship killer, especially at night.
But, I couldn't help but feel that for the RM5,000 price tag, Samsung could have made their images sharper, instead of focusing on unnecessary features like the 100X zoom.
Perhaps something Samsung could learn from Apple for their flagship phones is to focus on doing making their images better, as opposed to inserting various features that have yet to achieve perfection.
When it comes to battery performance, it was noticeably better. From morning to evening, the phone was used and the battery still had enough juice left to last through the night for binge-watching videos.
Now the question is, is there a difference between flagship killers and flagship?
The answer is an obvious yes. Especially for me, when it comes to the display and camera.
That smooth 120HZ refresh rate is vastly better than the 60HZ refresh rate I currently have.
The same goes for the camera quality – I can take much better pictures.
But the thing is, my Xiaomi Mi9T costs about RM1,300 when I bought it. So, for almost RM4,000 extra, I felt like the S21 Ultra could have done better.
If you do have the means to fork out RM5,000 for the S21 Ultra, go for it.
But if it is going to burn a hole in your pockets, it is best to stick with the flagship killers available in the market. These phones do the things flagship phones do, but just not as pretty and perfect.
With the S21, you are paying to get a near-perfect smartphone experience. – The Vibes, March 16, 2021
