Galaxy S21: Best of the rest

“GREAT value for money”. This could not have better described the Galaxy S21 5G, the smallest sibling in Samsung’s latest flagship lineup. 

Immediately upon unboxing the phone, I was pleasantly surprised by how premium it looks and feels, comparable to other more expensive flagships. And upon initial usage, the S21 handles everything thrown at it with ease. 

This is perhaps the best “feature” about the phone, the fact that Samsung manages to pack so much and yet maintain its aggressive pricing. So don’t let the RM3,699 price point fool you, especially when compared to the RM5,299 of its “bigger, badder” brother, the S21 Ultra. 

But to achieve this, Samsung had to make some trade-offs. And what many of its competitors failed to achieve, Samsung got the balance just right. The S21 checks exactly the right boxes in providing what essentially are the best features consumers could look for in a phone, yet keeping the price appealing. 

Best display on the market, brilliant design to match

This is perhaps where you can find the biggest changes in the S21 compared to its predecessor. On the front, its 6.2-inch full HD+ screen no longer curves at the sides. I could not welcome this change enough, as my biggest gripe with curved edges is how much accidental touches the screen detects while using. 

The S21 also packs an adaptive refresh rate, which switches between 48Hz and 120Hz depending on usage, preserving battery life. The display also gets plenty bright, handling direct sunlight very well. I had no visibility issues using the phone out in the open at midday. 

But my favourite feature of the new display has to be the improved in-display fingerprint sensor. Not only does it have a larger read area, but I also find that it recognises my fingerprint and unlocks much faster. 

Samsung, however, has decided on a 1080p display this time. But what initially feels like a slight downgrade from the maximum 1440p of its previous models, actually makes perfect sense. Maintaining at 1080p ensures your battery lasts longer. And after using the phone for a couple of weeks, I could barely tell the difference between the two displays. 

Now, the back of the phone is where all the magic lies, as far as the design is concerned. The S21 introduces an all-new, iconic Contour Cut Camera housing that seamlessly blends into the device’s metal frame, which makes it instantly recognisable. 

This unique design, which has grown on me throughout my usage, makes the S21 stands out over the pool of many other bland Android phone designs. It comes as no surprise that a few people I met recently immediately noticed that I was using the S21. 

The phone also now comes with a cheaper plastic back, instead of glass, a conscious decision made by Samsung to cut the price. Fascinatingly, the S21 does not feel any less premium, perhaps aided by the frosted-coating finish. 

Top-notch performance, average battery

The one area of the phone I felt Samsung did not compromise is the performance. For the first time, 5G connectivity is included in its cheapest flagship model, and the S21 also now comes with the company’s latest mobile processor, the much-improved Exynos 2100 chipset. 

Doing my day-to-day task is a breeze. The phone could also take some beating when it comes to heavy usage. I shuffled between gaming (the latest Asphalt), recording videos, and watching Netflix with ease. I did not notice any dropped frames or lagging, and loading time for apps and games is also faster than most phones. 

But, the same cannot be said of its 4,000mAh battery. My S21 barely lasts me a full day on heavy usage, with screen time typically ranging from four to four-and-a-half hours. I also noticed the battery getting plenty hot after a few minutes of gaming and photo-taking. 

This is not to say the battery is not performing well, as the phone is intended for casual users. Even Samsung markets the larger S21+ as the go-to phone for marathon gamers and binge-watchers, with its 4,800mAh battery. 

Also, it is worth noting that following in the footsteps of Apple, the S21 does not come with a charger or headphones in the box. So, be prepared to fork out extra cash if you do not already have a Type-C charger. 

Camera: same but better

Possibly the feature that most people look for in a smartphone. For so long, the Google Pixels and the iPhones have arguably dominated this segment. Now, here is a device that can easily match these top of the tier smartphone cameras in the market today. 

For the record, the S21 shares the same camera setup as its predecessor the S20 – a 64MP 3x telephoto camera, 12MP wide-angle, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP selfie shooter. It is in the software department where all the wizardry takes place. Photos look sharper, videos are more stable, and the portrait mode is better. 

In the photo department, shots now appear to have better dynamic range, even when shooting directly facing the sun. Details on the highlights and shadows are captured well on all its cameras. Shots taken in lowlight or at night are noticeably nicer. Edge detection using portrait mode is also considerably better. (insert photos)

I can also zoom in up to 10 times (of the maximum 30x) and still have a usable shot, thanks to a much improved optical image stabilisation. Doing this with the previous S20 model was almost a nightmare. Shots were shaky, and images taken were often unusable. 

This improved stabilisation also meant videos – which can be recorded up to 8K at 24fps – have gotten better. It almost feels like the phone is set up on a gimbal. A newly added feature is the Director’s View mode, which shoots with both the front and rear cameras simultaneously, allowing content creators to capture what they are seeing and their reaction shots. 

The verdict

To put it simply, Samsung manages to pack a phone that feels, looks and performs like a premium model and yet doesn’t break your bank. This is not a phone marketed for tech geeks and enthusiasts. It is for the casual users who want a reliable device that does all the necessary and does them really well. 

It certainly is not the best in the class, not even in Samsung’s book (that spot is reserved for the S21 Ultra). But if there is a “best of the rest” category, here’s your champion. 

So, if you are in the market for exactly that, then look no further than the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. – The Vibes, February 28, 2021