Samsung Galaxy S21+

The Samsung Galaxy S21+ is the middle child of the S21 series that was announced in early 2021. Still, it is not just a larger version of the S21. The S21+ does have a glass back instead of plastic. But there are also many similarities. Which ones exactly is something we will explain here.

Modest upgrade raises questions

On paper, the S21+ seems like a modest upgrade. There's a new more powerful processor and the battery is bigger. The camera seems the same, the screen is the same size, and there's 5G support just like last year. There are also some things that stand out. The screen resolution has gone down, there is no memory card slot and the RAM memory is smaller. These are all striking choices, but Samsung wanted to bring the price down. It did, but the price drop is very modest. For a more premium phone, Samsung wants to push you towards the S21 Ultra. 2021 is a transition year in that respect and you may wonder whether you wouldn't be better off going for an S20+ from 2020.

Take control

And yet, the S21+ is a new phone, and that's largely due to its new look. That becomes especially apparent on the back. The camera takes up a special corner which Samsung calls 'Contour Cut Camera'. We find the 3 familiar cameras there: a 12MP main camera with f/1.8 wide-angle lens, 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 64MP telephoto camera with 3x hybrid optical zoom. On the front is again a 10MP selfie camera with autofocus in a punch-hole. Samsung does give its cameras the necessary new functions. Thus, the selfie mode has been improved with the help of AI so that it captures colours better. On the back, the portrait mode is now better able to distinguish foreground from background. This should lead to better portrait photos. Thanks to 8K Video Snap, you can snap sharp, 33MP photos from an 8K video. The image stabilisation is improved and there is a new feature called Director's View. The latter lets you become a true studio director by switching between different cameras, each with their own focal length, as you shoot.

Most important Samsung Galaxy S21+ specifications

• Flat 6.7-inch Infinity-O Display screen with FHD+ resolution
• 12+12+64MP camera with 8K video and 30X Space Zoom
• 10MP selfie camera with autofocus and AI portrait mode
• Waterproof IP68 body from glass
• Powerful 5nm octacore processor with 8GB of RAM memory
• Choose between 128 or 256GB non-expandable memory
• 4800 mAh large battery with fast (wireless) charging
• 5G support and Dual SIM (nanosim + eSIM)

Much more powerful

The new look is a nice touch but what really matters is the updated processor. It's the same chipset that Samsung put in the S21 and in the S21 Ultra. And not just any one. It is a 5nm based chipset consisting of 8 cores at up to 2.9 GHz. Using even smaller transistors makes it faster and more energy efficient. For you, it means the S21+ is fast and lasts well over a day on a full battery charge. There is 8 GB of RAM, which is basically enough for the most demanding user. Apps remain in the memory, so switching between them does not take any time at all. In terms of storage, you can choose between 128GB and 256GB. Think carefully in advance how much space you need, because a memory card slot is missing this year. Just like a headphone port and a charger. This is the first time the charger has been missing from the box.