Galaxy S21 Reviews

For the purposes of this test, we received from Samsung a Galaxy S21 Phantom Violet without the AKG headphones which are normally delivered with the product. So we took over those of our Galaxy S20 tested last year. If you buy the S21, these headphones should accompany the product. Go to the audio part to find out a little more. We also resumed The 25 Watts charger supplied with the Galaxy S20 To test the quick load of the Galaxy S21. Again, go to the autonomy part of this test to find out more.

Test Samsung Galaxy S21 Fe: A late renewal, but no less efficient

First Samsung smartphone launched in 2022, the Galaxy S21 F is alternative to the Galaxy S21, at a slightly lower price. He succeeds one of the brand’s recent successes, the Galaxy S20 Fe, but according to a more problematic calendar.

Presentation

The Galaxy S22 series will probably be launched before the end of winter 2021/22. Only a few weeks before their announcement, Samsung draws a Galaxy S21 Fe whose exit, initially expected in the fall of 2021, had to be pushed despite the brand.

The smartphone, like the Galaxy S21 FE dating from October 2020, is intended to declination of the Galaxy S21 a little more accessible. Its technical sheet is not very modified, except that it includes a SOC signed Qualcomm (the Snapdragon 888), a slightly more substantial battery and a slightly modified photo block. Its all -plastic design is of course one of the most visible compromises. Not sure, however, that this Galaxy S21 FSS does so pale appears in front of the Galaxy 21 “very short”…

Launched at € 769, the Galaxy S21 Fe must obviously be faced with its illustrious elder, whose price has lowered almost a year after its release, but also to the Galaxy S20 Fe, far from being exceeded to date. At this price, he ranks in the price range of a OnePlus 9, even a Xiaomi 11t Pro.

Ergonomics and design

The Galaxy S20 Fe was similar to the Galaxy S20, except that it adopted a plastic shell, and this is still the case if we compare the S21 Fe and S21. The smartphone that interests us here has a 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm format for a weight of 177 g. It is barely more than the Galaxy S21 (169 g) which nevertheless has a smaller screen (6.2 inches against 6.4 for the S21 FE). The choice of plastic for its back shell weighs on the scale, and that’s good.

Let us add that he has the merit of being mat, although he hooks fingerprints a little on his “graphite” version, and of good quality. It is also this plastic that covers the dorsal photo block of the device, replacing the metal of the S21. Monobloc integration is successful on the aesthetic level, difficult to find much to complain about.

The smartphone is overall a big guy who does not slip into the hand and is rather solid. Its screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus – the highest standard to date – and its case is certified IP68, which guarantees its resistance to water and dust. Its fingerprint reader hides under its screen and its side buttons are properly accessible, even in our little hands. On the other hand, Samsung no longer offers a microSD port, which the S20 fe embarked in its time, nor a 3.5 mm jack, also absent from its predecessor. We will console ourselves by noting that this S21 FE can accommodate two nano-sim cards.

Advertising, your content continues below

Screen

The Galaxy S21 Fe is not a compact smartphone. Witness its 6.4 inch screen, certainly a little smaller than the 6.5 inches of the S20 Fe, but far from the 6.2 inches of the Galaxy S21. Anyway, this slab shares part of its characteristics with the Galaxy S21 since it is also an Amoled Full HD+ screen (1080 x 2400 px, 411 ppp) protected by a Gorilla Glass Victus window and provided with a 120 Hz refreshment rate. Alas, it does not offer an adaptive refreshment: understand that you have the choice between a display fixed at 120 Hz (and used by default) and 60 Hz, without landing or variation between the two. The impression of fluidity is there, but it makes it fear at the same time an overconsumption of energy not frankly justified.

These considerations aside, the Amoled still succeeds in Samsung. The South Korean offers a flat slab there, pierced with a central hallmark, whose maximum brightness of 864 CD/m² is equivalent to that of S21. It gives it good readability, that a reflectance limited to 44.9 % does not tarnish too much. Its contrast, almost infinite thanks to Amoled technology, does not spoil anything. Note that at night, this bright screen will not burn your retinines since it is able to emit only 1.8 cd/m². The comfort of use is also increased by zero persistence and a touch delay of 70 ms.

Samsung Galaxy S21 test: a premium proposition, but not high -end

After the test of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, here is that of the standard version, the Galaxy S21. Here, Samsung wanted to erase certain defects of the Galaxy S20, while keeping a certain distance with the Galaxy S21 Ultra to justify the difference in. A strategic choice of balancingist allowing the most affordable flagship of Samsung to be 50 euros cheaper than its predecessor. But remains high-end, however ? Answer in this full test.

• Price and availability
• Technical sheet
• Box contents
• Design
• Screen
• Interface
• Performance
• Autonomy and recharge
• Audio
• Photo and video
• Conclusion
• Comments

Galaxy S21 128GB at the best price

With morea month in advance On its usual planning, Samsung presented its new high -end new flagships at the beginning of January, the Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra. We have presented them to you, whether through our files, our video handling or our unboxing. Meeting on Our YouTube channel To have access to all of these contents.

Even if we did not have confirmation from Samsung during the launch conference, there are certainly two reasons at the hasty exit from the Galaxy S21. The first is the absence of a physical show to convince journalists, influencers and distributor partners. The second is the Need to replace Galaxy S20. Samsung saw its sales back 14 % in 2020. And high -end models are (at least) partly haulte.

You have already read in our columns the test of the largest of the three, the Galaxy S21 Ultra. So it’s time to move on to the smallest model. An important model, since it is not only the easiest to use with one hand, but also … the cheapest ! Especially since the Galaxy S21 pays the luxury of being cheaper than its predecessor andOffer more for a lower amount. The Galaxy S21 therefore offers better value for money on paper. But did he erase some of the faults of his predecessor ? Answer in this full test.

Price and availability

The Galaxy S21 is available for sale from January 29, Whether on the Samsung site or with specialized brands. He got there at the same time as the Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra, after a period of two weeks of pre -orders.

The Galaxy S21 is sold at the price of 859 euros In 128 GB version. You have to add 50 euros to double this space internal storage, or 40 cents of the gigabyte additional storage. It is much cheaper than the price of iPhone storage storage storage storage.

Note that, for the first time in the Galaxy S, the choice of the internal storage space is important: the smartphone is incompatible with microSD cards. It is therefore not possible to extend the internal memory.

Samsung therefore copies here Apple’s strategy In terms of storage. The firm also adopts it in the field of accessories. Like the iPhone 12, the Galaxy S21 is With a sector adapter. The smartphone is therefore only sold with a Type-C USB cable. Note that a 25 Watts sector adapter is on sale on the Samsung store at the price of 20 euros. A 9 Watts wireless charger will cost you 40 euros.

Last commercial point, the Galaxy S21 is Normally delivered without earphones. But French law obliges smartphones manufacturers to deliver headphones with their devices. The Galaxy S21 is no exception. It is offered in France at a very slightly higher price than in other European countries (ten euros), but with a pair of wired headphones (USB Type-C) from AKG, a brand of Samsung.

Galaxy S21 128GB at the best price

Technical sheet

Galaxy S21
Screen	6.2 ” Dynamic AMOLED 2X FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) 421 pixels per inch 120 Hz HDR10+ Gorilla Glass Victus
Chipset	Exynos 2100 (5nm)
BONE	Android 11 + One UI 3.1
Ram	8 GB
Storage	128/256 GB
microSD	No
Main sensor	Main : 12 Mp with Autofocus Dual Pixel Pixel size: 1.8 micron Opening F/1.8 and optical stabilization

Ultra wide angle:
12 Mp
Pixel size: 1.4 micron
Opening F/2.2 and angle of view at 120 °

Box contents

Before we start going around the owner, let’s talk about the box for a few moments. As you can see in the photos below, that of the S21 is much smaller than that of S20. And for good reason, it is less supplied. When you open it, you discover the smartphone in a cardboard accommodation. Under the smartphone, there is storage in which you find the USB Type-C to USB Type-C. And that’s all !

For the purposes of this test, we received from Samsung a Galaxy S21 Phantom Violet without the AKG headphones which are normally delivered with the product. So we took over those of our Galaxy S20 tested last year. If you buy the S21, these headphones should accompany the product. Go to the audio part to find out a little more. We also resumed The 25 Watts charger supplied with the Galaxy S20 To test the quick load of the Galaxy S21. Again, go to the autonomy part of this test to find out more.

Design

We released the Galaxy S21 from its small box. And, at first glance, he seems different from his predecessor. Maybe it is due to thicker and more seeing metal outline. This outline, here golden, revolves around the smartphone and is very slightly curved. It is less fine not only physically, but also aesthetically, while that of the Galaxy S20 seems to us more worked.

The S21 also seems to us different to Cause of the photo module, almost integrated into the metal outline seen just before. In reality, this is not the case. A piece of metal is positioned above. And the shapes of this piece meet the lines of the smartphone outline for give the illusion that this is one and the same room. But you can see a slight separation between the two rooms. And that of the sensors is less brilliant than that of the outline.

Photo sensor lenses are always protected by glass, but each part of mineral glass is separated from the others, placed in a circular location, giving the illusion (here too) that the optics are wide. In reality they are the same size. Flash and microphone for video recording are no longer integrated into this module. The first blank module on his right. And the second is deported to the upper edge.

The S21 seems different to us. Maybe it is because of this New Phantom Violet color which will be the new iconic dress of the Galaxy S21 generation. Also let’s not forget to evoke among the differences this new material used by Samsung to protect the back of the Galaxy S21. This material is polycarbonate offering a velvet touch which is far from unpleasant. Warm than the mineral glass of the Galaxy S20, the back of the Galaxy S21 is soft and does not retain fingerprints.

However, despite these differences, we quickly find our bearings, with a chassis which takes up the fundamentals of the Galaxy S20. The real changes are therefore above all aesthetic and not ergonomic. The technical elements have moved very little. Right -up start -up and volume control button. USB Type-C port, main speaker and main microphone at the bottom. Secondary microphone at the top for active noise reduction. And some separations to isolate the antennas placed on the metal outline. Note the movement of the SIM card drawer From the upper edge towards the lower edge. But that is not enough to get lost.

From the front, the S21 and the S20 are very similar. A large panel on the front. A hole for the selfie sensor positioned in the center of the upper border. And a telephone earphone always subtly hidden in the thickness between the contour of the phone and the edge of the screen. The slab loses its side inclinations, to take a much flatter form. The curved screens have lost thanks to the eyes of Samsung. The contours, around the screen, are back. It also participates in giving this false impression of novelty. A kind of aesthetics “neo -retro“” “.

Finally, the dimensions of the S21 are quite close to the S20. 151.7 mm in height. 71.2 mm wide. And 7.9 mm thick. The Galaxy S21 therefore measures the same size as the Galaxy S20, with one exception: it is 0.3 mm wider. He weighs 170 grams. Or more grams than its predecessor. It is therefore not a revolution, but an evolution that Samsung offers us here. Which has an advantage: grip is good, even one hand, and the size is mastered.

Screen

We mentioned the screen in the previous part. We will now enter the detail. The Galaxy S21 is equipped with a slab ” Dynamic AMOLED 2X »». Technologically, it is the same generation as the S20 and note screen 20. The measurement screen 6.2 inches diagonal, without change compared to the S20 screen. On the other hand, the definition is far lower, since We go from quad HD+ to full hd+. And, unlike the Galaxy S21+, this is not a bad idea.

For what ? First, because the resolution of the S20 was really very high. She reached 563 pixels per inch. Here, the resolution goes down strongly, going to a more reasonable 421 pixels per inch. To the naked eye, it is not so shocking. And for almost all uses, this new resolution is more than enough (reading with special characteristics Kanji or Arabic alphabet can become slightly less pleasant).

Second reason, the gain in terms of autonomy is very important, since The number of points to manage is reduced by 70 %, going from 4.6 million to 2.6 million. Fewer points to light, that means less energy to illuminate them, but also less calculation to choose those that must be turned on. Samsung has certainly made this choice to answer a weak point of the S20: its autonomy. We will see in the autonomy part, precisely, the gains brought.

The screen is 120 Hz compatible. According to information from the One UI interface, the S21 is capable ” automatically adjust the screen up to the screen up to 120 Hz »». Like note 20, the S21 would therefore be able to reduce the refreshment rate. Note that you can also block it at 60 Hz to save your battery even more.

The screen is also HDR10 compatible+. The opportunity to evoke the colorimetry of the S21 slab. According to the surveys made with our probe, the screen of the Galaxy S21 reproduces very well the colors. We tested the two display modes, ” natural ” And ” lively »». Note that, by default, the lively mode is activated.

Natural mode offers almost perfect behavior. THE Delta E Middle is only 1.1. The average color temperature is 6,657 degrees. And the contrast rate is infinite thanks to the nature of the slab. Some colors exceed a delta e of 2: brown, dark green and light blue. The yolks are practically perfect. On the other hand, the maximum manual brightness is relatively low, since it does not exceed the 430 cd/m² (which is always better than the 400 cd/m² reached with the Galaxy S20). Note that, in full light, the system is able to further accentuate the brightness. But not as much as in lively mode.

The lively mode, precisely, is more eccentric, while keeping a beautiful homogeneity. The Middle Delta is 3.9. The average color temperature is slightly greater than 7000 degrees. Some colors exceed a Delta E of 6, like brown, light green, light blue and purple. Besides, you will have an impression of blue sail in the display of colors, as the temperatures are high. It is a mode that gives pride of place to HDR and vibrant colors. In this mode, maximum manual light is higher: 530 cd/m².

As always, one UI offers to finely adjust the colors of the screen. You have the choice between the two modes, of course, but you can also the possibility of reducing or accentuating each tone (blue, red and green) according to your preferences. An option offered only in lively mode, so that the colors are more respectful, while retaining good light.

The screen is protected by mineral glass. This is the Gorilla Victus, latest generation of glass developed by Corning. This material is supposed to be more resistant to the vagaries of life while ensuring the tactile layer a very short response time. And that’s the case. However, above the screen, Samsung deposits protection by default. This is very effective, but subject to scratches and small hassles, like that of the Galaxy S20. So be careful to avoid putting the smartphone in a pocket or bag with keys, pens or coins.

Under the screen hides a ultrason fingerprint reader. This biometric sensor is, according to Samsung, larger than that of the Galaxy S20. We find it in faster and more practical use to use. This is a good improvement.

Interface

Once the smartphone is on, you arrive on one UI, the Samsung interface which succeeded two years ago in Touchwiz. The preinstalled version in the Galaxy S21 is stamped 3.1 and relies on Android 11. It is therefore more recent than that which is accessible on previous flagships, even the Galaxy Note 20, launched with one UI 3.0. Of course, this version will be pushed to many devices in the installed park of Samsung. However, in the meantime, it remains exclusive to the Galaxy S21.

If you are under one ui 3.0, you do not however lose much at the change. One UI 3 news.1 are few. And even rarer are those who deserve the detour. The integration of Google Discover into the Samsung Upday screen. Integration of the Google Home application in the One UI system. Integration of Google Duo into the phone application. And the option to delete geolocalized tags of the photo metadata. For the rest, you will find the changes made by version 3.0 Discovery with note 20.

For those who do not know one UI, it is an interface that offers An experience relatively close to that of Android Stock, But with a few small aesthetic touches. You will obviously find two main screens from the start of the phone, as well as a secondary screen for the news and personalized information line (“Samsung upday”)). On the first home screen are the Search widget and the Google folder, the Play Store, the Galaxy Store and Samsung Gallery. On the secondary screen, you will find a Microsoft folder, Samsung Free, Game Launcher and Clock.

Some additional applications are accessible from the drawer. Of which some business partners. Spotify. Netflix. Facebook. If you don’t have the use, you can obviously delete them to save space. Especially since the storage space is not expandable. You also find the most important Samsung applications from the start of the mobile applications: Samsung Health (health follow -up), Smartthings (Automation), Galaxy Wearable (connection to connected accessories from Samsung), Smartswitch (data transfer from a smartphone to S21) and Bixby.

And by speaking of Bixby, the virtual assistant is always integrated into one UI, even if Google Assistant is also preinstalled. You can call it by making a long support on the start -up button (voice commands) or open the dedicated application with two quick support on this same button. Bixby is compatible with objects connected to Samsung Wearable and SmartThings. So you can light a light with your smartphone, activate your headphones, or pay with Samsung Pay, etc. As Siri at Apple, Bixby incorporates ” capsules And routines. The former are used to connect Bixby to other applications. The seconds allow to automate several actions. Bixby is unknown. And that’s a shame. This is why we wanted to make a little focus on it.

In the Settings menu, some important actions not to be missed. First, the submenu ” Screen », To reduce or lengthen monitoring time, block the refresh rate and modify the colorimetric profile. Afterwards ” Position »Which allows you to specifically adjust the authorizations to your location. Finally ” Battery and device maintenance »Where you will find an application to optimize the use of the phone, monitor applications in the background, activate or deactivate energy saving mode, fast (and super fast), wireless load or reverse load wireless.

Let’s finish this One Ui tour with the few practical components. You will of course find the Classic component that Mixture of quick settings and notifications by sliding from the middle of the screen down. Samsung added two shortcuts in this shutter to connected objects and accessories. Of course, the layout of the shutter is customizable. You also find, as on the Galaxy S20, the side component Very practical to open multiple applications at the same time (multi -purpose mode).

Performance

Now let’s go to performance. The smartphone is equipped with a Exynos 2100, new high -end component developed by Samsung and the first company of the firm engraved in 5 nm. Its structure is fairly close to that of the latest Qualcomm snapdragon: eight hearts, a very efficient heart, three high -performance hearts (but a little less), four unhealthy hearts for daily tasks. He is clocked until 2.9 GHz. He joined a Mali-G78 MP14, A GPU more ambitious than that of Exynos 990. He is 5G compatible, Of course. And he is accompanied by 8 GB of RAM, Or 4 GB less than the 5G version of the S20.

On a daily basis, this platform turns out to be fluid. It supports all usual applications. And energy -efficient hearts seem to be sufficient for this. But what about when you need nervousness ? We have obviously carried out some tests not only with the usual benchmarks, but we also installed some fun applications.

On the benchmarks side, we get very coherent scores compared to the Galaxy S21+. We obtain 626,000 points On Antutu. 1056 and 3341 points On Geebench (single and multi-core, respectively). We obtain 7713 points On Slingshot, 6717 points On Slingshot Extreme and 5792 points On Wild Life. Also find the results of GFX Bench opposite.

3DMARK’s Wild Life test stress, which lasts 20 minutes, tells us more about how smartphone works. First of all, The performance is strong at the start, but it does not last. Quickly, the SoC bridles its performance to stabilize about two thirds. From there, the Galaxy S21 offers stable performance until the end. Second teaching, autonomy is strongly undermined when a gourmet application is launched. The S21 lost 10 battery points in 20 minutes. Either an autonomy in play of 3 hours and 20 minutes. And this despite the bridled performances from the first minutes.

Finally, the Galaxy S21 is mounted in temperature. The internal sensor measures more than 40 °. You clearly feel it by touching the metal parts around the phone and on the photo module. Note that all these scores were obtained with the 120 Hz variable refreshment rate. This means that you could get a little higher results with a refresh rate set at 60 Hz.

In use, the Galaxy S21 offers some comfort for players. Our stallions games, Dead Trigger 2 And Dead Cells work very well on the smartphone. We notably had a lot of fun on Dead Cells, a nervous game that requires that the screen be reactive and precise. And it was the case. On the other hand, we tried to install emulators. If the relatively old consoles are well supported, as last year, we had the unpleasant surprise to see Citra And Dolphin, 3DS and Wii emulators respectively, offer a degraded experience. Is it a lack of RAM ? Or poor optimization ? We cannot explain it with confidence.

Autonomy and recharge

With such power, what about autonomy ? It’s a thorny subject. Indeed, the autonomy was certainly the biggest defect in the Galaxy S20. And we expected from Samsung a real effort in this area. There is good and bad news in this area. Let’s start with the bad. The battery has not evolved between the S20 and the S21: it is always a model offering a capacity of 4000 mAh. Perhaps there are hidden improvements in cells, substrate or controller. But we hardly believe in it.

So what is the good news ? Samsung has taken a step back after the Galaxy S20 and made certain coherent choices vis-à-vis the format and use. Because, like the iPhone 12 with whom the Galaxy S21 shares some characteristics, buyers of a Galaxy S21 will certainly prefer more autonomy and perhaps a little less power. Even less extravagance. Lower screen definition. More efficient chipset. Strong backlight. Adaptive display frequency. Etc.

Result, The autonomy of the Galaxy S21 is better than that of the Galaxy S20 5G (we do not compare with the 4G version of the Galaxy S20, because we did not have the opportunity to test it). It is even on average 15 % higher. This allows the smartphone to hold a full day in mixed use (a little surfing, a little messaging, a little game, a little music, a little video streaming). Be careful, if you like to play on your smartphone, the autonomy will quickly melt. If exynos chipset is able to considerably reduce its consumption, it quickly becomes greedy when it is requested.

This new half-nasty in autonomy is not accompanied by a rapid recharging which will reduce the immobilization time of the smartphone. Indeed, the Galaxy S21, such as S21+ and S21 Ultra is fast load compatible, but The maximum compatible power is 25 watts. The S21 therefore benefits from a load identical to that of its predecessor. We are relatively far from the competition. Only the iPhone 12 is doing less well today with a quick 20 Watts quick charge.

We tested the load speed from 0 %. And here are our statements. We reached 15 % load in 7 minutes. Then the 35 % load in 15 minutes. We reached 50 % load in 25 minutes, The 58 % load in 30 minutes, 70 % in 38 minutes and 80 % in 45 minutes. You find that the load slows down from 50 %, which is normal. And she does it more and more.

It took us 55 minutes to exceed 90 %. We arrived at the Complete load in 1 hour, 10 minutes and 30 seconds precisely. Please note, these figures are obtained with the extinguished phone. This means that he does not consume energy during this period. If you turn it on during the load, the full cycle will be longer.

Like other Galaxy S21 and its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 is compatible wireless load and inverted load (even wireless). The first accepts a power of 15 watts, which is relatively common. The iPhone 12 benefits from a similar power. The Qi chargers sold on the official Samsung store offers this power. We did not have the opportunity to test the load speed. But we think it takes about two good hours to fully recharge the battery with this technology.

Audio

Now let’s go to the audio part. As explained at the start of the test, the Galaxy S21 has been stripped of many accessories, including the AC adapter. Fortunately, French law forces manufacturers to provide a pair of headphones. Samsung did not give us with your test unit the headphones that will accompany the commercial versions of the Galaxy S21. However, we assume that these are the Wired AKG headphones which were available in the Galaxy S20 box.

We therefore resumed those we held and connected them to our Galaxy S21. These are good wired headphones, with an intra-ear design to benefit from passive insulation. They offer qualitative audio experience, rich in all ranges, even bass. A remote control with microphone is present in the middle of the cable to deport certain checks. They are among the best hands -free kits offered with smartphones. And we find it a shame that they were withdrawn.

The helmet supplied with the S21 should be USB type-C compatible, since Samsung has removed the 3.5 mm jack ports For reasons of space. The absence of this port is less and less problematic thanks to the considerable influx of TWS helmets. In this area, the Galaxy S21 does not better than the others (but no less good either): it is compatible Bluetooth 5.0. Which means that it also supports the wireless headphones of the competition.

The Galaxy S21 is also provided with a double loudspeaker. The first speaker is located on the lower edge and the second is hidden in the telephone earphone (itself hidden in the edge of the smartphone). These two elements obviously take advantage of AKG’s audio expertise. The proposed sound is clear and powerful, especially in mediums and treble. On the side of the Graves, only the first speaker delivers. We would have liked a little more. And we would also have loved it in the second speaker. But the audio experience is as good as on the S20. Maybe even a little better.

We cannot finish this audio part without talking about the telephone experience. Here, nothing to report during our tests: The Galaxy S21 isolates your voice well so that your correspondent does not miss any important word. And vice versa. And this also in LTE as in wifi, if you are used to exchanging voice messages on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Photo and video

Finally let’s talk about the last part of the test: the photo. Before starting, let us remember the elements present in the block at the back and the punch at the front. We first have a 10 megapixel selfie sensor With Autofocus dual pixel and objective opening at f/2.2. At the rear, the main sensor is a model 12 megapixels. This is the default sensor. He incorporates a dual pixel autofocus. Each pixel measures 1.8 micron. Its objective is stabilized and it opens up to f/1.8.

We then have a sensor 64 megapixels Stabilized with Autofocus Dual Pixel also. Each pixel measures 0.8 micron. It is accompanied by a stabilized telephoto lens opening to f/2.0. The optical zoom ratio is 1.1x. The hybrid zoom is 3x. And digital zoom can reach 30x. And we finally have a sensor 12 megapixels Accompanied by a 120 ° Grand-Angle lens. The objective opens to f/2.2. And each pixel measures 1.4 micron.

Roughly, Samsung has resumed the equipment of the Galaxy S20 To provide the Galaxy S21. Quite simply. Each element cited above is identical between the two models. What changes, on the other hand, is the component that transforms the light signals captured by the sensors in photo. Samsung has improved algorithms to create more lively and contrasting images. This is good news. The other good news is the new photo interface. She is enriched by a Night mode Very popular in 2020. And it offers the possibility of adding, or removing, photo modes on the fly, according to your needs. It is an excellent idea.

Let’s go to the results starting with the main sensor. First important element: The photos seem brighter this year that in 2020, especially with the main sensor. The colors are natural, without exaggeration of HDR, and the photos are well detailed. There is a contrast. There is no overexposition or loss of details in the shadows. Thanks to the automatic scenes modes, you get an adjustment about almost all situations. And, absolute miracle, The autofocus finally works properly !

The Grand-Angle sensor also offers shots with detail and well-respected colors. The viewing angle is very wide (120 °) and allows you to take beautiful landscapes. For proximity photos, we prefer the main sensor. For two reasons: first because the deformations due to the optics are not always well straightened (see the photo below). Then because it is less bright. The colors are sometimes a little dull.

Optical zoom side, We were waiting for better from Samsung. Especially since direct competition is more energetic in this area. Admittedly, the iPhone 12 does not offer optical zoom, reserving this prerogative for pro models, but the zoom is here quite frustrating. For what ? Because The optical zoom report is only 1.1x. As proof, the focal length of “telephoto”: 29 mm. And that of the main sensor: 26 mm. The report is 1.1. As proof, the optical zoom displayed of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is 10x. The displayed focal lengths are 24 mm for the main sensor and 240 mm for the telephoto lens. The account is good, Maitre Capello !

In fact, the zoom ” 3x hybrid »Presented by Samsung is, largely, a digital zoom. Fortunately, therefore, that you have a definition of 64 megapixels to zoom in the photo. Otherwise, the result would be terrible. With the 3x zoom, this sensor therefore offers very interesting shots, with color, light and dive (the one offered by the shortcut on the interface).

With the 10x zoom, we lose a lot in finesse, but it remains acceptable. Beyond that, you will have a vague set of coarse pixels, day and night (and especially at night). Especially since the stabilizer is not calibrated to compensate for movements with such a zoom ratio. Know that the Galaxy S21 offers to go up in 30x. It would have been preferable to do like Apple: block the digital zoom in an acceptable report. Like what, Samsung does not always copy Apple ..

Note that the 64 megapixel sensor records the shots in 12 default megapixels, To bring a certain homogeneity with the other sensors. Of course, you can choose to save the photos in 64 megapixels permanently: this is the third option starting from the right, at the top of the screen. And In pro mode, You can save the images at RAW format (option available with all sensors), in order to have more retouching options with software like Photoshop.

At night, the results of the three sensors could have been good, but nothing more. Thanks to the arrival of the night mode (whose break time is 2 seconds by default, but which can be elongated), light finally appears, to the delight of nightclubs. More light, more details. More colors too. But not necessarily as much mastery: impossible to read for example the letters of the brand in the photo above (whether with the main sensor or that with the hybrid zoom).

We are generally satisfied with the results offered by this night mode. Even if it took time to come, let’s not sulk our pleasure. You can see opposite some examples of shots made with and without night mode, with all the sensors. Note that the night mode is compatible with all the sensors, but the digital zoom is lined up at 10x. Allowing to rise to 20x or 30x would have been completely useless. It is therefore not a great loss.

Portrait side, the Galaxy S21 makes beautiful pictures. Whether with the main sensor, the 64 megapixel sensor or the selfie sensor. The modeling of the model is often precise, Even if some rebel strands of hair escape the vigilance of the algorithm. And the blur effect is well pronounced, perhaps even more than before. Note that the portrait mode is not new: This is the new name of Live Focus mode.

Know that this portrait mode Active by default the 64 megapixel sensor and the 3X hybrid zoom (to simulate a 70 mm focal length ideal for portraits, precisely).

The selfie sensor of 10 megapixels makes very satisfactory shots, with great light, contrast and details. It is compatible with night mode and portrait mode (but not both at the same time). This is the third consecutive year that Samsung uses a 10 megapixel sensor on the front with a dual pixel autofocus. And this is very good news, because the selfie sensors with a good autofocus are still quite rare.

Finally, note that the Galaxy S21, like its predecessor, Film in 8K, But at 24 images per second only. This is the low limit for movies (if you lower a number of images per second, you will receive a lack of fluidity). We advise you to film in 1080p (or 4K if you have the TV that goes with it). It is with the Grand-Angle sensor that you will have the best experience, since it is the only one compatible with the mode ” Super Steady »Which better corrects tremors and parasitic movements. The sound is captured in stereo. It’s not new, but it’s always appreciable.

Conclusion

The Galaxy S21 is a good smartphone. In addition, it is beautiful. This dress Phantom Violet, married to a golden outline, is elegant. It also has many qualities, both in terms of interface and ergonomics or screen. The screens of the Galaxy S21 are all three good. That of the smallest siblings is no exception, with excellent color reproduction and impeccable contrast. It’s a Very nice screen, Even if the maximum brightness is a bit weak.

We are also delighted to see that Samsung in Correct or blend some defects from the Galaxy S20. In particular the autonomy of the smartphone: it is much better for conventional uses. And the camera autofocus is finally able to set an object, even when it is ready. Without forgetting the night mode to improve shots when the light is low.

Does the Galaxy S21 offer a high-end experience ? More really AND Not yet. More really, Because Samsung has conceded on certain points: less RAM, a storage space not extendable, no charger included, a lower resolution (even if it has advantages), a plastic back (even if it is not ugly). And Not yet Because photo equipment has not evolved (with a hybrid zoom that wants to believe that it is an optical zoom), because the fast load is still too slow and because the platform is not capable to properly run the most gourmet applications of the Play Store.

We like the Galaxy S21. It’s a smartphone that has no big flaws. And he has real qualities. But is it sufficient today, faced with competition ? Because, despite its slightly decrease price, the Galaxy S21 must measure itself with impeccable phones, which are sometimes sold cheaper. As in 2020, Samsung cannot balance the price and services.

Samsung Galaxy S21 test: good dealerships in the right places

The Samsung Galaxy S21 wants to be an affordable flagship (understand: less than 1000 euros), but does he manage to find its place between the ultra premium and the inexpensive flagships ? The answer in our full test.

Where to buy the
Samsung Galaxy S21 reconditioned at the best price ?
276 € discover the offer
286 € discover the offer
302 € discover the offer
329 € discover the offer
409 € discover the offer

This test was carried out on February 05, 2021 and the market may have evolved since. Consult our comparison to discover more recent products potentially more relevant to you.

Our full opinion
Samsung Galaxy S21

February 05, 2021 05/02/2021 • 18:30

The “first prize” of the Galaxy S21 range arrived at the editorial staff and we were able to test the little brother of the S21 ultra already rated in our columns. Offered from 860 euros all the same, this model produces some compromises to stay below 1000 euros while focusing on experience and quality.

This Samsung Galaxy S21 test was carried out with a smartphone (8/128 GB) loaned by the brand.

Samsung Galaxy S21 technical sheet

Our video test

This content is blocked because you have not accepted cookies and other tracers. This content is provided by YouTube.
To be able to visualize it, you must accept the use being operated by YouTube with your data which can be used for the following purposes: Allow yourself to view and share content with social media, promote development and improvement of products D’humanoid and its partners, display you personalized advertisements in relation to your profile and activity, define you a personalized advertising profile, measure the performance of the advertisements and content of this site and measure the audience of this site ( more)

Plastic, and then ?

Let’s immediately evacuate the angry subject: yes, the back of the Samsung Galaxy S21 is plastic. Some see it as a saving of unacceptable candle ends for high -end or a drop in quality of finishes compared to S21+ and S21 Ultra which are in glass. Arguments that can possibly get along when the finishes are sloppy, which is clearly not the case here.

This plastic shell has clearly been the subject of a very special care and does not present some of the defects inherent in the material. She does not crack, does not sink when you press it and it is perfectly adjusted to marry the contours of the photo block or the aluminum frame. On the other hand, we can cite certain obvious qualities: the featherweight (the Galaxy S21 weighs only 169 grams), and a warmer touch.

So yes, it’s plastic and it does not hide it, but before throwing anathema on this Galaxy S21 for this simple reason on the pretext that this price a smartphone should absolutely have a glass back, let’s look its other characteristics.

As specified earlier, the Galaxy S21 is light, which makes it pleasant in hand, even during long uses. Furthermore, if it cannot be said that it is compact, its dimensions of 71.2 x 151.7 x 7.9 mm make it a phone having a template in the low average of current flagships while keeping A comfortable 6.2 -inch screen diagonal.

My first reaction by seeing that all the buttons are grouped on the right edge was to pester, because it is generally synonymous with tendentious ergonomics, but this relatively reduced format allows you to access all these keys without the least concern. And once the S21 turned in landscape mode, the volume controls fall perfectly under the index. Judicious !

Apart from that, the Galaxy S21 takes up the distinctive design of its Adelphité with a vertical photo block very well integrated into the upper left corner of the rear facade, pretending to overflow on its slices. Everyone is free to have their own opinion on the question, but this design seems in any case unanimously to the writing of Frandroid in addition to having the merit of being original and well thought out. However, this photo block is a bit protuberant and generates instability when the phone is placed flat. This will not bother everyone (especially those who put a shell on their smartphone), but you still have to emphasize it.

Let’s finish this owner’s round with the front, almost uniform borders (the chin remains as always a little thicker) and the discreet centered bubble. No originality here which deserves to dwell on it, if not perhaps the absence of curved screen edges: it may be a little less aesthetic, but avoids involuntary contacts with the screen.

Of course, do not expect a 3.5 mm jack in 2021, the only port available is a USB-C.

Lively or natural, you have to choose

Is it necessary to remember that Samsung manufactures its own slabs and has imposed itself in recent years as the unmissable reference on this market ? At first glance, so difficult to say evil of this 6.2 -inch amoled screen in full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels, or 421 pp), very bright and contrasting. As can be expected on this range in 2021, it is also HDR10+ compatible for a wider and more complete dynamic range. Note also that it is protected by a Gorilla Glass 7 Victus coating to reduce the risk of breakage and scratches.

Under our probe, with the Calman Ultimate software, we measured brightness spanning 1.58 to 800 cd/m². Figures that prove the ability of this screen to descend very low so as not to burn the retinas by consulting your phone in the middle of the night, but also to show very high to stay readable in full sun. Its coating, without being mat, is less brilliant than some of its competitors, which reduces the amount of reflections, improving its readability all the more. Strictly software point: automatic light management could be a little more reactive.

In terms of colorimetry, however, we still note some different results depending on the modes. Basic, the Galaxy S21 is set in “lively” mode, with wide coverage of SRGB and DCI-P3 spectra (respectively 200 % and 150 %), but with a precision that leaves something to be desired. We notice it quite quickly by taking a look at the temperature of its white point: 7400 K, far from the 6,500 k of reference.

In phone options, it is however to pass the screen in “natural” mode and the difference is immediately visible. The colors are much softer, at the limit of the dull, with less variety. Thus, if with 6800 k and a Delta E of 4.21 we are therefore closer to a calibration that will interest photographers and videographers, we also end up with a smaller colorijet, although it always covers 100 % DCI-P3 spectrum.

It will obviously depend on your use, but it may be interesting to stay in brief, more pleasant to the eye, but to refine the colorimetry manually using the colored settings available in the parameters to reduce this printing of coldness of the screen.

One UI, Android to his best

Like the other Galaxy S21, the “small” model in the range is marketed directly under Android 11 with the House interface of Samsung: one UI 3.1. On date of writing this test, he also embedded the security patch of January 1, 2021, once again proving the status of good student of Samsung in the matter. We can also expect 3 years of major updates.

Omar has already detailed in broad outline the main strengths of this interface which is among the best on the market today in its test of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. We find the strong points of Android, namely the effective multitasking, the dark theme, the accessibility of all the menus to one hand as well as a very great personalization offered to the user. You can also choose the means of biometric unlocking of your choice, whether by the fingerprint reader under the screen, very reactive, or 2D facial recognition, which could be slightly faster.

On a daily basis, it is a very pleasant interface to use, particularly fluid and with licked animations. The latter have also been accelerated so as not to give this impression of latency that there could be on the generation of S10s for example. Coupled with the 120 Hz screen refresh rate, it’s a sweetness for the retina.

More used to Oxygen OS (OnePlus) or at the interface of Google Pixel, I would nevertheless note some areas of improvements, starting with the A/B partitions of the system. Available from Android 7 Nougat, this feature allows you to update your smartphone in an almost invisible way, using a simple restart. Samsung unfortunately does not use it, which implies that an update blocks the use of the phone for several minutes. Without it being an obstacle to purchase, it is an improvement that we would like to see adopted by the first smartphones manufacturer in the world.

I also note that some traditional menus lack clarity. In the Battery tab for example, to know the use of energy of each application, click on the box ” Use since the last full load “, Which at first glance does not seem to be clickable.

It is also a shame that the Android 11 power menu, allowing you to manage your home automation and contactless payment cards, is not directly available by pressing the ON/OFF button, forcing to navigate the menus to find These features.

Finally, I like to customize my interface by choosing my icons on a case -by -case basis for each application while Samsung only offers complete packs. Again, nothing very serious.

One UI’s power menu is limited

A menu allows access to its devices, but where is the light of the living room ?

The fact remains that despite these few gaps, one UI remains an example of a successful Android interface and this version 3.1 Corrects some of the points that bother me before while bringing an ecosystem with Windows that no other manufacturer is currently offering. Just that largely fills her few shortcomings.

Also note that we find at the first start a very large amount of applications signed Samsung or Microsoft, as well as Facebook and Spotify. We would do well.

The exynos of return … except for Fortnite

The Galaxy S exynos is for several years have been set back compared to the Snapdragon variants. 2021 is however the year of renewal with a very promising exynos 2100 on paper … and in fact.

Engraved in 5 nm, this octo-core SoC has something to compete with the Snapdragon 888 and it is doing very well on a daily basis with its 8 GB of RAM. Jumping from one application to another is very quickly, and even if there is sometimes a global recharging of the app (with the fleeting appearance of its splashscreen), its status remains in memory and you will therefore resume your activity where you left it. In many ways, this recalls the quick summary of the Xbox Series X keeping in its memory the state of the current applications to relaunch them more quickly without keeping them in memory. Samsung using UFS 3.1 (the fastest storage currently available on our smartphones), it would not be surprising that a similar principle was put in place.

In benchmarks, the Galaxy S21 also manages very well in the face of its current competition and all the more compared to the previous generation, a sign of a significant improvement. We note however that the Snapdragon 865 (from the OnePlus 8T) is not so far behind, suggesting that the Snapdragon 888 could surpass it. This is already the case with the A14 of the iPhone 12, but the comparison with another system is always less obvious to do.

Model	Samsung Galaxy S21	Samsung Galaxy S20	OnePlus 8T	Apple iPhone 12
Antutu 8	647131	510024	588439	637502
Antutu CPU	178483	N/C	174259	183071
Antutu GPU	268720	N/C	217498	247168
Antutu Mem	115695	N/C	103104	110734
Antutu UX	84233	N/C	93578	96529
PC Mark 2.0	12466	10114	9929	N/C
3DMARK SLINGSHOT EXTREME	8216	6616	7186	N/C
3DMARK SLINGSHOT EXTREME GRAPHICS	11129	8378	8241	N/C
3dmark Slingshot Extreme Physics	4288	3811	4963	N/C
3dmark Wild Life	5843	N/C	N/C	6893
3dmark Wild Life Middle Framerate	35 fps	N/C	N/C	40 fps
GFXBENCH AZTEC VULKAN / METAL HIGH (Onscreen / Offscreen)	38/31 FPS	16/20 FPS	31/21 fps	60/95 fps
GFXBENCH Car Chase (Onscreen / Offscreen)	54/66 FPS	45/41 fps	46/53 fps	52/70 fps
GFXBENCH Manhattan 3.0 (onscreen / offscreen)	N/C	60/111 fps	60/125 FPS	60/186 FPS
Sequential reading / writing	1868/1300 MB / s	1512/679 MB / s	1656/754 MB / s	N/C
READING / READY	78431/72742 IOPS	51000 /57000 IOPS	61100/59778 IOPS	N/C

See more benchmarks

For the graphic part, the exynos 2100 is based on Mali-G78, a GPU with 14 cores. Although efficient, it shows itself in practice a disappointing hair compared to the gain expected on paper. Overall, you shouldn’t have too much trouble running any play in the play store, but we saw smartphones fitted with a S865 in 2020.

As much as an Arena of Valor has no trouble turning to the maximum of its capacities by holding the 60 constant FPS, as much fortnite (in epic quality) oscillates painfully between 40 and 60 fps with a general average around 50. This will not prevent you from doing top 1, but when an OnePlus 8 Pro easily holds the 60 constant FPS, we tell ourselves that it is a shame for the Samsung standard bearer.

If you are not a player of the famous Battle Royale and that having the best of the best does not matter for you, this detail should not shock you, far from it, the S21 having enough power under the hood for all your needs. We would have appreciated, however, that he reacts at least as well, if not better than a 2020 smartphone on such a popular game, which is more available on the Samsung store (Galaxy Apps).

Good speakers that do not like extremes

Like many smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S21 offers two speakers for stereo sound: the first on the lower edge, next to the USB port, and the second discreetly housed above the screen, also used for calls. Inevitably, we end up with the main defect of this configuration: the secondary speaker is less good and less powerful than the main one, creating a lack of balance on the stereo sound when positioning the phone well in front of you.

Despite this, the sound of the Samsung Galaxy S21 is rather good and powerful with good clarity around 80-90 % volume. Above, we begin to feel saturation and loss of sound precision in the extremes. It should also be noted that, format obliges, the speaker remains very small and therefore struggles to reproduce deep bass. Helmet use will necessarily remain preferable for music, but you will have no trouble enjoying formats such as YouTube videos or podcasts, the voices being well transcribed, even at full volume.

For lovers of headsets or wireless headphones, the Galaxy S21 is compatible with SBC, AAC, APTX and LDAC codecs. Note that unlike the ultra S21 which is Bluetooth 5 compatible.2, the S21 is satisfied with the Bluetooth 5.0. This is not, however, a particularly annoying point, even in the long term.

It also offers Dolby Atmos compatibility and an equalizer directly integrated into its software, as well as an adaptive to adjust the different frequencies automatically according to your age (with a hearing test).

An efficient camera

Less well equipped than the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the Galaxy S21 and S21+ still take three real useful photo sensors:

• A main sensor of 12 MP Dual Pixel with optical stabilization (objective f/1.8, 79 °);
• An ultra-angle of 12 Mpx (lens f/2.2, 120 °);
• A hybrid zoom X3 of 64 MP (lens f/2.0, 76 °).

Before talking about the intrinsic quality of the device itself, let us first mention the photo application of Samsung which is particularly complete with many options, such as the QR Codes scan, the aid to the framing, the Creation of a GIF, the support of RAW and HEIF formats, vocal trigger … There are many possibilities.

The whole deserves to be a little better tidy and more accessible. For example, the application offers by default 3 modes: photo, video and … ” Single Take “Whose interest I only understood after having tried it. You have to go to the menu ” More “To find modes today widely used such as portrait mode or night mode, and again understand that we can slip them into the main menu to rearrange the shortcuts to our guide. The idea is excellent and allows a high level of personalization, but the execution could be more intuitive.

A good balance between the great angle and the zoom

In terms of shots in themselves, the 12 MP’s main sensor does its job with a good dive, competing with certain 48 MP sensors, on a large part of the image, proof of the good quality of the optics used (or the enormous work done on the AI). The colorimetry is also balanced, as well as the management of the brightness.

Note that this colorimetric balancing is also worth for the zoom, overall very close to the main sensor. Very practical to make a distant subject sharper, of course he does not have the versatility of the X10 zoom in S21 Ultra, but brings real utility without falling into excess.

As for the ultra grand angle on the other hand, we feel that the colorimetric balance is more difficult to maintain, especially at night (see below). We also lose stuck, but it is not surprising on this kind of optics. On the other hand, it is amazing to see the very good work done by Samsung to avoid the too strong distortions inherent in this kind of objective even in the corners.