Their existence has been leaked and bandied about for weeks leading up to tonight but we are now finally able to see Samsung’s trio of next-generation flagship phones in all their glory at Unpacked 2021. Meet the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ which now available for preorders in Malaysia.

Interestingly, Samsung has accelerated the launch schedule this time around for its first flagship device for the year. It is highly likely that the Galaxy S21 series is slated for a January launch in Malaysia. Also announced was the Galaxy Buds Pro wireless earbuds which you can read about here.

So what’s new this time around? Well, Samsung has enhanced the fundamentals for the Galaxy S21 family – better performance, a high-refresh rate 120Hz display and better cameras all around with the Galaxy S21 Ultra taking pride of place as the most powerful, best equipped of the new trio of phones.

All three of the new phones will pack either the new Snapdragon 888 processor or the powerful  new Exynos 2100 processor. For Malaysia, our phones will, based on tradition use the Exynos 2100 processor which has an integrated 5G modem with sub-6GHz  and mmWave spectrum support as standard – there are no 4G LTE models and all variants of the Galaxy S21 series will have 5G as a matter of course.

The cornerstone of the Exynos 2100’s performance is its tri-cluster CPU with a triple NPU for impressive gains in performance, camera image quality and battery life. 

Another key takeaway with the new Galaxy S21 series is that they all lack microSD cards expansion slots which hasn’t been done often with the Galaxy Note10 being one of the few flagship phones in recent memory to do so.

In keeping with the trend, the new Galaxy S21 series phones will also not come with a charger or headphones in the box which does make them thinner.

You will still get a USB-C charging cable, a user manual and SIM ejection pin as a matter of course but that’s pretty much it for what you get in the box. Here’s what’s special about Samsung’s latest flagships.

 

Samsung Galaxy S21 & Galaxy S21+

The Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ are functionally similar in terms of specifications but differ in screen size, battery capacity and available colours. The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the smallest of the new bunch with a 6.2-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, an Exynos 2100 processor , 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage for units intended for Malaysia.

The rear of the Galaxy S21 packs a triple camera array – you get a 64MP telephoto lens, a 12MP wide angle lens and a 12MP ultra wide angle lens with the ability to capture up to 8K video with shots so sharp you can pull 33MP screencaps off the footage. The front hosts a 10MP selfie camera.

A new feature update with the phone is a Director’s View that lets you see a preview from all your cameras.

Keeping it powered is a 4,000mAh battery with Super Fast Charging, fast wireless charging and wireless PowerShare. Other mod-cons include stereo speakers and IP68 water resistance with a casing that comes in your choice of Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom White and Phantom Black.

The Galaxy S21+ has a similar setup to the smaller Galaxy S21 but has a slightly larger 6.7-inch Full HD+ 120Hz display, identical 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage and a slightly larger 4,800mAh battery along with Ultra Wideband (UWB) support. Colour choices consist of Phantom Violet, Phantom Silver and Phantom Black.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the largest and most powerful phone of the Galaxy S21 series. The display has a huge 6.8-inch WQHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display that can push out a full 120Hz refresh rate at its maximum resolution which is a rare feat indeed. 

If you’re looking for uncompromising performance with a high resolution panel at a high refresh rate with no compromises, the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s display is the bee’s knees. Pixel peepers who demand the best performance that money can buy and users who constantly watch movies and game on their phone will appreciate this particular feature.

The rest of the hardware of the Galaxy S21+ consists of the new Exynos 2100 processor and either 12GB RAM and 256GB or 16GB RAM and 512GB storage for units intended for the Malaysia market.

Other mod-cons include UWB, fast WiFi 6E and an optional S Pen that you can purchase separately which comes bundled with a casing that has a recessed stylus slot. The S Pen stylus here is the larger variety seen in Samsung’s Galaxy Tab tablets versus the smaller one seen in the Galaxy Note series which makes it easier to wield.

The cameras mounted in the Galaxy S21 Ultra are a class up from its siblings. The rear quad camera array is built around a primary 108MP camera, a 12MP ultra wide angle camera and a Dual Zoom that uses one 10MP camera with 3x optical zoom and another 10MP camera with 10x zoom to handle closer and longer zoom distances. It also has a laser autofocus sensor.

This setup lets you take up to 108MP stills, judder free Zoom Lock when you’re taking 100x zoomed in shots and up to 8K video. Keeping it powered is a 5,000mAh battery with all the usual embellishments like Super Fast charging, fast wireless charging and wireless PowerShare along with Ultra Wideband (UWB) which lets the phone be in an expanding array of functions including acting as a key to unlock cars and more. Colour availability for the Galaxy S21 Ultra is either Phantom Black or Phantom Silver.

Price and availability 

At Samsung Unpacked 2021, the South Korean phone maker announced the prices for their new range which are:

Galaxy S21: From US$799 (about RM3,231)

Galaxy S21+ : From US$999 (about RM4,040)

Galaxy S21 Ultra: From RM5,299

Naturally, these global prices aren’t indicative of local Malaysia prices which are typically lower than what you get in Europe and the US.
In keeping with tradition, Samsung Malaysia is also offering a preorder special that stacks on top of the Galaxy Fit2 fitness band that is being given for free when you indicated your interest for the preorder programme a couple of weeks ago along with several other freebies. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ Prices in Malaysia

Samsung Malaysia has just announced the prices for the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ in Malaysia. 

Galaxy S21: RM3,699

Galaxy S21+: RM4,299

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G:  RM5,299 (12GB RAM/ 256GB storage) / RM5,899 (16GB/ 512GB)

Purchasing either the Galaxy S21 or Galaxy S21+ and you get you a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live and a Smart Tag along with a free subscription to Youtube Premium.

 If you preorder the Galaxy S21 Ultra, you get the top of the line Galaxy Buds Pro and Smart Tag along with a free subscription to Youtube Premium.

Preorders for the Galaxy S21 series are now open and you can preorder at Samsung Malaysia’s official page at https://www.samsung.com/my/smartphones/galaxy-s21-5g/buy/

Samsung Galaxy S21 series specifications

For those looking for the exact specifications of the Galaxy S21 series, in particular the versions that are intended for Malaysia, you can check out this specifications sheet below which lists every detail.

Specifications	Galaxy S21	Galaxy S21+	Galaxy S21 Ultra
Price	From US$799 RM3,699 (Malaysia)	From US$999 RM4,299 (Malaysia)	RM5,299 (12GB/256GB) RM5,899 (16GB/512GB)
Display	6.2-inch Flat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (2400×1080), 421ppi, HDR10+ certified Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate (48~120Hz) Eye Comfort Shield	6.7-inch Flat FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (2400×1080), 394ppi, HDR10+ certified Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate (48~120Hz) Eye Comfort Shield	6.8-inch Edge QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (3200×1440), 515ppi, HDR10+ certified Adaptive 120Hz refresh rate (10~120Hz) Eye Comfort Shield
Size/Weight	Dimension: 71.2×151.7×7.9mm Weight: 169g(sub6)	Dimension: 75.6×161.5×7.8mm Weight: 200g(sub6)	Dimensions: 75.6×165.1×8.9mm Weight: 227g(sub6)
Cameras	[Front camera] 10MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 80°, F2.2, 1.22µm [Rear camera] Triple camera Ultra Wide: 12MP FF, FOV 120° F2.2, 1.4µm Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 79°, OIS, F1.8, 1.8µm Telephoto: 64MP Phase Detection AF, Hybrid Optic 3X, FOV 76°, OIS F2.0, 0.8µm 30X Space Zoom	[Front camera] 10MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 80°, F2.2, 1.22µm [Rear camera] Triple camera Ultra Wide: 12MP FF, FOV 120° F2.2, 1.4µm Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 79°, OIS, F1.8, 1.8µm Telephoto: 64MP Phase Detection AF, Hybrid Optic 3X, FOV 76°, OIS F2.0, 0.8µm 30X Space Zoom	[Front camera] 40MP Phase Detection AF, FOV 80°, F2.2, 0.7 µm [Rear camera] Quad camera Ultra Wide: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, FOV 120°, F2.2, 1.4µm Wide-angle: 108MP Phase Detection AF, FOV 83°, OIS, F1.8, 0.8µm Telephoto 1: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, Optical 3x, FOV 35°,OIS, F2.4, 1.22µm Telephoto 2: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, Optical 10x, FOV 10°,OIS, F4.9, 1.22µm 100X Space Zoom Laser AF Sensor
Processor	Exynos 2100 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor 2.9GHz (Maximum Clock Speed) + 2.8GHz +2.2GHz / Snapdragon 888	Exynos 2100 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor 2.9GHz (Maximum Clock Speed) + 2.8GHz +2.2GHz / Snapdragon 888	Exynos 2100 5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor 2.9GHz (Maximum Clock Speed) + 2.8GHz +2.2GHz / Snapdragon 888
Memory	8GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 256GB internal storage	8GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 256GB internal storage	12GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 256GB internal storage 16GB RAM (LPDDR5) with 512GB internal storage
Battery	4000mAh (typical)	4800mAh (typical)	5000mAh (typical)
Charging	Improved wireless charging speeds with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare	Improved wireless charging speeds with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare	Improved wireless charging speeds with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible) *WPC certified Wireless charging *Wireless PowerShare
OS	Android 11	Android 11	Android 11
Connectivity	[5G]5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6	[5G]5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 [Ultra Wideband]	[5G]5G Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 [Ultra Wideband]
Payment	NFC, MST	NFC, MST	NFC, MST
Audio	Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio *The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output.. Scalable Codec *Available only for certain wearables made by Samsung such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. *AOP: Acoustic Overload Point	Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio *The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output.. Scalable Codec *Available only for certain wearables made by Samsung such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. *AOP: Acoustic Overload Point	Ultra high quality audio playback] UHQ 32-bit &DSD64/128 support PCM: Up to 32 bits, DSD: DSD64/128 *DSD64 and DSD128 playback can be limited depending on the file format. [Audio playback format] MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, APE, DSF, DFF [Bluetooth] Dual Audio *The two connected devices may exhibit a slight difference in sound output.. Scalable Codec *Available only for certain wearables made by Samsung such as Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds. [Recording] Recording quality is improved with the High AOP Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments. *AOP: Acoustic Overload Point
Video	[Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps)	[Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps)	[Video playback format] MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM [TV connection] Wireless: Smart View (screen mirroring 1080p at 30 fps) Wired: supports DisplayPort over USB type-C. Supports video out when connecting via HDMI Adapter. (DisplayPort 4K UHD at 60 fps)
Water resistance	IP68	IP68	IP68