Released earlier this year at the Samsung Unpacked 2021 global launch, the Galaxy S21 series are currently the most powerful phones in Samsung’s inventory with the series consisting of the compact Galaxy S21, the Goldilocks sized Galaxy S21+ and the top of the line Galaxy S21 Ultra. All three phones are now available in Malaysia. 

There’s a bunch of modest differences between all three phones in the Galaxy S2 series but all of them are built on the same core principles of uncompromising performance and contemporary design.

 

All of the phones in the Galaxy S21 series run on the same processor – the Exynos 2100 that’s built on an efficient 5nm process and all of the series has 5G connectivity baked in which makes them relatively futureproof.

Models in some countries like the United States and China do come with the Snapdragon 888 processor that is also built on a 5nm process but it’s generally not advisable to acquire overseas phones for use locally as you’ll encounter warranty issues if anything goes pear-shaped. If you’re looking for a deeper dive into the Exynos 2100, check out our Exynos 2100 feature here.

For a more in-depth look at just how all three of the Galaxy S21 series stack up, check out our prior coverage piece at launch here. For the purposes of our feature here, we’ll cover the general salient benefits of the Galaxy S21 series. Here’s 7 Reasons To Get the Samsung Galaxy S21 series…

5 Reasons to Buy the Galaxy S21 series

120Hz Dynamic AMOLED displays

Common to all three of the Galaxy S21 series phones are a silky smooth 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. Having a 120Hz refresh rate means that scrolling animations through the menus, web browsing and selected applications look and feel incredibly smooth and lifelike. Screen resolutions do vary slightly based on which model you get. 

The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ pack 120Hz Adaptive Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with FHD+ ( 1080 x 2,400 pixels) resolution and a bright 1,300 nits. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the largest and sharpest of the bunch with a 6.8-inch WQHD+ (1,440 x 3,200 pixels) Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, a brighter 1,500 nits and a more sophisticated display that lets you enjoy a full 120Hz refresh rate and at maximum WQHD+ resolution at the same time. 

 

Minus the bean counting, the Galaxy S21 and S21+ effectively max out at FHD+ resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate and while  they aren’t as sharp as the Galaxy S21 Ultra and its WQHD+ 120Hz display, they’re still plenty crisp and smooth for day to day usage.

25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging and 4.5 reverse wireless charging

All three of the Galaxy S21 series phones come with a host of wired and wireless charging options. Across the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S2 Ultra, users can enjoy fast 25W wired charging via USB Power Delivery 3.0, 15W wireless charging using a Qi charger and 4.5W reverse wireless charging to charge other devices.

Their battery capacities are different of course with the S21 packing a 4,000mAh battery, the S21+ has a 4,800mAh battery while the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a massive 5,000mAh battery.

IP68 Water Resistance

All three of the Galaxy S21 series all have IP68 water resistance which means they have dust and water resistance in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. This also means that it’s easily able to survive a splash or two in the shower or in the pool without undue issue.

Stereo speakers

All three phones come with stereo speakers tuned by AKG with one located near the top of the phone in a subtle speaker grille at the upper edge of the display and the other one at the base of the phone next to the USB-C port. Regardless of size, you’re assured of some beefy acoustics from every one from the Galaxy S21 Ultra down to the compact Galaxy S21.

8K capable cameras with great zoom

All the new Galaxy phones are capable of capturing 8K video which does lend major creative possibilities though you’ll need beefy rigs to edit it and there aren’t many TVs that can playback 8K footage at the moment short of Samsung’s own QLED 8K TVs. That aside, all three of the Galaxy S21 phones are able to capture a more practical and smooth 4K@60fps video or a stabilised Super Steady mode in 1080P. 

All three phones also have optical image stabilisation for super steady footage and judder free stills as well as dedicated zoom cameras. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ which have the same camera arrays have a 12MP F/1.8 Dual Pixel camera with OIS, a 12MP ultra wide angle camera and a 64MP F/2.0 zoom camera with OIS and 3x zoom. 

 

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has a more powerful setup with a main 108MP F/1.8 primary camera with OIS and laser autofocus, a 12MP ultra wide angle camera and a dual zoom camera setup with a 10MP with 3x zoom and a 10MP with 10x that combine to offer a staggering 100x ‘Space Zoom’.

2 Reasons not to buy the Galaxy S21 series

No Expandable Memory

The Samsung Galaxy S21 does not have a microSD card tray so the storage you have available is what you have to make do with indefinitely. 

By and large, most casual users will find the 128GB storage models have plenty of space though power users should chunk out the extra cash to get the 256GB model.

In any case, you’ll have to perform house cleaning on a regular basis if you aim to take advantage of its 8K video capabilities and great cameras or if you’re downloading and playing a lot of large games.

No 3.5mm audio jack

In keeping with many other flagship phones in recent memory, the Galaxy S21 lacks a 3.5mm audio jack which means traditionalists who prefer to use wired headphones are left out in the cold. 

This is unfortunately a matter of evolving trends in smartphone design as wireless earbuds have improved in performance several fold. Wireless earbuds today like the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro that were launched at the same time as the Galaxy S21 offer excellent sound quality, steady connectivity and good battery life.

It’s also able to act as a mic in Pro video mode. This reduces the need for wireless earbuds by quite a bit and on the bright side – you can kiss goodbye to yanking out your wired headphone cable by accident on the commute or on a jog.

Which Galaxy S21 series to buy?

If you’re looking to get the best Android phone that money can buy, or are looking for a phone with S Pen stylus support, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is your best bet. If you’re looking for a compact flagship phone that can be wielded one-handed, the Galaxy S21 is the ideal choice. If you’re looking for the best of both worlds with a moderately large display, the Galaxy S21+ acts as a fair middle ground.

Where to Buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 series

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is now available in Malaysia nationwide in 128GB and 256GB storage configurations for all three phones. Here’s the specifications at a glance.

 

Specifications	Galaxy S21	Galaxy S21+	Galaxy S21 Ultra
Price	RM3,499 (128GB)   RM3,699 (256GB)	RM3,999 (128GB) RM4,299 (Malaysia)	RM4,999 (128GB) 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

To check them out, see the official Samsung Malaysia online store here.
For a more indepth look at the Galaxy S21, check out our Galaxy S21 review here and our Galaxy S21 Ultra review here.