Samsung has pretty much completed its plans for flagships in 2020. Now, the company is shifting its focus to the next year’s Galaxy S21 series. So far, details about the new devices have been leaking a lot. It includes renders and certifications, which suggests that Samsung will release them sooner than usual. According to a leaker, the new flagships will go official on January 14, but the sales will start on January 29. While we already had a glimpse of the new smartphones thanks to leaked images, a set of key specifications leaked today giving us more about the trio of flagships.
According to the new leak, Samsung will keep its usual strategy and launch six distinct smartphones. Three devices with the Exynos 2100 processor and three variants with the Snapdragon 875 chipset. Just like this year, the company will keep the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. There are bold claims regarding the capabilities of the Exynos 2100. It’s said to outperform the Snapdragon 875 in performance and power efficiency. Only time will tell if those claims are accurate.
Galaxy S21 specs
The Galaxy S21 will bring a 6.2-inch LTPS panel with FHD+ resolution and a high-refresh-rate of 120Hz. Unfortunately, we don’t have info regarding the RAM and Storage amount, but we can expect at least 6GB of RAM and 128GB of Storage. Samsung always offers multiple variants depending on the market.
The vanilla phone will bring three cameras on the back. You have a 12MP ultrawide sensor, a 12MP primary camera, and a 64MP telephoto lens. The front-facing snapper hasn’t been specified, but we expect Samsung to keep this year’s 10MP sensor. While the camera setup does not bring significant changes, we have some software upgrades. It includes 4K @ 60 fps recording for all cameras, Super Steady Stabilization mode with 60fps support, and more. Other features include 8K@30 video recording, dual recording using front and back cameras, and a revamped moon mode.
The phone will keep its predecessor 4,000mAh battery with fast-charging support. On the software front, we have One UI 3.1 based on Android 11. The device will come in Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom White, and Phantom Gray colors. It will have a plastic back just like the vanilla Note 20. According to Samsung, the reception for this plastic body was better than expected.
Galaxy S21+ specs
The S21 Plus will have a bigger 6.7-inch panel with FHD+ resolution as well. We have the same 120Hz refresh rate, however, it does not use the “Adaptive” feature.
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We have a Triple Camera array comprising a 12MP + 12MP + 64MP shooters and all the aforementioned software features. We have a 4,800mAh which is a significant increase over its predecessor. The phone also has Android 11 with One UI 3.1 in tow. It will come in Phantom Black, Phantom Silvers, and Phantom Violet colors. While there’s no confirmation about the backplate material, we’re not betting on plastic for this one.
Galaxy S21 Ultra specs
Finally, we have the high-end variant of the S21 series, the Galaxy S21 Ultra. According to rumors, this device will bring Samsung’s best display ever made for a smartphone. It will come with a 6.8-inch LTPO display with WQHD+ resolution and a variable refresh rate that goes from 1Hz to 120Hz. Moreover, this panel will have whopping 1,600 nits of peak brightness. The contrast ratio sits at 3,000,000:1.
In the camera department, we’ll have a Quad array. It has a 108MP sensor of a new generation, a 10MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, another 10MP super-telephoto sensor with 10x Optical Zoom that offers up to 100x Space Zoom. The two telephoto sensors are said to have 130% larger pixels and dual-pixel Auto-Focus. The S20 Ultra suffered from poor autofocus, hopefully, Samsung has fixed this issue for good. The phone will also bring a laser system to boost its focus capabilities.
According to the report, the Ultra and the Plus variants will have Ultra Wide Band support. This feature is used for tracking the upcoming SmartThings tags. Moreover, the devices will have support for digital car keys. However, its availability will depend on the region.
The Ultra will also bring Bluetooth 5. and will be the only model with Wi-Fi 6E support. The phone draws power from a 5,000mAh battery and brings OneUI 3.1 as well. Interestingly enough, it will have seamless support for S Pen. But users will need to buy it separately along with a custom case for storing it.
Just like its predecessor, the Ultra won’t have fancy colors. Users will have to choose between the Phantom Black and Phantom Silver colors.
Pricing
The source does not have detailed pricing info about the new phones. However, it states that the S21 series will be cheaper than the S20 family. Samsung wants to make them more competitive after the pandemic and economic recession. Honestly, the S20 series and even Note 20 series is said to not be selling as the company expected. Therefore, the company really needs to offer better deals to attract customers again.