It’s 2021 and Samsung has rolled out the first device from their kitty Galaxy S21 Ultra. I have always enjoyed the S series from Samsung even though they always launch a Note later in the year ‘S series’ remains to be my forever pick. This is not a review but a first look at a device which is competing with some strong devices in the market and has a good lineage to keep up with.
Design-wise the device is not much different from the predecessor. What remains constant is the good built quality, premium appeal, and a comfortable form factor. High-quality materials have been used, which is a combination of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and metal but what stands out is the camera module. It is a large bunch at the back. What would have looked a bit obnoxious a few years back now seems to be the new normal look for camera modules. The device is available in two colours—white and black. This is surely a big device but a comfortable one. It does feel heavier than the previous S series. It is as large as its obvious competitor iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The phone has a 6.8-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED 120Hz display. This is adaptive, capable of going as low as 10Hz, while the brightness can go all the way up to 1500nits. S21 Ultra lets you run 120Hz at Quad HD+ resolution. It is the first S series device which supports the S pen though it does not come with one.
Under the hood, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra packs an Exynos 2100. This is paired with either 12GB or 16GB RAM and 256GB or 512GB storage. There is no micro-SD card slot for storage expansion, which feels like a miss. It comes with 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast wired charging, 15W fast wireless charging, and wireless power share, it doesn’t come with an adapter in the box. There is 5G connectivity, dual-Sim, IP68 dust and water resistance, stereo speakers, and support for Wi-Fi 6E and ultra-wideband (UWB) tracking for seamless integration with Samsung’s SmartTag trackers. Software inside the phone is Android 11-based OneUI 3.1.
The main and the most exciting part of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the camera. It comes with four cameras on the back. The main and ultra-wide angle 108MP with a brand new HM3 sensor though + 12MP. Two 10MP cameras 3x, 10x zoom capable, one of which is periscope-style. All the cameras have Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and can record in 4K@60fps while the main camera can additionally shoot in 8K. The front camera is 40MP and is capable of recording 4K@60fps videos. The camera department deserves a full review by itself which would follow soon. The director’s view is a new addition and has some cool features and recording capabilities, I will elaborate on that in the review.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at Rs 1,05,999 for the variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage going all the way to Rs 1,16,999 for the model with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. The phone will ship from 29 January. The first look leaves you smitten not just for the way it looks but the entire package that the device offers.