Samsung Galaxy S21

The Galaxy S21 cuts just enough to bring the price down without sacrificing what makes it a great phone.

The Galaxy S21 isn’t the star of Samsung’s S series in 2021, like we’ve been used to for most of the past decade, but it’s a solid smartphone choice with an impressive camera, powerful internals and great battery life. If you want the best of the best, look to the Galaxy S21 Ultra; but if you want a handset that’s cheaper than the Galaxy S20 was at launch, with a whole load of premium features, the Galaxy S21 is a delight to use, and will do you proud.

The Galaxy S21 is the smallest and cheapest of Samsung’s latest trio of flagships and it offers an intriguing mix of features for the price. You’ll get the same top-tier processor as its two bigger stablemates and the same 120Hz refresh rate, but a lower resolution. It has one fewer camera than the S21 Ultra with less-sharp sensors, but otherwise still offers a versatile imaging system. Plus, it has a brand new look, a long-lasting battery and most of Samsung’s useful software. For the money, you’ll have a hard time finding a better Android flagship.

Aside from a rejuvenated design and the obligatory spec bump, the Galaxy S21 does little to improve upon or surpass its predecessor (and in some areas steps backwards). That said, as ever this year's S21 has everything you'll likely want and need in a high-end 2021 smartphone, without pushing the boat out.

Samsung's Galaxy S21 line is an overall refinement of last year's models, but feature bloat still weighs these phones down.

The decision to remove the microSD slot and bundled charger are the only blots on the landscape; otherwise, the Galaxy S21 represents another sublime flagship offering from Samsung. If you can live without both these things there’s no doubt the Galaxy S21 will be a brilliant sidekick for whatever 2021 decides to throw at you.

There are sacrifices yes, but this is still a great phone for a more enticing price. It has a lovely screen, a reliable camera and a slick new design that feels a little bit futuristic. The basics are here and they're all done excellently.

Once again, if you want Samsung’s very best phone this year, you’re going to have to buy Samsung’s biggest phone — and this year, the differences are even more stark. But if you’re not interested in the latest, greatest, and biggest, and you don’t mind the way Samsung handles Android, the Galaxy S21 is a fine choice.