Part of Samsung's smartphone philosophy is to offer every user the device that is perfectly right for them. The Galaxy S21 series is no different. The Galaxy S21 serves the largest target group among Galaxy S fans.

bright AMOLED display running at 120 Hz; fast Exynos SoC; very good camera; 5G; dual SIM; and eSIM; Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.0; NFC

plastic back; no power adapter included; storage not expandable; throttles under load; average battery life

“The Galaxy S21 makes a smart bet on value with a lower starting price, but in doing so feels stuck in 2020. A good phone, but not a particularly exciting one.”

Slick and colorful hardware; Excellent display; Improved fingerprint sensor; Lower price leads to great value

Plastic back on base S21; Not a 2021 flagship camera experience; Galaxy S21+ value disappointing at $1,000

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

Beautiful design with a fantastic screen; Great performance and battery life; Subtle UI improvements make an overall better experience

Some users will miss the microSD card slot; The camera is basically the same as the S20

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G - Testing T-Mobile Sub-6 Connectivity Before we wrap-up, we felt it was a good idea to explore the primary functionality that all users require as a basic necessity from a smartphone, and that's call quality and good cellular network connectivity.

Excellent performance; Killer OLED 120Hz display; Great camera performance; Innovative and useful Samsung DeX; Very useful Director's View camera mode; Aggressively priced currently; Solid battery life

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is one of the best value smartphones available for purchase today but may not be the upgrade some were hoping for.

Vibrant 120Hz AMOLED display; Refined and versatile cameras; Great hardware and software performance; Far more affordable

Little reason to upgrade over the Samsung Galaxy S20; No microSD card support; No supplied plug charger

Rather than offer essentially the same top-tier phone at different sizes, Samsung has chosen to get aggressive on price this year. The Galaxy S21 starts at $799.99 for the smaller version with a 6.2-inch screen and $999.99 for the Plus version with a 6.7-inch display.

Fast processor; Nice screen; Good battery life

Samsung bloatware; Competition will undercut price; No microSD storage expansion

The Galaxy S21 is a superb compact flagship phone with a brilliant 120Hz refresh rate Super AMOLED display, a great rear camera array capable of 8K video and excellent overall performance. If you want the ultimate uber phone, the Galaxy S21 Ultra awaits.

Surprisingly beautiful faux metal finish; Excellent build quality; Stereo speakers; Powerful performance; Good cameras; Great battery life

No expandable storage; No charger or earbuds in the box; No 3.5mm audio jack

If you're a fan of Samsung devices and upgrading from an older phone, you'll likely enjoy a lot of what the S21 offers

Great display; Unique; fresh design; Decent battery life and performance

Unreliable camera software; One UI needs polish (and less ads); A bit pricey for what's on offer

We take a deep dive with the Samsung Galaxy S21

Great look; Fast and snappy performance; Full of features to explore; Good camera quality; Speakers are improved over last gen

Plastic back is a no-no at $800; The plethora of features can be overwhelming; take it slow; The UI looks a bit flat and tacky; Bye; bye; microSD card slot

Not everyone wants (or can afford) a Merc. The Galaxy S21 is for people who need something great but also practical....

Fair price Great design Solid camera system Powerful processor

No in-box charger Mediocre fast charging No expandable storage