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.

Improved battery life; Superb performance; Decent software; Nice design;

Cameras are relatively unchanged; Some downgrades from S20; No charger may irk some;

There's a lift in design for the Galaxy S21, resulting in a phone that looks fresh and exciting, and a great display, offering adaptive refresh rates. While there's plenty of power - and a flagship performance - the camera doesn't reach the highs that you get from the Galaxy S21 Ultra, leaving this...

Distinctive design; Waterproofing; Great display; Smooth and powerful performance; Decent battery life

No microSD card slot; Camera performance could be better; Easily undercut by the S20 FE

The Samsung Galaxy S21 packs plenty of power into its small stature and sets the stage for better 5G phone performance in the future.

Hand-friendly form factor; Bright; colorful screen; Better Night photo mode than previous Samsung phones; Supports future 5G network features

5G battery life is just on the edge of acceptable; Future network features don't exist yet

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

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

There's a lift in design for the Galaxy S21, resulting in a phone that looks fresh and exciting, and a great display, offering adaptive refresh rates. While there's plenty of power - and a flagship performance - the camera doesn't reach the highs that you get from the Galaxy S21 Ultra, leaving this feeling like the lesser device. Sadly, sitting so close to the cheaper S20 FE, that might see some opting for the cheaper phone instead.

Distinctive design; Waterproofing; Great display; Smooth and powerful performance; Decent battery life;

No microSD card slot; Camera performance could be better; Easily undercut by the S20 FE;

great camera

I like small phones and I cannot lie. The best-seller list can deny, but when a phone comes in with an itty-bitty screen and I hold it to my face, I'm in love. Samsung's smallest, most affordable Galaxy S21 ($799.99) sets the stage for 2021 phones with style and without breaking the bank, and it's future-proofed with 5G technology so advanced that the networks to support it don't exist yet. But I know small size and high quality isn't a broadly appealing combo—just look at the poor iPhone 12 mini sales—and until the inevitable discounts kick in and the new 5G networks are launched, its price feels too high for its capabilities. So the less expensive, slightly larger Galaxy S20 FE ($700 list, often heavily discounted) remains our Editors' Choice winner for Android phones right now.Slightly Unsure of Its Place The Galaxy S21's bigger siblings are the $1,000 Galaxy S21+ and the $1,200 Galaxy S21 Ultra. It's the successor to the S20, which originally listed for $1,000, and it lives in...

The Samsung Galaxy S21 packs plenty of power into its small stature and sets the stage for better 5G phone performance in the future.

Hand-friendly form factor; Bright, colorful screen; Better Night photo mode than previous Samsung phones; Supports future 5G network features

5G battery life is just on the edge of acceptable; Future network features don't exist yet

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is a premium smartphone without such a premium price that's also more compact than some of the other big smartphone names have to offer. Image/video quality is great with some cool camera features built-in that are fun to use and make capturing excellent images a doddle and...

Great camera, Less expensive than the S20 was on launch, Good battery, Lovely design

No MicroSD Slot, Poor Zoom (when not optical), No headphone socket