Samsung Galaxy S21 5G Specifications, Tests and Review

Display
6.2", 2400 x 1080
Front Camera
10 Megapixel
Main Camera
12 Megapixel
Operating System
Android 11
Storage
128 GB
RAM
8 GB
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Battery
4000 mAh

Other Variants:

Complete technical specifications, details, expert ratings and review of Samsung Galaxy S21 5G. Find out how your chosen phone stacks up against the competition and whether it's the one that best meets your expectations with the phone comparison feature.

DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Product Type Smartphone
Manufacturer Model Number SM-G991U1
Form Factor Touch
Height 151.7 mm Better than 72 % of phones rated.
Width 71.2 mm Better than 61 % of phones rated.
Depth 7.9 mm Better than 87 % of phones rated.
Weight 171 g Worse than 72 % of phones rated.
Body Colour Phantom grey | Phantom white
Protection Dustproof, splashproof, water-resistant
Waterproof (Water-resistant) Yes Better than 86 % of phones rated.
IP rating IP68
SAR Value 1.58 W/kg (simultaneous), 1.11 W/kg (wireless router), 1.08 W/kg (body), 0.74 W/kg (head)
Connector Type USB Type-C - 24 pin USB-C
SIM Card Type (Size) Nano SIM, Electronic SIM card (e-SIM)
SIM Card Qty Dual-SIM

The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has a height of 151.7 mm, a width of 71.2 mm and a thickness of 7.9 mm. The weight of the phone is 171 g. Many users will also appreciate the waterproof design.

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DISPLAY Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Display Type OLED display
Display Technology Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED 2X
Screen Size (Display Size) 6.2" Better than 81 % of phones rated.
Screen Resolution (Display Resolution) 2400 x 1080 pixels Better than 91 % of phones rated.
Display Format Full HD+
Pixel Density 421 ppi Better than 66 % of phones rated.
Colour Depth 16.7 million colours Better than 98 % of phones rated.
HDR Yes Better than 91 % of phones rated.
HDR Technology HDR10+
Display Enhancement Technology Eye Comfort Shield
Display Refresh Rate 120 Hz Better than 94 % of phones rated.
Display Features AOD(Always On Display), Video Wallpaper
Display Protection (Screen Protector) Corning Gorilla Glass Victus (scratch resistant glass)

The screen size reaches 6.2" inches. With a large display, phone offers a great experience for watching videos, playing games and reading. The best phones today are 6.5'' or more. They have the advantage of a large display area that allows you to see more content than with conventional display sizes. Owing to OLED technology, the display offers a true representation of colours, especially black. The resulting contrast is significantly higher and colours appear more vivid. OLED technology is now part of most smartphones, while LCD displays are becoming a thing of the past in mobile phones. OLED displays also have lower power consumption compared to LCD technology.

Display Resolution of Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is 2400 x 1080 pixels. A higher display resolution is a prerequisite for a sharper image. The standard for mid-range phones today is a Full HD resolution of 1920 × 1080 px. Cheaper phones, which usually have a smaller diagonal, have an HD resolution of 1280 × 720 px. Smaller resolutions can only be found in older models. Best phones, on the other hand, have a 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 px. Display´s pixel density is 421 ppi and represents another significant factor affecting image sharpness besides resolution. The higher the value, the sharper the image. Average value is currently about 350-400 ppi, which guarantees a fine and sufficiently sharp image. Finest modern phone displays reach 450 ppi and above.

The refresh rate is 120 Hz. This value indicates how many times per second display shows new information. Previously, 60 Hz was considered the standard, but today the average frequency for mid-range phones is more like 90 Hz. Modern phones now reach frequencies of around 120 Hz and above. Higher frequencies mean a better user experience when browsing the internet and especially when playing games.

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PROCESSOR Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Processor Type (CPU) Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Clock Speed 2.84 GHz Better than 97 % of phones rated.
Processor Core Qty 8-core Better than 99 % of phones rated.

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. The number of processor cores is 8. It is a number of cores that plays an important role in evaluating the performance of phone as it is responsible for computing operations. Smartphones already commonly have a core count of around 4 to 8. Multi-core processors can perform better and reduce the processing time of a request to a minimum, which is reflected in the responsiveness of the phone, e.g. in the speed of opening applications. The processor frequency indicates how many instructions phone can process in 1 second. The higher the frequency, the better the performance. Standard processor frequency range today is between 1.8 GHz and 2.8 GHz. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G reaches the frequency of 2.84 GHz.

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MEMORY Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
RAM LPDDR5 SDRAM - 8 GB Better than 96 % of phones rated.
Internal Memory Size (Storage Capacity) 128 GB Better than 90 % of phones rated.
User Memory 101.2 GB

The phone´s internal memory capacity is 128 GB. The size of the internal storage determines e.g., how many photos, songs, movies, or applications you can store on your phone. For everyday use and storing photos, songs or movies, this medium-sized internal storage is ideal. The advantage is also a lower price of phones equipped with this storage capacity. Best phones today range from 256 GB to 1 TB. That size is suitable for the most demanding users who shoot a lot of high-resolution photos or videos in 4K. Nevertheless, you'll have to pay extra for these higher capacities. Luckily, most smartphone manufacturers nowadays offer models with different memory sizes to suit every user.

RAM memory of the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is LPDDR5 SDRAM - 8 GB. Most powerful phones currently have an operating memory of 12 GB or more, which is especially useful for demanding users such as gaming enthusiasts. Normally, phones nowadays have 6 to 8 GB of RAM, which means that the phone can easily handle normal operation and more demanding applications. Operating memory of less than 4 GB is found in lower-end phones or older models, and they are suitable for low-end users who don't use demanding applications and have the phone more for basic use.

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CAMERA Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
MAIN CAMERA
Number of Main Cameras 3
Sensor Resolution 12 Megapixel Better than 62 % of phones rated.
Sensor Size 1/1.76"
Lens Type Wide-angle lens
Lens Aperture F/1.8 Better than 80 % of phones rated.
Field of View (FoV) 79 degree(s)
Pixel Size 1.8 μm Better than 93 % of phones rated.
Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Better than 87 % of phones rated.
Focus Adjustment Automatic
Laser Auto Focus Yes
Optical Zoom 3x Better than 83 % of phones rated.
Digital Zoom 30x Better than 99 % of phones rated.
Self-Timer Delay Yes
Special Effects Face retouch, Grid Line
HDR Mode Auto HDR mode
Camera Modes Panorama, Slow motion mode, Pro mode, HYPERLAPSE, Super Slow-mo, Flowers, Greenery, Trees, Sky, Beaches, Watersides, Snow, Backlit, Text, Food, Face, Baby, Person, Dog, Cat, People, Sunset, Sunrise, City, Waterfall, Scenery, Stage, Vehicles, Drinks, Animal, Shoes, Indoor, Clothes, Night view, Portrait, Night, Motion Photo, Mountain, Single Take, Pro Video, Portrait video, Director's View
Light Source High CRI LED flash
Video Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 60 fps, 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 fps, 3840 x 2160 (4K) at 60 fps, Super slow motion video 1280 x 720 (720p) at 960 fps, Slo-mo video 1920 x 1080 (1080p) at 240 fps, 7680 x 4320 (8K) at 24 fps, Hyperlapse 4K video support at 30 fps, Super Steady 1080p video support at 60 fps
Camera Features (Functions) Playback zoom, Motion photo, blink detection, QR-code scanner, VDIS (Video Digital Image Stabilisation), Tracking AF, Video location tags, Scene Optimiser, Lens smudge, Flaw detection, Shot suggestions, blur detection, HDR10+ recording, Super steady, Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, Quick Measure, Zoom-In Mic, HEIF image capture, Space Zoom, Take 33MP still photos while playing 8K video, Hybrid Optic Zoom 3x, Super Resolution Zoom up to 30x, Digital zoom up to 12x for video, AR Doodle, HEVC (High Efficiency Video coding) support, Microphone Control (Pro Video only)
SECOND CAMERA
Sensor Resolution (2nd Camera) 12 Megapixel Better than 81 % of phones rated.
Lens Type (2nd Camera) Ultra wide-angle lens
Lens Aperture (2nd Camera) F/2.2 Better than 87 % of phones rated.
Field of View (2nd Camera) 120 degree(s) Better than 80 % of phones rated.
Pixel Size (2nd Camera) 1.4 μm Better than 82 % of phones rated.
THIRD CAMERA
Sensor Resolution (3rd Camera) 64 Megapixel Better than 99 % of phones rated.
Sensor Size (3rd Camera) 1/1.72"
Lens Type (3rd Camera) Telephoto lens
Lens Aperture (3rd Camera) F/2.0 Better than 97 % of phones rated.
Field of View (3rd Camera) 76 degree(s)
Pixel Size (3rd Camera) 0.8 μm
Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Optical Image Stabiliser (OIS) Better than 98 % of phones rated.
FRONT CAMERA
Number of Front Cameras 1
Sensor Resolution (Front) 10 Megapixel Better than 71 % of phones rated.
Lens Aperture (Front) F/2.2 Better than 51 % of phones rated.
Field of View (Front) 80 degree(s) Better than 58 % of phones rated.
Pixel Size (Front) 1.22 μm Better than 94 % of phones rated.
Focus Adjustment Automatic
Camera Features (Front) Dual Pixel AF

The rear camera of the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is equipped with 3 lenses, with each lens having a different role in taking pictures. Most common lens you'll see on smartphones is a wide-angle lens, telephoto lens or macro lens. A wide-angle lens is mainly used to capture landscapes and other spatially larger compositions where a wide field of view is needed. A telephoto lens is designed for photographing subjects at a distance and often has an optical zoom. A macro lens is ideal for close-ups and small objects. The main lens is designed as Wide-angle lens. The resolution of the main lens is 12 Megapixel. Higher resolution does not necessarily mean super high quality photos. Furthermore, it depends on the pixel size but also on other important factors. Pixel size is typically around 0.8-1.8 μm in better mobile phones. The higher the value, the better the quality of the resulting photo should be. In the case of main lens, the pixel size reaches 1.8 μm.

The size of the phone's sensor is also among the parameters that affect quality of the photo. In case of Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, it is 1/1.76". Focus mainly on the value after the slash, where the higher it is, the better photo quality will be. The aperture of main lens reaches F/1.8 value. The best phones have a lens with an aperture of up to F/1.5, where more light can pass through sensor and photos will be of a high quality even in low light conditions. However, lenses with apertures around F/1.8 to F/2.2 are the most common. The lower the number after the slash, the better the photo quality.

Digital zoom in this case offers zooming up to 30x. Of course, the higher the lens value, the more distant object can be zoomed in. Nonetheless, the disadvantage of digital zoom is that the quality and sharpness of photo deteriorates when using it. Much more important is the optical zoom, which has the advantage of not losing quality and sharpness when zooming in. On this phone, the optical zoom is 3x. An undeniable advantage is the optical image stabilisation, which makes image significantly more stable without any loss in quality. Cheaper phone models are equipped with electronic stabilisation, which has a negative effect on the resulting image quality.

Second camera
The second lens of rear camera is designed as Ultra wide-angle lens. The field of view of second lens reaches 120 degree(s). The resolution reaches size of 12 Megapixel. Pixel size in this case is 1.4 μm. Furthermore, the second lens is equipped with aperture of F/2.2.

Third camera
Lens number three represents the Telephoto lens. The lens achieves a field of view of up to 76 degree(s). The resolution of third lens is then 64 Megapixel. The pixel size that significantly affects quality of photo is 0.8 μm. Last but not least, third lens is equipped with a lens aperture of F/2.0.

Front camera
The front camera of phone Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has one lens. This number of lenses is standard on most smartphones nowadays. The resolution of front lens reaches 10 Megapixel. Again, it should be noted that resolution is only one of several other significant factors that affect resulting quality of a photo. The pixel size itself is 1.22 μm. The main lens is also equipped with aperture of F/2.2. As for the field of view of main lens of front camera, it reaches 80 degree(s).

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BATTERY AND CHARGING Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Battery Capacity (Battery Size) 4000 mAh Better than 85 % of phones rated.
Fast Charging Technology Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, Adaptive Fast Charging, Power Delivery 3.0 Better than 86 % of phones rated.
Wireless Charging Yes Better than 91 % of phones rated.
Wireless Charging Standards WPC, Qi, Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, Wireless PowerShare
Talk Time 1800 minutes Better than 92 % of phones rated.
Run Time Details Talk (LTE): up to 1800 min
Active online usage (LTE): up to 14 hrs
Active online usage (Wi-Fi): up to 15 hrs
Playback (wireless video): up to 19 hrs
Playback (wireless audio): up to 72 hrs

The battery size of Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is 4000 mAh. Nevertheless, battery capacity is not the only factor that affects the phone's battery life. For example - the size of the display, the performance of the processor, the use of data functions and, of course, the intensity of use of phone in general all have a significant impact on battery life. Standard for most smartphones today is a battery capacity of around 4500 to 5000 mAH. Phones with this battery size usually guarantee a phone life of at least 1 day. Older or cheaper smartphone models can then reach battery capacities typically around 2500 mAH and below. With this capacity, you may find that if you use your phone heavily, you may need to recharge your phone during the day. Talk time, or we can say battery life when making calls, then indicates amount of time your phone will last from a full charge if you are constantly on a call. Samsung Galaxy S21 5G is provided with a talk time about 1800 minutes. Today, wireless charging feature is popular and appreciated by many users. You don't have to worry about your phone overheating, and it's also practical in that you don't wear out your phone's connector unnecessarily. The fast charging function will also please many people. Owing to fast charging, phone charges up to several times faster, which you will appreciate, for example, on the go.

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CELLULAR Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Technology CDMA2000 1X / GSM / WCDMA (UMTS)
Mobile Broadband Generation 5G Better than 99 % of phones rated.
Operating System Android 11
Intelligent Assistant Bixby
Payment Technology Samsung Pay
Navigation GPS, GLONASS, Galileo

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G supports 5G. 5G connectivity, which is slowly replacing standard 4G connectivity, is still more the preserve of the latest phones. The operating system in this case is Android 11. This model also offers ability to pay by phone with Samsung Pay.

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COMMUNICATIONS Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Data Transmission FDD-LTE, TDD-LTE, 5G NR FR1, 5G NR FR2
2G Band 850 GSM, 900 GSM, 1800 GSM, 1900 GSM, 800 CDMA2000 1X, 1900 CDMA2000 1X
3G UMTS Band Band 1, Band 2, Band 4, Band 5, Band 8
3G UMTS Frequency 2100, 1900, 1700, 850, 900
4G LTE Band Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 7, Band 8, Band 12, Band 13, Band 14, Band 18, Band 19, Band 20, Band 25, Band 26, Band 28, Band 30, Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, Band 41, Band 46, Band 48, Band 66, Band 71
4G LTE Frequency FDD 2100, FDD 1900 PCS, FDD 1800+, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS, FDD 850, FDD 2600, FDD 900, FDD 700a, FDD 700c, FDD 700 PS, FDD 800 lower, FDD 800 upper, FDD 800 DD, FDD 1900+, FDD 850+, FDD 700 APT, FDD 2300 WCS, TDD 2600, TDD 1900, TDD 2300, TDD 2500, TDD 5150, TDD 3600, FDD 1700 - 2110 AWS-3, FDD 600
5G NR Band N41, n71, n260, n261
5G NR Frequency TDD TD 2500, FDD 600, TDD 39GHz, TDD 28GHz
Wireless Interface IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0
NFC Yes Better than 66 % of phones rated.

Fans of modern technology will appreciate NFC function, which allows, among other things, contactless mobile phone payments, but also finds other uses in connectivity, such as unlocking the door or loading the menu in restaurant using the NFC tag. Basic connectivity standards also include Bluetooth 5.0, making it easy to communicate wirelessly with other devices such as headphones, tablets, speakers and smartwatches.

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MEDIA Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Supported Digital Audio Standards WAV, AAC, PCM, AMR, MP3, FLAC, XMF, OGG, MIDI, APE (Monkey's Audio), M4A, DSF, MXMF, OGA, 3GA, AWB, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DFF, MID, DSD64, DSD128
Supported Digital Video Standards MKV, FLV, AVI, 3GP, M4V, WebM, 3G2, MP4
Sound Enhancements Dolby Digital Plus sound, Dolby Atmos sound technology, Surround sound, stereo speakers tuned by AKG, Dolby Digital sound
FEATURES Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Phone Functions Speakerphone, voice control, call timer, conference call, flight mode, voice dialing, vibrating alert
Sensors Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, barometer, gyro sensor, hall sensor, geomagnetic sensor
Security Devices Fingerprint reader (under display), face recognition
Additional Phone Features MIMO technology, Screen Write, notification flashlight, Smart Select, Fast Charging, Samsung KNOX, Smart View, Live message, Screen off memo, Samsung DeX support, Bixby Vision, TalkBack, Dual Audio, Bixby Routines, Intelligent Performance Enhancer, Bixby key, Bluetooth Scalable Codec, Samsung Knox Vault, Private Share function, Enhanced Game Booster, Air Command
OTHERS Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
Included Accessories SIM card removal tool, USB-C to USB-C cable
Compliant Standards VDE, IP68, HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible), SGS Eye Care Display Certification
Max Depth of Water Resistance 1.5 m

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