This generation of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series no longer supplies chargers, headphones, and cases in an endeavor to limit the waste of technology and protect the environment.
In the Galaxy S21 + 5G box, you will find only a slim device, a charging cable, and manual paper. If the users want their charger or headphones, cases, the only option left is that they will have to spend more to own or reuse the accessories they have available.
Back to the main character, the S21 plus 5G, like always it’s gonna be that middle of the road model, the one that sort of hangs out between the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The gadget carries a 6.7-inch screen size, while the Galaxy S21 sits at 6.2-inch and the Ultra stretches to 6.8-inch, sort of the same overall feeling as its predecessor in the Galaxy S20 series. Still, the display quality on the Galaxy S21 Plus is, sure thing, improved. You’re looking at a Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O panel, with a 2400 by 1080 resolution, and also a 120Hz refresh rate.
This 120Hz screen helps the user in experiencing the activity of swiping, surfing the screen, and other activities. Gaming has also been made trendy when it comes to highend smartphones; the Galaxy S21+ 5G has improved its smart use even better than before.
The back of this year’s Galaxy S21+ is more special because it is no longer equipped with a plastic back, but it has been upgraded to glass, just like the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G generation that comes with a Gorilla Glass 7 back different from the lowest Galaxy S21 version. Used polycarbonate plastic; has a matte finish-multi-layer coating to create multicolor effects-in the Random Silver color version on the Galaxy S21+, the back color will be displayed differently depending on the reflected light environment.
The unique design of the camera cluster on the Galaxy S21+ 5G is the next point of attention. Samsung has breathed creativity here with the left edge of the camera cluster connected to the frame, creating a seamless, innovative, and impressive look.
Compared to the Ultra version, the Galaxy S21+ 5G design is more beautiful because the camera cluster is just enough, sort of harmonious on the back, and not too aggressive, as if it doesn’t shout. But in a way the Galaxy S21+ 5G has to trade off the camera setup to get the most pleasing design.
Camera specifications on the new Galaxy S21+ 5G are too much different than their predecessors; both Galaxy S21 5G and Galaxy S21+ 5G will have a 12MP main camera, a 12MP ultra wide-angle camera, a 64MP telephoto camera, and a 10MP camera for selfies. Although the specifications remain the same, the features of the camera have been improved with 30x “Space Zoom,” “Director’s View” mode that enables changing the lens while shooting, and there is even a “Single Take” mode. In addition, the duo is capable of recording 8K videos with the feature of high-quality images extraction from 8K video (8K Snap) enabling clear frame captures from 8K video. There’s also Super Steady movie recording, which stabilizes videos when shooting in shaky conditions.
Also there is support for Single Take in 12-bit RAW capture in Pro Mode, plus Audio Zoom when recording. Document Scan and Vlogger View are there too, and this one lets you record with the front and rear cameras at the very same time, kind of at once.
About the configurations, Galaxy S21 + 5G comes with Samsung’s newest processor Exynos 2100. It supports 5G, 8GB RAM, 128GB ROM , and there’s no external memory available. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the screen, it’s been tuned using 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 by Qualcomm, to ensure faster reading and easier day to day usability. In-device battery specification will be 4,800 mAh. The Galaxy S21+ 5G is protected by Knox Vault, Samsung’s proprietary processor-level (SoC) security platform. In this by securing the tamper-proof secure storage to a secure processor, the Galaxy S21+ 5G receives another additional layer of security that is rather safe against everyday email and internet surfing.
Camera System
1. Camera Specifications: The Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G is kind of a phone with a flexible camera layout, because it features three cameras mounted on the rear. The main camera sensor is a 64MP wide unit, with an aperture set at f/1.8, so you can capture high resolution photos that look crisp, with lots of tiny fine detailing. Then there’s a second camera too, a 12MP ultra wide sensor, with a field of view of 120 degreees, which is pretty broad. That makes it pretty handy for expansive landscapes, or even for groups of people, where you want everything to fit in frame without hassle. Lastly, the third camera is a 12MP telephoto with 3x zoom optical function to enable detailed close shots as well as expected good results in the zoom.
The front-facing camera is a 10MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture designed to take amazing selfies and give high quality during a video call. In fact, it also supports 4K video recording to make the technicalities come clear and alive on such occasions.
2. Camera Performance: The camera system on the Galaxy S21+ 5G does really well in a bunch of moments. You get sharp, detailed shots, with pretty accurate colors, and a solid dynamic range. Even when it gets dark, advanced processing helps cut down noise, so the image quality still looks smooth overall.
This is the ultra-wide camera, the one that gives you a broader viewpoint. With this style of lens you can capture big scenes, and also groups of people without it feeling squeezed. Ultra-wide pictures are usually quite good, though you might notice some distortion near the edges.
Then there’s the telephoto camera, it comes with a 3x optical zoom , which is a huge upgrade compared to plain digital zoom. Photos from the telephoto lens show a lot of fine detail, plus colors that feel quite faithful. There’s also Super Steady video stabilization, so during recording you have less wobble or shake, which helps a lot with steadier footage.
4. Software And Features: The camera app on the Galaxy S21+ 5G has a few modes that feel pretty, set apart, like Night Mode, Pro Mode and Single Take Mode. Night Mode makes things look more bright and also clearer because it takes several exposures then merges them into one final picture, so it works well for low light photography. Pro Mode basically lets you tweak things by hand, like ISO, shutter speed, and even white balance, so your final photo outcome can come out more polished or, more controlled, depending on what you’re aiming for.
Single Take Mode is the one where you press the shutter button once, and it handles it by pulling from multiple different camera sensors. After that it uses different processing approaches to produce several distinct results, so you end up with multiple sharing options all at once. This mode can be really good for fast moving moments and dynamic scenes, or when you want to be more confident that you caught the perfect shot, even if the timing was kind of fleeting.
Software and User Experience
Operating System: the Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G works on Android 11 and it uses Samsung’s One UI 3.1 layered over it. One UI is Samsung’s own user interface, it’s designed for an easy and open kind of experience, but it still adds more features, plus extra personalization choices.
With One UI 3.1 there are plenty of improvements and progress compared to the earlier versions. Honestly, the software keeps a neat, effortless layout, while focusing on accessibility and day to day usability. The notification panel, and the quick settings menu, are simple to reach, and the overall look matches Samsung’s design style pretty well, most of the time.
And Customization: Something One UI 3.1 includes is a wide array of customization which users can use to personalize their devices to their liking. Users can customize their devices with themes, wallpapers, icon styles, lock-screens, and always-on displays.
This package includes other nifty features such as Samsung DeX, which allows users to convert their Galaxy S21+ 5G into a desktop-like environment after connecting it to an external display. The Bixby virtual assistant from Samsung gives voice commands and automations. While Samsung Pay provides a convenient and safe mode of carrying out using the device.
Security and Privacy: A few features found in the Galaxy S21+ 5G are those of security and privacy to protect user data. An In-display fingerprint sensor is available to quickly and securely produce biometric authentication. This sets the pace for a phone that will cater to more secure biometric authentication through facial recognition.
Knox includes features such as secure folder and real-time scanning for protection against malware and unauthorized access. The privacy settings in the device also allow users to manage and control what app can get access to what data.
Battery and charging
1. Battery size: A 4,800mAh battery powers the Samsung Galaxy S21+, so the device stays in its usual pace through out the day ,with out the constant “still dying” feeling. There’s a bit of bump compared to the older edition, and that ends up helping both endurance and overall device performance.
2. Battery performance: In real life, the 4,800mAh lithium ion pack inside the Galaxy S21+ 5G lasts properly, it can handle a full day without a charge, even when usage is moderate to pretty harsh. With the usual routine habits and typical settings, you can roughly expect around 6 to 7 hours of on screen time, depending on what you do and how you run the brightness.
This includes a number of power management features that extend battery life through adaptive battery management and power-saving modes. This maximizes efficiency in battery usage based on one’s use and app activity through modifications in settings and performance.
3. Features of charging capability: Supportive of 25W fast wired charging, the Galaxy S21+ 5G recharges fairly fast. With this feature, a user can expect to get the phone to charge from 0 to 50 in about 30 minutes. Moreover, it supports 15W wireless charging, which makes charging convenient as there is no need for plugging. For fast charging, the 4.5W reverse wireless charging will allow S21+ 5G to become the wirelessly charging device for compatible devices such as earbuds or smartwatches.
Connectibility
1. 5G Enablement: The Galaxy S21+ 5G, as its name suggests, comes with 5G connectivity to give users access to using the latest generation in mobile networks: both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G bands are available, promising much more reliable fast data transfer based on the infrastructure on which the device has been built. Fulfilling the standards for an incredible speed for anything streaming, gaming, or heavy data use, it is optimal for internet users desiring high speeds.
2. Other Connectivity Options: The Galaxy S21+ 5G also flaunts other connectivity facilities, including Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). Faster and very reliable in providing the internet wirelessly to the users compared to previous generations, Bluetooth 5.0 is optimized to connect more devices; it is a fit for different kinds of peripherals and accessories.
It uses standard NFC (Near Field Communication) services for cashless payments and data transfer. Other services provide the device with GPS for location tracking. USB Type-C 3.2 is the standard used for data transfer and charging, offering high speed and reversible connectivity.
Audio and Multimedia
1. Audio Quality: The stereo speakers available on Samsung Galaxy S21 + 5G equipped with stereo speakers produce balanced and clean sound for audio immersion. These speakers are tuned by AKG, a very famous audio brand company providing clear sound quality; the crispiness and volume can be termed good without distortion. Amongst the stereo setup, one speaker comes placed at the bottom of the device and the other incorporated into the earpiece. This serves for media consumption while gaming making the experience even more immersive.
No 3.5mm headphone jack on the device, might be a talking point for some users who still sort of lean toward wired headphones. Though i t’s worth mentioning that Samsung brings in a bunch of wireless audio options too , and one of those is the Galaxy Buds which pair surprisingly well with the S21+ 5G.
2. Multimedia Experience: Galaxy S21+ 5G has the quality high-resolution display that makes the whole multimedia experience affordable as it is good for watching videos or playing games or simply browsing photos. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X display’s vibrant colors and high contrast beautify the viewing experience while the 120Hz refresh rate assures scrolling or animation smoothness.
With HDR10+ content, the users would get to enjoy the better quality of their videos with improved color accuracy and dynamic range. Therefore watching videos, either from popular streaming applications like Netflix or YouTube or even locally stored videos should give end users a good visual experience on the Galaxy S21+ 5G.
Software Experience
1. One UI 3.1: Samsung’s UI 3.1 boasts a fantastic and user-friendly experience of software running on Android 11. It exhibits a very simple way of creating and making the process easier on the part of the customers.
Worth noting is that One UI 3.1 also sort of arrived with a bunch of fresh features, and upgrades, like different privacy controls, and widget customization, plus more on the multitask side. And honestly, it feels like the software just blends right in with the rest of Samsung’s larger range of products and services, including Samsung SmartThings, Samsung Pay, and Samsung Health.
2. Updates and Support: Software Updates and Support: Samsung is a name synonymous with excellent software updates and support. This alone entails regular security updates and software upgrades for the Galaxy S21+ 5G. They also are giving a promise of at least three major updates to Android along with four years of security patches, making it an additional boon for users who seek long-term software support.
Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G, US Version, 128GB, Phantom Silver for Verizon (Renewed): Buy it now
SAMSUNG Galaxy S21 Plus 5G SM-G996B/DS 256GB 8GB RAM International Version – Phantom Violet: Buy it now
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.