After the arrival of the Galaxy S21 in Spain, we have spent the last few weeks testing the latest Samsung phones. After testing the Ultra and the most compact and affordable version, it's time to try the Galaxy S21+, the intermediate model that aspires to be the option for those looking for a great mobile that is not as gigantic as its older brother.

Galaxy S21+ Features

Processor:

Memory:

Rear cameras:

Frontal camera:

Video:

Connectivity: 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, USB type C, NFC, WiFi AX, GPS, GLONASS...

Sensors:

Battery:

Dimensions: 161.4 x 75.6 x 7.8mm.

Weight: 202 grams.

Others:

Operating system:

Galaxy S21 and S21+: main differences

If you have already read our analysis of the S21, we anticipate that many of the evaluations that we made on this mobile are going to be similar or similar to the Galaxy S21+. If you have already read the analysis and simply doubt which of the two terminals to choose, it will not be necessary for you to read the entire analysis again. What are the key similarities and differences?

How the Galaxy S21+ changes:

Large, heavy and high-end mobile

The Samsung Galaxy S21 + will not be as excessive as the Ultra model, but it is still a mobile of considerable size. Under its 6.7-inch diagonal in an aspect ratio of 20:9, we find a wider mobile. This extra 2 mm is due to the fact that the screen is no longer curved, which means that it requires more front surface in the same screen size.

In terms of weight, it is also the heaviest Plus model since the Galaxy S category has existed. Until now, the weight in this range had ranged between 173 grams for the Galaxy S8+ and 189 grams for the S9+ (the S10+ had 175 grams and the S20+ 186) and for the first time we surpassed the barrier of 200 grams (weighing 202 in total).

This weight gain is due to two key factors:

The Galaxy S21 + feels like a solid block in the hand, and the aluminum frame has more prominence compared to its predecessors. On the other hand, it feels less ergonomic in handling, since with the larger size of the side frame we have a rear glass with less curvature. Although I liked this decision in the S21, in the Plus model it has not finished convincing me. The S20 + was a large and very manageable mobile, and the S21 + is a manageable mobile, just plain.

Aluminum goes far beyond the frame, and also reaches the photographic module. Said aluminum stands out from the rest of the terminal and keeps the cameras in the spotlight while protecting them. It is unique and leaves no one indifferent.

On the other hand, on the right side we see the power and volume buttons in a very comfortable and convenient position. The placement of the volume buttons is ideal not only for their main purpose, but also for use as a camera shutter.

In the lower frame we appreciate the speaker, USB C port and SIM card slot. The tray on this occasion does not have a microSD card reader.

Matte glass is a design trend that Samsung has been slow to come up with, but has pulled off great. The glass has a soft touch and the fingerprints are sufficiently camouflaged so that we do not have to walk all day cleaning the mobile. As for colors, we have been able to test the unit in silver and we have found it striking and elegant.

In terms of glass resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus is the most resistant ever implemented in the Galaxy S, withstanding drops of up to 2 meters without problems. It is something that is good to know, although we cannot guarantee that it will withstand the hardest falls on a day-to-day basis. Yes, it gives us the confidence to be able to use the mobile without a cover or worries, but neither to walk with total carelessness.

A large, practical and well used screen

Back in 2014, Samsung surprised us with the Galaxy Note Edge, a mobile that would be key in the strategy of the South Korean company. After this mobile, the curves reached the Galaxy S6 and S7, models in which it was only in the most expensive versions to later become the default option but with less and less prominence.

This was the curve of the Samsung Galaxy S20 + | Analysis.

On a personal level, I considered that the curved screen of the S20 + was the best that Samsung had ever done for having reduced the curve to the minimum expression, and finally Samsung has chosen to be still pragmatic.

The curved screen has been a controversial issue since then, since although it is a differentiating factor and many people like it on an aesthetic level, on a day-to-day basis it is not practical at all. The flat screens in the highest range had been relegated to the iPhone, the Google Pixel and some other specific model such as the Asus ROG Phone.

There are many objective facts to consider as better flat screens, such as:

In terms of quality, we have a very high quality Super AMOLED panel. Its resolution is FullHD and it stands out for its excellent color calibration in its natural screen mode, although if you prefer more intense colors you can also opt for Samsung's more vivid classic calibration.

At the technology level, this panel stands out for including an adaptive refresh rate in which we will have a maximum fluidity of 120 Hz, which will be automatically reduced when they are not necessary to save battery (such as when we watch a video with 30 images per second or we are looking at static images).

We also have a mode called adaptive view saver. It is a more intelligent implementation of the well-known blue light filter, but it dynamically adapts depending on the time of day. At one point we thought it was an exclusive to the Galaxy S21, but Samsung has indicated that all phones that receive One UI 3.1 will receive it.

We have a second generation ultrasonic fingerprint sensor integrated into the screen. In a year and a half using the Galaxy Note 10+ I have never had any problems, but the first generation ultrasonic on-screen reader gave many people problems and now it seems that all the problems were solved. In my opinion, it is the best fingerprint reader, located in a very accessible area and, unlike optical readers, it does not emit a flash.

We like the speakers very much, but we do not appreciate a great evolution compared to previous generations, beyond the fact that the rear part no longer reverberates at higher volume levels.

Same exemplary performance and better range

Samsung's Exynos 2100 processor is one of the best chips of 2021. Made with 5 nanometer technology, it has been Samsung's choice for its three Galaxy S21 models. Everything goes with exquisite fluidity and at no time did we even consider whether it would have been better with the latest Qualcomm chip that we already tested in the Xiaomi Mi 11.

Beyond the raw performance, the leap in architecture and manufacturing process has offered us a better battery than its brothers, holding an average of about 6 hours ~ 6 and a half hours of screen at 120 hertz and reaching 7 going to 60 hertz. With these figures it becomes the best of the 3 Galaxy S21 in autonomy as it is the one with the best relationship between battery size and screen consumption.

In terms of charging technology, we do not have a charger included, but it supports wired charging up to 25 W, as well as support for 15 W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging to charge accessories such as the Galaxy Watch or TWS headphones with a charging case. wireless.

The same photographic experience as his younger brother

At the camera level, we have the following camera configuration from the previous generation. At the level of features, we appreciate the following sensor configuration:

Does this mean that we will achieve the same results as in the previous generation? It should not, since the processor technology has improved a lot, the software is able to achieve better results with the processing of the sensors. However, we expected Samsung to take a step forward by incorporating its very powerful 108 Mpx sensor throughout the range. There are many improvements that the S21 Ultra has compared to conventional models, and it would be fair that all models had the same experience with the main camera.

Ultra wide-angle photography is very solid.

Despite our criticism of the sensors, we find a very competent combination of sensors, and that is that all three cameras are high-quality sensors. Whether in traditional photography or ultra wide angle capture, we find a very solid photographic experience. The results offer good color fidelity and dynamic range, making it a reliable camera that does not fail us.

Photo taken with the Galaxy S21, which has the same photographic experience.

One of the most important improvements in the processing of the algorithms is in the portrait mode. Samsung boasts of the use of AI to segment and achieve a more precise depth range. A test me messing my hair on purpose serves as a sample of how successful he is with the hairs reaching an exceptional degree of precision.

The third rear sensor is a bit strange. It is a 64 Mpx camera that is used to take pictures with a 3x zoom. However, this zoom is taken by software and not optical, being able to achieve 3 increases without loss of quality and up to 30 increases, here yes, with a notable loss of quality.

We can also use this 64 Mpx sensor without zoom, selecting the 4:3 aspect ratio of 64 Mpx. 64 Mpx photos achieve a higher level of detail, but instead lose the good dynamic range of the main 12 Mpx sensor. From our perspective, we recommend the use of 64 Mpx photography only in ideal lighting conditions. Both have OIS optical stabilization.

As for video recording, we have excellent 4K recording at 60 images per second, compatible with the main sensor and the ultra wide angle. We also have 8K at 24 images per second, but it is still a technology that is too demanding for current technology and it is also done with the 64 Mpx sensor, so in terms of quality it is not a great improvement as in the ultra variant.

Photos taken by the Galaxy S21+.

Among the video recording extras, we have super stable video recording at 60 images per second in FullHD quality, the usual slow motion and ultra slow motion recordings (in this sense, the 12 Mpx sensor with DRAM achieves better results than the ultra model), a professional video recording mode that allows us to use external microphones via USB and Bluetooth (in addition to modifying the rest of the parameters manually) and a new mode called director, which allows you to record simultaneously with the camera back and front.

One UI 3.1 with Android 11 continues to polish its own identity

My history with Samsung software for years has been very polarized, and both Touchwiz and Samsung Experience have been layers that I didn't like at all, while One UI has become one of my favorite customization layers. This time we have One UI 3.1, based on Android 11, the latest version of the operating system.

The notification system is one of the most powerful points of Android 11, and Samsung has done a great job. We have the native floating conversations of Android 11, although if we prefer we have a more discreet notification system that by sliding down displays an application window with the floating window technology that has stood out in Samsung's layer for years.

We have access to all the functions of Android 11 with one small exception, and that is that the home automation menu is not found when you press and hold the power button (with this button, we will activate Bixby). However, we can access it from the quick settings panel, being able to control any home automation device with applications that are prepared for the new system, such as SmartThings, Google Home or Xiaomi Home.

Within the quick settings we also find a few other striking functions, some of which are from the Samsung layer, others specific to these mobiles and some that are standard on Android but are not available on all mobiles:

We have Google Discover on the home screen, something we've been asking Samsung's launcher for years. If you prefer, you can also select Samsung Free, which offers a section of news curated by UpDay. I liked Samsung Free more than Discover, but why stay with one if we have the possibility to choose which one we prefer.

Among the use of technologies that we like from Samsung's high-end, it is important to highlight Samsung DeX. This tool allows us to use the desktop interface of our mobile, either on a monitor by connecting a USB Hub, wirelessly on televisions or directly from our computer. On a personal level it is a great addition that I usually value a lot at Samsung, and that is that with a Hub to which you connect a monitor, keyboard and mouse you can turn your mobile into a computer for web browsing, writing emails, editing photos and videos and even playing games. video games in streaming thanks to Stadia or Google Now.

Another very striking aspect of One UI is the possibility of editing the order of the camera modes, an option that little by little appears in more and more customization layers and that we love by allowing us to leave the camera application to our liking.

Bixby Routines is the best of the Samsung assistant. We can customize among dozens of options to create very cool automations, such as activating the do not disturb mode automatically if we are in the location of our workstation.

In terms of customization, we can't forget about Good Lock. This application, available in the Galaxy Store, gives us access to all kinds of experiments that Samsung is working on. Some of these modules end up as part of the system over time, and

In crops of nobody? Quite the contrary

Since Samsung has embraced the trend towards Ultra models, the Plus variants seem to have lost all of the limelight. It already happened with the S20+ last year, and again we find ourselves somewhere between the extremely comfortable S21 and an S21 Ultra that offers the best of Samsung, but this is also noticeably more expensive, and somewhat heavier and more uncomfortable to handle. (here the difference is not so drastic, but it is present) .

However, as we already mentioned in the analysis of its predecessor, on many occasions the virtue is in the middle ground, and the Galaxy S21 + demonstrates it with great solvency. It is a high-end mobile that does not give up almost anything and that the only thing that we can really miss is the 10x periscopic zoom, since although the difference from 12 to 108 Mpx seems drastic, in practice the results are not so far away

If you like screens with curves or it is your intention to use a case with SPen, the Galaxy S21 Ultra should be the model you aspire to but if what you are looking for is a large high-end, not gigantic, that meets all aspects, the Galaxy S21 + is the option to choose. If I wanted to buy one of the three, this would be the one I would end up choosing.

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