Samsung Galaxy S21+ Review: Best Of Android With A Hefty Price Tag

Among the three smartphones introduced by Samsung in its flagship Galaxy S21 series this year, the S21+ strikes as a middle ground for those looking for a powerful Android device. The Samsung smartphone follows right behind the Galaxy S21 Ultra in performance specs and stands atop the Galaxy S21 in the same regard.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Image: Sarthak Dogra/ Indiatimes)

So the competition that the Galaxy S21+ faces is not from other OEM offerings but from its own brethren. The question then arises, should you be buying the Galaxy S21+ by spending a little extra than you would on the Galaxy S21, all the while saving a similar amount on the S21 Ultra? Or maybe go all out on the S21 Ultra to get the best there is on offer.

Upon using the Galaxy S21+, you will find that an argument can be made for both the sides. One thing that is unarguable though, is the fact that Samsung has produced a feature-rich flagship with the S21+ that will be second to none as far as a daily smartphone usage is concerned. Here is why

Galaxy S21+ Design

If we simply talk about the form factor, the Galaxy S21+ might not have anything new to offer. It is a classic full-display smartphone design that is bordered by ever so slim bezels on all the sides and a punch-hole camera at the front.

In doing so, however, Samsung has made sure that the S21+ is utmost handy and comfortable to operate. The display is easily accessible for a single handed use and unlike the Galaxy S21 Ultra, you will not have to shift it in your hand every time you try to use the device. That is also because of the lighter build of the smartphone that makes use of a mix of glass and plastic instead of an all metal finish like the S21 Ultra.

What might feel a bit different (from other smartphones) is the camera module at the back. Aligned with one edge of the phone, the module houses three lenses in a vertical format that somehow manage to keep the phone balanced despite a one-sided placement. The same cannot be said for the Galaxt S21 Ultra, which houses a bigger (and obviously more powerful) camera module at the back.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Image: Sarthak Dogra/ Indiatimes)

But for now, let us just keep all that aside and focus on the one extraordinary factor that the Galaxy S21+ possesses - its colour, because this is exactly how you will feel once you see the device in its signature Phantom Violet dual tone. It is hands down one of the best colour amalgamation to have made it to the smartphone market to date. Needless to say, it is bound to turn heads once out of the pocket.

Galaxy S21+ Performance

Before diving into the details, let me remind you that the Galaxy S21+ costs just over Rs 80,000. With that price tag, you would expect a smartphone to have the best of what a company has to offer. That, however, is ever so slightly false for the Galaxy S21+.

But that is only because Samsung had to offer the best on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Comparison aside, the S21+ comes loaded with all the bells and whistles that you can ask for. More importantly, it comes with everything that you would ever notice in a smartphone, making its shortcomings practically negligible.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Image: Sarthak Dogra/ Indiatimes)

The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, for instance, refreshes at 120Hz, same as the S21 Ultra. It is, however, restricted to Full HD+ resolution. That, again, in no way means that your media experience on the smartphone will be hindered, even by little.

The same goes for its performance. The Galaxy S21+ retails in three storage variants but all of these have an 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and can¡¯t be upgraded to a 16 GB option as on the S21 Ultra. The thing is, coupled to Samsung¡¯s new Exynos 2100 SoC, there is practically no task that cannot be performed on the S21+ without any lag.

Galaxy S21+ Battery

Now comes the ace in hand for the Galaxy S21+. With its more powerful brother milking its battery through every use, the Galaxy S21+ can last longer in a day through its 4800 mAh battery. It is a simple plus but one that can easily be seen as most impactful for everyday smartphone use.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ (Image: Sarthak Dogra/ Indiatimes)

Without the comparison, the battery is enough to last you a day, with some remnants towards the end. The charging is not that fast and a 15W wireless charger takes around 4 hours for a full juice. Wired 25W connection cuts it down to an hour and a half.

Verdict

When thinking of whether to buy it or not, the plus as well as the negative of the S21+ is that the smartphone cannot be compared to any other offering in the market at the moment. The plus is that it stands practically alone in its price segment with unmatched performance power. The negative, in a way, is the Samsung S21 Ultra is a slightly better device than the S21+ -- having used both of them.

So comparisons aside, the Galaxy S21+ is a powerful Android device unlike any other that will cater to most of your needs out of a smartphone with such ease, you are bound to go gaga over it. And if not anything else, get it for the colour that you will not see on any other smartphone hands down.