Apple's third-gen AirPods drop to $150, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals
Memorial Day discounts are already starting to pop up.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
89
Engadget Review
Samsung’s Galaxy 21 Ultra might not pack many dramatic upgrades, but it’s a polished powerhouse that’s remarkably competent on all fronts. Bear in mind, that doesn’t mean it’s perfect -- some of its features aren’t as immediately useful as we had hoped, and the loss of expandable storage could be tough for some power users to swallow. The Ultra’s price and size still might put it out of reach for some, but if you can justify the cost -- or don’t mind waiting for a deal -- the good far outweighs the bad here.
Its remarkable competence makes up for a lack of dramatic upgrades.
Chris VelazcoJanuary 21, 2021
Pros
- It’s cheaper!
- Excellent performance
- Polished cameras
- Packs valuable software changes
Cons
- The era of expandable storage is over
- S Pen experience isn’t as good as the Note's
- Some camera features are flaky
Samsung
Galaxy S21 Ultra
Engadget
89
Critics
10 reviews92
AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE
Users - Not yet scored
N/A
AVERAGE USER SCORE
View All Critic & User Reviews
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Critic Reviews (10)
- 92AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE10 ReviewsZDNet100Samsung's best S series for $200 less than last year's modelIt's been a couple of years since I personally considered a Galaxy S series for myself since I've been enjoying the Note line and new Z Fold models, but the S21 Ultra 5G gets just about everything right and is gorgeous. I love that it is a few millimeters narrower than the iPhone 12 Pro Max and that the zoom cameras provide something unique with solid quality. The price is right for the S21 Ultra 5G and I don't know how I am going to resist ordering my own in the next week.Gizmodo90The Most Maxed Out Phone for the MoneyWhile Samsung axing microSD card expandability is certainly regrettable, the S21 Ultra has the best screen, the longest (and most usable) zoom cam, and the best in-screen fingerprint reader you can get on a phone today.Wired80Samsung’s new flagship has one of the best cameras in a smartphoneI want to start with the only reason anyone should splurge for the S21 Ultra: The zoom camera. No, I don't mean the fact that you can zoom in up to 100X on faraway objects; the quality at those zoom levels is poor. It's the 10X optical zoom that really shines.CNET90Second time's the charm for Samsung's premier phoneWith an elegant design, lower price and S Pen support, Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra phone is pretty badass.The Guardian100The new king of Android phonesGreat screen, performance and battery plus new camera with dual 3x and 10x lenses for super zooming.TechRadar90The Galaxy S21 Ultra is as good as it looksThe Galaxy S21 Ultra is here earlier than anticipated, and that’s good news if you’re eager to own the best of everything that Samsung can pack into a smartphone. It wowed us with a big screen, five cameras and the best zoom on any readily available Android phone. But, while it’s cheaper than last year’s ‘Ultra’ phone, it’s pricey, and it doesn’t come with a microSD card slot or included charger.Input100The iPhone 12 Pro Max gets put to shameThe S20 Ultra fell short of high expectations. This year there’s honestly nothing controversial about the S21 Ultra. No fundamental flaws. Whereas the iPhone 12 Pro Max doesn’t do anything extraordinary with its larger dimensions, the S21 Ultra does. Every millimeter feels like it’s been maximized. Every feature feels like it’s been turned up to ultra. Bravo Samsung. Bravo!CNN100Samsung’s Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra deliver as premium Android smartphonesThe S21 Ultra delivers a terrific 10x optical lens and is no longer hampered by some camera options as was its predecessor, making for a much more uniformed experience compared to the S20 Ultra. In short: it blows past the Note 20 Ultra and other premium Android phones.IGN80A big phone with all the featuresThe Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra may be pricey, but every penny goes toward incredible versatility.The Verge90THE REAL DEALIf you can navigate the software, the size, and the price tag, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best Android phone available today. I don’t know how long it will be able to hold on to that crown, but it’s got it now.
Key Specs
TYPE
Smartphone
SCREEN SIZE
6.8in
INTERNAL MEMORY
128GB
CAMERA
Yes
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