After months of being in the rumor mill, Samsung‘s first flagship offerings for 2021 have finally been launched. There are three 5G phones unpacked in the new Galaxy S21 series — the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra, the biggest and most premium model of the trio.

The latest Samsung flagships promise improved user experience and camera performance in a redesigned body with a new camera design that seamlessly blends with the smartphones’ metal frame. The S21 models also come in fresh color options with a matte finish. Phantom Violet is Samsung’s signature colorway this year.

Prices, preorder period and freebies, and availability

Pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy S21 Ultra in the United States are as follows:

• Samsung Galaxy S21 5G: $799 (around P38,384 converted)
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G: $999 (P47,992)
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: $1,199 (P57,601)

And here are the prices for the Philippine market:

• Samsung Galaxy S21 5G: P49,990 ($1,041)
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G: P57,990 ($1,208)
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: P69,990 ($1,457)

In the Philippines, preorders start January 15 and end January 28, with the S21 and S21 Plus releases scheduled for January 29 and February 5, respectively. According to Samsung’s local arm, the Galaxy S21 will be exclusive to operators and online retail.

Those who preorder the Galaxy S21 Plus will receive a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live, a Galaxy SmartTag, a Galaxy Tab A 8.0, and a 25-watt wall charger. The Galaxy S21 Ultra has the same set of freebies, except the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro takes the place of the Galaxy Buds Live. The offers will likewise be available through Globe Telecom and Smart Communications until January 24.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus originally went on sale for P49,990 ($1,040) and P55,990 ($1,165), respectively, in the Philippines. Last year’s Galaxy S20 Ultra with 12GB RAM and 128GB storage, on the other hand, had a suggested retail price of P69,990 ($1,457) at launch.

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G and Galaxy S21 Plus 5G

As with previous iterations, the camera and processor specs are the highlight this year, with the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus sporting a triple-lens setup and a top-of-the-line Samsung Exynos 2100 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip, depending on the market.

Both the Exynos 2100 and Snapdragon 888 are built on Samsung’s latest 5nm process use a high-performance ARM Cortex-X1 core, but their graphics chips are different. They Exynos 2100 and Snapdragon 888 also have integrated 5G modems for super-fast mobile internet where available.

The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus share many similarities with one another, including memory configuration and a triple-camera system, highlighted by an improved 12-megapixel primary camera and a 64-megapixel telephoto option capable of up to 30x digital zoom.

The most notable difference between the two is screen size. The regular Galaxy S21 is 6.2 inches across, while the Galaxy S21 Plus upgrades to a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. Both are FHD+ and support a refresh up to 120Hz for fluid scrolling, smoother motion content, and better responsiveness. Check out the embedded video to see what else the duo brings to the table.

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G and Galaxy S21 Plus 5G preview video

Samsung Galaxy S21 specs

• 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate
• 5nm octa-core Samsung Exynos 2100/Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with 5G
• Mali-G78 GPU/Adreno 660 GPU
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB storage
• Triple 12-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (wide), 64-megapixel (telephoto with 3x optical zoom) rear cameras
• 10-megapixel front camera
• Fingerprint reader (under-display)
• 4,000mAh battery with fast wired charging, fast wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
• OneUI 3.0 on Android 11
• Color options: Phantom Violet, Phantom White, Phantom Pink, Phantom Grey

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G specs

• 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate
• 5nm octa-core Samsung Exynos 2100/Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with 5G and UWB (ultra-wideband)
• Mali-G78 GPU/Adreno 660 GPU
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB storage
• Triple 12-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (wide), 64-megapixel (telephoto with 3x optical zoom) rear cameras
• 10-megapixel front camera
• Fingerprint reader (under-display)
• 4,800mAh battery with fast wired charging, fast wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
• OneUI 3.0 on Android 11
• Color options: Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

Alongside the Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, and Galaxy Buds Pro, which has also been confirmed for the Philippine market, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra finally broke cover at Samsung’s latest Unpacked event.

The Korean company says it offers the “ultimate premium flagship experience” and features the best and fastest specs of any Galaxy phone to date. And like its predecessor, the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Galaxy S21 Ultra goes over the top in the camera department, packing an improved 108-megapixel main sensor that supports 12-bit HDR and 12-bit RAW and two telephoto lenses that deliver up to 10x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom, in addition to a 40-megapixel selfie shooter.

On top of that, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 5G-capable Exynos 2100 chipset and a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with 2K resolution and a variable refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz. For the first time ever on a Galaxy handset, the S21 Ultra supports 120Hz refresh at native resolution. Watch the embedded clip below to know more about the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, and do share your own impressions with us in the comments section.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G preview video

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G specs

• 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, WQHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate
• 5nm octa-core Samsung Exynos 2100/Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with 5G and UWB (ultra-wideband)
• Mali-G78 GPU/Adreno 660 GPU
• 12GB/16GB RAM
• 128GB/256GB/512GB storage
• Quad 108-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (wide), 10-megapixel (telephoto with 3x optical zoom),
• 10-megapixel (telephoto with 10x optical zoom) rear cameras with laser autofocus
• 40-megapixel front camera
• Fingerprint reader (under-display)
• 5,000mAh battery with fast wired charging, fast wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
• S Pen support
• OneUI 3.0 on Android 11
• Color options: Phantom Black, Phantom Silver

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