[ UPDATE 14/01/2020 23:30 ]: Samsung Galaxy S21 series is now official. More details here.
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The Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra will be officially unveiled tonight (14th January 2021) at 11pm Malaysian time. With less than 12 hours to go, serial leakster Evan Blass has posted almost everything you need to know including the full key hardware specs of the new Samsung Galaxy flagship.
Similar to 2020’s Galaxy S models, Samsung is releasing three versions – the S21 (6.2″), S21+ (6.7″) and the S21 Ultra (6.8″). Both the S21 and S21+ are pushing Full HD+ resolution on a flat AMOLED panel that pushes a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Meanwhile, the top of the line S21 Ultra is doing a higher Quad HD+ resolution that also does an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate.
In terms of build, both the S21+ and S21 Ultra are using glass backs except for the base model S21 which uses plastic. All 3 models use AL7s10 metal frame and it has Gorilla Glass Victus protection for the front screen.
In the camera department, the two lower models get a triple-camera setup featuring a 12MP main and 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera plus a 64MP telephoto unit. Meanwhile the Ultra model gets a quad-camera setup featuring a higher-resolution 108MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens and two 10MP telephoto shooters along with a Laser AF ToF module. Only the Ultra gets a 40MP selfie camera while the rest settles for a 10MP selfie shooter.
In terms of battery, the S21 gets a 4,000mAh capacity while the S21+ has a much bigger 4,800mAh unit. The Ultra still retains the same 5,000mAh capacity as the previous model. In terms of charging, all 3 support fast wireless charging up to 15W and fast wired charging up to 25W. Reverse charging is still offered as standard and it also comes with IP68 dust and water resistance.
As shown in the leaked spec-sheet, the S21 series is powered by an Exynos 2100 but we reckon that certain markets will be getting the Snapdragon 888 unit. For Malaysia, it is likely that we will be getting the Exynos version.
The biggest highlight for the S21 Ultra is S Pen support, a feature that was previously exclusive to the Note line. Unlike the real Galaxy Note phone, there’s no dedicated silo for you to keep the pen. You’ll have to purchase a special case that has an S Pen holder at the sides. This would definitely make the phone bulkier and it won’t be as easy to use with a single hand.
In terms of connectivity, you can expect 5G and WiFi 6 to be offered as standard. Ultra-wideband is something Samsung is pushing aggressively this year but interestingly, it’s only supported on the S21+ and the S21 Ultra.
This is also the first time Samsung is shipping its phones without a charger. Similar to Apple’s justification, the leaked website screenshot says that it’s “just another of way of being ultra-kind to the environment”. Since Samsung uses USB Power Delivery standard, you could easily find other third party USB-C chargers with multi-ports for less than RM100.
For a clearer reference, below is the spec sheet that was shared by Evan as well as a couple of product videos:
Samsung Galaxy S21 Specs
Samsung Galaxy S21 Videos
If you want to watch the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event live, you can tune in at 11pm tonight on Samsung’s official YouTube channel. We expect Samsung Malaysia to reveal local pre-order details shortly after the launch.
