Samsung Galaxy S21

Samsung Galaxy S21 was announced on January 29, 2021 at the Mobile World Congress. Even though the phone is an interative step up from the S20, there is a lot of new hardware to make it a worthy upgrade.

Unlike previous models, Galaxy S21 does not include an SD Card slot. So you need to size your base memory accordingly.

  • Display: Bigger 6.2 inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels
  • Network Technology: GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
  • Resistant: IP68 dust/water resistant up to 1.5m for 30 mins
  • OS: Android 11, One UI 3.1
  • Dimensions: 5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 in
  • Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, No Card Slot
  • Main Camera: 12MP, 64MP
  • Selfie Camera: 10MP
  • Battery: Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable

Compare Samsung Galaxy S21 Models

Galaxy S21 5G

6.2" Display

128GB/256GB

Front Camera 10MP

Rear Camera:
Wide: 12MP AF
Ultra wide: 12MP
Telephoto: 64MP


4,000 mAh Battery

$799.99

Galaxy S21+ 5G

6.7" Display

128GB/256GB

Front Camera 10MP

Rear Camera:
Wide: 12MP AF
Ultra wide: 12MP
Telephoto: 64MP


4,800 mAh Battery

$999.99

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

6.8" Display

128GB/256GB/512GB

Front Camera 40MP

Rear Camera:
Wide: 108MP Laser
Ultra wide: 12MP
Telephoto 1: 10MP
Telephoto 2: 10MP

5,000 mAh Battery

$1199.99

We consider the Galaxy S21 to be the best Android phone for the money, and that's with its standard $800 price tag. It earned a score of 88 from us for its attractive new design, lovely display, versatile cameras and long-lasting battery life. Samsung's new "contour cut" housing for the phone's rear cameras is much more attractive than that of previous hardware and the nearly edge-to-edge display provides an immersive experience. The S21 has a 6.2-inch, 2,400 x 1,080 resolution AMOLED panel while the S21+ has a 6.7-inch display with the same resolution. Running on Snapdragon 888 processor, these handsets have more than enough power to handle most things you'll throw at them — and in our testing, the S21 lasted around a day and a half before needing a recharge.
- Engadget: The best Android phone for the money - Jan 21, 2021

Before you buy one, the biggest takeaway you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, along with the Galaxy S21 Plus 5G and Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, is that Samsung cut the US price of each by $200 (the savings are less in other countries). Clearly this wasn't done out of generosity and Samsung's made trade-offs to hit that lower price on the Galaxy S21: The wall charger and headphones don't come in the box, the phone doesn't have a microSD card slot for expanded storage and it has 4GB of RAM less than the S20. Samsung also removed half of the pixels from the screen and replaced the Gorilla Glass from the back with polycarbonate, which is a nice way of saying plastic.
- CNet: Samsung's Galaxy S21 is the no-brainer upgrade phone - Feb 4, 2021

As for the Galaxy S21 Ultra, it's for those who don't want to compromise on anything. It has a 6.8-inch, 3,200 x 1,440 resolution AMOLED display, an even more capable rear camera setup that includes a 100x "Space Zoom" feature, a whopping 5,000mAh battery that can last up to two days on a single charge and S Pen compatibility (although you will have to buy that accessory separately). We also appreciate that Samsung addressed most issues in past year's premium model with the S21 Ultra, making it a good choice for power users. Since its exorbitant $1,200 price tag is one of the main things that should give potential buyers pause, Amazon's sale makes the S21 Ultra an easier buy.
- Engadget: A capable but costly flagship - Jan 21, 2021

The Galaxy S21 isn’t the star of Samsung’s S series in 2021, like we’ve been used to for most of the past decade, but it’s a solid smartphone choice with an impressive camera, powerful internals and great battery life. If you want the best of the best, look to the Galaxy S21 Ultra; but if you want a handset that’s cheaper than the Galaxy S20 was at launch, with a whole load of premium features, the Galaxy S21 is a delight to use, and will do you proud. It' plus point is "Fantastic, versatile camera, Cheaper than the Galaxy S20, Powerful and capable phone" and negative point is "No microSD support, Screen isn’t the best and No charger in the box.
- Techradar: Not the best of the best, but Samsung's S21 is fantastically put together - January 2021.

The vanilla Galaxy S21 is the smallest and most affordable of the three Samsung Galaxy S21 series phones. You do get a palm-friendly 6.2-inch display and basically the same specs as the Galaxy S21 Plus. You do need to sacrifice battery capacity by a bit, though, as the Galaxy S21 only has a 4,000mAh cell. Your wallet will be happy, however, because the starting price of the phone is just $799.
- Android Authority: Everything you need to know - May 16, 2021

Originally, I thought that the Galaxy S21 just barely missed getting our Editors' Choice Most Wanted award, but after another month with the phone, I can admit when I'm wrong. When you get right down to it, the Galaxy S21 is a great phone at a great price. Even if the company made a few cuts compared to last year, as a whole, the S21 is a compelling package for just $800. But the built-in ads are an issue, One UI doesn't treat background apps as it should, which can interfere with things in ways you can't predict, and some of the lost features like MST for contactless payments are still a bummer.
- Android Police: Should you buy Samsung S21? - Mar 30, 2021

Samsung has chosen to get aggressive on price this year. The Galaxy S21 starts at $799.99 for the smaller version with a 6.2-inch screen and $999.99 for the Plus version with a 6.7-inch display. Though in both cases, the smart move is to spend an extra $50 for the models with 256GB of storage. It helps that the S21 happens to be a very good midrange phone. Nevertheless, Samsung’s choices this year mean if you want to get the very best phone Samsung has to offer right now, you have to buy the very biggest phone, the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
- The Verge: The Samsung Galaxy S21 is nice for the price - Jan 27, 2021

Options to sync Samsung Galaxy S21 with Outlook

There are several ways to use Samsung Galaxy S21 with Outlook and Office 365.

1. Sync with Outlook App on the Phone

If your Outlook folder is an Exchange or Office 365 folder, click here for a detailed setup guide to sync with Samsung Galaxy S21.

2. Sync with Google

For IMAP and POP3 folders, you can sync Outlook Contacts and Calendar with Google. Then on the phone, use Android Contacts and Android Calendar. Click here for a detailed setup guide.

3. Direct USB Sync using CompanionLink

For any foldder type, CompanionLink can sync Outlook Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes. This works with any version of Outlook.

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Last modified: Jun 20, 2021 11:03 am