Samsung has big shoes to fill in 2021.
2020 has seen the release of some truly impressive Android phones, one of the best being the Galaxy S20 from Samsung. The S20 set out to deliver on every front that it could, and for the most part, it succeeded with flying colors.
It’s now been a few months since the S20 came out, though, which means it’s time to start looking ahead. The smartphone industry moves at a rapid pace, and before you know it, it’ll be time for the Galaxy S30.
We’re using this article to round-up all of the latest S30 rumors, reports, and leaks, so if you’re at all interested in learning about the phone, this is where you want to be.
Unmatched
Samsung Galaxy S20
$1000 at Amazon
$1000 at Best Buy
$1000 at Walmart
One of the best Android phones you can buy in 2020
We’re just as excited about the Galaxy S30 as you are, but if you need a phone right now, don’t feel like you have to wait months for it. The Galaxy S20 that’s currently available is excellent in just about every regard. It has a gorgeous AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, incredible performance, great cameras, and long battery life — all in a wonderfully compact form factor.
Jump to:
- A Q1 2021 release date is likely
- The S30 will be an expensive phone
- We’ll get at least two models
- We don’t know what it’ll look like
- Expect powerful specs
- The Galaxy S20 is still great
When is Samsung going to launch the Galaxy S30?
Samsung’s Galaxy S phones launch early on in the year, often around March. For some perspective, here are the release dates for the past few Galaxy S handsets.
- Galaxy S8 — April 21, 2017
- Galaxy S9 — March 16, 2018
- Galaxy S10 — March 8, 2019
- Galaxy S20 — March 6, 2020
This suggests that the Galaxy S30 will also see a March release date, and right now, we have no reason not to believe that. It’s possible Samsung pushes things back until April, given manufacturing constraints thanks to the pandemic that doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon, but that remains to be seen.
Speaking of that, the way Samsung launches the Galaxy S30 will also be quite a bit different than usual. The company usually holds a big in-person event where press and media from all over the world come to attend, but that seems highly unlikely for the S30. Samsung’s hosting a virtual event for the Galaxy Note 20 unveiling, and that’s most definitely what we should anticipate for the Galaxy S30, too.
Do we know how much the Galaxy S30 is going to cost?
Similar to the release date, pricing for the Galaxy S30 is also a mystery. Once again, however, we can make some educated guesses based on past years. Let’s take a look 👀.
- Galaxy S9 — $720
- Galaxy S9+ — $840
- Galaxy S10 — $899
- Galaxy S10+ — $999
- Galaxy S20 — $1000
- Galaxy S20+ — $1200
- Galaxy S20 Ultra — $1400
Just like virtually all smartphone makers, Samsung is known for increasing prices every year. The Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra were easily the most expensive Galaxy S phones ever, but they also introduced technologies we hadn’t before seen — such as 120Hz displays and Qualcomm’s (extremely costly) Snapdragon 865 chip with 5G connectivity.
We’re expecting similar tech for the S30, so there’s a chance Samsung will be able to keep its retail prices identical or similar to the S20. That could be wishful thinking on our part, but only time will tell.
How many versions of the Galaxy S30 will there be?
For the past two years, Samsung’s Galaxy S has come in a package of three distinct models. 2019 saw the release of the Galaxy S10e, S10, and S10+, whereas 2020 gave us the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. Where the S10e aimed to deliver a flagship Android experience for less money than the baseline S10, the S20 Ultra’s main purpose was to be the most powerful and technically-impressive phone Samsung could create.
One the one hand, Samsung could follow the S20 strategy and give us a Galaxy S30, S30+, and S30 Ultra. That seems like a solid move, but the latest Note 20 reports raise some uncertainty.
It’s shaping up that Samsung will only have two Note 20s to choose from, including the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra — no “Plus” model in the middle. If this turns out to be accurate, Samsung may stick to that idea for the S30.
This is another area where it’s too early to say for sure one way or the other, so we’ll have to wait for the rumor mill to kick in and provide some insight as to what’s going on.
What does the Galaxy S30 look like?
As for what kind of design we can look forward to for the Galaxy S30, Samsung has a couple of options — 1) keep the Galaxy S20’s design language or 2) usher in a completely new design.
The above image is an early render of the Galaxy Note 20, and as you can see, it keeps many of the S20’s design elements (such as a centered hole-punch cutout and a similar-looking camera bump). Whether or not this is a sign that the S30 will also retain this general look remains to be seen.
If we had to make a guess right now, we’d expect the front of the phone to look virtually identical — that means slim bezels and a centered hole-punch cutout. Samsung is going with a completely flat display on the Note 20 whereas the S20 has a slightly curved screen, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens there. A new camera housing on the back isn’t out of the question, especially considering how often Samsung likes to change it up.
Can you tell me about the Galaxy S30’s specs?
The Galaxy S30 will be a flagship phone through-and-through, and that means we can look forward to flagship specs. We’ve yet to get any concrete leaks as to what kind of specs will be on board, but there are a few things that we can speculate on.
For starters, the latest Qualcomm processor is a must. That means the Snapdragon 875 with support for 5G. We also anticipate Samsung will stick with its 120Hz AMOLED displays, at least three rear cameras, and ample RAM and storage. The phone should also ship with Android 11 out of the box, with Samsung’s usual overlay of One UI.
The addition of 5G and the 120Hz screen were big staples for the Galaxy S20, making the phone an exciting upgrade even if you had the S10. We think the S30 will be a year of refinement for Samsung rather than major breakthroughs, so while it may not be as buzzworthy, it should take all of what made the S20 great and crank it up just a little more.
Should I wait for the Galaxy S30 or buy the S20?
Here’s the thing. There’s no doubt that the Galaxy S30 is going to be one of the best phones of 2021, but that’s the thing — we still have a ways to go before you’ll be able to buy it. Should you be in the market for a new phone right now, the Galaxy S20 remains a fantastic purchase.
Hardware-wise, the S20 is phenomenal. The metal and glass construction is just as premium as ever, and especially with the baseline S20, its smaller size makes it a genuinely great one-handed phone. There’s also that AMOLED display with its 120Hz refresh rate and Quad HD+ resolution, allowing your games and movies to look better than ever.
If it’s powerful cameras you’re after, the S20 also has you covered. The phone is equipped with a 12MP primary camera, 64MP telephoto camera, and 12MP ultra-wide camera. Each sensor is capable of capturing really gorgeous photos, and thanks to that telephoto one, you can take zoom shots up to 30x.
Rounding out the Galaxy S20 are some of the best specs you can get — a Snapdragon 865 chipset, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 4,000 mAh battery. Add all of that together with IP68 water/dust resistance, wireless charging, and Samsung Pay, and you’ve got one heck of an Android phone.
Unmatched
Samsung Galaxy S20
$1000 at Amazon
$1000 at Best Buy
$1000 at Walmart
One of the best Android phones you can buy in 2020
We’re just as excited about the Galaxy S30 as you are, but if you need a phone right now, don’t feel like you have to wait months for it. The Galaxy S20 that’s currently available is excellent in just about every regard. It has a gorgeous AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, incredible performance, great cameras, and long battery life — all in a wonderfully compact form factor.
