The Galaxy S21 series is still a great choice if you’re looking to pick up a flagship phone. The standard Galaxy S21 debuted at $800 as Samsung switched to a plastic back, and the move paid off for the brand. The Galaxy S21+ took those fundamentals, increased the screen size, and switched to a glass back.
But it’s the Galaxy S21 Ultra that’s particularly noteworthy this year, because it got the 108MP camera at the back, the QHD+ AMOLED screen, and 12GB of RAM as standard. All three models are still going strong nine months after their introduction, and Samsung is now incentivizing the products with lucrative discounts. The standard Galaxy S21 is now available for $700, the Galaxy S21+ has a $150 discount and is down to $850, but once again, the S21 Ultra shines tall with a $300 discount, bringing the phone down to $900 — this is one of the best Black Friday Android phone deals.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
$900 at Amazon
$1,000 at Samsung
The Galaxy S21 Ultra continues to be the Android flagship to beat at the end of 2021, offering a fabulous 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED screen, powerful internal hardware, 12GB of RAM, outstanding cameras with 10x optical zoom, and a large battery with all the extras you can think of.
Samsung Galaxy S21+
$849 at Samsung
The Galaxy S21+ is a decent alternative, but you’re not saving a lot of money here, and you miss out on the QHD+ screen and the 108MP camera at the back. That said, it is smaller and lighter, so if you want something more manageable, it is a good choice.
Samsung Galaxy S21
$700 at Samsung
The regular Galaxy S21 is still a great option, offering the latest hardware, standout cameras, all-day battery life, and a sublime 120Hz AMOLED screen. You’re not missing out on much here, and the plastic back means you can get your hands on the S21 for less.
Another area where Samsung is doing all the right things is software. The Galaxy S21 series is already receiving the stable Android 12 update, with One UI 4 offering new features and a slight visual refresh.
And with Samsung delivering Android updates for three years and four years of security updates, you don’t have to worry about your Galaxy S21 staying up to date. If I had to pick a phone of the three, I’d go with the S21 Ultra — you’re just getting a lot more for your money. And with the phone now at $900, it is the best deal in the S21 series as well.