Is it worth investing in the upgrade?

When smartphone manufacturers or game developers decide to release an update every year, it doesn’t always end well. In the case of FIFA (or PES), you’re basically buying new player lineups every year, and with the Samsung Galaxy S21, the changes also seem minor compared to its predecessor.

You, readers of NextPitalready showed dissatisfaction with this fact when the Galaxy S21 line was presented in January and criticized Samsung's lack of innovation in the comments. Below, you will find a comparison of the technical specifications of both smartphones, followed by 5 pros and cons, for or against the update.

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Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S20: head-to-head specs

Let’s start with the specs and look at the hard facts. We’re talking about technical upgrades like an improved camera or a better display. At the same time, the table helps to clarify where Samsung has invested the most in the new model.

In this article, I won't go into detail about the specifications of the Plus and Ultra models. However, I will mention the devices whenever there are significant differences.

One point for an update: the new design

In my opinion, Samsung has achieved one thing in particular with all three Galaxy S models in 2021: bringing a new and, above all, unique design language. This is mainly due to the camera module, which blends into the body on two of the sides of the S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra. This makes the bump look much more discreet.

My feeling is that the camera bump is a little less noticeable compared to the Galaxy S20. Sure, the S21 Ultra's camera module is still pretty big, but you can't get away from that when using periscopic lenses. But even in its case, the transition from the module to the rear finish was done in a well-thought-out way.

The S21 series also manages to stand out from other smartphones with new colors. Back in January, the Samsung Galaxy S21+ secured the title of the best-looking Android flagship of the year, as the purple and gold paint scheme is really eye-catching. The standard model is also available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom White, and Phantom Pink. On the Galaxy S20, except for the FE version, you could only choose between a pink, a blue, and a black finish.

I need to mention one more thing, as it is relevant to some people: the standard Samsung Galaxy S21 has a back made of polycarbonate. However, since the finish is still high quality, this did not bother me.

Point against the update: no micro SD support

One flaw that many flagships have this year: Compared to the S20, Samsung has eliminated support for micro SD cards and thus the possibility of memory expansion in the S21 models. So, at most, you'll find 512 gigabytes of storage in an S21 series model — and that's only in the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, on the other hand, come with “only” 256 gigabytes of maximum internal storage, and that can quickly fill up, especially when recording video in 8K resolution. All three predecessors in the lineup offered the option to expand storage with micro SD cards. If this feature is important to you, an upgrade to the S21 series may not be the best option.

Argument for an upgrade: Exynos 2100 is more efficient

Ahead of the launch of the Galaxy S21 series, Samsung surprisingly gave the new chip its own presentation event. The new “brain” is called the Exynos 2100 and convinced in the test especially with one thing: better power management than the Exynos 990 chip of the previous series. Just like Qualcomm with its Snapdragon 888, Samsung has adopted a triple architecture, with a better balance of cores.

This results in better battery life, especially on the S21 Ultra and S21+. However, the Galaxy S20 has a smaller battery, and with it I often reached a critical battery level around 9 pm during intensive use throughout the day. The battery life is not exceptional, but compared to the Galaxy S20, which is also equipped with a 4,000 mAh battery, you should certainly be able to get two days of use with the power saving mode and reducing the screen refresh rate.

As if the improved efficiency weren't enough, the Exynos 2100 also brings a nice leap in performance, which means that the global S21 series is finally not so far behind the North American option, equipped with the Snapdragon chip. The new SoC also integrates a 5G modem, so you no longer need to worry about distinguishing between a 4G and 5G version of the smartphone.

Arguments against the upgrade: Camera upgrades are concentrated on the S21 Ultra

It's no surprise that Samsung has been saving its most advanced camera technology for its Ultra models. That was the case with the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and the same is true with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which now sports a dual telephoto camera. As Antoine pointed out in his review, the S21 Ultra is the smartphone with the best optical zoom in the first quarter of 2021. That's because there's not only an optical telephoto lens with 3x zoom, but also a second lens with 10x zoom. Samsung has also adopted a 108-megapixel sensor in the S21 Ultra.

But it's wrong to think that the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ have only lost the 10x zoom. Because these models don't have the same 3x telephoto camera, but instead offer an approximate 1.1x zoom, followed by a digital zoom, a recipe already adopted by Samsung in the S20.

Compared to the previous generation, the S21+ and S21 Ultra also lack the ToF sensor found in the S20+. While its usefulness is certainly debatable, the lack of the sensor is still a weak point when comparing the two more expensive versions of the S21 and therefore needs to be mentioned.

For the entry-level Galaxy S21, we can say that we can't expect any changes in terms of camera quality. But that doesn't mean that the smartphone's camera doesn't take good photos: Samsung's software and the features in the S21's camera app are a plus point over the current series.

Out of the question: price increase even with removal of charger

From a purely economic point of view, an upgrade to one of the S21 models could have been justified if the devices had been priced lower. Unfortunately, this did not happen in Brazil, despite the price reduction abroad.

Overseas, Samsung has managed to reduce the price of all three devices, which helps to forgive the removal of the charger. In Brazil, the list price of the basic model has increased by around R$500, without taking into account that you may need to buy a power adapter with a USB-C port.

But it's always worth remembering that Samsung's Galaxy S line is unofficially the champion in price drops! Just three months after the global launch of the S21 series, prices have already dropped as follows:

Of course, this applies to other models from the brand: you not only save money by waiting a little longer for the Galaxy S21, but also for the Galaxy S20, which is becoming increasingly attractive and can now be found for less than R$3,000 in Brazil.

Conclusion: Upgrading to the S21 is more for S10 fans or owners

Overall, I don't think upgrading from the Galaxy S20 to the Galaxy S21 is worth it. The technical innovations are very small and the more powerful processor is perhaps the best argument in favor of the new model. But since flagships always offer plenty of performance, I think it's unlikely that any user would be dissatisfied with the performance of the previous model.

Ultimately, the new design remains a good reason to upgrade to one of the S21 models. But that's a matter of taste and, in practice, it doesn't translate into a leap in quality or user experience.

I think the S21 will appeal most to owners of older smartphones — regardless of whether they’re a Samsung fan or not. If you fall into this category and are looking for a stylish and, most importantly, quality Android phone in 2021, you should consider the S21 series.