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Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Review

Does the Plus-size version of Samsung’s 2021 flagship actually prove that bigger is always better, or is it a big disappointment?

What we love — Superb screen, reliable camera, solid performance

One of the biggest reasons to pick this device over the standard Samsung Galaxy S21 is of course its bigger screen; measuring 6.7 inches, it’s a large AMOLED panel that ably supports HDR content and also offers a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate that can deliver smooth scrolling but also conserve energy when running less intensive tasks.

The camera set-up is near-identical to the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, and while that’s not a bad thing at all — images are still detailed and realistic — it does mean that it’s not quite on the level of the iPhone 13 or the Google Pixel 6. Low light performance is a weak spot, but portrait pictures and 10x zoom shots are standout highlights.

The processor (an Exynos 2100 in our review sample) performed well when running online games such as PUBG, and also dealt with photo editing apps too — we didn’t find any apps it couldn’t run, though it did (rarely) get warm to to the touch when running demanding processes.

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What we don’t like — Not a big upgrade on the S20 series

The biggest criticism of this device is that it doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from its predecessors. In fact, the screen resolution of this device (2400 x 1080p) is actually lower than its direct antecedent (3200 x 1440p). Think of this device as just tweaking the formula rather than being a massive upgrade.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is a big-screen smartphone that delivers strong overall performance, particularly in terms of its screen, camera, and processing power. However, if you’ve bought a flagship smartphone in the last couple of years then it’s unlikely to be worth switching to this one, as it offers just a modest improvement rather than a revolutionary change.

Our Recombu reviews are created using data collected by Trusted Reviews Labs, utilising their testing expertise to bring you an easy-to-read, short-form review.

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