Samsung continues to dominate the smartphone market with its amazing smartphones which vary from high-end models with everything you can ever expect such as high speed, foldable display with high refresh rates, 5G connection, and even better battery life to entry-tier smartphones that can be affordable by nearly anyone in some parts of the world, the company is known for quality which is a good brand identity for Samsung.
Not so long ago, the company released its Galaxy Z series which includes the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 both of which are making big sales right now on the market especially the bigger Z Fold 3. The Z Flip 3 looks more practical in every sense and even in the price point, it now sits in the US$1000 range making it a normal flagship device.
The wide variety of Samsung’s devices means that at any price point, you can get a really great value for your money which is in fact one good thing about the brand. Although the line between high-end flagships and mid-range devices continues to be blurred by other brands such as Xiaomi with its Redmi sub-brand, the reality is that Samsung continues to be a powerful force on the smartphone market, and it’s due to the fact that the company makes really great smartphones.
Below are the best Samsung smartphones in 2021 that you can buy. We categorized them based on the special qualities they possess such as camera capabilities, size, battery, and price point. So in case, you’re on the market for a new smartphone in 2021, whatever your budget is, be rest assured that there is always a Samsung Galaxy smartphone that can cater to your need. So without any further ado, below are the best Samsung smartphones for 2021.
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- Samsung smartphone with the best camera 2021 (Galaxy S21 Ultra)
- Samsung smartphone with the best battery 2021 (Galaxy M62)
- Best Samsung foldable smartphone 2021 (Galaxy Z Fold 3)
- Samsung smartphone with the best price point (Galaxy A52)
Samsung smartphones with the best camera 2021
Samsung continues to show its prowess in the smartphone camera department making it the biggest rival of other brands like Huawei and Apple. Most of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones released since 2019 have featured multiple cameras all of which have interesting specifications on paper with results to show for it.
The sudden crank to 108MP gives the high-end Galaxy smartphones the ability to take really great photos that can be tuned down to any point. Other things that play into this includes picture post-processing which is yet another cool feature that makes these devices far superior on the smartphone market compared to other high-end flagships from other brands like OnePlus or Xiaomi.
- Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is a truly powerful smartphone with some high-end specifications but first, let’s talk about its camera capacity. This device has a 108MP wide-angle primary sensor with features like an f/1.8 aperture with a 24mm, 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, and OIS. The primary sensor is able to capture true-to-life images in any condition and its focusing capacity is top-notch and one of the best on the market overall.
Then there are other setups such as a 10MP periscope telephoto lens with f/4.9 aperture with OIS and most of all, its 10x optical zoom – allowing you to take pictures from a distance and still retain the quality in its entirety. Then there is another 10MP telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture capable of 3x optical zoom and has support for OIS while the last is a 12MP ultrawide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture with steady video capacity.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra can shoot videos at 8K@24fps resolution but this is a big drain on the device’s storage, however, you can take things to a reasonable level by filming at 4K@30/60fps or 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, and there are also features like HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS.
There are other cool features of the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G apart from its camera prowess – it features the high-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, and has 12GB/16GB of RAM with storage options that range from 128GB to 512GB of internal storage though there is no support for microSD slot.
Overall, this remains the best camera smartphone from Samsung so far in 2021 and since we won’t be getting a Galaxy Note 21 series this year, that is why the previous model made it on this list.
Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
This device remains one of the best smartphones on the market even in 2021 despite being released a year ago. The device still maintains its prowess and capacity and is able to compete with the latest flagship from Samsung, the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.
One thing about the Note series for a while is their capacity as well as camera prowess. This is the device that Samsung often puts all of its efforts, correcting mistakes it made on the previously announced S series (because the S series are usually announced before the Note series), and just making it load up with every feature possible. This is why the Galaxy Note series is usually the better device from Samsung.
The Galaxy Note 2 Ultra despite not being all about the camera but about features, thanks to its S-Pen’s upgrade, the device in fact has extraordinary camera capacity.
Just like the aforementioned Galaxy S21 Ultra, the Note 20 Ultra was the second device from Samsung to sport its high-end 108MP camera sensor with wide-angle capacity and an f/1.8 aperture. It has features such as Laser autofocus and optical image stabilization or OIS and then there is a 12MP periscope telephoto lens with an f/3.0 aperture capable of 5x optical zoom and 50x hybrid zoom and has features like PDAF and OIS. Then there is another 12MP ultrawide-angle lens with an f/2.2 aperture all of which make up the triple camera system of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Just like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the Note 20 Ultra is also able to record videos at 8K@24fps resolution as well as 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, and it has other features such as stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS.
The front-facing selfie camera is a regular 10MP sensor and there isn’t too much to be said about it except the fact that it’s also able to take great pictures as well though it’s nowhere near the rear camera system.
To date, this is still a pricey smartphone even though there has been a sharp decline in the price point due to the release of other high-end Galaxy devices this year, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra came with a US$1,300 price tag last year when it was released.
Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
You shouldn’t be surprised that this device made it on this list and that’s because it was the ultimate back in 2020 when it made its debut. The Galaxy S20 Ultra was Samsung’s first smartphone to sport the humongous 108MP sensor (though not the first). The device also has all the cool specifications you’d expect from a high-end flagship with a US$1000+ price tag.
The primary sensor as mentioned earlier is a 108MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and has OIS with no laser autofocus compared to the duo above. But it compensated for this lack in other areas such as its secondary 48MP periscope telephoto lens which is capable of 4x optical zoom and 10x hybrid zoom. Then there is a third 12MP sensor for Super Steady video and a tiny 0.3MP ToF 3D depth sensor to enhance pictures in every way possible.
The Galaxy S20 Ultra during its days was a great device and the camera isn’t the only thing that made it awesome, its ability to also record great videos with 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+ as well as cool features such as stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS.
As for the front-facing camera, you get a 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.7µm, PDAF lens that can record 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps video with features like Dual video call, Auto-HDR.
Samsung smartphone with the best battery 2021
When I realized Samsung was releasing a smartphone with an insane battery capacity, I didn’t know the Korean company was trying to ace its competitors in the battery department as well. Big batteries are common in the rugged smartphone market but Samsung took that to another level with the Galaxy M51 which is certainly interesting. Basically, the Galaxy M series are power smartphones, and here is my list of Samsung smartphones with the best battery in 2021.
- Samsung Galaxy M62
- Samsung Galaxy M51
- Samsung Galaxy M31
Samsung Galaxy M62
The Galaxy M62 offers the biggest battery on any Samsung device aside from its predecessor, the Galaxy M51 which was released back in 2020. This beasty smartphone comes with a 7,000mAh Li-Po battery with 25W fast charging capacity and reverse-charging support. This device makes it easy to charge up within 130minutes from 0% to 100%.
The Galaxy M62 isn’t only about the big battery though as it also comes with other cool specifications such as the Exynos 9825 (7nm) SoC with an octa-core (2×2.73 GHz Exynos M4 & 2×2.40 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4×1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) processor. It has 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage which can be expanded using an external dedicated microSDXC slot.
The display is a 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) Super AMOLED panel with 420 nits of brightness at its peak and runs on the current Android 11 OS with the One UI 3.0 laced on top of it.
You get a quad rear camera setup with a 64MP primary sensor and other important ports are intact such as the 3.5mm headphone jack. It comes in Laser Green, Laser Gray, and Laser Blue color options, and a US$404 price tag.
Samsung Galaxy M51
Samsung one-uped other smartphone makers in 2021 with the Galaxy M51 even though the device was released back in September 2020. This isn’t meant to be the flagship killer or whatever it is other brands are fighting for. It is instead meant to be the ultimate power smartphone that can literally last you for days despite consistent usage.
This beast comes with a 7,000mAh Li-Po battery and can become your power bank due to the fact that it also supports reverse charging. With a 25W fast charging, you get from 0% to 100% in just 115 minutes, and then you can start using this beast of a device for days nonstop – literally.
Things that make the Galaxy M51 an efficient smartphone are that it doesn’t have components that will wreck its battery quickly. For example, it sports the mid-tier Snapdragon 730G (8nm) with an octa-core processor and an Adreno 618 GPU. Despite that, it has a storage capacity of 128GB with a dedicated microSD slot while its RAM range between 6GB and 8GB.
It’s definitely an affordable smartphone and comes in three color options Celestial Black, Electric Blue, and White with a US$379 price tag even though that might have been reduced at this period of the year.
Samsung Galaxy M31
There is a market-only version of this device called the Galaxy M31 Prime in India but the Galaxy M31 is released globally or at least can be found in most stores across the globe. The device comes with some really cool features but one of them is its battery capacity.
While it’s not as big as the aforementioned Galaxy M51, this one too is a beast in its own right. Considering the fact that it’s a trimmed-down version of the aforementioned device, it comes with really cool specifications and a premium-looking Infinity-U display.
Away from its design, the Samsung Galaxy M31 sports a 6000mAh Li-Po battery with 15W fast charging. It has no reverse charging and it has some trimmed-down specifications as well like the Exynos 9611 (10nm) chipset and lesser base storage option of 64GB (up to 128GB) which can be expanded using a MicroSDXC card slot while the RAM range between 6GB and 8GB.
Best foldable Samsung smartphone 2021
Samsung shook the world with the release of its Galaxy Z series this year and continues to dominate the foldable smartphone market. The release of the duo Z series gave a hint that the future is foldable. As more brands could potentially enter the folding phone market in the near future, this factor alone could drive the price down making these form factors a common design practice among smartphone makers but let’s leave the future and talk about now. Here are the best folding smartphones from Samsung in 2021.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G
The best foldable smartphone from Samsung in 2021 and it’s even cheaper than the previous Z Fold 2 5G released back in 2020. This device is a true multi-task machine thanks to its versatility.
You get two massive displays to work with. Although the outer display is quite narrow and doesn’t look like a normal smartphone something Huawei was able to perfect with its Mate X2 which can be used without being unfolded, the fact that Huawei has totally deployed its devices away from Android and to its own HarmonyOS has further shifted the dynamics.
With the new Galaxy Z Fold 3, you get a foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2x panel with a 120Hz refresh rate with a brightness that can reach 1200 nits at its peak. The device when unfolded becomes a 7.6-inch device with 179.9 cm2 with an 88% screen-to-body ratio. It has a resolution of 1768 x 2208 pixels and is protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.
The Galaxy Fold 3 now has support for Samsung’s S-Pen which was only supported on the Note series. The Z Fold 3 also comes with some cool specifications such as Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm), 12GB of RAM, and 256GB/512GB of internal storage.
It sports a triple rear camera system and is powered by a 4400 mAh Li-Po, non-removable battery among other interesting features. One of which is the under-display feature which some have referred to as a gimmick but who knows, at least, you get a distraction-free large display to work on.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G
This is yet another interesting device and in my humble opinion, this is the only practical foldable smartphone in 2021 from Samsung. First, you now get a usable 1.6-inch display at the back of the device compared to the tiny one on the previous model. You also get a nice 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ with a powerful brightness that can reach 1200 nits at its peak.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a plastic front and a glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus) with an aluminum frame. It is also loaded with high-end specifications such as Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) as well as an Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680) CPU with an Adreno 660 GPU. You also get 8GB of RAM with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.
Speaking of practicalities, this device has an IPX8 water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) which can be one of the biggest challenges for those who are planning to own this device. One thing though is that the device isn’t dust resistant because of its foldable display.
It has a dual rear camera setup and a 3,300mAh Li-Po battery. Color options range from Phantom Black, Green, Lavender, Cream, White, Pink, and Gray with a price tag that starts from US$999.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G
There isn’t so much difference between this device and its successor, the Galaxy Z Fold 3. One obvious thing though is the fact that the new model now has an IPX8 water resistance rating making it a bit more practical for an average user and also got a lower price point compared to the Z Fold 3 when it made its debut back in 2020.
With that said, you get a Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2x panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+. The device has a 7.6-inch display with an 88.6% screen-to-body ratio and a resolution of 1768 x 22808 pixels (~373 PPI density). Its external 6.3-inch AMOLED panel is covered by the Gorilla Victus as well and has a 25:9 aspect ratio.
A triple rear camera system and Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) chipset with an octa-core (1×3.09 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 585) CPU as well as an Adreno 650 GPU.
In terms of storage space, you get 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of internal space. In terms of its battery capacity, it offers a 4,500mAh Li-Po battery as well as is offered in multiple color options like Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Thom Browne Edition, and Aston Martin Racing Edition.
Samsung smartphone with the best price point 2021
Nothing is as good as a smartphone that offers tons of features at a low price point. This is one of the areas where companies like Xiaomi and OPPO have been making the high-end Galaxy S Series appear as overpriced smartphones.
The Galaxy A series has always been the answer to these competitors and even in 2021, you still get to wonder what the difference is between the Galaxy A72 and the Galaxy S21 but I digress. Below are the best Samsung smartphones with the best price point in 2021.
- Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A72
Samsung Galaxy A 52 5G
This is a really brilliant device from Samsung and it comes with most things you’d expect from a mid-range device. There is 5G network support which is one of the qualities of a high-end smartphone in 2021 and you get even other cooler specs such as a great display, a great camera system, and a fast processor.
First the camera of the Galaxy A52 5G, you get a quad rear setup that is made up of a 64 MP wide-angle sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and other cool features such as PDAF, and OIS, then there is a 12MP ultrawide-angle sensor, a 5MP macro, and another 5MP depth sensor.
Away from the camera specs, you get a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 800 nits of brightness at its peak. The bezels are reduced to the point that there is just an 84.1% screen-to-body ratio. The display resolution is 1080 x 2400 pixels and it’s protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G is running on the current Android 11 OS based on One UI 3.1 skin and it’s powered by the Snapdragon 750G (8nm) chipset with an octa-core CPU. The GPU is an Adreno 619 and offers between 6GB and 8GB of RAM with 128GB and 256GB of internal storage which can be expanded using a microSDXC slot.
It has a 4,500mAh Li-Po battery and it also comes in various color options such as Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet, Awesome Blue, and a US$364 price tag.
There is literally nothing more to say about the Galaxy A52 5G because I just want the specifications to do the talking, especially the price tag.
Samsung Galaxy A72
If you want something more than what the Galaxy A52 5G has to offer but don’t necessarily have to pay too much, then the Galaxy A72 might just be the right option to consider. This is like the Galaxy A52 5G but with some high-end tweaks and trimmed-up specifications.
For example, you now get multiple storage options such as 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and 6GB of RAM, and lastly, 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.
The camera specification is also tweaked with better options such as a primary 64 MP wide-angle sensor with f/1.8 aperture, 26mm with PDAF, and OIS. Then a secondary 8MP telephoto lens with x optical zoom and OIS support, a 12MP ultrawide-angle lens, and a smaller 5MP macro lens with f/2.4 aperture.
The display is a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel with an unfortunately trimmed-down refresh rate of 90Hz compared to the 120Hz on the aforementioned A52 5G smartphone. But you still get the brightness and the same Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
Powered by the same Android 11 OS and Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) with a larger 5,000mAh battery that is able to charge at 25W. Color options include Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Violet, and Awesome Blue, and the price tag is about US$470.
The choice is yours to make whether you want a slightly bigger Galaxy A472 or the moderate and cheaper A52 5G with some cooler specs. There is just a compromise when comparing both devices.
Samsung smartphones to consider in 2021
You thought it was over right? It ain’t! Samsung has made so many smartphones in the last 3 years and it’s hard to compile them considering the fact that these devices all have great features and interesting specifications that make them all unique. Below are some cool Samsung Galaxy Smartphones you should consider buying in 2021 if you’re on the market for a new device from the premium brand.
| Smartphone | Image | Specs | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S21 5G |  |
6.2-inch Super AMOLED display, triple rear camera setup, Exynos 2100 (5 nm) – International Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) – USA/China, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM,4,000mAh battery and Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink color options |
US$380 |
| Samsung Galaxy S20 FE |  |
6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, triple rear camera system with Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+), Android 10 out of the box (Upgradeable to Android 11), 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM with MicroSD support, 4,500mAh battery, and Cloud Lavender, Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud White, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange color options |
US$494 |
| Samsung Galaxy A32 |  |
6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate, quad rear camera system, Mediatek Helio G80 (12 nm) processor, 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM storage options with microSD support, 5000mAh battery with Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Blue, Awesome Violet color options. |
US$250 |
