The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the latest flagship from Samsung, but can it beat the amazing Galaxy Note 20 Ultra? Clearly, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best S series smartphone, but it may also be the best Note now that it includes S Pen support. In addition, many of the specifications that were unique to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra have been matched or exceeded by the newest smartphone from Samsung.
The S Pen is the most iconic feature of Samsung's mobile phone design. No other manufacturer has devoted the focus and resources that Samsung has to make the stylus an integral part of the smartphone experience. The most obvious sign of devotion to this cause is that the Galaxy Note series literally includes the stylus inside the phone, so it is always available and always charged. Samsung carried the integration into the software as well. As soon as the S Pen is removed, a menu of options appears for immediate access to drawing, note-taking, or screenshotting features. The S Pen and the Note series have evolved together for several years and perform like no other phone and stylus.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is a fantastic smartphone. In many ways, it is similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that launched last year. Both feature screens that are just shy of 7 inches and a 120Hz refresh rate on a super-bright, sharp and colorful OLED display. Samsung makes some of the best screens on the market and either will provide a very satisfying view of photos, videos and games. IP68 dust and water resistance, along with Gorilla Glass Victus, means each phone is about as rugged as a phone gets without a case. Of course, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, priced at $1,300 on Samsung’s website, includes an S Pen and it can be stored within the body. The Galaxy S21 Ultra, at just $1,200, is the first of its line to support the S Pen, but it is sold separately for $40. There is also the option to bundle the S Pen with a case that provides additional storage, starting at $70. For a Note-like experience, the cost would be at least $1270, resulting in $30 separating the two.
S Pen, Cameras, & Processors Compared
With the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung has given the customer the option to enjoy the S Pen experience. Although sold separately, the S Pen from an old Galaxy Note phone or Samsung tablet will also work. However, the latest updates to the S Pen are not yet recognized by the Galaxy S21 Ultra. This means remote shutter control and gestures that rely on Bluetooth functions won’t work with a standard S Pen. Samsung is working on a larger S Pen Pro that will enable Bluetooth actions, but it won’t be available until later in the year and the price remains unknown. As a result, the Note 20 Ultra is still the most complete S Pen experience, though it is nice to have the option on the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Samsung’s newest phone includes advances to the camera and processor, adding more value to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. It matches the 108-megapixel resolution of the Note 20 Ultra, but adds 9-pixel binning instead of 4-pixel binning for better low light performance. Improved re-mosaicing and Zoom Lock delivers sharper images with digital zooming. The Galaxy S21 Ultra also increases optical zoom to 10-times versus the 5-times available with the Note 20 Ultra. Of course, the processor is faster every year and Samsung’s latest phone features the best available. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 will power the U.S. edition while the equally impressive Exynos 2100 takes that place in international versions. For roughly the same price, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra offers everything the Note 20 does and more, with the single exception of Bluetooth S Pen actions and storage within the phone.
Source: Samsung