The Fan Edition maintains the majority of the specifications and design of the S21, with slight discrepancies to meet its lower price value.
[8] The phone was originally planned to be released in October 2021 but was delayed due to the 2020–present global chip shortage.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra has an even larger screen size, battery, and a host of other improvements over the other models, including a more advanced camera setup highlighted by its 108 MP main sensor with laser auto-focus and a higher resolution 1440p display.
[11] The S21 Ultra is also the first phone in the Galaxy S series to support the S Pen, albeit sold separately and with limited functionality.
[12] The Galaxy S21 series has a design similar to its predecessor, with an Infinity-O display containing a circular cutout in the top center for the front selfie camera.
[14] The U.S., Canadian, Chinese, and international (European) models of the S21 FE use the Snapdragon 888, while Korean, Indian, Brazilian and Australian markets use Exynos 2100.
The S21 FE also has a similar camera setup to its predecessor but benefits from improved software and image processing.
[21][22] However, this was disputed by Samsung, claiming that they have an AI enhancement algorithm that adds detail to the moon photos.
[22] The Samsung Galaxy S21 series supports the following video modes:[15] Still frames extracted from high-resolution footage can act as standalone photographs.
[27] They all use Samsung Knox for enhanced device factory reset protection (FRP) security, and a separate version exist for enterprise use.
[29][30] Samsung added a "repair mode" to its Galaxy S21 on 28 July 2022, hiding users' data when they entrust an ailing device to a technician.
[33] The Verge's review, by Dieter Bohn, praised the S21 Ultra's punchy display, fast performance, long-lasting battery life and the general improvements to the camera system, likening the latter to that of the iPhone 12 Pro Max's; however, Bohn did note that the phone's glass back is slightly more susceptible to minor scratches.
[35] Matt Sweder at Techradar gave a positive review noting its "mesmerizing design" calling it "Samsung’s best-looking phone ever" and how "phenomenally powerful" the camera is, but also went on to criticize the price and lack of microSD card slot, and questioning the stylus support, which is a separate purchase, with nowhere to put the S Pen on the phone itself.
[36] Criticism has been aimed at the lack of a charger and memory card-expandable storage, the latter of which existed on the preceding Galaxy S20.
[38] Following Apple, Samsung decided not to include a wall charger or earphones when selling the Galaxy S21 series of smartphones, the reasoning being that "Samsung believes the removal of earphones and charger plugs from our in-box device packaging can help address the growing e-waste problem and unnecessary duplication of these items".
However, reaching the highest charging rate possibly requires a new charger with separate packaging and shipping with a standalone environmental footprint.