In this video we’re breaking down the five best Samsung phones in 2021. I’ve included options for every type of consumer. Whether you’re looking for a basic Samsung smartphone that gives you a good balance between features and price or a massive two screen foldable smartphone with tablet-like performance I’ll have the product for you.
The fifth product on our list is the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. This is our best value Samsung phone at around 400. The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is a great option for those that want a solid Samsung phone that does not break the bank. You get solid cameras, smooth performance and many of the same features as the Samsung Galaxy S20 at about half the price.
The S20 FE comes with a flat six-and-a-half-inch super amoled 1080 by 2400 resolution screen which gives you a variety of bold colors and high contrast ratios for inky blacks. You also get a triple lens camera with a 12-megapixel main snapper, a 12 megapixel ultra-wide and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens which can facilitate three times optical and 30 times digital zoom. You get decent features here like single take which captures footage using all three cameras and picks out the best frames. Night mode and AI scene optimization.
Under the hood it comes with a snapdragon 865 chipset with six gigabytes of ram for respectively smooth performance. This is combined with a fast 120hz refresh rate which makes motion smoother. I like that it has ip68 waterproofing so you can submerge it at 2 meters for up to 30 minutes and of course wireless charging is an added bonus.
You also get android capability with up to 3 years of software upgrades. Additionally, you get Samsung’s one UI which gives you some customization options. It offers a few battery saving options too which I think you’ll find useful.
Unfortunately, the glass back on the s20 has been replaced with polycarbonate plastic which feels lower quality, but I don’t think this matters much since most will be using a case that covers the back anyway.
While the S20 FE has a 4500 MAH battery a lot of the top features are power hungry which noticeably reduces battery life which is to be expected.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is a great value option that performs well. It has a nice display, a solid camera and software updates up to three years. The S20 FE gives you most of the core features of Samsung’s higher ended phones at a major savings.
The fourth product on our list is the Samsung Galaxy S21. This is our best Samsung phone for most people. Most people don’t need every premium feature so I think that Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S21 will satisfy most users needs
At 700 you get a phone that has a quality and versatile camera, improved graphics performance and solid battery life. All at a lesser cost than the previous year’s Galaxy S20. I think the upgraded snapdragon 888 chipset or the exynos 2100 equivalent, differentiates the s21, and it’s capable of handling most multitasking and split screen viewing.
You get a solid 128 gigabytes of storage along with 5g connectivity which makes it future proof. This phone has a 6.2-inch 1080 by 2400 full HD plus amoled display that gives you vibrant colors and solid brightness levels. Now if screen real estate is your top priority and you don’t mind paying more for it you can also consider the s21 plus.
The 120 hertz refresh rate allows for smooth scrolling and improved graphics on an adaptive basis to save battery. You get a triple lens camera with a 12-megapixel main lens an ultra-wide and a 64 megapixel telephoto lens.
Director’s view lets you shoot with the front and rear cameras simultaneously which is a great tool for vloggers. Samsung has removed the Bixby button and instead you can summon google assistant by long pressing the power button.
You’ll find a 70 larger fingerprint sensor which is faster than previous models and it functions well. You have access to the one UI skin, and you get access to productivity tools like decks to help professionals. Unfortunately, to keep costs lower the s21 doesn’t have a micro-SD card slot so there’s no way to expand the storage capacity.
It also lacks a charger in the box which I think is definitely an oversight on Samsung’s part and like the S20 FE the back is constructed from polycarbonate plastic. Overall, I think the Samsung Galaxy S21 is the best Samsung model for most people with a powerful chipset that can handle most everyday tasks. You get a high refresh rate, solid new camera modes and access to a lot of Samsung’s productivity tools like decks.
The third product on our list is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. This is our best Samsung Note phone. If you’re looking for the best Samsung Note phone the 1 000 Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has you covered. The Note 20 Ultra is a premium smartphone with 5g connectivity dynamic and variable refresh rates, a powerful camera and increased productivity tools.
The Note 20 Ultra gives you one of the best screens on a Samsung phone with a flat 6.9-inch quad HD plus 1440×3088 resolution amoled screen that has an outstanding 496 ppi. It also comes with a dynamic 120 hertz refresh rate for smooth action that adapts based on your activity to save power. Although the maximum rate does drop the resolution a bit.
The main camera is 108 megapixels, and both the periscope and ultra-wide lens are 12 megapixels which also offers five times optical zoom and 50 times digital zoom. I think you’ll appreciate the functionality of the camera too with numerous shortcuts for intuitive use.
The camera bump on the back protrudes a little bit which can be annoying but not a major problem. The S20 Note Ultra is powered by a snapdragon 865 plus chip with 12 gigabytes of ram that provides you with incredibly smooth performance. It comes with 128 gigabytes of storage which should surpass most people’s needs and the 4500 MAH battery should last you all day.
Another defining feature is the inclusion of the s pen which lets you doodle on screen and sync voice recordings with handwritten notes among other uses. The s-pen performance has been enhanced with better latency to improve your experience and the lag time has been reduced to 9 milliseconds.
You also get an in-screen fingerprint scanner Android OS and Samsung’s tools. Unfortunately, the high cost does put it out of many people’s budget but given the top end display and s pen capabilities you do get what you pay for here.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the best from Samsung’s Note line. You get s-pen compatibility for increased productivity and entertainment, a vibrant display 5g connectivity and an impressive camera. If screen real estate and s-pen functionality is your top priority the Note 20 Ultra should be the top of your list.
The second product on our list is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. This is our best overall Samsung phone. If you want the best overall smartphone that Samsung makes, then look no further than the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Priced at about 1 000 this is one of the finest smartphones on the market
It has a dual telephoto lens with excellent zooming, a dynamic display, great battery life and it’s the first s series phone to support the s-pen. You’ll be wowed by the 6.8 inch QHD plus 1440 by 3200 resolution, amoled display with coverage of the dci p3 color gamut for realistic colors in wide viewing angles.
The S21 Ultra boasts a dynamic 120 hertz refresh rate that automatically optimizes to preserve battery. And the best part is that you can have 120 hertz rates while retaining the QHD plus resolution.
I think you’ll find it gets plenty bright too and the eye comfort shield feature eliminates blue light. Its quad lens camera is unbelievable with a 108-megapixel wide sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra wide camera, two 10-megapixel optical telephoto lenses that are accompanied by a laser autofocus sensor and impressive zooming capabilities.
With its snapdragon 888 chipset 2 gigabytes of ram and massive 5000 MAH battery you’ll have difficulty finding better performance. One nifty feature is smart tags which you can use to track down lost items ranging from your keys to other devices. I also like the addition of private share which disallows screenshots and lets you give shared files an expiration date.
While it comes with solid storage options it lacks a micro-SD card slot which is disappointing at this price point. Additionally, although it features low latency compatibility with the s-pen you’ll need to purchase both the s pen and a case for it separately.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best phone Samsung makes. You get incredible cameras, excellent performance, pen compatibility and a dynamic refresh rate. For those looking for top camera performance or the best flagship Samsung smartphone and don’t mind paying top dollar for it the S21 Ultra cannot be beat.
The first product on our list is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. This is our best splurge Samsung phone. If you don’t mind splurging and want a futuristic Samsung smartphone with all the bells and whistles the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 retails for 1620. Like the name implies this is a premium foldable option which gives you two screens with three app multitasking.
The Z-fold 2 has a 7.6-inch infinity flex display made from ultra-thin glass and a 6.2-inch cover screen with 1786 by 2208 and 816 by 2260 resolutions respectively. The inside display also boasts a dynamic 120hz screen refresh rate.
I think the flex mode is a standout feature which executes the split screen software by letting you prop up the device at various angles to provide a more pleasant user experience than on a single screen. It can multitask with up to three apps simultaneously, so this phone performs like a tablet.
You should have no issues with the performance as it boasts a snapdragon 865 plus chipset 12 gigabytes of ram and 256 gigabytes of storage. It also has 5g connectivity depending on your region. Samsung has fitted the z fold 2 with 5 cameras: 3 12-megapixel rear cameras and two 10-megapixel front cameras which can give you quality shots.
The 4500 MAH battery provides good battery life depending on usage. I believe you’ll find that apps are optimized by the tablet size screen. Like all the phones on this list you receive android support and access to Samsung’s own tools like dex.
You can save app pairs which opens groups of apps automatically in a split screen layout and you can also have floating windows. The main display tends to be smudge prone due to the ultra-thin glass given the price. I think the camera’s zoom is underwhelming and it also lacks water resistance.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has tablet-like performance many useful features to increase productivity and 5g connectivity for excellent future proofing. If money is not an issue this is a good choice for power users or people seeking the latest foldable smartphone.
