How to Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S21—and Which One to Get

Samsung has three new flagship phones it wants to sell you: the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. They’re pricey—the cheapest model starts at $800—but these Android phones also are packed with the latest in mobile technology, from the speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor to impressively sharp and bright 120-Hz AMOLED displays.

If you’re enticed, we’ve rounded up some advice on which model you should buy—if you should buy them at all—along with the best deals and promotions around, so you get the most phone for your buck.

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The Right Galaxy for You

The three new phones have a lot in common. They all utilize the same aforementioned processor, support fast 120-Hz screen refresh rates, have 5G connectivity, and can record video in 8K resolution. Also, none of the new Galaxies come with a charger in the box (exactly like the latest iPhone models), and Samsung also stripped out the MicroSD card slot, so you can’t expand on the base 128 gigabytes of storage. We talk about all the fine details here, but here’s a quick recap of the differences.

Best Pick—Galaxy S21 ($800): This is the phone most people should buy. It’s the most affordable of the bunch (it’s still very expensive!), but it also has the smallest screen at 6.2 inches, making it a great option if you dislike big-screen phones. It has a 4,000-mAh battery that should be enough to last a full day, 8 GB of RAM, and what separates it from the other two is the polycarbonate back. That might make it more appealing, because it’s one less part of the phone made of glass you can crack.

Galaxy S21+ ($1,000): What’s nice about this year’s lineup is that you get the same camera experience in the S21 and larger S21+. Both models have a 12-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 64-megapixel zoom camera that offers up to 30X of hybrid optical/digital magnification. The difference, as the names suggests, is the size. The 6.7-inch screen on this larger model is much better for viewing movies or shows, and the larger body means you get a bigger, 4,800-mAh battery too. The S21+ also skips the plastic on the back in favor of a more premium Gorilla Glass Victus material. The S21+ and the S21 Ultra (the next one on this list) both have ultra-wideband tech inside too, which enables you to unlock car doors with the phone (if your car is compatible) and get precise location tracking when you use Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTags.

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