Are you planning to upgrade your smartphone? This review might just help you decide between an Android and iPhone, if you’re into photography, social media and utilising the phone for entertainment and connecting with others.
TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics rightly pointed out that: “We are living in a mobile-first world, and with so many of us working remotely and spending more time at home, we wanted to deliver a smartphone experience that meets the rigorous multimedia demands of our continuously changing routines.” His statement was right on the money.
“We also recognise the importance of choice, especially now, and that’s why the Galaxy S21 series gives you the freedom to choose the best device for your style and needs,” he said. The Galaxy S series has always been pushing the parameters of mobile experiences since its entry into the market in 2010 and the latest baby from the series, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G sure left a great first impression.
Having been told incessantly how iPhones are light-years behind its competition, we compare the brand new S21 Ultra with an Apple iPhone to see how they stack up in terms of multimedia specifications. Here’s how the S21 Ultra fared.
1. Taking studio-quality, beautiful photos
As iPhone users, we can’t get over the quad rear camera. To launch the camera, you just need to press the side button on the right twice and voila! The 3x and 10x optical zoom feature is really great for closeups or if you want to get closer to your faraway subject without having to worry about shakiness or image quality, all thanks to the new Zoom Lock stabilising feature. Photos are much sharper (this is a major plus for the S21 Ultra) even in the zoomed in images and the colours too are more vivid (although still we prefer the more natural tone of the iPhone). A common grouse among iPhone users is its inability to take proper photos in low light, but that’s not an issue at all with the S21 Ultra where the Advanced ‘Night’ mode is a great help in reducing noise. Next on our must-shoot list, a picture of the moon!
2. Shooting professional-looking videos for social media
With video consumption on the rise, we think the S21 Ultra is just the thing you need to create professional-looking videos. Tap on the “More” function and it opens up to a whole new world of content creation. The aspect ratios and resolutions options are easy to use to manage file sizes, and the Pro Video function lets you choose frame rates and resolutions with a couple of taps. The S21 Ultra comes highly recommended for social media buffs, content creators, vloggers and video enthusiasts.
3. Watch Netflix and chill
We can’t get over the 6.8-inch Dynamic Amoled display of the phone, and it is pretty satisfying watching videos on this device which claims to have “the most intelligent screen yet”. What it means is that for the first time, you can enjoy both 120Hz refresh rate and a Quad HD+ display without having to choose just one, while stretching your battery life. The clarity is top-notch on the end-to-end curved screen and is no match for iPhone. For a better audio experience, we highly recommend the Samsung’s most premium earbuds to-date – the Galaxy Buds Pro.
4. Have a better Zoom (or Teams) meeting experience
While we’re all social distancing to break the chain of Covid-19, it doesn’t mean you can’t get together with your friends and have a Zoom catchup. Seen those grainy screenshots of virtual events on social media? It won’t be yours if you’re using the S21 Ultra. It’s perfect for interviews and webinars too. For better call quality, the Galaxy Buds Pro are your best sidekicks. They can separate your voice from unwanted sounds, so you can be heard clearly and it can also reduce the background noise by 99 percent. This is perfect for those working from home with young children. A big yay for S21 Ultra!
Are we ready to make the switch? Let us know what you think in the comment section. Meanwhile, checkout the Samsung website for more information.
