Samsung announced its flagship Galaxy S21 series at its “Galaxy Unpacked” event yesterday. Galaxy S21 5G pre-bookings started today from online and offline outlets, and the latest S series flagships will be shipped from January 29. So if you’re looking for an upgrade, you should know what exactly the differences are between the Galaxy S21 Vs Galaxy S20.
Also, read | Galaxy S20 vs OnePlus 8 Pro: Specs & Features Comparison
As Galaxy S20 also got a price cut in India, is it worth to spend Rs 20,000 for an upgrade? We talk about five reasons not to upgrade to Galaxy S21 based solely on specs. Read on!
Galaxy S21 Vs Galaxy S20 Specs
| Specs | Galaxy S21 | Galaxy S20 |
| Display | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; (2,400×1,080 pixels), 120Hz refresh rate | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; (3,200×1,440 pixels), 120Hz refresh rate |
| Pixel density | 421 PPI | 563 PPI |
| Dimensions | 71.2×151.7×7.9 mm | 69.1×151.7×7.9 mm |
| Weight | 171g | 163g |
| Mobile software | Android 11 | Android 10 |
| Camera | 64-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) | 64-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Front camera | 10-megapixel | 10-megapixel |
| Video recording | 8K | 8K |
| Processor | Exynos 2100 (5 nm) or Snapdragon 888 | Exynos 990 (7 nm) or Snapdragon 865 |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB (5G), 8GB (4G) |
| Expandable storage | Up to 1TB | Up to 1TB |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh | 4,000 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | In-screen | In-screen |
| Headphone jack | No | No |
| Waterproof | IP68 rating for water and dust resistance | IP68 rating for water and dust resistance |
| Price | Rs. 69,999 | Rs 49,990 (After price cut) |
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Upgrade to Galaxy S21
1. From Glass to Glasstic Panel
As evident, the Galaxy S21 series doesn’t bring a huge design change from the Galaxy S20. The only visible difference is the slightly different camera module.
What pictures don’t show is the fact that Galaxy S21 is actually a downgrade from Galaxy S20. If we look at the build of these two phones, the Samsung Galaxy S20 sports a glass back, while the Galaxy S21 comes with the ‘Glasstic’ panel.
This is a plastic back panel material that doesn’t feel as premium as glass. However, you can say it’s more durable than glass. The S21 is slightly heavier than the Galaxy S0.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 comes in three colors- blue, pink, and gray, while the Galaxy S21 comes in gray, white, violet, and some kind of pink.
2. From Quad HD to Full HD+
The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S20 have very much similar displays and if you look at some specs, the Galaxy S21 display may seem a downgrade from the Galaxy S20.
Both flagships have 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED displays, with Infinity O type cut-out, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and in-screen fingerprint sensors. This is the resolution that makes the S21 a downgrade.
While the Galaxy S20’s screen resolution is Quad HD (1440 x 3200 pixels), the Galaxy S21 comes with FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels) only.
But wait, if you’re thinking the Galaxy S20 is clearly better, you should know that the S20 can not use QHD resolution with 120Hz refresh.
3. No Big Upgrade in Camera Setups
People wait for the next Galaxy S series expecting some camera upgrades, however, the Galaxy S21 and S20 have the same camera setup: 64-megapixel telephoto, 12-megapixel wide-angle, and 12-megapixel ultrawide cameras.
Both phones also have 10-megapixel front cameras.
The changes with the Galaxy S21 come in terms of camera modes only such as “Director’s View” and some in video recording.
4. Other Specs are Almost Similar
The Samsung Galaxy S20 comes with last year’s Exynos 990 processor or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865. Similarly, the Galaxy S21 packs Exynos 2100 and Snapdragon 888.
Both processors are not much different in terms of processing and efficiency. Apart from this, the Galaxy S20 comes with a 12GB RAM option, while the S21 reduces to 8GB only.
Both the Galaxy S21 and S20 pack a 4,000mAh battery. These both also support 25W wired charging and 10W wireless charging.
In terms of OS, Galaxy S20 is running Android 10 but the Galaxy S21 brings the Android 11 with ONE UI 3.1 skin.
5. Galaxy S20 Series Price Cut
Perhaps the biggest difference between the S20 and S21 has now become the price tag. After the Galaxy S20 price cut in India, the Galaxy S21 5G which starts at Rs. 69,999, has started seeming a bit expensive, given the fact these both have mostly similar specs.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 now starts at Rs 49,990 in India. One more thing, I’d like to mention here is that the new Galaxy S series phone doesn’t come with a charger inside the box, which also cost you some extra bucks.
Also, read | How Smartphone Brands Are Minting Money By Removing Charger from the Box
Wrapping Up
Looking at the specs, you can easily perceive that Samsung Galaxy S21 isn’t a very huge upgrade over Galaxy S0. In fact, there are even some downsides to the 2021 model. If we talk about the prices, the Galaxy S20 has been discontinued now and you can get one for much less than the Galaxy S21. So if you are not into that much of upgrading models every time, Galaxy S20 will still do the job for you.
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