For about the same price, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Plus offer substantial upgrades to their S10 counterparts.
It makes sense to compare newer Samsung phones with older models if you are looking for a Samsung Galaxy S21. This comparison is based on how the models this year compare to the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 PLUS. You’re probably considering updating if you purchased one of these phones in 2019!
This comparison highlights the key improvements in the most recent versions. The Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus have impressive displays and a huge speed boost thanks to the Snapdragon888 processor. There are significant improvements in the camera and 5G support is included as a standard, instead of having to purchase a separate model.
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It’s clear that two years is a significant difference in the worlds of smartphones. Therefore, the Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Plus will have the upper hand over their S10 counterparts. Even though the features in the newer phones have been lost, we found that it is a great time for updating.
Let us break it down so you can make your own decision.
Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S10: Prices
Samsung decided to lower the price of the Galaxy S21 family this year. This is a departure from the S20 series’ high prices. The entry-level Galaxy S21 will set you back $799 with 128GB storage. Add $50 for the 256GB version.
The starting prices of the Plus models haven’t changed. In 2019, the Galaxy S10 Plus was priced at $999, but Samsung reduced the price to $849 in the wake of the Galaxy S20 Plus’s launch a year later. Since then, prices have fallen further.
The Galaxy S21 is $100 less than the Galaxy S10 at launch. The S10’s cost has fallen to $749 at launch, and then dropped further into 2020.
Samsung offers rebates for older models if you are considering upgrading. A Galaxy S10 can get you up to $450 credit on the Galaxy S21 Plus or Galaxy S21 Plus. We are also tracking the best Samsung Galaxy S21 deals at wireless carriers and other retailers.
Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S10 Design
Samsung’s design language was changed with the S20 series and refined for the S21. Instead of being a bar, the rear cameras are now confined to one corner of the back. Instead of being on one side, the front camera cutout is now centered along its top. There are some commonalities between the two devices families. However, you have to really look for them.
The S10 and S10 Plus were given a lot of fun and wild color options, especially the yellow one. However, the S21, S21 Plus and S21 Plus are more reserved with their Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray and Phantom Pink (S21), Phantom Black, (S21 Plus), Phantom White (S21), and Phantom Black (S21 Plus) colorways.
The S21 and S21 Plus weigh more than the S10 Plus and S10 Plus. In fact, the S21 is almost twice as heavy as that of the S10 Plus. These phones measure 0.31 inches thick. However, the S21 Plus and S21 Plus have a larger dimension at 6×2.8 inches and 6.4×3 inches, respectively. Compare this to the S10 Plus’s 5.9×2.77-inch screen and the S10 Plus’s 6.2×2.92-inch display. This is a small difference considering that the batteries in both the S21 Plus and S10 Plus are larger than the ones in the S10 Plus and S10 Plus.
Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S10 – Display
Samsung’s smartphone displays have been among the most impressive in years. However, the S20 series introduced high refresh rates. Samsung reduced the screen resolution to full HD (1080p) and offered a variable refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz for the Galaxy S21 Plus.
The total resolution of the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus is not as high as those on the Galaxy S10 Plus and S10 Plus. However, the S21 Plus and S21 Plus can be set to 120Hz or adaptively decreased to conserve battery. S10 models have 60Hz resolution, but with QHD.
These older Samsung phones still offer amazing displays, but it becomes difficult to see Android at 60 frames per second or more once you start to see Android at 90 frames/second (120fps for the S21/Plus). It’s obvious that the difference is significant and for the better.
Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S10: Cameras
Samsung kept the triple camera setup for the S21 and S21 Plus, which is the same as the Galaxy Note 20, but there have been some improvements to the Telephoto lens. The S21 and S21 Plus now have 3x optical zoom, compared to 2x on S10 Plus and S10 Plus. Samsung’s Space Zoom feature allows for 30x more photos on newer phones. It is quite impressive.
These Samsung phones all have ultra-wide lenses that allow you to capture dramatic shots, especially when shooting nature scenes. The major differences are software-powered camera features found on newer models. These include the Space Zoom feature, which can produce 30x zoom photos, and the Super Steady mode, which uses AI to stabilize your video.
Software updates have allowed some camera features to make their way onto the S10, including portrait and photo modes. Verizon customers, for instance, received a software update that allows the Galaxy S10 models to detect low light. However, the latest models offer better camera features.
All four phones have front cameras with a 10MP sensor. The Galaxy S10 Plus has an 8MP camera. The S21 and S21 Plus are great for selfies, but the S10 Plus and S10 Plus have different photo quality.
Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S10 – Performance
Although it may seem obvious, performance metrics between the S21 family and the S10 family will be vastly different. The Galaxy S21 Plus’s new Snapdragon 888 is an incredible CPU that is among the most powerful in Android land.
The S10 and S10 Plus have the Snapdragon 855. This is fine for most people, but it’s two years older than the Snapdragon 888. The bottom line is that unless you are a tech nut, the S21 does not offer the same performance bump as the S10.
While the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus are the fastest Android phones that we tested, the S21 Plus and S21 Plus were slower than the others. Since then, they have outperformed Samsung’s devices. Here is a complete breakdown of our original devices. Galaxy S21 benchmarks If you are interested, please let us know.
The 8GB RAM and the S21 Plus will do everything smartphones can do. You can also get 12GB RAM on the higher-end S10 Plus. This could help you keep more apps in memory. We are confident that you’ll be able to use the 8GB RAM on the S21/Plus.
All of these phones have 128GB storage. The S21 Plus and S21 Plus can store up to 256GB while the S10 holds up to 512GB. This is far less than the 1TB that the S10 Plus, which was of top-tier, saw. This was in addition to the S21 Plus’s lack of a microSD slot. If you have a lot of data on your phone, and you choose to upgrade to the S21 or S21 Plus with the 1TB or 512GB options, it may be worth looking for a backup solution.
5G connectivity is standard on the Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Plus. They are compatible with all 5G networks in the U.S. Samsung also released a separate Galaxy S10 in 2019. It was quite expensive for early adopters.
Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S10 – Battery and Charging
The S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 have larger batteries than the S10+. The S21’s smaller battery has a 4,000mAh battery, while the S10’s 3,400mAh is available. The S21 Plus’s battery can hold 4,800mAh, while the S10+’s 4,100mAh.
The S21 series’ batteries are larger than the S21 Plus, and they’re paired up with the more powerful Snapdragon 888. Samsung also spoke about new AI features for the S21 series and S21 Plus. It claims that it will learn your usage patterns, adjust power consumption according to them.
Unfortunately, this didn’t translate into great times during our battery test where phones surf the internet until they run out. The Galaxy S21 was able to last 9 hours 53 minutes with its display set at 60Hz. If the adaptive display is turned on, the S21 will run out of juice 3 times faster. The Galaxy S21 Plus performed better than the average smartphone. The Galaxy S10 Plus and S10 Plus lasted longer than the average smartphone when we tested them in 2019.
25W fast charging is available in the S21 family. This allows you to quickly charge your phone. The S10 and S10 Plus received 15W charging right out of the box. The S10 5G was 25W fast charged.
Not all Galaxy S21 phones include a charger. To get fast charging, you will need to purchase a charging brick separately. While some may argue for it, we can understand why some might find the decision irritating.
Galaxy S22 vs. Galaxy S10 – What about the Galaxy S22
It’s a new year and that means it’s time to get new Galaxy S devices. The Galaxy S22 It’s coming soon, so if your Galaxy S10 is still in your possession, we recommend that you wait a bit longer. All three Galaxy S22 models are believed to be major upgrades to your existing hardware. That will take three years.
We recommend waiting to see what Samsung has to offer, unless you can find a great deal on a Galaxy S21. We won’t be waiting long.
Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S10 – Bottom line
The S21 and S21 Plus are excellent options for those who are still using the Galaxy S10 Plus or S10 Plus. You will get better displays, 5G, improved cameras, faster charging and larger batteries. With the Snapdragon 888 processor, you’ll get the best Qualcomm has to offer.
It’s a smaller leap to the S20 series, so unless Samsung is your favorite, you don’t have much to lose. It’s amazing to see the difference two years makes in smartphone technology.
Although it’s disappointing that the S21 Plus and S21 Plus do not include a charger, the most shocking omission is the loss of the microSD card slot. Although Samsung’s motives for doing this are still unknown, it is unlikely that users will be happy. You can choose to keep your S10 Plus or S10 Plus if you need expandable storage. Or, get one of the S20 smartphones now that they are cheaper.
Despite this, the Galaxy S21 Plus and S21 Plus are clearly superior to their S10 counterparts. These Samsung models might be the ones that make it easier to upgrade.
