Not a year has passed between the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Galaxy S21 Ultra, so taking that into account, we are going to see if there are differences between the two and which of the 2 should be purchased, so we are going to compare it to see its differences and similarities.
In the name they are very similar and also share some characteristics, really the Galaxy S21 Ultra is better in some aspects of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, so we anticipate that there are some different things, but there are other details that are practically the same.
In any case, we are talking about high-end terminals, the most powerful of Samsung together with the folding ones that we have already seen in recent months, so prepare your wallet because you are going to acquire one or the other, you will have to pay a good amount of money.
Almost identical display
At first glance, you will notice that there are no differences in the screens of both phones and the truth is that, if we look at the technical data, they almost corroborate what we say. Almost because there are some differences, but very minimal, as you will see now:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: 6.9 inches, 1,440 x 3,200 px resolution, 511 PPI, HDR 10+, 120 Hz.
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: 6.8 inches, 1,440 x 3,200 px resolution, 515 PPI, HDR 10+, 120 Hz.
The two screens make use of Gorilla Glass protection, in the case of the S20 Ultra you find Gorilla Glass 6, while the panel of the Galaxy S21 Ultra has Gorilla Glass Victus. Both offer compatibility with Always-on-display technology and are 2x Dynamic AMOLED panels.
Design is the biggest difference
In the design of both mobiles lies the main difference between the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy S21 Ultra, it is one of the most notable changes and if you see them with the naked eye, at least from the back, you will be able to faithfully identify which is one and which is another.
In the case of the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the camera module is quite large and there is separation from the left edge. Within this we find the four lenses and the telephoto lens is shaped like a square, in addition, the module has two colors.
The same does not happen with the photographic module of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the camera is more integrated into the body and the sensors could be considered less striking because we also do not have any inscription as if it happens in the other model.
Ahead there are no changes, we have a high-quality panel in both cases with a front camera located in the upper central part, where the screen is perforated to be able to locate the camera there.
Regarding weight and dimensions, you can see that the Galaxy S21 Ultra is slightly heavier despite being less wide and long:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: 222 grams of weight. 166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm dimensions.
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: 227 grams of weight. Dimensions 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm.
In colors, there is more range in the Galaxy S21 ultra since it is available in 5 possibilities (Phantom Black, Silver, Titanium, Navy and Brown), while the Galaxy S20 Ultra only in two (Cosmic Gray and Black).
Different processors and GPUs, RAM and storage the same
The processor change is a logical improvement and it was not going to be less in the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which has a new chip recently presented, the Exynos 2100, although outside of Europe the phone will be sold with the Snapdragon 888 (Snapdragon 865 in the Galaxy S20 Ultra).
These are the processors that both phones have:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: Exynos 990 or Snapdragon 865 7nm.
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888 5nm.
In the GPU there are also differences, the Galaxy S21 Ultra equips the Mali-G78 MP14 or the Adreno 660, while the Galaxy S20 Ultra has the Mali-G77 MP11 or the Adreno 650.
And what about internal space or storage and RAM? Well, there are no differences here, both offer the same configurations, but there is a detail to take into account, the Galaxy S21 Ultra no longer has the microSDXC card slot, so you cannot expand it. These would be the data:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: 12GB / 128GB, 12GB / 256GB, and 16GB / 512GB.
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: 12GB / 128GB, 12GB / 256GB, and 16GB / 512GB.
High-quality cameras
The two smartphones mount a quad sensor system, with a 108 MP main lens, but there are some differences between the two:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: 108 MP wide angle (f / 1.8, PDAF, OIS) + 48 MP telephoto (f / 3.5, PDAF, OIS, 10x hybrid zoom) + 12 MP ultra wide angle (f / 2.2 and Steady video ) + 0.3 MP depth sensor (f / 1.0, ToF 3D).
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: 108 MP wide angle (f / 1.8, laser AF, PDAF, OIS) + 10 MP telephoto periscope (f / 4.9, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom) + 10 MP telephoto (f / 2.4, OIS; PDAF, 3X optical zoom) + 12 MP ultra wide angle (f / 2.2, PDAF, Super Steady Video).
In the Galaxy S21 Ultra, we lose the depth sensor, but in exchange, we gain two telephoto sensors with 3x and 10x optical zoom, respectively. The camera of this phone is also capable of recording video in 8K resolution up to 24 fps, while the maximum quality of the Galaxy S20 Ultra offers 4320p @ 24 fps recording.
Are there differences in the front camera of both? Yes and no, they have the same resolution but they don’t record at the same quality; both offer 40 MP with aperture f / 2.2 and a wide-angle, but the lens of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is capable of recording at 4K at 30 and 60 fps.
5,000 mAh battery
The batteries of both have the same capacity, that is, 5,000 mAh and offer fast, wireless and reverse charging, but as a negative point of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, you should know that this phone, like the rest of its same range, does not bring the charger in the box. These are the data:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: fast charging at 45 W, wireless at 15 W and reverse at 9 W.
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: fast charging at 25 W, wireless at 15 W and reverse at 4.5 W.
That implies that you have to buy it separately, something that does not happen with the Galaxy S20 Ultra that does come with a charger and even headphones. In any case, the charging time of the Galaxy S21 Ultra would be longer as its fast charge has less power, the same if you use it to charge other devices, these would take longer than with the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Operating system, connectivity and more
Finally, it is convenient to know some less relevant details, but that for many can tip the balance between choosing one or the other. For example, the operating system of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is newer, it equips Android 11 with One UI 3.1 vs Android 10 with One UI 2.0 on the Galaxy S20.
The connectivity of both would be this:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra: WiFi 6, WiFi Direct, NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, aGPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo, 4G, 5G, etc.
- Galaxy S21 Ultra: WiFi 6E, WiFi Direct, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, aGPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo, 4G, 5G, etc.
As you can see, both the WiFi and Bluetooth versions on the Galaxy S21 Ultra are more recent. In another vein, both have IP68 certification, compatibility with Samsung DeX, Bixby, Samsung Pay and others, an ultrasonic fingerprint reader on the screen and others, but as a very positive point, we must mention the S-Pen support in the Galaxy S21 Ultra.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra is more expensive
Being a phone that has just been launched, obviously, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is more expensive, but it will drop in price as the weeks and months go by, although the Galaxy S20 Ultra will always be a little lower as it is older. These are the prices now on Amazon:
- Galaxy S20 Ultra 12 GB / 128 GB: € 1,138 (without offer costs € 1,359).
- Galaxy S21 Ultra 12 GB / 256 GB: € 1,309.
The big question now would be whether to buy the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra once you have seen this comparison. Some improvements can be seen in the latter, especially at the processor and design level, something that for some might not be enough for some to make the change.
Therefore, if you already have a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, it might not be worth switching to the new generation because the changes are not very obvious, now, if you are going to buy a new mobile, go for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Above all, if you also like the S Pen since you can use it on this phone. Whichever you choose, you will have a powerful terminal for a few years.