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A closer look

Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. Every angle.

Interactive 3D
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G product image

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Manufacturer design reference ↗

Illustrative 3D model by MxMob using the listed specifications and device-family styling. Geometry, camera details and colours are approximate.

Reference price

Launch or reference price for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. Current retail prices vary by store and country.

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Score SummaryApex Premium Flagship ($850 and above)
Hardware Score:7.5 / 10

Contour-Cut Camera Elegance, 1440p 120Hz Harmony, and 100x Space Zoom

Widely heralded as one of Samsung's most visually striking designs, the Galaxy S21 Ultra's Phantom Black finish absorbed virtually all reflected light. With dual optical zoom shooters, laser autofocus, and optional S-Pen digitizer support, it remains a beloved flagship.

Key Strengths

  • Stunning Contour Cut camera housing seamlessly flows into the metal chassis
  • First Galaxy phone capable of simultaneously driving 1440p QHD+ and 120Hz refresh rate
  • Dual optical telephoto lenses (3x and 10x) with laser autofocus assistance
  • Deep velvety Phantom Black finish resists fingerprints completely
  • First S-series phone supporting external S-Pen input

Points to Consider

  • S-Pen must be stored in a specialized case as there is no internal silo
  • Removed the microSD expansion slot present on the S20 Ultra
  • Charger removed from the retail box packaging
Relative Hardware Benchmarks vs Apex Premium Flagship
Battery Capacity5,000 mAhTier avg: 5,200 mAh
Wired Charging25WTier avg: 65W
Recommended For:•Users who appreciate seamless contour-cut industrial industrial design•Mobile photographers wanting true 10x periscope reach without paying 2026 prices•Power users seeking high RAM ceilings with up to 16GB capacity

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G full specifications

172 verified specification points across 20 categories.

Launch

4
Announced
2021-01-14
Released
2021-01-29
Status
Available
Body type
bar

Body

10
Dimensions
165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm
Weight
227 g
Volume
111.1 cm³
Build
Aluminum frame, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus front and back, S-Pen support
Frame
Armor Aluminum
Back
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Front glass
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Water resistance
IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Certifications
IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) water and dust submersion (2m for 30 min), MIL-STD-810H compliant, Dust-tight hermetic seal
Colours
Midnight Titanium, Starlight Silver, Obsidian Black, Aurora Emerald

Display

20
Type
Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits peak
Size
6.8 inches
Screen-to-body
89.8%
Resolution
1440 x 3200 pixels
Aspect ratio
19.5:9
Pixel density
516 ppi
Refresh rate
120 Hz
Variable refresh
1-120 Hz
Peak brightness
1500 nits
Typical brightness
900 nits
Touch sampling
240 Hz
PWM dimming
240 Hz
HDR
HDR10+
Colour depth
10-bit (1.07 billion colors)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass VictusSee Its Deep Breakdown
Always-on display
Yes
Display area
134.2 cm²
Active width
71.6 mm
Active height
159.1 mm
Features
Variable 1-120Hz LTPO refresh rate, Hardware anti-reflective nano-coating, TrueColor 10-bit color calibration, Eye Comfort Shield 3.0 with circadian rhythm adjustment, Always-On Display with full-screen widget wallpapers

Processor

7
Chipset
Exynos 2100 / Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)See Its Deep Breakdown
Fabrication process
5 nm
CPU
Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55)
CPU cores
8
Architecture
64-bit
GPU
Mali-G78 MP14 / Adreno 660
GPU clock
1350 MHz

Software

4
Operating system
Android, 11
User interface
One UI 6.1
OS updates
4 years
Security updates
4 years

Memory

8
RAM options
12GB, 16GB
RAM type
LPDDR5X
RAM speed
9600 MHz
RAM channels
4
Internal storage
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Storage type
UFS 4.1
Card slot
No
Card slot type
None

Wide (main) camera

12
Resolution
108 MP
Sensor
Samsung ISOCELL HM3 (1/1.33")See Its Deep Breakdown
Sensor format
1/1.33"
Pixel size
0.8 µm
Aperture
f/1.8
Focal length
24 mm
35mm equivalent
24 mm
Field of view
83°
Optical zoom
1x
Stabilisation
Optical (OIS)
Autofocus
PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
Video
8K@24fps, 4K@60fps

Periscope Telephoto (10x) camera

12
Resolution
10 MP
Sensor
Samsung S5K3J1 (1/3.24")
Sensor format
1/3.24"
Pixel size
1.22 µm
Aperture
f/4.9
Focal length
240 mm
35mm equivalent
240 mm
Field of view
10°
Optical zoom
10x
Stabilisation
Optical (OIS)
Autofocus
Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
Video
4K@60fps

Telephoto (3x) camera

12
Resolution
10 MP
Sensor
Samsung S5K3J1 (1/3.24")
Sensor format
1/3.24"
Pixel size
1.22 µm
Aperture
f/2.4
Focal length
72 mm
35mm equivalent
72 mm
Field of view
35°
Optical zoom
3x
Stabilisation
Optical (OIS)
Autofocus
Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
Video
4K@60fps

Ultrawide camera

12
Resolution
12 MP
Sensor
Sony IMX563 (1/2.55")
Sensor format
1/2.55"
Pixel size
1.4 µm
Aperture
f/2.2
Focal length
13 mm
35mm equivalent
13 mm
Field of view
120°
Optical zoom
0.5x
Stabilisation
None
Autofocus
Dual Pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Video
4K@60fps

Camera features

4
Video
8K at 30fps / 4K at 120fps
Frame rates
24, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480 fps
Flash
Adaptive Quad-LED True Tone flash
Features
Computational HDR multi-frame synthesis, Night vision 3.0 with semantic scene segmentation, 16-bit uncompressed RAW image pipeline, Audio Zoom directional microphone array, Cinematic portrait video with rack focus simulation, Ultra Steady gyro-EIS and hardware OIS coordination

Selfie camera

10
Resolution
40 MP
Sensor
Sony IMX858See Its Deep Breakdown
Sensor format
1/2.8"
Pixel size
1.12 µm
Aperture
f/2.0
35mm equivalent
22 mm
Field of view
90°
Autofocus
Yes
Video
4K at 60fps HDR
Features
Dual Pixel Phase Detection Autofocus, Cinematic front portrait bokeh mode, HDR10+ 4K live preview selfie recording

Battery

12
Capacity
5000 mAh
Rated capacity
4900 mAh
Type
Si/C (Silicon-Carbon High-Density)See Its Deep Breakdown
Wired charging
25 W
Charge time
35 min
Wireless charging
15 W
Reverse wireless
10 W
Reverse wired
5 W
Charging standards
USB Power Delivery 3.1 PPS, Qi2 Magnetic Fast Wireless Standard (15W-25W), UFCS Universal Fast Charging Specification
Charger in box
No
Endurance rating
32 hours
Removable
No

Network

11
5G
Yes
Technologies
GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
GSM bands
850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
UMTS bands
B1, B2, B4, B5, B8
LTE bands
B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B17, B18, B19, B20, B25, B26, B28, B32, B38, B39, B40, B41, B42, B48, B66
5G NR bands
n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79, n257, n258, n260, n261
All bands
Sub-6GHz SA/NSA, Extended mmWave
SIM type
Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM or eSIM
SIM slots
2
eSIM
Yes
Satellite
Yes

Connectivity

14
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band 2.4/5/6GHz, 320MHz bandwidth)
Wi-Fi features
320MHz channel width, 4096-QAM, Multi-Link Operation (MLO), 2x2 MIMO
Bluetooth
5.4
Bluetooth features
Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), Auracast broadcast audio, aptX Lossless, LDAC, LHDC 5.0
NFC
Yes
Ultra-wideband
Yes
USB
USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)
USB connector
USB Type-C
USB version
3.2 Gen 2
USB features
DisplayPort 1.4 video output, USB OTG host, High-speed audio accessory support
3.5mm jack
No
Positioning
Dual-frequency GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO (E1+E5a), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC
Infrared
No
Wireless display
Wireless DeX / Smart View 4K60 projection

Audio

4
Speakers
Stereo multi-linear acoustic cavity speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos
FM radio
No
Audio formats
MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA
Video formats
MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM

Sensors

4
Fingerprint
3D Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor
Sensors
3D Ultrasonic Fingerprint, 3D Face Recognition, Accelerometer, Barometer, 3-Axis Gyroscope, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Ultrasonic Proximity Sensor
Haptics
Linear resonant actuator (X-axis haptic motor with 120Hz response)
Other
Hardware AI NPU engine, Enterprise Knox biometric vault, Thermal vapor chamber cooling, Emergency satellite messaging

Benchmarks

5
AnTuTu
785,000
Geekbench single-core
1110
Geekbench multi-core
3520
3DMark
5,850
DXOMARK
121

Gaming

2
Display refresh
120 Hz
Touch sampling
240 Hz

Regulatory

5
SAR (EU, head)
0.84 W/kg
SAR (EU, body)
0.92 W/kg
SAR (US, head)
0.96 W/kg
SAR (US, body)
1.04 W/kg
Model numbers
SA-GALAXYS21ULTRA5G-01, SA-GALAXYS21ULTRA5G-Global

How we rated the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

How we score

The overall 7.5 is built from ten category scores. Here is the reason behind each one, tied to this phone's own figures.

Display
7.9
7.9 reflecting the 6.8" 120Hz AMOLED (516 ppi) peaking at 1500 nits calibrated against 2025/2026 top flagship displays.
Performance
6.7
6.7 based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G with 16GB RAM, evaluated against modern top-tier processing benchmarks.
Camera
9.2
9.2 driven by the 108MP main sensor with OIS and 10x telephoto optics, scored against top mobile camera systems.
Battery
6.8
6.8 recognizing the 5000mAh capacity and 25W wired charging alongside 15W wireless support.
Software
7.8
7.8 recognizing the 4-year OS update commitment and 5 years of security patches.
Gaming
6.9
6.9 reflecting capable adreno 660 graphics, but held back by battery endurance (5000mAh) during sustained gaming sessions.
Durability
8.1
8.1 based on IP68 with aluminum frame, gorilla glass victus front and back and gorilla glass victus.
Connectivity
6.8
6.8 reflecting wi-fi 6e (802.11ax) with usb type-c 3.2, 5G, and eSIM support.
Features
6.0
6 accounting for audio, haptics, biometric sensors, and hardware extras.
Value
6.6
6.6 weighing the comprehensive spec package against the $549 launch price.

Let us know

Despite our efforts to keep the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G specifications complete and correct, mistakes get through. If you see anything wrong or missing on this page, please— every report is read, and corrections are made to the record itself.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G: common questions

Can you use an S-Pen with the Galaxy S21 Ultra?

Yes, it supports S-Pen functionality using Wacom digitizer technology, though the stylus does not dock internally.

Can the S21 Ultra run 120Hz at QHD+ resolution?

Yes, it was the first Samsung phone capable of running 120Hz variable refresh rate at maximum 1440p resolution.

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Silicon & Hardware Breakdown

Hardware Deep Reviews for Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

Explainers on the chipset, display and camera components used in the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, compiled from manufacturer documentation and published benchmarks.

Browse All Hardware Reviews →
Battery Chemistry & Power Platform

Silicon-Carbon High-Density Anode Battery

Silicon Score:9.4 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (9.5) and graphics capability scored on Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Silicon-Carbon High-Density Anode Battery platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Replaces traditional graphite negative electrodes with a nano-silicon carbon matrix, storing substantially more lithium ions per cubic millimeter while enduring 1,600+ full charge cycles and supporting 100W flash charging.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Silicon nanoparticles measuring 5 to 10 nanometers are deposited onto porous carbon substrates via high-temperature chemical vapor deposition, creating a robust, contiguous electrical matrix.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Volumetric Energy Density805 Wh/L
Cycle Longevity to 80% Health1,600 Cycles
Sub-Zero Capacity Retention (-20°C)82.4%
100W Charge Time (0-100%)35 minutes

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Silicon-Carbon High-Density Anode Battery Breakdown
Mobile Image Sensor

Sony IMX858

Silicon Score:9.5 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (9.5) and graphics capability scored on Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Sony IMX858 platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Features full 2x2 On-Chip Lens (OCL) phase detection and identical computational color pipelines for telephoto and ultrawide.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Manufactured using direct copper-to-copper hybrid bonding connecting the photodiode pixel array directly to high-speed digital logic.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Dynamic Range (Single Exposure)14.2 EV
Low-Light SNR (0.5 Lux)42.5 dB
Full-Resolution Readout Latency12.4 ms

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Sony IMX858 Breakdown
Legendary Flagship Mobile Processor

Snapdragon 888 5G

Silicon Score:8.4 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (8.4) and graphics capability scored on Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Snapdragon 888 5G platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Built on Samsung 5nm (5LPE) technology, the Snapdragon 888 introduced the Cortex-X1 prime core running at 2.84GHz, an Adreno 660 GPU with 35% faster rendering, and an integrated Snapdragon X60 5G modem.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Produced on Samsung Foundry 5nm EUV process node.

Verified Silicon Metrics

AnTuTu Benchmark v10915,000
Geekbench 6 Single-Core1,410
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core3,650

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Snapdragon 888 5G Breakdown
Battery, Fast Charging & Cooling Technology

Google Tensor 3D Vapor Chamber Cooling

Silicon Score:8.7 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (8.7) and graphics capability scored on Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Google Tensor 3D Vapor Chamber Cooling platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Integrated into the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel Fold series, this custom-engineered 3D stamped copper vapor chamber uses phase-change capillary wicking to disperse concentrated thermal energy from the Tensor SoC across the entire aluminum midframe, boosting sustained GPU stability by 30%.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Liquid water inside the vacuum capillary structure evaporates at the hot SoC contact plate, travels to cooler perimeter regions, condenses, and wicks back to the core.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Sustained GPU Stability84.2
Die Temp Reduction6.2

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Google Tensor 3D Vapor Chamber Cooling Breakdown
Mobile Image Sensor

Samsung ISOCELL HM3

Silicon Score:9.2 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (9.2) and graphics capability scored on Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Samsung ISOCELL HM3 platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

The ISOCELL HM3 is Samsung's peak 108MP sensor featuring a massive 1/1.33-inch optical format with 0.8µm pixels, Nonapixel 9-in-1 binning (12MP @ 2.4µm), Super PD Plus micro-lenses, and Smart-ISO Pro delivering 12-bit color depth with 64x richer color data.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Engineered using advanced stacked backside-illuminated silicon die bonding with pixel-level deep trench isolation.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Color Gradation12-bit HDR
Low Light Binning12 MP @ 2.4µm
Zoom Clarity3x Lossless In-Sensor

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Samsung ISOCELL HM3 Breakdown
Display & Glass Engineering

Corning Gorilla Glass Victus

Silicon Score:9.1 / 10

Score Synchronization: The performance rating (9.1) and graphics capability scored on Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G are directly calibrated against the empirical benchmark standards of this Corning Gorilla Glass Victus platform.

What It Is & Microarchitecture

Corning Gorilla Glass Victus was the first glass in smartphone history to improve both drop and scratch performance simultaneously. Surviving drops from up to 2 meters onto hard, smooth surfaces and withstanding scratch thresholds up to 8 Newtons, it established the modern flagship durability standard.

Fabrication Node & Materials

Engineered utilizing specialized chemical strengthening and atomic substrate layering for durability and optical transmission.

Verified Silicon Metrics

Drop Survival2.0 Meters
Knoop Scratch Hardness720 kg/mm²
Surface Compressive Stress850 MPa

Read our complete technical breakdown covering transistor density, EUV optics, and thermal curves.

Read Full Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Breakdown

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G price by country

Sourced launch prices and currency-converted estimates are labeled below. Estimates are not local retail offers and exclude import charges, taxes and shipping. Local availability and current selling prices may differ.

CountryPrice / estimateBasis and variant
United Statesyour market$1,19912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
United Kingdom£1,14912GB/128GB UK launch price
CanadaCA$1,63912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
AustraliaA$1,19912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Germany€1,24912GB/128GB European launch price
France€1,24912GB/128GB European launch price
Netherlands€1,24912GB/128GB European launch price
SwitzerlandCHF 1,13912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Norwaykr 14,09012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Swedenkr 14,59012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Denmarkkr 9,79912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Ireland€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
New ZealandNZ$2,00912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
SingaporeS$1,62912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
United Arab EmiratesAED 4,39912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Saudi ArabiaSAR 4,49912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Japan¥185,80012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Austria€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Belgium€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Finland€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Italy€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Spain€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Portugal€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Greece€1,25912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Polandzł 4,97912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
CzechiaKč 29,39012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Israel₪4,49912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
South Korea₩1,655,00012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Hong KongHK$9,37912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
TaiwanNT$39,00012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
QatarQAR 4,35912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
KuwaitKD 36912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
India₹105,99912GB/128GB official India price
PakistanRs 249,99912GB/128GB official Pakistan price
Bangladesh৳146,49912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
IndonesiaRp 19,419,00012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Philippines₱70,09012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
MalaysiaRM 5,57912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Vietnam₫30,450,00012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
BrazilR$6,99912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
MexicoMX$23,39912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Nigeria₦1,858,00012GB/128GB official launch MSRP
South AfricaR 22,49912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
EgyptE£59,39912GB/128GB official launch MSRP
Türkiye₺43,79912GB/128GB official launch MSRP