Critics Pitch Samsung’s New Galaxy S21 Ultra Flagship Against iPhone 12 With Mixed Results



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Reviews of Samsung’s latest flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra have struck today, with reviews pitting the new 6.8-inch device against Apple’s current iPhone 12 lineup. Critics say that while the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra features a more ergonomic finish, the iPhone 12 line still has a head start in some areas.

Before we get into the iPhone 12 comparisons, be sure to check out our colleagues at 9to5Google, who have also spent some time with the latest Galaxy S21 flagships.

The Verge’s Review of the $ 1,199 Galaxy S21 Ultra says the new device is “much more comfortable to hold” than the iPhone 12 Pro Max because it’s slightly narrower and has curved edges:

Big Android phones are now mainstream, however, Samsung’s job is not only to make a powerful phone, but also to make one that feels right. Mission accomplished: The S21 Ultra looks and feels better. It is much more comfortable to hold than the iPhone 12 Pro Max because it is a bit narrow and because it has curved edges.

When it comes to camera technology, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has four different sensors on the back, including a wide-angle lens and an ultra-wide angle lens, as well as two different telephoto lenses. The edge review says that the Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 12 Pro Max are very close in terms of camera performance:

As for the face to face with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, here is where I landed. If you were to take 50 photos or videos, 30 of them would be a draw based on your personal preference, seven or eight would clearly be better on the S21, and 12 or 13 would be better on the iPhone. They are very close.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has one key advantage, however:

But Samsung has these telephoto options. And it has also made up for the relative dearth of high-quality third-party Android photo apps by integrating its own features. Samsung added a “director mode” that lets you switch lenses on the fly while shooting 1080p video, but I found I preferred shooting in 4K. You can shoot in 8K and extract a still photo, you can use “Single Take 2” to let the AI ​​try to create a bunch of funny photos and video effects.

Interestingly, the Galaxy S21 Ultra also supports RAW shooting. As you may remember, one of the main features of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max is the support for a new ProRAW photo format that offers advantages in computer photography. with the flexibility of traditional RAW.

But while the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s hardware is solid, The edge Finally says that the software is what slows down the experience and will prevent any iPhone user from switching:

The biggest test of reality is the software, which suffers from Samsung’s muscular attempts to create its own ecosystem and further monetize an already expensive phone. I doubt the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will convince many iPhone users to change – the ecosystem lockdown on iOS is too strong for that and making the most of Samsung’s version of Android is intimidating.

CNBC takes a similar angle with its review, saying the Galaxy S21 Ultra is unlikely to convert iPhone users. The review notes, however, that the Galaxy S21 Ultra has the best screen on the market thanks to its high refresh rate:

It has the best screen I have ever used on a phone. Like the S21, it has a high refresh rate which is really smooth. It also gets very bright, making it easier to watch movies and TV shows outdoors. And, unlike last year’s model, you can now use the screen at its finest setting with the high refresh rate enabled.

CNET ran some testing and confirmed that the A14 Bionic processor in the iPhone 12 Pro outperforms the Snapdragon 888 chip found in the Galaxy S21 Ultra:

Ultimately, the consensus among these reviewers is that the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra hold their ground well against the iPhone 12 lineup, but the software experience is the biggest difference. The iPhone 12 seems to have the edge in areas like performance and build quality, but fans of bigger phones might actually find the Galaxy S21 Ultra a bit easier to hold.

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