Johannesburg - I have been thinking of moving back to Samsung for a while now, so I was happy to test out the latest S21 Ultra smartphone.
Let me get straight into the review and start with everything I did not like about the device.
The device comes with a hefty price, but that is expected with smartphones these days. Like Apple, Samsung has also hopped on the bandwagon and started selling devices without their usual components.
For instance, when you buy the S21 Ultra for R27 999 it does not come with a basic charger. The charger has to be purchased as an additional item. The device comes in a slim box and the only extra you get is a Type C cable. If you don’t have a Type C charger lying around the house, then you will have to buy one. While I have been using my own Type C charger, there were times when the device would not charge and requested an original charger. So make sure you buy the charger when you buy the device.
Now for the good stuff.
I received the Phantom Silver S21 Ultra, it’s a standard big phone but fits into my small hands easily. I haven’t dropped it yet to test out the Gorilla Glass – which is said to be the best and strongest glass for smartphones.
The device comes with a great camera. I have tested out the video quality shooting YouTube videos and I am happy to report it stands up against other great camera smartphones. When you put the phone down on a flat surface, if you press on the phone it does have a slight tilt, but otherwise it sits perfectly without touching it.
The display still comes with the cartoonish colourful icons which I hope Samsung changes on the premium phones at some point. The icons work on the Samsung A series but somehow make the premium phones look awkward.
While my brother is not convinced that he would trade his Galaxy Note for the S21, here are some of the features that stood out for me.
I love taking pictures and being the camera girl I am, I was impressed with the Ultra’s 8K video. Yep, we have moved on from 4K to an even richer and clearer experience.
I love that smartphones give people options on how they want to document their everyday lives. The 8K Video Snap allows you to get high-resolution photos straight from 8K video. The Super Steady option allows you to shoot like an action camera. The camera comes with a 12MP lens, a 108MP wide lens and a 10MP telephoto lens.
Storage wise we are talking 12 or 16GB of RAM with 128, 256 or 512GB
internal storage on the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G models. For the basic S21 and S21 Plus there is 8GB of RAM and the choice of 128 or 256 onboard storage.
As someone who edits videos often, I found the S Pen to be so useful. I could edit and cut my videos with better and faster precision than using my fingers. It can also be used at a distance as a Bluetooth remote to capture photos and videos, and control apps. It’s a necessary accessory to make life easier.
The latest Galaxy Buds Pro didn’t fit in my ears as comfortably as the Buds Live but they fit perfectly in my boyfriend’s ears. The excellent sound blocks out outside noise and you can connect to Bluetooth from a couple of metres away from the device it is connected to and not experience any glitches.
I jumped rope, ran and did my downward dog yoga exercise with ease while the Buds sat securely in my ear. The ear tip size comes in small, medium or large so you have the option to adjust the Buds to fit perfectly in your ears.
You also have the option of not cancelling out the noise at all if you prefer ambient sound. I love how the voice detect option can switch from ANC to ambient sound when it hears your voice. No need to start talking louder than usual when you have earphones on. I am obsessed with the case the Buds come in, portable and chargeable, making it easy for you to get on with your business.
Overall, you are going to want the additional accessories when you get the S21 Ultra so that you can enjoy the full experience
The Buds cost R3 999 while the S Pen retails for R995.
Why not head over to a Samsung store to find the perfect package?
The Star