Usually January is one of the boring months in terms of announcements, as most self-respecting manufacturers are preparing for the MWC Barcelona at this time. And Samsung usually prepared press tours to sunny California, where the South Korean manufacturer is used to presenting its products. Samsung stole January this year with the announcement of the Galaxy S21 lineup. So the focus will be on them. As for the rest of the devices, I tried to choose remarkable samples, which, although not sold on the Russian market, carry the trends of the new 2021.

Content

1. Current rating option
2. Premium
3. Medium +
4. Middle-
5. Conclusion

Current rating option

Бестселлер – a model with outstanding performance (it could be the price, not just the technical characteristics). Models marked with the word “Bestseller” are worth paying close attention to.

Player… Notable solutions, typical representatives of their class. These are mass-produced products that generate the main sales in certain segments.

Applicant… Phones in this category have not grown to the player’s class, but have a number of attractive features (for example, cost, but it can also become a negative factor, and then the player turns into a contender), they may lack many functions that have become standard for a particular class. As a rule, the “Contender” category includes devices from second and third tier manufacturers or overpriced phones from large manufacturers.

Technology for technology’s sake… Niche products, interesting for their technical solutions, but not intended for a wide audience. Based on the possibilities, the device is interesting, but its size and speed of operation negate its advantages and make it niche.

Not for all… Niche solutions, which are usually distinguished by an extraordinary design or the presence of unique, but unnecessary opportunities. Designed for a narrow group of buyers who buy original things for self-expression.

Mediocre product… This category includes devices that are initially aimed at everyone and no one. Phones that lack distinctive features, making them one of the many on the market.

Outsider… Phones that, contrary to common sense, enter the market and do not attract consumers even to a small extent. Dead products not made for any sales.

Also, all models are divided into 4 price segments, the main technical characteristics indicated by the manufacturer are listed. If any smartphone seemed interesting, then a little more detail is written about it. The price indicated in the description is the lowest I found in the official retail. Offers on the “gray” market, all their pros and cons are at your discretion. From time to time, devices may appear that are already available for purchase, but have not yet been presented in official retail.

Segment / Price	From	Before
Premium	45 001 rub.
Medium +	30 001 rub.	45 000 rub.
Middle-	11 001 rub.	30 000 rub.
Economy		11 000 rub.

Premium

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G / Galaxy S21 + 5G and Galaxy S21 5G

• Rating: bestseller / player
• Price: S21 – from 74 rubles / S990 + – from 21 rubles / S89 Ultra – from 990 rubles

	Galaxy S21	Galaxy S21+	Galaxy s21 ultra
Dimensions and weight	151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm, 172 grams	161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8 mm, 228 grams	165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm, 228 grams
Body materials	Aluminum, Glastic		Stainless steel, Corning Gorilla Glass 7
Display	6.2 inches, FHD + (20: 9), Dynamic AMOLED 2x, Auto Dimmable, AlwaysOn Display, Corning Gorilla Glass 6, HDR10 +, 120Hz	6.7 inches, FHD + (20: 9), Dynamic AMOLED 2x, Auto Dimmable, AlwaysOn Display, Corning Gorilla Glass 6, HDR10 +, 120Hz	6.8 inches, 1440×3200 pixels (20: 9), Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 511 ppi, automatic brightness control, AlwaysOn Display, Corning Gorilla Glass 6, HDR10 +, refresh rate 120 Hz
Operating system	Google Android 11.0, OneUI 3.1
Platform	Exynos 2100 Chipset, 5nm Snapdragon 888 for US market
Memory	8/128 GB 8/256 GB No memory cards UFS 3.1 RAM LPDDR5		12/16 GB of RAM 128/256/512 GB built-in No memory cards (some markets have models that support memory cards) UFS 3.1 RAM LPDDR5
Wireless Interfaces	Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac / ax, dual-band, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, ANT + LTE: Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, 5G	Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac / ax, dual-band, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, ANT + LTE: Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, 5G UWB	Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac / ax, WiFi 6E, dual band, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, ANT + LTE: Enhanced 4×4 MIMO, 5G UWB
Сеть	Dual SIM, nanoSIM eSIM
Navigation	GPS / Beidou / Galileo – Dual Band GPS
Sensors and connectors	USB Type C (USB 3.2), USB OTG Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor In-screen fingerprint sensor (ultrasonic) Face unlock
Main camera	Main: camera with three modules – Primary: 12 MP, 1.8 μm, F1.8, 2PD, OIS – Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, 1.4 μm, F2.2 – Telephoto: 64 MP, 0.8 μm, F2.0, OIS, PDAF, 1/1.72 inch, x3 optical zoom, x10 hybrid Space Zoom – Hybrid Optic Zoom 3X – Super Resolution Zoom up to 30X 8K video recording		Main: camera with four modules – Primary: 108 MP, 0.8 μm, F1.8, PDAF, OIS – Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, F2.2, 1.4 μm – Telephoto: 10 MP, OIS, F2.4, 1.22 μm, optical zoom x3, – Telephoto 10 MP, OIS, F4.9, 1.22μm, optical zoom x10 Space Zoom – Hybrid Optic Zoom 5X – Super Resolution Zoom up to 100X 8K video recording
Front-camera	10 MP (f / 2.2), 2PD, 1 / 3.4 inches, 1.22 μm Bokeh effect, various additional effects, autofocus		40 MP  Bokeh effect, various additional effects, autofocus
Battery	Li-Ion 4000 mAh Fast wireless charging (15W), reversible wireless charging (up to 9W) PD 3.0	Li-Ion 4800 mAh Fast wireless charging (15W), reversible wireless charging (up to 9W) PD 3.0	Li-Ion 5000 mAh Fast wireless charging (15W), reversible wireless charging (up to 9W) PD 3.0
Degree of protection	IP68
Colours	Phantom Violet, Phantom Pink, Phantom Gray, Phantom White	Phantom Violet, Phantom Black, Phantom Silver	Phantom Black, Phantom Silver
Sound	Dolby Atmos, two speakers
Payment System	Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Features	Samsung DeX		Samsung DeX S Pen (optional)

This year, to improve sales figures, Samsung held a presentation in mid-January, meaning the new Galaxy S21 will go on sale about a month earlier than usual.

The presentation was boring, but we have the main Android flagships of the year before us, so let’s take a quick run. And I recommend paying attention to the already published articles:

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

This is the main and only flagship from Samsung that has received absolutely all top-class bells and whistles.

Powerful camera system 108 MP + 10 MP + 10 MP + 12 MP. Very fun and cool, but the chief in his material says that the cameras give a result similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Of course, it is clear that all these ratings are not worth a damn, but in the DxOMark rating, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has an honorable 10th place. Really, since the announcement of the Note, you have not had time to somehow modify it? Maybe I’m wrong, but somehow you expect constant improvement in technology.

Front camera 40 MP. This is a very correct decision, considering how much the amount of video communication has increased.

Stylus support. Surprisingly, the S21 Ultra is the only one in the lineup to receive stylus support. Most are indifferent, but I was really looking forward to this moment, since money burns my pocket and I want to update my two-year-old Galaxy Note 9 (usually I buy smartphones for New Year). And what was my disappointment when Samsung did support the stylus, but not completely. For my taste, one of the nice features of the stylus is the so-called Air Action. By pressing the stylus button, you can control the camera. Yes, now the camera can be controlled both from the watch and from a smart bracelet, but there you have to look at the screen every time and use both hands, and here you just quietly press the button, and that’s good. You do a lot of frames. I constantly use this function both on trips, and when I took common photos with friends for the New Year. It is also convenient to flip through photos with the stylus when you show them on the TV. In short, the possibilities are many, and there is a whole section where you can customize options for each application. The Galaxy S21 doesn’t. The stylus can only be used for drawing and writing.

Better screen. Huge 6.8-inch display with HDR10 + support, 120Hz refresh rate and 1 nits maximum brightness. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

Latest generation communications. The Ultra model has both 5G and Wi-Fi 6E. There is even an FM radio, but this is only in models based on the Snapdragon chipset.

5mAh battery, 000W fast charging, 25W wireless charging. I suppose everyone remembers the news about how Samsung teased Apple that it refused to charge. Samsung was probably going to keep the charger in the box, but the $ 15 price cut forced it to cut costs in every possible way. I would not be surprised if the camera system remained unchanged for the same reason – we saved it.

I noticed that everyone praises the fingerprint scanner for all new models. And the zone has become larger, and it works with lightning speed. This is cool.

Of course, the downside is that Samsung has abandoned the second physical SIM-card, now only the SIM + eSIM combination (hello Apple!). This is a significant disadvantage, since now when traveling to another country (this, in principle, it is possible) will have to be more difficult, buying a physical card at the airport is not an option. Apparently, it will be necessary to transfer the main card to the eSIM, or what?

I strongly criticized the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for its looks. The camera block rose like a mountain range. I cannot say that the new Galaxy S21 are good in terms of design. Perhaps Samsung just didn’t have the skill to film them beautifully, as Apple does with the iPhone. However, it is obvious that the devices are comfortable. And keep well, and the camera block will not cling to clothes. And the design … What difference does it make if it’s convenient and works well?

Samsung Galaxy S21 + and S21

These two devices are an example of how Samsung is smart about saving money.

Let’s start with the obvious. Surprisingly, the Galaxy S21 doesn’t use glass, but rather plastic for the back of the device. On the one hand, it doesn’t matter, on the other, it’s somehow undignified, or something.

Both smartphones have a screen resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a peak brightness of 1300 nits, while the older model has 1440 x 3200 pixels and a brightness of 1500 nits. In general, the difference is not noticeable, the screens are still good.

Interestingly, only Ultra models have Wi-Fi 6E, the two younger models just got Wi-Fi 6. I wonder how much Samsung could save by making this trick?

The cameras of the younger models are also weaker. Instead of a 108 MP module, 64 MP is used. In this case, I see no problems. During testing, I realized that I do not like 108 MP modules due to blur at the edges, because of problems when shooting close, when, for example, the text is slightly blurred. Algorithms have not yet been able to eliminate these nuances. So in this situation, I support Apple, which conservatively continues to install 12 MP modules on the iPhone.

Conclusion

Frankly, I don’t even know what else to write. I can only say that Samsung marketers have somehow failed to complete the presentation. After watching the iPhone event, all the new features that are tightly hammered into the viewer’s brain are always clearly left in the head – Ceramic Shield, design, A14 Bionic first 5 nm chipset, Dolby Vision video shooting, LiDAR scanner, Apple ProRAW mode, MagSafe wireless charging. It’s offhand that in 2 minutes I was able to remember about the new iPhones. Although I do not use these smartphones and am not even too interested. I have no such thing about the new Galaxy S21. And if the question is asked in the forehead: “Well, point by point, what’s new?” – then I will be confused.

And finally, a strange photo. I would like to clarify, what is the idea – to lie under the covers in a sweatshirt and a T-shirt?

Huawei nova 8 Pro 5G

• Rating: player in the Chinese market
• Price: 60 rubles (000 dollars)

TECH SPECS:

• Processor: Kirin 985 5G (7 nm), Octa-core (1 × 2.58 GHz Cortex-A76 & 3 × 2.40 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4 × 1.84 GHz Cortex-A55), Mali-G77 graphics (8 cores)
• Operating system: Android 10, shell EMUI 11, no Google services
• Memory: 8 GB / 128/256 GB, no memory card slot
• Screen: 6,72 inches, OLED, resolution 1236 x 2676 pixels, aspect ratio 19.5: 9, dot density 439 ppi, 1 billion colors, HDR10, 10-bit, 120 Hz
• Battery: Li-Po 4000 mAh, fast charge 66W, 60% in 15 minutes, 100% in 35 minutes, reverse charge 5W
• Main camera:
  • 64 MP, f / 1.8, 26mm (wide), PDAF
  • 8 MP, f / 2.4, 120 °, 17mm (ultra wide angle)
  • 2 MP, f / 2.4, (depth)
  • 2 MP, f / 2.4, (macro)
  • Video recording 4K, 1080p, 720p @ 960fps, gyro-EIS
• Front camera:
  • 16 MP, f / 2.0, (wide)
  • 32 MP, f / 2.4, 100 ° (ultra wide angle)
• SIM card: 2 Nano-SIM
• Network and data transmission: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, A2DP, LE, dual band A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC, NFC (? ) USB Type-C 2.0
• Sensors: fingerprint scanner (under the screen), accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, lighting, compass
• Other: no 3.5 mm jack, no FM radio, NFC
• Materials: glass and aluminum frame (?)
• Dimensions: 163.3 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm, weight 184 g

Huawei nova 9 Pro 5G is a device that is unlikely to be sold in Russia. And we are talking about him in the context of what Huawei is doing there. To some extent, this is a hopeless business, as the company becomes a local Chinese smartphone manufacturer. On the other hand, I suspect that eventually Huawei smartphones will be popular with supporters of global conspiracies, fearing Google surveillance. After all, in fact, these will be the only high-quality advanced smartphones without Google services.

By the way, the smartphone is good. And outwardly handsome, and the filling is good.

As I see it, Huawei has focused on the screen and cameras. The smartphone has a 120Hz OLED screen displaying over a billion colors. The camera module immediately catches the eye due to the huge 64 MP lens. The promo materials seem to focus on bloggers to appreciate the different modes of the dual front camera.

In general, the smartphone turned out to be bright and remarkable. It’s even a pity that it is only available in China.

Medium +

HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G

• Rating: outsider
• Price: 428 dollars (32 rubles)

TECH SPECS:

• Processor: Qualcomm SM6350 Snapdragon 690 5G (8nm), Octa-core (2 × 2.0 GHz Kryo 560 Gold & 6 × 1.7 GHz Kryo 560 Silver), Adreno 619 graphics
• Operating System: Android 10
• Memory: 8GB / 128GB, microSD combo slot
• Screen: 6.7 inches, IPS LCD, resolution 1080 x 2400 pixels, aspect ratio 20: 9, dot density 393 ppi, 90 Hz
• Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh, fast charging 18 W, Quick Charge 4.0+
• Main camera:
  • 48 MP, f / 1.8, 26mm (wide), 1 / 2.0 ″, 0.8µm, PDAF
  • 8 MP, f / 2.2, 118 ° (ultra wide angle)
  • 2 MP, f / 2.4, (macro)
  • 5 MP, f / 2.4, (depth)
  • 4K @ 30fps video, 1080p @ 30fps, gyro-EIS
• Front camera: 16 MP, (wide-angle)
• SIM card: 2 Nano-SIM
• Network and data transmission: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.1, A2DP, LE, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, NFC, USB Type-C 2.0
• Sensors: Fingerprint Reader (Rear), Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Lighting, Compass
• Other: 3.5 mm jack, NFC
• Materials: ???
• Dimensions: 167.1 x 78.1 x 9.4 mm, weight 205 g

We should not forget that HTC, although totally disappeared from the radar, still continues to produce smartphones. Basically, she does this so as not to lose qualifications.

The smartphone is notable only for the presence of the Snapdragon 690 5G chipset. In fact, we have an analogue of the Samsung Galaxy A32, but with the amendment that HTC cannot provide a better price due to economies of scale (that is, the order is small), plus the company instead of the chipset from MediaTek chose a more premium version from Qualcomm.

Overall, the HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G is a typical basic smartphone available to any manufacturer. And the 5G chipset is its main advantage. What the body is made of, unfortunately, is difficult to understand, but I suspect that it is plastic. The fact that HTC is not doing very well is also evidenced by the version of the operating system – Android 10. Of course, there is no need to strive to buy HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G. It’s more likely for general development that there are still such. So far they are fluttering.

Middle-

Samsung Galaxy A32

• Rating: player
• Price: 280 euros (25 650 rubles)

TECH SPECS:

• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G (7nm), Octa-core (2 × 2.0 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6 × 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55), Mali-G57 MC3 graphics
• Operating system: Android 11, One UI 3.0 shell
• Memory: 4/8 GB / 64/128 GB, combined slot microSD
• Screen: 6.5 inches, IPS LCD, resolution 720 x 1600 pixels, aspect ratio 20: 9, pixel density 270 ppi
• Battery: Li-Ion 5000 mAh, fast charging 15 W
• Main camera:
  • 48 MP, f / 1.0, 26mm (wide), 1 / 2.0 ″, 0.8µm, PDAF
  • 8 MP, f / 2.2, 123 ° (ultra wide angle), 1 / 4.0 ″, 1.12µm
  • 5 MP, f / 2.4, (macro)
  • 2 MP, f / 2.4, (depth)
  • Video recording 1080p @ 30fps
• Front camera: 13 MP, f / 2.2, (wide-angle)
• SIM card: 2 Nano-SIM
• Network and data transmission: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, NFC, USB Type-C 2.0
• Sensors: Fingerprint scanner (side), accelerometer, proximity, lighting, compass
• Other: there is a 3.5 mm jack, there is NFC
• Materials: plastic / plastic (?)
• Dimensions: 164.2 x 76.1 x 9.1 mm, weight 205 g

This smartphone will only go on sale in February. And it is not known whether it will be available in Russia at all. But the Galaxy A32 is of interest as an affordable 5G smartphone powered by the new MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G chipset. This is, whatever one may say, a joyful event. After all, we are used to seeing 5G networks either in flagships or semi-flagships. In fact, 2020 was the first year of 5G with both networks and smartphones appearing in sufficient numbers. 2021, in turn, will be the year of massive 5G, as users around the world will be able to take affordable smartphones with the support of this technology. Here you need to understand that Samsung is not unique and there are many smartphones from other manufacturers on the way.

Well, the Galaxy A32 smartphone itself is generally boring, and there is nothing to say about it. The current model Galaxy A31 is on sale for 17 thousand rubles. The new A32 is distinguished by the presence of 5G (that is, a change of the chipset, before that there was also MediaTek Helio P65), the camera responsible for the depth was slightly worsened (it was 5 MP, it was 2 MP), and the front camera was reduced from 20 MP to 13 MP. Perhaps the biggest change is the screen. Instead of AMOLED, they put IPS LCD. In short, Samsung has saved as much money as possible to bring an affordable 5G handset.

Motorola Moto G Stylus

• Rating: technology for technology
• Price: 300 dollars (22 rubles)

TECH SPECS:

• Processor: Qualcomm SDM678 Snapdragon 678 (11 nm), Octa-core (2 × 2.2 GHz Kryo 460 Gold & 6 × 1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver), Adreno 612 graphics
• Operating System: Android 10
• Memory: 4GB / 128GB, separate microSD slot
• Screen: 6.8 inches, IPS LCD, resolution 1080 x 2400 pixels, aspect ratio 20: 9, dot density 386 ppi
• Battery: Li-Po 4000 mAh, charging 10 W
• Main camera:
  • 48 MP, f / 1.7, 26mm (wide), 1 / 2.0 ″, 0.8µm, PDAF
  • 8 MP, f / 2.2, 118 ° (ultra wide angle), 1 / 4.0, 1.12μm
  • 2 MP, f / 2.2, (macro)
  • 2 MP, f / 2.4, (depth)
  • 4K @ 30fps video recording, 1080p @ 30 / 60fps; gyro-EIS
• Front camera: 16 MP, f / 2.0, (wide-angle), 1 / 3.06 ″, 1.0µm
• SIM card: 2 Nano-SIM
• Network and data transmission: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, USB Type -C 2.0
• Sensors: Fingerprint scanner (side), accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity
• Other: there is a 3.5 mm jack, no NFC
• Materials: glass and plastic case
• Dimensions: 169.8 x 77.9 x 9 mm, weight 213 g

Motorola has been experimenting with smartphones and stylus for a long time, but it does it depressingly and without a spark. But I, as a fan of this technology, watching how Samsung’s creations are moving further and further from the title of “ideal smartphone”, I closely follow all market participants in the vain hope of a new star.

Motorola Moto G Stylus (2021) is interesting because Motorola is still developing a theme with a stylus. If we take last year’s model, then the stylus was used only for writing: scribbling something on a screenshot or in a notebook. And no more technologies (Samsung can recognize text, take notes on the screen off, and much more). However, the new model has taken a step forward. Firstly, it became possible to take notes in almost any application, and secondly, you can take notes without removing the screen lock (like on Samsung). Thirdly, now the stylus pops out of the slot, you should press on it. In last year’s model, it was necessary to pick up with nails.

Otherwise, this is a typical simple smartphone from Motorola. By the way, I am glad that Motorola is honest in its presentation. For example, here is a company advertising a new night mode and attaching original photographs there. Yes, the quality of the photos is not very good, but this is exactly the picture that the user will receive. After all, many manufacturers prefer to display fake photographs in this way. The most honest ones have a tick that the photo is not real.

Probably the most striking disadvantages are the lack of NFC and the OS version. A $ 300 smartphone aimed at the US market with no NFC and Android 10? On the other hand, it may be a subsidized smartphone for operator retail … But it is clear that if the model appears in Russia, it will not work.

Conclusion

January is the month of the new Samsung Galaxy S21. The company took the month. All the talk is only about why the new S21 is better than the iPhone or vice versa. Whether the price is justified, whether it was necessary to remove the charger from the kit. Probably, if I lived in the USA, I would look at the new Samsung with a great positive – both the design is new, and 5G (both sub-6, and the millimeter range), and stylus support (no, and even the price of 200 As a potential Russian buyer, I see a price increase of 10%, I check if my income has grown by 10%, and I remain in thought.By the way, Samsung could reduce the price for Russia if it offered customers versions without 5G support , since this is an irrelevant technology for us, but Samsung has followed Apple’s path and sells 5G smartphones in which 5G is disabled at the software level.

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