The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra launched in February 2021 and as soon as I saw this device unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event I knew I had to have it.
It’s the second “Ultra” phone Samsung made after the initial S20 Ultra, and it refined the product line, and made the “Ultra” phone feel like a polished device rather than an experiment.
But now 2 years have passed and 2 more Ultra phones have come out since this one so the question I want to answer is - is the S21 Ultra still a good phone in 2023 and is it worth picking up for a reduced price over its’ newer siblings. Well, let’s find out!
I used S21 ULTRA about two years, i like it so much. Long buterry life.
How much H battery no games. Just social media viber and yotube?
There is s22 Ultra And S 23 Ultra Now But S21Ultra still my Fav❤
It's really a great phone!
I have a S23 Ultra but brought a decent S21 Ultra. Just love the design
because u dont have money haha
@@angbang7120 no alot of people like myself like the look of the 21u more then the 22u and 23u I personally just bought it and I could easily bought the 23ultra but the 21u just love that camera back look will admit tho I love the squared edges of the newer ultra series and the note 20u
@@angbang7120 what colour is ur Tesla???? i can buy u and ur family
I was considering the S23 a long time, but the HUGE price tag held me back, so I started going backwards comparing/looking/searching the S22, then the S21. Having done so over several days now I came across this video, that made me take a decision. The value/price/spec levels seems to peak on S21 so I will get myself a refurb S21 next time I get my salary 😊
I just went thru the same thing and ended up with the 21+ instead. I never liked curved displays especially with the 20:9 aspect ratio. I always use my phone with a tempered protector and I don't want to fuss with the UV-curing protectors to get a nice fit.
@@deleqtronica8733 Hello 👋 not keen on curved screens either but I'm a semi pro photographer and badly needed a phone with a SOLID camera. I think I have to research a bit more about "accidental inputs" on the phone then because I have not seen anyone complaining about this, is it an issue as far as you know?
Exactly my thought, and I ordered S21 Ultra 256GB for 450USD!
S21 ultra is a beast of a phone. I got one recently, it’s just as good as the newer models. It seems like it was just released, even though it’s 2 years old.
@dagaffer2269 Same here.. just got a second hand one the other day.... no regrets
There is an "extra dim" option in the settings under "visibility enhancements " I love my s21 ultra. And am considering buying another one when I can upgrade because the 512gb version on Amazon is only 490 dollars
Nice rebrand, glad to see you are back to making videos!
Bought s21 ultra in august 21 and still using it. Best design ever and still getting updates regularly. Only negative is battery life. Weight is not an issue for me as i am used to it now.
just curious, how many screen on time hours are you getting? and are you on exynos or snapdragon? I'm thinking on buying one, but read the same thing about the S10e and didn't mind it but it actually has bad battery life so I'm trying not to repeat the same mistake
@@OAlfonsoi use exynos verson get 5-6 sot with wifi data(5g off) and bluetooth on
@@OAlfonso late but I have the snapdragon and switched from and s10e. The battery life lasts me all day with pretty heavy use
@@pandalover69420 *So what the fuck is this person talking about? The battery life on the S21 ultra should be phenomenal*
@@DANIELCHUKWUKEREhow can battery life be phenomenal..a 2021 phone :p
Is it still worth buying it at 2024?
Hi! It's been well over a year since my last video so I'm a bit rusty, go easy on me :) Since filming this video I have caved in and purchased an S23 Ultra. Comparisons and review coming soon!
Why did you eventually switch to the S23 Ultra? And is it worth it in your opinion?
@@blackdeath19 It was mainly as I was curious about the new main camera and image processing. I think for people who really care about image quality the upgrade is worth it, otherwise I would wait
Have you also caved in for the S24 Ultra? :)
Nice review watching this on my S21 Ultra phone which I have already since 2 October 2021. It's such a complete and beautiful phone and I don't feel the need to upgrade for now
Thanks! It could last you a couple more years at least :)
Same. Ill wait till next year to snatch the galaxy fold z5
There's an Extra Dim feature available under Accessibility to address the screen brightness issue.
Had mine two years and its still working perfectly today. Not sure I will bother upgrading when my contract is up shortly.
Hello, thank you for sharing this video. I purchased this phone when it first came out and still use it daily. Everything you shared is completely on point. 😅
i just bought s21 ultra used and its like the best deal ive ever seen. The phone is sooo good, I had an s22 ultra before it and had to get it replaced and I haven't seen a difference yet! Def a good purchase and will keep me company up until s26 :)
I had the s21 Ultra. Overall it's a kickass phone. The lack of Bluetooth S-Pen and the battery life is the reasons why I upgraded to the s23 Ultra.
You can buy a custom case for it with an s pen but then again I would've upgraded too 😂
@@Trapstar_17 I had that. It's not Bluetooth and believe it or not, I needed it.
Is the s23 much better. Thinking of sticking with my S21 ultra
@@Marksm50 for regular daily activities, absolutely not. There are things that are better but none of them are must haves compared to the s21 imo. Other than the built-in Bluetooth S-Pen vs buying a case with a non-bluetooth S-Pen and lose a few features.
@MarcusB-5000 thanks, may just stick with my s21 then when upgrade is due. Only thing I'd want to upgrade for is better battery probably
Just what I was looking for, thank you.
Glad I could help!
Awesome video. I bought s21 ultra twice in the last month and quite happy with it.
why would you buy it twice
@@sartajaziz5930 because bro is ballin
Hey man, really solid review! Nice rebrand on the channel too, very clean 🙌 Funnily enough, I just bought this phone refurbished, pretty excited to get my hands on it. Quick tip for your brightness issue, I use the Night Owl app to get the screen even dimmer in the evening. It even has a shortcut you can put in the notification panel, works pretty well :)
Thanks! I will check that out for sure :)
@@Revolve-Studios Give me a suggestion S21 Ultra or 11 Pro Max in July 2023? Planning to upgrade from Oneplus 5t
@@sauravmagar18 Both are great, I lean more towards android though so I'd have to say the S21 :)
@@sauravmagar18 if you thing of buying an iphone you should consider 12 pro max or newer. the 11 is way too old check review. Personally i would definitely go for the S21 Ultra. It has better display and more features and they fixed many issues with the os now its very smooth almost as smooth as the new iphones but most importantly the features sumsung has are amazing and very useful you can also check the pixel 7 PRO if you have the budget.
you got the phone ?
Still A beast 🖤🔥
I just switched to S21 ultra after using a tcl 105g for 18months .. completely like night and day, and very happy with the Samsung!
Nice review 😊 My Note 10 Plus is still Rocking 😊
I still have mine 3 years now.
I'm using my Note 20 ultra and go in 20-30 times zoom and you get a very usable shoot.
Ofc, bc it has 5x optical zoom lens
S21 Ultra is no doubt my dream phone, even after 2 years. I am glad that I bought 3 pieces of S21 Ultra when it released and now I am still happily using them together with my 3 pieces S23 Ultra 😊
Just bought one after a few years of using a cheap phone, last good phone I had was an S8. Can't wait :)
3 pieces & 3 pieces 😂 You think anyone believes u lol Maybe 3 Gameboys 😂😂😂
My s21 ultra drains battery…😢
Considering buying one myself. Does it heat up like the S22 ? Plagued by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 horrible thermals.
Thanks for the video
EXACTLY I LOVES MU S215G ULTRA 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I HAVE MINES 2YEARS ALSO
Thank You Revolve Studios
Very good video keep up the good work👍
Thanks! :)
Amazing review.
Nice video appreciated. Any issues with the s pen at all that you know about?
Thanks! I never bought a pen for the S21 Ultra. With the S23 Ultra I sometimes have the pen not connecting until I click it back in and out again.
I just bought my first flagship phone everrr a few days ago from laster year a 21 ultra! mostly because I bought AR glasses and needed a phone which could connect to it. Always had cheap low tier android so this feels like a beast so smooth on my hands lol love it and the pictures actually look real not like artifical like the cheap phones.
S21 ultra. best phone i ever had, and ive been on both sides..2+ years into ownership, it still seems like the day i got it
2:46 There's an "extra dim" feature for this... I've got the S21 Ultra and i love that fix
Hi there. Just wondering have you seen any degrading with battery performance. I’m considering picking one of these up and contemplating a battery replacement
I have just got the s23 ultra only because my screen broke on my s21 ultra and couldn't afford to repair it at £279 pound also had seen refurbished s21 ultras for about the same price so got an upgrade for free on contract but if this hadn't of happened would still be using it brilliant phone.
S21 Ultra is a beast phone today. Had one for 2 years before switching to the 23 Ultra.
So beastly you had to buy a new phone
@deleqtronica8733 It's more so of wanting something new, but you already knew that. Stop it
Great content. My wife has the s21 ultra and loves it even after two years. Me, I have the s23 ultra, love it.
Thanks! I just sold the S21 Ultra to my friend who is upgrading from a super cheap old Xiaomi. I think he'll enjoy it for a few years to come!
Guys i have it and i can say to u it feels faster than iphone 11 or 12 and also its a beast at gaming if u want a loong phone for ur life just buy this phone its the best for its price and also dont forget buy it with 256 GB if u like filling ur phone up
i have this phone and i'll upgrade when it no longer gets updates. great phone! and fast
Good idea! It should get updates for another couple of years.
Saving up for a 2nd hand S21 Ultra in a couple months, it's amazing that this flagship phone is only 3 years old and it's almost the same price as last year's mid-range from Samsung today while still holding up wonderfully. Such incredible feeling having such a good last gen to fall back on when you're on a budget
Im watching this video on s21 ultra and i love it..
I was considering trading it in for S23 Ultra but I can't find much reason to upgrade.
I have the s21 ultra and still works so good
thank you for the review!
Thank you for watching!
Thanks for the review... I've ordered a renewed one for £300
That's a great price! I'm sure you will love it :)
from which shop? and what's your experience
S20 ultra solid as a rock today waiting on s24 ultra Samsung is always solid and the beast
By far their best designed Ultra or Note style phone ever made. The 22 and 23 are too boxy.
True, s21 is so comfy to use
I'm using one right now and I will say if you wanna get go for it. It's still a great phone
Nova launcher ❤ this is a great phone, I did upgrade to the s23u but only to pass this one to my son. I would recommend this over s22.
I'm watching this vdo using my S21 ultra and I love this phone
Yeah I agree 👍
im using s21 ultra now more than 2 years,i took off screen protector in first day,never been on screen protector and have no any scratches on screen. this is something !!! 😍 , but now out s23 ultra and can listen customer complaints ,why scratches easily ? 🤔 yes it is,still boss !
How much longer will it last?
Nice video bro thanks
Thanks for watching! :)
Thanks for d info
you said very well
i just upgraded mine to s23 ultra, the only difference u gonna notice is the s pen is now inside the phone, and the nice touch on the backside of the phone, no fingerprints, but in terms of other quality everything feels very similar, and just a little bit smoother cuz the chip is not exynos chip
Just got mine few days ago f9r 450€ in new condition. For what this phone provides and its quality, defiantly its worth having in 2023!! Every flagship phone that cost 1000 or more at the end of the day of you've not a gamer this phone is a gem. Could be that it's good for gamers but u am not one. As a photographer it's great enough and if one wishes a top grade camera well theh get a camera lol .. battery could always be better but it lasts a full day of use with no charge. I know I'll be able yo use this phone for few years. I highly recommend this phone.
I really love my s21 ultra i bought the s22ultra but switch back to s21 ultra
It gets darker, just push extra dark, it has a sun symbol with down marks, go tu notification bar
I know a person who upgraded to the S21 Ultra right before the release of the S23 models, and they're enjoying it. I know many people with S21 Ultra's as well who are happy with them and love it. I like it. But with the 100x, go for the S23 Ultra for slightly decent results 😂
Yeah it's all good. To someone who doesn't want to buy the S23 I'd say just stay away from trying it. Comparison is always what ruins the experience of the older device :)
@Revolve-Studios Honestly, yeah..
Hmmmm......heating issues do seem to be a bit of an issue with the 2021 Samsung phones. I have a z flip 3, my sister an s21 plus (not ultra). I get phones on Amazon, for some reason the 2021 phones are almost the same price as the 2020 phones. These are both US unlocked Qualcomm snapdragon 888s.....and they get hot...
Bought black but i really like the silver too 😅😢
I just brought my s23 ultra 🖤 🔥
I'm still using the S21 Ultra Snapdragon version and it gets heated too just like the Exynos. That aside, still a great phone!
I was hoping it was just an Exynos issue, but in any case it doesn't happen too often so I can live with it. It's really a great phone!
@Revolve-Studios I'm a mobile gamer, and I play games for longer hours, so it happens a lot. The days I don't stress the phone that much, the temperature is normal throughout the day, so it's still a win.
The fact that you can buy the S21 for just $300 n Ultra for just 450 is just amazing
any scratches? @@hellsfavoritesaltyberserke4724
@@hellsfavoritesaltyberserke4724hows the battery life?
I never liked the s pen, or at least never needed it. So I prefer the smaller format of the s21 ultra vs newer s22 and 23 ultra. Plus I absolutely don't need a 200mp cam
Greetings from Manchester. I was looking on Ebay 2 find out that the S21 512GB is over 850£. When at the same time the S22 is 100£ cheaper. Why go for such an old phone instead when is that expensive compare to newer devices?
Where dod you get your phone case from
Watching From My Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Sd888 ❤️❤️❤️
Have any of you guys who owns s20 ultra - s21 ultra have the green lines on the screen after the update?
Wow, what country is that? (photos)
I still use the s21 ultra. 120hz phone. Snapdragon 888. Its great
@hellsfavoritesaltyberserke4724 It's designed to work with all resolution. Which includes 1440p
Thank you 😊 I have s21 ultra. It's nice looking phone. But I'm still waiting from Samsung small phone like s23 with cameras like in ultra. This what I like in iPhone Pro version, small and with top functions, but don't like iOS.
Exactly! I wish they'd make a smaller Ultra too.
How much does it cost and I want a good place to buy it from?
I had one of these. I loved it. But I traded it for my Z Fold4. Now after some hinge issues with the Fold, I'm looking at trading it in to get an S23 Ultra. Don't think I'd go back and rebuy the old S21 Ultra as much as I loved it as I want a better battery and camera.
What were your issues with the hinge? I've never tried a fold, but assumed they would've figured that out by the 4th gen. I can recommend the S23 Ultra, it's been a worthy upgrade so far :)
@@Revolve-Studios The glue that holds the brushes inside the hinge in place melted and started coming out of the hinge. Which caused the phone not to be able to open the full 180 degrees. Samsung refused to cover it under warranty calling it "cosmetic" damage. I had to go through my insurance to get a replacement.
@@bossman1086 Ouch! Sounds rough, Samsung should've covered that
@@Revolve-Studios That's my main issue. For a device that's $1800, Samsung should cover more. But instead they carve out a bunch of exceptions for what's covered around the hinge. This is what's making me switch.
No in-dwelling S Pen was and would still be a deal breaker for me. I skipped both it and its successor. The S23 Ultra is the one for me
S10 plus still lit 🔥
Many people facing green line issue in this phone. What about commenter's? pls share you experience.
All galaxy S series phones are worth it since the S10. I am using the S10 5g and I am not planning to upgrade, I am waiting for the S24.
I loved my S8 Plus and then my S10 Plus. The last S phone I didn't like was the S5, mostly because it felt very plastic-y. I never bought that one, was given it as a work phone.
@@Revolve-StudiosI'm currently using an S10+. How much of an upgrade would this be?
Watching from my S21 ultra 256gb 😊
Just bought one! Love it
Is the s21 ultra part of the phones that are getting a green line?
It literally has an extra dim button that you can turn on
Torn between getting 256gb vs 512gb. I can easily fill up 128gb in a year. However, i am also lazy in organizing my files so idk if getting 512gb is wise? I love taking photos and videos for the events. Which one should i get?
Answer is if you can afford 512 get it
i bought s21 ultra last year..i am still using it and its a great phone..but i think s23 ultra's camera performance is slightly better than s21 ultra
In some cases more than slightly! I have a new video on that just out :)
there is 2 years difference do u expect the s23 ultra to be worse??
I have it, had a pixel 6 pro, tried a S22 (regular), S23 Ultra and held an iPhone 14 pro max. Apparently, the ip14pm battery STILL lasts slightly more than any of these, but back to the Androids... The p6p has an ugly curved egde, not as big as the xiaomi 12 pro line. S22, as I wanted a small screen, was hailed as having dynamic amoled 2x, yet eh saturation was so low, it looked like a glorified IPS panel + the speakers sucked so much, I couldn't enjoy youtube or anything. S23 U is too expensive for me, tried it from a friend, its nice, but nothing special. The S21 Ultra, if you can get it under 450$, like me, is a BEAST! Perfect design, almost flat screen, all day battery life, lively speakers (unlike the entire S22 line), colors and sound are a pleasure to witness. Once you try a top end screen, all the lower tier OLEDs seems cheap to you. Itll stiull get android 14, and maybe 2 more years security, so good till 2026 or 27.
@@joeghaoui1229bro acting surprised phones actually improve with time 😂
@@deleqtronica8733 😂
best Phone design EVER and still such a great phone for very cheap
Should I upgrade from S21ultra to S21ultra??
Please is anyone using the Korean version? Silver colour? SM-G998N? Do you have an Android 13 update? I keep getting my software is updated when I search, but it is still Android 12.
I love my s21 ultra and will not exchange it to anything else unless there really is an iphone 15 ultra on the way which they said no its not coming. So yeah ill wait til it comes
I still like the s21 ultra 🖤
Keeping my S21 Ultra unless they remove the S Pen from the s S24 Ultra or considering the S23 or S24 Plus.
The moon pictures are A.I enhanced
Your so good
komen jujur dari aku dalam banyak2 s ultra ni la model s ultra paling terbaik bg aku
Love my s21 ultra. Ran it over with my truck, closed the hood with it on the seem, ect it's been thoroughly abused n it still blows most phones out of the water
Can anyone inform me about any greenline issue on s21 ultra? I'm thinking of buying one soon
I want to get an Ultra phone, but the size and weight is a serious downside and is making me consider a regular or plus version.
It will not bother you at all, you will get used to it and it's worth it!
The other versions are still worth it. I am using an s21 plus as I write this. The battery life is still good after 2 years of very heavy use. The screen quality is top tier and does HDR content well. I don't game on my phone so no opinion on that option. Overall I highly recommend a plus version of the s21-s23. Depending on your needs. I am considering upgrading only because I do want a bigger screen, so the ultra is my real upgrade path.
@@savagegecko4575 Right because if you got a S22 or 23, you’d actually be losing .1” in screen size.
@@pilotsspace For me, it’s not even when holding it, it’s when I put it in my pocket. Would it be too bulky or hang out of the pocket?
@Tristin471 Well I bought my mother an s21 and an s21 plus for me and yeah I do like the size of the plus. For her she likes the small phone. She says it's not as bulky and she really enjoys the the phone. The plus has been great for me but I honestly wish I would have just gone with the ultra from the start and I probably would not be itching to get a bigger phone. I was going to get an s22 ultra but I hear the battery life sucks. My friend had one and he couldn't even get a wholes day worth. So skip the s22 ultra. I'm getting an s23 ultra soon.
Disappointed in the s21 ultra. The camera is faulty, and the pictures are blurry. Have to tap the phone for it to focus. Believe quite a lot of others have the same issue. Samsung recommends changing the logic board, which is not cost-effective.
green line issue and amoled burn and green tint issue i have those...
Others have mentioned it too but I have never seen it personally. Is there something specific which causes it?
My only doubt is battery back up
Gave my dad my s21 ultra for my s23 and I've had way less heat issues
Did you have Exynos or Snapdragon? I've also not had any overheating with the S23.