The Galaxy A21s is the cheapest Galaxy A phone that Samsung is releasing this year and the device has quite a lot to offer on paper. Still, we find it difficult to recommend the smartphone and you can read why in the Galaxy A21s review.

Check de Samsung Galaxy A21s review

With the Samsung A71, Samsung A51 and Samsung A41, the Korean manufacturer introduced various devices in the popular Galaxy A series this year. The Galaxy A21s is the company’s cheapest phone so far this year and again the value for money seems okay.

Now that we have extensively tested the device, we can conclude that the smartphone is not really recommended. In this review, we discuss the ins and out of the successor to the Galaxy A20e.

The test model for this Samsung Galaxy A21s review is provided by Belsimpel.

Plastic housing

The Samsung Galaxy A21s looks like a typical Galaxy A phone and it is very similar to the Galaxy A41 and A51. The housing is made of plastic and although that feels a bit cheap (our test device yields a bit), the design looks sleek otherwise. The back has a color gradient which gives the phone something extra.

The smartphone is on the large side: it measures 163.7 by 753 by 8.9 millimeters. Moreover, it is relatively heavy at 192 grams. We personally don’t find that much of a problem, but keep in mind that the Galaxy A21s is a bit bulky and really a big phone. At the bottom is the speaker, USB-C port and headphone jack. The SIM card slot is on the left side.

Dull screen with low resolution

A big flaw of the Samsung A21s is the screen. Although it is nice and large at 6.5 inches and therefore suitable for watching movies, the resolution is too low (1600 by 720 pixels). This makes everything look rather grainy. In addition, the A21s has an LCD display, and not an AMOLED screen like almost all other Samsung phones.

As a result, colors don’t look that nice and everything looks pale, even for an LCD screen. You notice this continuously and it bothers you. The maximum brightness is sufficient. The edges around the screen are also fairly thin and there is no notch, but a camera hole. Samsung has done that nicely.

Hardware: clearly a budget smartphone

The Samsung Galaxy A21s runs on the Exynos 850 chip, a new processor for cheaper Samsung phones. Depending on which variant you buy, the chip is assisted by 3GB / 4GB of RAM and 32 / 64GB of storage space. We have tested the 3GB RAM / 32GB storage model and the hardware performance is unfortunately not very good.

You notice during daily use that the Samsung A21s is a budget smartphone. For example, because it takes a while for apps to start, you sometimes see hiccups in animations and especially with multitasking, the smartphone has a hard time. It is not impossible, but the Galaxy A21s is not the fastest Android phone and faster devices can also be found in this price segment.

We are pleased with the fingerprint scanner, which is on the back. The fingerprint scanner works great and is fast and accurate, even when setting up. It is nice that Samsung does not opt ​​for a fingerprint scanner under the screen, because they are often slower and less reliable.

Great software with a guarantee on updates

Out of the box, the Samsung A21s runs on Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI Core skin on top. This is a slightly stripped down version of the normal One UI in which some features are missing, possibly because the hardware of the A21s is less powerful. However, the smartphone is nice to use and the Samsung software is logical and well-arranged.

In addition, the company has its update policy in order. Galaxy A phones typically get two Android version updates, meaning the A21s will most likely be updated to Android 11 and 12. In addition, the budget phone will receive a quarterly security update, with support running until at least July 2022. This is fine for a device in this price segment.

Four cameras on the back

Despite the fact that the Galaxy A21s is the cheapest Galaxy A phone of 2020, it has four cameras on the back. A 48-megapixel primary camera, 8-megapixel wide-angle lens for wide shots, 2-megapixel macro camera and 2-megapixel depth sensor. The primary camera and wide-angle lens take great photos, as long as you have enough light.

Then you see enough detail and you can take pretty nice pictures, although you can see a color difference between the primary camera and wide-angle lens. In the dark, the camera performance is poor, also because there is no night mode.

We see the 2 megapixel macro camera on many other budget phones and also on the Galaxy A21s it is no more than a fun gimmick. Because the resolution of 2 megapixels is very low, photos have little detail and eyes wash out quickly. In addition, the macro camera has a specific ‘point’ at which the image is sharp: if you deviate slightly from it, you immediately see a difference in sharpness.

Very good battery life

The best feature of the Galaxy A21s is the battery. It is 5000 mAh and because the processor is economical and the screen uses little power, the phone lasts a long time. With normal use, the A21s will last two days on a full charge and if you are very economical, maybe even longer.

You get a 15 Watt fast charger with the smartphone, but charging is not very fast, especially due to the large battery. That is not a disaster, especially if you always have your smartphone connected to the power at night. A full charge takes about two and a half hours and after half an hour on the power, the battery is about a quarter full.

Alternatives

The Galaxy A21s costs about 180 euros at the time of writing, and for that money there are a number of interesting alternatives available. Consider the Nokia 5.3, for example, which – like the A21s has a large HD screen and a total of five cameras – but has a faster Snapdragon 665 chip and more working and storage memory. The 5.3 is also an Android One device, so you can count on faster and monthly updates.

In addition, the Moto G8 Power is worthwhile. This smartphone resembles the A21s in many ways, but actually does everything just a little better. The hardware is faster, the screen is nicer, the cameras are more versatile and the battery life is fine. Only Motorola software support is mediocre; the G8 Power gets two years of security updates and just one major Android upgrade.

Finally, Samsung itself has enough to offer in the budget segment. The Galaxy A31 and Galaxy A41 are a few tens more expensive, but much more complete smartphones. The predecessor of the A21s, the Galaxy A20e, is also worth considering. Keep in mind that the support for this phone stops earlier and the battery life is less good.

Conclusion Samsung Galaxy A21s review

The Samsung Galaxy A21s is a reasonable smartphone, but it does not really excel – except for the battery life – at nothing. The hardware is slow, the screen looks dull and the cameras are limited. The housing also feels a bit cheap, but the fingerprint scanner works very well.

Are you specifically looking for a cheap smartphone with a long battery life? Then you can still consider the Samsung A21s. If you’re looking for a more complete Android phone, the A21s is probably not the best choice for you. Nowadays you can also expect more in this price range.

Buy a Samsung Galaxy A21s?

Are you planning to get the Samsung Galaxy A21s? In our price comparison you can check the best deals for a separate Samsung Galaxy A21s. The smartphone has a suggested retail price of 209 euros, but you can get it for less at Belsimpel, for example.

In combination with a SIM-only subscription, you also have all the flexibility in terms of providers, number of calling minutes / internet and contract duration. You can also get the Samsung A21s with a subscription. There are two versions: one with 3GB RAM / 32GB storage and one with 4GB RAM / 64GB storage.