Samsung Galaxy A21s Review: A Budget Smartphone That Delivers More Than Expected
In 2020,
Samsung continued its aggressive push into the affordable smartphone market with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy A21s. Positioned as an upgrade to the Galaxy A20 series, the Galaxy A21s arrived with a larger battery, improved cameras, and a modern punch-hole display that immediately made it stand out among budget devices.
For users searching for a reliable smartphone without spending flagship money, the Galaxy A21s quickly became one of Samsung’s most attractive options. It brought premium-looking design elements and dependable performance into the entry-level category while maintaining Samsung’s trusted software experience.
In this detailed review, we’ll explore everything about the Samsung Galaxy A21s, from design and display to performance, cameras, battery life, gaming experience, and whether it truly deserves its growing popularity.
Samsung Galaxy A21s Overview
The Samsung Galaxy A21s was officially launched in May 2020 as a successor to the Galaxy A20s and a companion device to the regular
Galaxy A21. Samsung focused heavily on battery life and camera versatility with this device, making it ideal for students, casual gamers, social media users, and anyone looking for a dependable daily smartphone.
The phone came with:
- A 6.5-inch Infinity-O display
- Quad rear camera setup
- Massive 5,000mAh battery
- Exynos 850 processor
- Android 10 with One UI
- Rear fingerprint scanner
At launch, Samsung aimed to dominate the affordable smartphone segment, and the A21s played a major role in achieving that goal.
Samsung Galaxy A21s Design and Build Quality
The first thing you notice about the Galaxy A21s is its modern design. Samsung clearly borrowed inspiration from its premium Galaxy lineup, giving the device a stylish appearance despite its affordable pricing.
The glossy plastic back reflects light beautifully and features a geometric pattern that adds personality. While it’s not made from glass or metal, the phone still feels sturdy and comfortable in the hand.
Compared to the regular
Samsung Galaxy A21, the Galaxy A21s has a slightly more refined rear camera layout. The camera module appears cleaner and more balanced, while the textured finish also helps reduce fingerprints better than the A21’s smoother rear panel.
Samsung also introduced multiple color options including:
The side-mounted buttons are responsive, and the rear fingerprint sensor is easy to reach. Even though the device is large, the curved edges make it surprisingly comfortable during long usage sessions.
Display Quality
The Samsung Galaxy A21s features a 6.5-inch PLS TFT display with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. Although it doesn’t use Samsung’s AMOLED technology, the screen still performs reasonably well for its price category.
The Infinity-O punch-hole design gives the phone a more premium look compared to older notch-style displays. Bezels are fairly slim, allowing for a more immersive viewing experience while gaming or streaming videos.
Colors appear decent, brightness is acceptable outdoors, and text remains sharp enough for everyday use. Watching YouTube videos, scrolling through Instagram, and browsing the web all feel smooth and enjoyable.
However, compared to Samsung’s AMOLED panels, blacks are not as deep and color vibrancy is slightly reduced. Still, considering the price, the display quality is more than satisfactory.
Performance and Hardware
Inside the Galaxy A21s is Samsung’s Exynos 850 processor paired with either 3GB, 4GB, or 6GB RAM depending on the variant.
For everyday tasks, the phone performs reliably. Apps open smoothly, multitasking works well, and navigating through One UI feels responsive most of the time.
The Exynos 850 chipset focuses more on efficiency than raw power, which actually benefits battery life significantly.
Tasks the phone handles comfortably include:
- Social media browsing
- Web surfing
- Video streaming
- Messaging apps
- Online classes
- Casual gaming
Games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile are playable on lower graphics settings. While the device isn’t built for hardcore gaming, casual gamers will still find the experience enjoyable.
Storage options include 32GB and 64GB variants, expandable via microSD card up to 512GB, which is excellent for users who store lots of photos and videos.
Samsung Galaxy A21s Camera Review
One of the major highlights of the Galaxy A21s is its quad-camera setup. Samsung clearly wanted to give budget users more photography flexibility.
The rear camera system includes:
- 48MP main camera
- 8MP ultra-wide camera
- 2MP macro camera
- 2MP depth sensor
Main Camera Performance
The 48MP primary sensor captures surprisingly detailed photos in good lighting conditions. Colors are vibrant, dynamic range is decent, and Samsung’s image processing makes pictures look social-media ready.
Daylight photography is where the phone shines the most. Landscapes, portraits, and outdoor shots come out sharp and colorful.
Ultra-Wide Camera
The ultra-wide camera is useful for group photos and scenery shots. While detail drops slightly compared to the main sensor, it’s still a welcome feature in this price range.
Macro Lens
The macro camera allows users to capture close-up shots of objects like flowers and textures. It’s more of a fun addition than an essential feature, but it adds versatility.
Selfie Camera
On the front, the Galaxy A21s includes a 13MP selfie camera housed inside the punch-hole cutout.
Selfies look good in daylight with decent skin tones and enough sharpness for social media uploads and video calls.
Video Recording
The phone supports 1080p video recording. Videos are acceptable for casual recording, though stabilization is limited.
Battery Life: One of the Best Features
Battery life is easily one of the strongest reasons to buy the Galaxy A21s.
Samsung included a massive 5,000mAh battery, which delivers outstanding endurance. Most users can comfortably get through an entire day and even stretch into a second day with moderate use.
The power-efficient Exynos 850 chipset also contributes heavily to the phone’s excellent battery management.
Activities the phone handles for long periods include:
- Streaming videos
- Social media browsing
- Gaming
- Video calls
- Music playback
The device supports 15W fast charging through USB Type-C, helping reduce charging times compared to older budget Samsung phones.
For users constantly on the move, the Galaxy A21s offers dependable all-day battery performance.
Software Experience
The Galaxy A21s runs Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI Core interface.
Samsung’s software remains one of the cleanest and most user-friendly Android experiences available in the budget segment.
Features include:
- Dark Mode
- Digital Wellbeing
- Gesture navigation
- Samsung Knox security
- Focus Mode
- App permissions management
One UI is designed for one-handed use despite the phone’s large screen size. Menus are well organized, animations are smooth, and Samsung’s ecosystem integration is a nice bonus.
The software experience feels polished and beginner-friendly, making the phone suitable for users of all ages.
Audio and Connectivity
The Galaxy A21s includes a single bottom-firing speaker which is decent for casual listening. Audio quality is loud enough indoors, though bass is understandably limited.
Thankfully, Samsung retained the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing users to connect wired headphones without adapters.
Connectivity features include:
- 4G LTE
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Wi-Fi
- GPS
- USB Type-C
- Dual SIM support
These features make the phone highly practical for everyday use.
Samsung Galaxy A21s Price at Launch
At release, the Samsung Galaxy A21s entered the market with competitive pricing.
Launch Prices
| Currency |
Launch Price |
| Nigerian Naira |
₦85,000 – ₦95,000 |
| US Dollar |
$179 |
| British Pound |
£179 |
| Indian Rupee |
₹16,499 |
Pricing varied slightly depending on RAM and storage configuration as well as regional taxes.
Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy A21s
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Modern punch-hole display design
- Good daylight camera performance
- Expandable storage support
- Reliable everyday performance
- USB Type-C support
- Stylish design
- Affordable pricing
Cons
- TFT display instead of AMOLED
- Average low-light photography
- Plastic build
- Gaming performance limited on high settings
- Speaker quality could be better
Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy A21s?
The Samsung Galaxy A21s successfully delivers what most budget smartphone buyers actually need: long battery life, dependable cameras, attractive design, and reliable software.
Samsung made smart improvements over previous Galaxy A models, especially in terms of battery capacity and camera versatility. Compared to the Galaxy A21, the A21s feels slightly more polished and practical for long-term everyday use.
It may not compete with flagship smartphones in raw power or display quality, but for its price category, it offers excellent overall value.
Students, casual users, first-time smartphone owners, and anyone seeking a dependable Android phone will likely be very satisfied with the Galaxy A21s.
Even in a highly competitive budget market, Samsung managed to create a smartphone that feels premium enough for daily enjoyment while remaining affordable.
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