Major Galaxy S21 series leak reveals all key specs

As the expected January 14 launch date for Samsung’s next Galaxy S-line nears, the leaks are starting to give us more a more detailed picture of what’s to come. The latest development comes from and confirms three models – the S21, S21+ and S21 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S21 (left) and S21 Ultra (right)

Both the S21 and S21+ will feature FHD+ displays with 120Hz refresh rate though they won’t be adaptive like on the S21 Ultra. Screen diagonals remain unchanged from last year for the smaller models, coming in at 6.2-inches on the S21 and 6.7” on the S21+ while the S21 Ultra sits at 6.8” as opposed to 6.9″ on its predecessor. The new leak also confirms Ultra will get a higher-res 1440p LTPO display.

In addition, the new leak confirms the Ultra will support Samsung’s S Pen stylus but it won’t be bundled with the device itself and there won’t be an opening to store it like on the Note series. Samsung will sell separate cases that come with an S Pen holster.

The design of the S21 series will hold true to the previously seen renders with the camera cutout extending from the top left corner of the side frame. There’s also a mention of different color blocking combinations for the camera cutout and the rest of the body. Galaxy S21 will feature a plastic back while the Ultra will get glass. The S21+ back material is still not confirmed.

All three devices will be powered by either the Snapdragon 875 or Samsung’s own Exynos 2100 chipset depending on the region.

The cameras on the S21 and S21+ will remain largely unchanged from their predecessors with 12MP primary shooters alongside 12MP ultrawide snappers and 64MP telephoto modules. The S21 Ultra will come with Samsung’s new 108MP HM3 sensor which promises 12% better light sensitivity.

Samsung will reportedly add two 10MP telephoto modules said to offer 3X and 10X optical zoom respectively and 130% larger pixels compared to the S20 Ultra. The fourth module on the S21 Ultra is said to be a 12MP ultrawide lens.

Galaxy S21 cameras (left) and S21 Ultra cameras (right)

Battery capacities on the S21 (4,000 mAh) and S21 Ultra (5,000 mAh) will remain unchanged compared to the S20 models while the S21+ should come with a 4,800 mAh cell, up from the 4,500 mAh one on the S20+.

On the software side we’ll see One UI 3.1 based on Android 11.

The S21 will be available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Gray, Phantom White, and Phantom Pink colors. The S21+ will sport Phantom Silver, Phantom Black, and Phantom Violet paint jobs while the S21 Ultra will come in Phantom Silver and Phantom Black only. Pricing and availability are still not mentioned.