Samsung Galaxy S21 - Will it be a Worthy Upgrade?

As the new Samsung Galaxy S21 comes out soon, with a launch date in early to mid-January 2021 and a release date soon to follow that, many will be faced with the decision to upgrade or not. While this new version will bring some new features, it will also stay true to the brand and maintain the best features from previous versions, such as the Galaxy S20. While looking at the price point it has been rumoured, they will be close to or maybe even less than the S20, the base model coming in at $1,499 AUD, while the Plus and Ultra versions will be more. You should always buy refurbished Samsung phones from reputable retailers. 

Chipset and Camera

Among the changes is the new Snapdragon 888 or the Exynos 2100 chipset that should boost operating speeds and performance on all versions of the Galaxy S21 but with only 8GB of RAM. Storage options are expected to be 128GB, 256GB, and for the Ultra a 512GB model. Changes to the camera system are expected according to the leaks with some versions having four camera lenses, though some rumours also suggest that the S21 Ultra may even have five. With a similar camera to the S20 Ultra, the latest Samsung flagship will have a 108MP camera and is reported to have a 12 MP ultra-wide, a 49MP selfie camera, and two zoom lenses rather than one. You aren’t going to notice any night and day differences in cameras or performance between the two devices, the S20 still has a more than a capable chipset to handle every task you throw at it, along with a camera that outperforms most phones.

Display

Expected to have a flat-screen on the Galaxy S21 Plus variant, the Ultra is expected to have a curve one to get the most space out of your screen. According to some leaks, it’s also said to have stylus abilities but likely will not come with one. The screen sizes are expected to be between 6.7 inches and 6.9 inches for all models, with the base model being slightly smaller than the Ultra model. The Samsung Galaxy S20 sports a 120hz, quad HD, HDR10+ certified 2X Dynamic AMOLED display and are among the best displays you can find on a phone.

Colours

Considering colour options there are a few varied reports, but most suggest that there will be more colour choices for the new Flagship, including phantom colours in violet, pink, grey, and white, the Ultra variant coming in either Black or white according to some leaks. It is anticipated that colours will vary by market, and there may be additional colours released in the months following the launch, rewarding those who wait to upgrade with additional choices.

As the Samsung Galaxy S20 has many of the same features including screen size, the ability to unlock via fingerprint, three cameras, and a similar zoom ability, there may be some advantages to a refurbished Galaxy S20 rather than the newer Galaxy S21.

Battery Life

The battery tests have shown that the S20 may in fact have a longer battery life, especially when online, and there is no sign of an increase in battery upgrades to come soon. With no increase to storage capacity either it seems like it may be a better decision to go for a refurbished S20 rather than an S21. A refurbished S20 can last up to 10 hours for online use in recent tests, and an average of 128GB storage keeps it on par with the S21 models. Additionally, there are no improvements to be seen on the screen, either size or performance.

Price

The S21 and the Plus models will have the same flat screens as seen in previous models, while the wrap-around screen seen on the 21 Ultra is also available in other models. The refurbished Samsung S20 price in Australia starts at $799 AUD and according to the leaks, the Samsung S21 price of a brand new one is expected to start from 1,499 AUD. 

Conclusion 

For an investment of around $799 AUD you can purchase a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S20 with 128GB of storage, going for the refurbished version of the S20 would allow you to get an Ultra variant for less than you would get a base model of the Samsung Galaxy S21. For a cost-effective way to get all the best features and performance, a refurbished Galaxy S20 is a great choice, and you can still get years of use from any of these phones.

Some of you might be wondering what exactly is a refurbished phone? A refurbished phone is a phone that is returned to the manufacturer for any reason, but often it is a defect in the phone itself or the customer has changed its mind and decides to return the device. If faulty, it is repaired with new parts and returned to new condition, after which it is sold for much less than a brand new phone. Some retailers will offer a warranty with a refurbished phone, ensuring you get the proper full use of the phone after it has been restored, often the warranty on the refurbished phone is closer or equal to the warranty offered with a new phone purchase.

Many people will be considering trading or upgrading their current phones when the new flagship from the tech giant is announced, while it may have a few noticeable advantages over the Samsung Galaxy S20, the improvements do not apply to the most important things, such as battery life and screen improvements, along with size. As all of these key features stay the same. When considering value for the money a refurbished top model of the Samsung Galaxy S20 might be a better investment than a basic Samsung Galaxy S21 for the same cost or less, you can read more here.

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Refurbished Samsung S21 vs Samsung S20 - Battle Of The Flagships