14 Apr
Blog

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G Review: Buy This Phone

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G

"The excellent Samsung Galaxy A52 5G has a clever trick: it looks good, does everything you need, takes good photos, and has a battery life of two days, but is reasonably priced."

  • Colorful 120 Hz screen

  • Two days of battery life

  • The camera takes photos that can be shared

  • IP67 water resistance

  • Useless fingerprint sensor

Samsung made the best Android phone of 2021, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but at more than $ 1,000 It's a serious investment. The Galaxy A52 5G costs less than half the amount it would take to back up an S21 Ultra. However, does this mean that it is not worth thinking about? Samsung has made great strides in the attractiveness and overall performance of its mid-range A-series hardware, and while the A52 5G obviously doesn't compare to the S21 Ultra, it has a lot going for it.

While we expect smartphones to have decent cameras and good software, Samsung has thought about what features will improve the A52 5G in meaningful ways and has added them. It turns a good phone into a great one. I lived with the Galaxy A52 5G and so it is.

design

Don't think too long about what the Galaxy A52 5G is made of, but think about how it looks and feels. The matte back has a soft, glass-like surface that is warm to the touch and still offers a reasonable grip. The case has a shiny chrome finish. It's not metal and the back wall isn't glass, but from a distance you would never know. The camera module appears to be part of the back, which reinforces the illusion that it is made of a considerably more expensive material than it actually is.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The white paint on my review unit looks excellent and doesn't attract any nasty smudges or fingerprints, although the chrome finish on the sides did notice a few small scratches during my time with the phone. However, you will have to search hard to find them. Although it weighs 189 grams, it is perfectly weighted and does a very good job of disguising this larger than expected mass.

Another welcome surprise is that in addition to a USB-C charging port on the bottom of the phone, the phone also has room for a 3.5mm headphone jack and the SIM slot also has room for a MicroSD card. The phone is 8.4mm thick and the overall shape is quite "angular," which adds up to the one minor downside of the A52 5G in that it feels quite large, especially when trying to use it with one hand. It's not impossible, but when compared to a slimmer, more curved phone like the OnePlus 9 Pro, which is almost the same width as the A52 5G, the range of thumb movement is significantly less.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

This isn't an isolated case for the Galaxy A52 5G, however, and apart from the slight lumpiness, it's otherwise a good-looking, well-balanced smartphone with a premium feel without a high price tag.

screen

Yes, the screen has a noticeable bezel, but no, it doesn't matter. The chin is the largest area, and even then, the A52 5G still looks like a modern phone. The 6.5-inch Super AMOLED has a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, eliminating any frame concerns. When I started using the Galaxy A52 5G, I had come straight from the cheaper $ 250 Nokia 5.4, which has one of the darkest smartphone screens I've ever used. The A52 5G has twice the brightness and is readable outdoors in most situations. In addition, the viewing angles are excellent.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It's lovely to look at. We've always sung the praises of the screen on the Galaxy S20, the Galaxy S20 FE, and even the Galaxy S10 before that. The Galaxy A52 5G really gives you the same visual experience as these phones, but for a lot less money. When Carfection reviewed the Nomad R, the colors and vibrancy of the surroundings jumped off the screen. The car's Evo group test, the A52 5G's willingness to show lots of detail, and the superb contrast values ​​are all on show.

A good-looking, well-balanced smartphone with a premium feel without a high price.

Add the 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling throughout the OS – it's adjustable to 60Hz if you want to prioritize battery life – and the tiny selfie camera in a hole in the top center and the Galaxy A52's screen 5G is much more like expensive phones. A real highlight of the phone until you get to safety.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Galaxy A52 5G has a built-in fingerprint sensor. Unfortunately, it's not the updated versions of the Galaxy S21 range, but rather the older, much less reliable version that has frustrated us with the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra. Because of its unreliability, where it often refuses to recognize input, I turned it off out of frustration, and that makes it a serious security problem. There is face unlock that you can resort to, but even that isn't the fastest or most accurate system. I relied on a PIN to secure the A52 5G because of the phone's hardware defects. That’s not good enough.

camera

The decent five-camera module on the back of the Galaxy A52 5G has a 64-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization, phase detection autofocus and an aperture of f / 1.8. There is a 12MP wide angle camera and a pair of 5MP cameras for macro and depth. It can record videos at 4K and 30 frames per second (fps). There is also a night mode and Samsung's single-take mode.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Photos are generally good. On bright days, it's not oversaturated and shows a pleasing palette with enough pop to catch the images. However, there are situations where the camera will emphasize green colors too much, resulting in a slightly unnatural appearance. However, this is mostly the case when using the wide-angle camera. There's also very little consistency between the main and wide-angle cameras, and some may also find the HDR effect to be too clumsy.

Portrait mode is decent and likes its subject, although edge detection doesn't challenge more expensive Galaxy models. The Galaxy A52 5G's camera is not as powerful as the Google Pixel 4a and suffers from the same problems as older Samsung cameras – inconsistency and oversaturation – but I never chose not to take a photo with it. Photos were taken every day, which I found perfectly acceptable.

Software and performance

It's Android 11 with OneUI 3.1 on my Galaxy A52 test device, which is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor and 6 GB of RAM. The software is almost the same as that installed on the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 +, and Galaxy S21 Ultra. So take a closer look at these reviews. It is crucial that I have no concerns about the speed, smoothness or functionality of the software on the A52 5G.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The OneUI 3.1 from Samsung is easy to use and offers clear menus and settings. The notifications are reliable and most can be interacted with. I also like the constantly active screen with its helpful icons and large time display. Samsung removed (or hidden) its Samsung Daily screen and replaced it with Google News when you swipe right on the home screen, which I personally find more useful. I've used OneUI a lot this year and haven't found it frustrating (other than the power button) or bad, and that trend continues with the A52 5G.

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G review appsAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy A52 5g review refresh rateAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy A52 5g review shortcutsAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Instead of using its own Exynos processor, Samsung built the Galaxy A52 5G with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G octa-core chip, whether you are in the US or the UK. With both Asphalt 9: Legends it is great for games and Genshin Impact play very well without generating a lot of heat. It doesn't have the instant response you get with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but I use it for normal tasks every day and it hasn't missed a beat. Top specs are always nice, but the Snapdragon 750G does everything you need.

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G Review GameAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G review headphone jackAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy A52 5g review pageAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

The battery life of the 4,500 mAh cell was very good. With normal use, two days can be achieved without any problems. If you get crazy about gaming this will change, but with general usage, some photos and videos, and the 120hz screen active, I ended most days with over 50% remaining time. It only charges at Samsung's fastest 25W speeds, which is around 80 minutes to fully charge. Wireless charging would have been a welcome addition, but it's rare at this price point.

Price and availability

The 6GB / 128GB Galaxy A52 5G is priced at $ 499 in the US and £ 399 in the UK. It's available through Samsung's own online store and retailers, including Amazon. You can buy it in the white color shown here, or in black, blue, or purple.

Our opinion

What a great phone the Galaxy A52 5G is. It's not overpriced, looks really good, is very well built, takes highly shareable photos, and is powerful enough to do whatever you need to do every day. The battery even lasts two days on one charge. We really expect that from every phone these days, and where the A52 5G really wins are all the extras Samsung has packed.

The Galaxy A52 5G has a number of useful extra features – water resistance, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack – that you don't always see on more expensive phones, plus 5G for the future if you so choose. These are not gadgets, but rather features that you will actually benefit from, and that is really welcome. It's also what turns the phone from simply good to great.

While there are still plenty of reasons to buy a Galaxy S-series flagship phone, the A52 5G ticks all the boxes for half the price or less if you're not that into top-notch photography or hardcore gaming. That's a good value, and while we're inundated with great flagship phones, the less you want to spend, the fewer the choices. So it's great to have a strong recommendation here.

Is there a better alternative?

The Galaxy A52 5G's biggest competitor is the Google Pixel 4a 5G, which also costs $ 499. If the camera is the most important part of your new phone it might be a better buy, but the design and materials can't be the same as the A52 5G. Since Samsung has strong software support for the future, it manages to regain some attraction in this area.

The battery even lasts two days on one charge.

It also takes on the OnePlus 8 in the US, which is available for $ 500, but it's considerably older than the brand new A52 5G. Some might also check out the Apple iPhone SE for $ 399, which is a whole different deal. It's slim and beautifully done, but much smaller and with a less versatile camera.

In the UK, the price of the A52 5G is even more competitive as it undercuts the Pixel 4a 5G and is closer to the Pixel 4a which means it is excellent value for money. There's a lot of competition, however, from the £ 280 / $ 385 Realme 8 Pro and the £ 469 / $ 645 Xiaomi Mi 10T 5G to the £ 380 / $ 520 Oppo X3 Lite.

How long it will take?

There is some good news here. The phone is IP67 water and dust resistant (yes, even with the 3.5mm headphone jack) and Samsung says the phone will get three Android version and security updates over the next four years. The 5G connection means you're ready to connect to the fastest network, if it's available where you live.

In addition, the MicroSD card slot expands the standard internal storage of 128 GB as well as NFC (in my UK version) for Google Pay and offers everything you need from a smartphone. The Galaxy A52 5G should last two to three years, assuming you're not a hardcore gamer.

Should you buy one?

Yes, the capabilities, style, and performance of the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G exceed expectations.

Editor's recommendations




06 Mar
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G Review: Business As Usual for Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S21 plus review back

"The Galaxy S21 + 5G is a sleeker, larger version of the S21. While it's great quality, it doesn't improve the S20 + drastically, nor does it match the height of the S21 Ultra."

  • Noble metal-glass body

  • Breathtaking screen performance

  • Capable camera

  • A 2021 flagship camera is missing

  • S21 Ultra is way better in many ways

If the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the best Android phone you can buy right now, and the Galaxy S21 5G has the right ingredients but can't quite pull them together, then where is the Galaxy S21 + 5G? The price is exactly in between and mixes up the lackluster technical data of the S21 a bit, but still doesn't quite match the S21 Ultra for downright high-tech appeal. Is the Galaxy S21 + the confused middle kid or a little star waiting for its moment to shine?

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Since the Galaxy S21 + is almost identical to the Galaxy S21 in terms of software, performance, and camera capability, I won't go into a lot of details here, as DT's mobile editor, Andrew Martonik, already did so in their Galaxy S21 review . Instead, I'll talk about the design and battery that make the S21 + different, as well as some general opinions about the camera and software.

Design and screen

The Galaxy S21 + basically looks the same as the S21, only a bit bigger and a good deal heavier. It weighs 200 grams and is 7.8 mm thick, with a rather flat 6.7-inch screen that leads into the metal case and, most importantly, a Gorilla Glass Victus back panel. Fortunately, the rear cover made of polycarbonate can only be found on the S21. The matte finish hides fingerprints and smudges, and the attractive Phantom Silver color in our photos subtly changes color in different lighting conditions. It is very nice.

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samsung galaxy s21 plus check side buttons module "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/galaxy-s21-plus-side-buttons -module -640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABAAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy S21 plus test side camera module "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/galaxy-s21-plus-side-camera -module- 640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAAABAAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

In keeping with the textured metal of the camera module, which is part of the metal housing like the S21 and S21 Ultra, the S21 + feels expensive, looks classy and, overall, is just the right weight to hold. The S21 series design is Samsung's best yet, and the massive camera module on the back of the S21 Ultra takes off the delicate, stylish look. Not so with the Galaxy S21 +. It's just the right mix in that regard, but the size of the phone can still bother some. It's nowhere near as big as the S21 Ultra or the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, but it's still a sizable device. My medium-sized hands are struggling to reach over the body of the phone.

The screen is the same Dynamic AMOLED panel as the S21, only bigger. The 6.7-inch screen has a pixel resolution of 2400 x 1080 (FHD +) and a maximum dynamic refresh rate of 120 Hz. The software adjusts the refresh rate depending on what you are doing to keep power consumption under control. It's also a mostly flat panel with less curvature than the S21 Ultra. This has advantages when it comes to gaming but disadvantages when it comes to style. A flat screen can cause the phone to age prematurely.

If you're concerned, the FHD + resolution makes the viewing experience less impressive than the S20 + with WQHD + resolution. Do not worry. Comparing the two didn't reveal any noticeable difference when watching videos – whatever you're doing on the phone looks absolutely great. The video looks amazing, with beautiful colors, sharp details, and more brightness than you really need. This version of GFriends Mago demonstrates the screen's excellent ability to handle rapidly changing colors and tones. At 1080p and 60fps on the S21 +, it looks wonderful.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The beautiful graphics are retained throughout the operating system, supported by the breathtaking brightness of the screen and the refresh rate of 120 Hz for super smooth scrolling, as well as useful adjustment with the Video Enhancer for more vivid colors, a white balance adjustment and various screen color modes. The stunning screen combined with the reasonable size of the Galaxy S21 + in the hand is great for video, gaming, and general everyday use.

camera

The S21 + has the same camera system as the S21 and is almost identical to the cameras of the S20. This means a 64-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. There is also a 10 megapixel selfie camera in a central hole in the screen. However, you will still find many of the same features found on the S21 Ultra, including 8K video recording, the interesting single take mode, image stabilization, portrait mode, and Director's View (where you record video with all cameras and switch between them can) real time) and much more.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

When I compared the S21 + directly with the camera of the S20 +, the software improvements from Samsung were clearly visible. The S21 + can handle shadows and difficult lighting outdoors far better than before, isn't over-saturated in the same way, and has a wider dynamic range. The result is very attractive photos with a tone that is still pop but not as fake as some photos from the S20's camera.

While 3x optical zoom is the preferred option for detail as you get closer to the picture, moving it up to 10x digital won't completely pixelate the photo, but you probably won't want to use the photos very often. To get the best zoom camera, you need to buy the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which has both 3x optical and 10x optical zoom – the difference is significant.

Disadvantage? The wide-angle and main cameras can lack consistency in tone and appearance, with the wide-angle camera increasing the saturation more. The wide-angle camera doesn't take great macro shots on the S21 Ultra either, and focusing on close-ups isn't the S21 + 's forte. The biggest disadvantage, however, is that the S21 + 's camera is only "good" and that is not enough for $ 1,000, especially if it is also the $ 800 Galaxy S21 or the iPhone 12 Pro and Google Pixel 5 far more are capable.

Battery and performance

I'm using an S21 + with an Exynos 2100 chip instead of the US model with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 with 8GB of RAM. On average days with around three hours of screen time, mostly social networking, email, browsing, and messaging, the 4,800 mAh battery drains to around 35% from around 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., which is means that general usage is a little shorter. You could get two days out of the S21 +.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, add in some games or heavy photo or video usage and you only get a single day. About 30 minutes of Asphalt 9: Legends, for example, uses 10% of the battery. If you do this twice a day, you will be nervously watching the percent meter around bedtime. Playing Asphalt 9: Legends over long periods of time showed that the S21 + may not be able to handle intense games as intensely as the S21 Ultra, which has the same chip but more RAM. The game suffered from dropped frame rates and slowdowns, and eventually crashed after a very long session when there was a lot going on on the screen, which wasn't at all on the S21 Ultra. Otherwise, the performance was flawless and no other games had such problems.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The S21 + has Android 11 with the Samsung OneUI 3.1. It is identical to the S21 and the S21 Ultra. For more information on the software's strengths and weaknesses, check out the reviews of these two phones. The 25-watt fast charging is also the same for all Galaxy S21 models, along with the wireless 15-watt charging and reverse charging. Fortunately, Samsung used a new fingerprint sensor on the S21 + than on the S20 +, and its performance is excellent.

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S21 + is priced at $ 1,000 for the 128GB model or $ 1,049 for the 256GB version. In the UK, the 128GB Galaxy S21 + is £ 950 or £ 999 for the 256GB version. It is now available, either activated via Samsung or Amazon or with a contract with all major network operators.

Our opinion

The Samsung Galaxy S21 + 5G appears to be the middle child of the 2021 S series, and while that's true in terms of size, it's not about technology. The S21 + comes no closer to the incredible capabilities of the S21 Ultra than the S21 and is really only there for those who think the S21 is too small. If you want the true S Series flagship this year, you have to Buy the S21 Ultra 5G.

Does that mean you shouldn't be considering the S21 + at all? No, if you are interested in the S21 or the S21 +, it is the model of the two that you need to buy. The Gorilla Glass Victus back panel gives it the class that the S21 plastic lacks, the larger screen really shows the breathtaking quality, and the battery life – although not exactly long – is better.

The extra cash to spend on the S21 is a little on the high side if the camera is not only the same, but also not as good as the $ 1,000 iPhone 12 Pro or the $ 699 Google Pixel 5 -Dollar S21 + owners interested in camera performance for the $ 1,200 S21 Ultra.

When I tested the Galaxy S20 + in early 2020, I called it the "safe choice," and that's exactly how I see the S21 +. It's pretty and capable, but it doesn't cross borders or lead exciting advances. They know that the quality is excellent and that it will last. The fact that I am saying exactly the same thing about the sequel is both comforting because nothing has changed and depressing because nothing has really changed. The Galaxy S21 + runs as usual.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. Assuming you're not set on an Android phone, the Apple iPhone 12 Pro is the better buy for $ 1,000. The camera is superb, the size is right, the performance is excellent, and since it has 5G this year, it will last just as long as the S21 +. Obviously, things change a little when Samsung offers deep discounts – at the time of writing. The S21 + was brought down to just $ 800, but that's not a permanent sale.

If Android is essential, the Galaxy S21 + 's main competition has not really arrived in 2021. The OnePlus 8 Pro is still very good, but the OnePlus 9 series is on its way very soon and it may be worthwhile to see what the updated model has to offer if you're not in a hurry. If you're in the UK or don't mind importing, the Xiaomi Mi 11 shares the S21 +’s excellent screen and improves the technology in the camera, but battery life suffers.

How long it will take?

Samsung is committed to providing software and security updates for up to four years. The S21 + has an IP68 rating and a metal case, and it has a ton of power plus 5G to keep it updated. All of this means that a two-year contract with a carrier feels relatively new in the end and lasts for at least another year before you really have to think about an upgrade.

Should you buy it?

Yes, this is definitely the model when you can choose between the S21 and the S21. Don't expect this to be anything more than a slightly updated version of the S20 + from last year, however. If this bothers you, there are better options.

Editor's recommendations




01 Mar
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 Review: A Step Backward

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 review 1

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 review: one step forward, two steps back

  • QLED screen is gorgeous

  • Rock solid design

  • Responsive, quiet keyboard

  • Fast performance

  • Thick lower bezel

  • Sloppy touchpad

Every year we expect the technology to be faster and better than last year. Samsung did the opposite with the Galaxy Chromebook 2.

It has a lower resolution screen, is thicker and heavier, and doesn't have a built-in S-Pen slot. It even uses a slower processor. What kind of sequel is that?

Well, the Galaxy Chromebook 2's name might be a misnomer, but the device is a Chromebook sweet spot in terms of its $ 550 price point. It's a far more palatable price than the $ 999 original Galaxy Chromebook. But did Samsung sacrifice what made this laptop so special to bring the price down?

design

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook had two distinctive features: the insane thinness of its profile and the bold red color of the case. The color remains, although there is now a more general silver option as well.

Unfortunately, its size has grown. The original was a staggering 0.39 inches thick – and only 2.29 pounds. It's still one of the lightest laptops you can buy. The continuation is much more conventionally 2.71 pounds and 0.55 inches thick. It's by no means too big, but now a bit thicker and heavier than the Pixelbook Go. This also corresponds to the Asus Chromebook Flip C436, another premium Chromebook.

That's not to say that this is the least bit bad-looking laptop. The Fiesta Red color is more fun than ever and the build quality is exceptional. I miss the CNC cut side panels, but it's still one of the nicest Chromebooks you can buy. That is, before I got my fingerprints on the lid. It's a bit like a fingerprint magnet.

Overall, however, I prefer the sharper angles and edges over the overly rounded style of the Pixelbook Go.

One feature of the design that hasn't changed is the lower bezel. However, over the past year we've seen a shift towards bigger screens with slimmer chins, whether that's 16:10 or 3-2. Even Chromebooks like this Acer Chromebook Spin 713 I switched to the boxy aspect ratio of 3: 2, which I preferred to the squat 16: 9.

Either way, the bottom bezel is a thorn in the side, although that's also an issue that the Pixelbook Go and Acer Chromebook Spin 713 have. Only the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 managed to remove enough grease from the lower bezel to meet modern laptop standards.

The port selection hasn't changed and is still limited to just two USB-C ports and a microSD card slot. You will also find an on / off switch and a volume rocker on the sides.

This is of course because the Galaxy Chromebook 2 has a 360-degree hinge. The larger size and lack of a built-in pen limit the usability of the device as a tablet. However, this is unlikely to be why you are buying a Chromebook.

Keyboard and touchpad

The color of the keycaps is the most notable change to the keyboard. They're black now, which is a little more conventional. And also a little more boring.

It's still a wonderful keyboard for typing, as long as you can familiarize yourself with the shallow travel. The buttons click while remaining quiet, and I was happily typing at my normal speed in just a few minutes.

The touchpad isn't such a nice experience. It's spacious, but the surface isn't as smooth as I'd like it to be, resulting in awkward clicks and pulls and finger jumps.

Display and speakers

The original Samsung Galaxy Chromebook had an OLED 4K screen. This is practically unknown for a Chromebook. As great as it was, the impact on battery life wasn't worth the extra pixels. The 1080p QLED screen Samsung worked with here is a much better choice. Samsung's patented QLED screen technology has shown excellent results on laptops such as the Galaxy Book Flex.

It's not as bright as a MacBook Pro or Surface Pro 7, but the Galaxy Chromebook 2's 13.3-inch screen makes up for it in colors. Pictures and videos are really colorful without ever looking oversaturated. You can thank quantum dot technology for this kind of color rendering that is rarely found outside of 4K panels.

All of this would result in a great multimedia experience – if these speakers sounded better. They point down at your face instead of up, with the grills resting flat against the bottom of the case. Most down-facing speakers are least built into the raised edges to bounce sound off tables and desks. But these are flat, which results in them being both muffled and too quiet. If you have them on a pillow or soft surface, they can become almost silent.

I'm assuming you want them to point at you in tent mode, but that's not a worthwhile compromise.

The sound from the speakers would be decent if they weren't where they are. Pity! The Pixelbook Go is still the undaunted winner in audio.

performance

Measuring performance on a Chromebook is difficult. Any Intel Core or AMD Ryzen processor will make a laptop like this fly. This applied to the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 with the Intel Core i3-10110U processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. This is the more expensive configuration that costs $ 699. The startup configuration operated by Celeron is not the desired one, especially since it only contains 64 GB of eMMC storage.

You can't configure the Pixelbook Go in exactly the same way, but memory aside, the Pixelbook Go is $ 50 cheaper. I call it an impairment.

Both use a dual-core processor – the Pixelbook Go with the 8th generation Core m3 and the Galaxy Chromebook 2 with the 10th generation Core i3. There are also not the latest chips that can be viewed in a Chromebook. At the CES, Intel announced 11th generation processors for Chromebooks that have an improved 10 nm architecture and integrated graphics from Intel Iris Xe.

By the time they make it into the first Chromebooks, you can expect a more significant leap in gaming performance and creative endeavors. The meager built-in Intel UHD graphics are barely enough to play some of the more intense 3D Android games like Asphalt 9: Legends.

Do you want to work with dozens of tabs open at the same time? No problem.

Despite only two cores and four threads, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 feels snappy and responsive. I tested this further with the Tachometer 2.0, which measures how quickly the system can reload a JavaScript application. With a score of 118 runs per minute, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 doesn't slow down any of the web apps or Android apps that you depend on.

Want to work with dozens of tabs open, including audio and video streams at the same time? No problem. This likely doesn't apply to the Intel Celeron model, which lacks the ability to multitask. I ran the Galaxy Chromebook 2 on the Android version of Geekbench 5, which rated the system at 1,003 in single-core and 2,179 in multi-core mode. The quad-core options on the Pixelbook Go or the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 will surpass it, but it does well against configurations with similarly priced items.

Battery life

Battery life is arguably the most important test for Chromebooks. This is often one of their greatest strengths over similarly priced Windows notebooks. This was a problem with the original Samsung Galaxy Chromebook and wasn't fully resolved in the second generation.

Samsung promises a battery life of 13 hours, which is not too ambitious at first. The M1 MacBook Pro promises 17 hours of Internet surfing and 20 hours of video playback.

The battery life is 45 watts, which is slightly longer than last year. But the results didn't blow me away. It took just under 9.5 hours of light web browsing and only 13 hours of local video playback. It was a couple of hours behind the Pixelbook Go. It was neck to neck with the Asus Chromebook Flip C436 in video loop, but surfing the Internet an hour later.

Even so, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 will last most of a work day, and ultimately this will be enough for most people.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is no better laptop than its predecessor. It's a better Chromebook, however. It fits exactly what people are looking for in a Chromebook and is finally affordable enough to recommend.

However, missing some of the special features of the original, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is less interesting than it used to be. However, the QLED screen is outstanding, the performance is great, and the design is undeniably attractive.

Are there alternatives?

Google's Pixelbook Go is the main alternative to the Galaxy Chromebook 2. It has longer battery life, a 1080p webcam, better speakers, and is more portable. This is the better option for most users and is even $ 50 less with a similar configuration.

The Asus Chromebook Flip C436 now starts at $ 523 and has a larger 14-inch screen, smaller bezels, and a better choice of ports.

How long it will take?

Nowadays, you can expect a Chromebook to last a few years longer than a Mac or Windows laptop. The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 comes with a standard one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes, especially if you love the design and color of this laptop. I could see someone pick up the $ 550 base configuration as a lightweight computer for browsing the web and the occasional Zoom call. The Pixelbook Go has better battery life and some high-end features, but the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is one of the better Chromebooks that hit the market last year.

Editor's recommendations




22 Jan
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Review: 2021’s Best Galaxy S Phone

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Review Hand Shirt

"The only real flagship of the Galaxy S series of 2021 is the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which has exceptional capabilities, especially from the camera, at a lower price than its predecessor."

  • High performance, versatile camera

  • Nice AMOLED screen

  • Elegant new design

  • Long battery life

  • Latest software from Google and Samsung

  • The price is lower than last year

  • Shaky Wi-Fi connectivity

  • Intermittent loading issues

  • The top-heavy design affects the balance

  • No microSD card slot

As cute as the new design is, the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 + do not have the technical specifications that we expect from the top S-series phones from Samsung. To get that true S-series experience, you have to buy the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is fully focused on performance, screen, camera and battery technology to please hardcore fans.

But at $ 1,200 that is Galaxy S21 Ultra This is a sizeable investment, certainly compared to the $ 800 Galaxy S21 already tested. In addition, it faces serious competition both on the outside – for example the iPhone 12 Pro Max – and on the inside (the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and the Galaxy Z Fold 2).

I am one week in the time that I live with the S21 Ultra. So, consider this a very detailed early look rather than our final test at this point, but both myself and mobile editor Andrew Martonik will add our continued thoughts to this article over the phone over the coming weeks as we build our final review out.

But even after seven days, the extraordinary capabilities of the Galaxy S21 Ultra are clear, especially when it comes to the camera. The top Samsung S-series phone may be here earlier than usual, but there's no doubt that it has a lot going for it.

design

Yes, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is a big phone, but the dimensions and weight don't tell the full story. The thickness of 8.9 mm and the weight of 227 grams sound pretty normal for large smartphones these days. Placing them next to the S20 Ultra and the Note 20 Ultra actually takes up less space. This is deceptive, however, because it isn't as good as any of these phones or much of the competition, and it all has to do with the S21 Ultra's standout design feature – that large camera module – and its construction.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Instead of being a separate module on the back of the phone like the S20 Ultra, the S21 Ultra's massive camera array is part of the case itself, molded from metal and separated from the Gorilla Glass back. It's a different approach than most other smartphones and really gives the S21 Ultra a unique style – I especially like the “solid metal” design. It also looks a lot better than the S20 Ultra. However, all of this comes at the expense of balance.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Balance is important. This makes the phone feel natural in our hand and holds it securely in our grip. Since there is a large lump of metal with four camera sensors on one side of the S21 Ultra, the balance is easily disturbed. It's not a lot, but after a while you feel it. The 227g weight gets tiring after being held in portrait orientation for some time, especially with one hand. It's not the end of the world, but when the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra feels thinner, lighter, and more balanced in the hand, you know you are dealing with an animal.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Balance aside, the sides of the S21 Ultra are neatly curved and comfortable to grip, the volume and on / off buttons are well placed, there is no stupid Bixby button in the way, and the matte body is not covered in smudges or fingerprints . On this subject, my test model is in phantom black, a new color Samsung talked about extensively during the launch event. So is it worth the attention or is it just another black phone? The answer is that it is actually judged very well and is one of the best looking black surfaces you will see. With the ceramic black Oppo Find X2 Pro, it's just right for you.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The matte finish is broken up by a glossy Samsung logo and the chiseled polished metal that surrounds the camera module, as well as the reflective glass over each camera lens. I find it elegant and expensive. There are versions in lighter colors too, including some exclusive Samsung colors, but it really is one of the first times I can say that buying the black one is a good choice.

camera

As with the Galaxy S21 Ultra's dimensions, the camera's basic specs don't reflect what they look like in real life. The specification is as follows: A 108 megapixel camera includes a 12MP ultrawide, a 10MP 10x periscope zoom and a 10MP 3x telephoto zoom. Even with laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, 8K video recording, and many other features on paper, this is nothing we haven't seen before. In practice, however, its ability quickly makes it clear that while we've seen the specifications before, we haven't implemented them as effectively as Samsung did here.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Let's talk about the zoom. At 10x and 3x optical zoom levels, the results are often astonishing. The photos contain a variety of details that are not compromised by aggressive software enhancements. This results in crisp, sharp, colorful, and balanced images that you are happy to share. However, there are some problems. If you compare it to the Huawei P40 Pro, with which we received a high-performance 10x hybrid zoom in May 2020, you will find that the Huawei can capture far more realistic colors – and often in greater detail. However, the S21 Ultra is not as underexposed as the Huawei, so it is the more consistent camera at this zoom level.

Use the digital zoom outside of the optical settings and the quality will decrease compared to the optical levels. Compare the 2x optical zoom of the iPhone 12 Pro with the 2x digital zoom of the S21 Ultra. The results are very different. The Samsung phone blurs details and loses realism. Increase the S21 Ultra to 3x optically and compare it to the 2x zoom of the iPhone. They are very similar in detail and tone.

Aside from the 10x optical zoom, the good news is that the photos are mostly usable, and that includes up to 100x. Photos taken with the Galaxy S20 Ultra with a maximum of 100x zoom were ridiculously bad, but the S21 Ultra allows you to photograph a sign and it remains perfectly legible. At 30x, even photos of wild animals look good – divisible good – and it's a welcome surprise. If a business wants to add these relatively niche, long zoom features, they need to be usable and reside on the S21 Ultra.

How about photos in general? While the physical phone struggles with its balance, the photos generated by the camera don't. Gone are the days of Samsung's radioactive greens and constant azure skies being replaced with a more natural color palette and a beautiful HDR system that works hard to bring out masses of detail without ruining the surroundings or subject. It's not always 100% effective, but you actually have to make an effort to get it off track, and there are times when Samsung is typing again and making the skies better.

The S21 Ultra takes photos that are immediately pleasing to the eye, and that wasn't the case with the S20 Ultra. The Note 20 Ultra has improved over the S20, but the S21 Ultra goes way beyond either. I use it to take photos like I did with the iPhone 12 Pro – content where the results are great and I don't feel the need to review and retake the shot because I don't trust it. I've never had this much confidence in a Samsung camera.

I just haven't had enough time to try out all of the camera's functions as there are many. Here are a few that I've tried that can't be seen on other phones. In Pro mode for video there is a new BT Mix audio option that allows the phone to record audio from a Bluetooth source and from the phone itself, delivering natural ambient sound paired with commentary. I've tried this on a pair of Galaxy Buds Live and it's really very effective. I can see it is being welcomed by vloggers. The single take mode, in which the camera captures a variety of content from a short video, offers more choice and more effective artificial intelligence.

The S21 Ultra takes photos that are instantly engaging, and that wasn't the case with the S20 Ultra.

In Director's View, videos are recorded with all cameras at the same time, and you can choose which view is used at what time. It also adds a picture-in-picture view of the selfie camera for reactions and comments. It works well and switching between cameras is smooth and quick. However, I would have liked a full editing suite for this mode that would allow you to capture video from any camera at any time. Without this, you have to edit on the fly, with the end result being created on the go.

What else? Edge detection for portraits has been improved. Samsung dropped the old Live Focus name in favor of the more explanatory portrait name here. The selfie camera has a natural or light setting for better colors and the A.I.-controlled scene recognition works faster, as does the optional instructions for composing best shot scenes. On the other hand, 8K video is still a memory hog and meaningless to most people, despite being technically impressive.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Review and Note 20 Camera "Aria-Descriptionby =" Galerie-13-2617164

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Review and S20 Camera "Aria-Descriptionby =" Galerie-13-2617165

  • 1.
    Galaxy S21 Ultra with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
  • 2.
    Galaxy S21 Ultra with the Galaxy S20 Ultra

I haven't done much research on the lowlight features yet. In the dark, the phone introduces noise as it compensates for the lack of light and, in situations with better lighting, often smooths out clouds and the surrounding area. I've been with the S21 Ultra's camera for less than a week and only a few hundred photos, but right now it's well on the way to being the best Samsung camera I've ever used and one of the best cameras out there there is moment.

Screen and performance

The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x screen supports a resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels at 120 Hz, but can be switched to a lower resolution to extend the battery life. The refresh rate is adaptable and changes to the optimal setting depending on your activities. The screen supports HDR10 + and a whopping 1500 nits of brightness.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Unsurprisingly, it gets incredibly bright so I didn't feel the need to bring it far above half brightness. The high refresh rate is very effective, maybe even more effective than I've seen before. The text remains legible even when scrolling very quickly. I kept the resolution at the highest level for all of my time with the phone. Watching YouTube at 1440p produces very lifelike, extremely attractive content. For example, the Ghost Town Living videos are bright and colorful at this resolution, but it also highlights that the standard vivid screen mode enhances colors too much and switching to the natural setting is easier on the eyes in some situations.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The screen of the S21 Ultra has no pronounced curvature on the sides and is somewhere between the S20 Ultra and the Note 20 Ultra in this regard. It's far less curved than the Huawei P40 Pro. Swiping is convenient, but the phone's top-heavy nature means that swiping from the bottom of the screen really does require two hands to be safe.

Samsung added support for S Pen pens to the S21 Ultra, and I tested it with the pen on a Note 20 Ultra. The rejection of palms is correct, and it is easy and natural to write notes on the screen. However, the phone does not support the Bluetooth function of the S Pen of the Note 20 Ultra, so no additional functions such as the remote shutter button are available. There's also no way to stow the S-pen when it's not in use. So it is questionable how useful this feature will ever be. You can buy an ugly case for the S21 Ultra to hold the S-Pen if you are really set on having it.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I am using a Galaxy S21 Ultra with the Samsung Exynos 2100 processor which is used in the UK, Europe and parts of Asia. In the US, the phone uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. Both have 12GB of RAM if you choose 128GB or 256GB of storage, or 16GB of RAM with 512GB of storage. Unfortunately there is no microSD card slot on the S21 Ultra. So choose it carefully here as this is all of the physical space you will have.

Oddly enough, Asphalt 9: Legends is not compatible with my Galaxy S21 Ultra at the time of writing, which robs me of my usual go-to game. Instead, I played Real Racing 3 and Crazy Taxi and saw no performance issues at all, as you would expect from a phone with this performance. It shook off every other task in the same way, and I'd be surprised if anything most people do on a phone taxed it.

Security and Connectivity

Samsung has finally upgraded the gruesome fingerprint sensor and not used the endlessly unreliable sensor found on the S10, Note 10, S20, and Note 20 phones. The new, larger ultrasonic sensor is an immediate improvement as it actually works when you want it to, and for the most part on the first try. It still needs some tweaking, and a software update has already improved it, but there is fast and reliable facial recognition for those times when things get messy. Unlocking your Samsung phone has never been easier.

Although the S21 Ultra has 5G, I don't have 5G coverage in my area so I couldn't judge its performance. 4G LTE connectivity was similar to other phones, but Wi-Fi wasn't entirely reliable. Both before and after a pre-release software update, the phone did not maintain a strong connection to my home WiFi even when it is near the router.

I ran into connection issues while watching YouTube videos as 1440p versions were constantly being buffered, but switching to 720p fixes the problem. They also occurred while downloading game data that got stuck or accidentally disconnected. I haven't experienced this with any other device, including the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. It's likely a software issue that should be fixed with an update that doesn't affect my colleague's phone. As such, this didn't affect the overall score and we notified Samsung of the problem.

software

My test S21 Ultra has Android 11 with the One UI 3.1 interface from Samsung and the installed Android security update from January 1st. A UI 3.1 is not that different from a UI 2. You still have the same big, bold icons and smooth transitions and the same overall reliability and minor annoyances. Visual changes are hard to spot – the PIN code entry screen has been redesigned with easy-to-use buttons and a blurry background, on-screen notification notifications are smaller and less intrusive, and the volume controls are larger.

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Choosing Samsung's power regulators is still annoying. The side button (according to Samsung no on / off button) activates Bixby and you access the power control via a software button in the notification shadow. Even then, the excellent Android 11 power menu with Google Pay and Smart Home controls won't appear – it's just the usual Samsung power and restart buttons. This is the default, and the functionality of the side button can be changed under Settings if that's what you're looking for.

Samsung Pay and Google Pay live side by side, but Samsung has removed the Magnetic Secure Transaction (MST) feature that was used to fool old payment terminals into stealing a physical card. Only useful in some regions of the world, its removal will surely frustrate some, but NFC – which the S21 Ultra supports for Google Pay – is so commonplace that most people haven't used MST at all.

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Samsung Daily, the useless swipe-in ​​panel of news and other nonsense that sits to the left of the home screen, has been replaced with a Samsung Free that apparently only focuses on news from the Upday service. It's terrible too, but can be replaced or turned off entirely with the slightly less terrible Google Discover page. Bixby is also on board. I'll say the speech recognition is very accurate, but I just can't find a reason to use it through the Google Assistant.

battery

The Galaxy S21 Ultra's battery performance assessment is just beginning, but the signs are good that the 5,000mAh cell will easily last a full day, or possibly two business days, with light use. It supports 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging and reverse charging.

This is how my initial use worked. Starting at 9 a.m. on a full battery, the S21 Ultra handled an hour of podcast streaming, some photos, general social and web usage, an hour of YouTube, some light games, and being connected to a smartwatch. It ended the night with around three and a half hours of screen time and 29% battery remaining. This corresponds to the battery life of a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

There may be some differences in power consumption between the Exynos and Snapdragon S21 Ultra phones. Martonik, DT's mobile editor, uses a Snapdragon S21 Ultra and ended a day on 50% battery life in 15 hours, including two and a half hours of screen time.

The Galaxy S21 does not come with a charger. While I don't think this is a problem in itself, I've had some issues charging with third-party chargers. I charged the phone every night I used it. In three cases it was charged by about 20% and stopped. I only noticed that in the morning. I used a Google Pixel 4 charging block and cable. I will continue to monitor this and experiment with other chargers. Just like the Wi-Fi issue, it doesn't affect the review score and we have informed Samsung. This is likely an isolated issue as it does not affect my colleague's S21 Ultra.

Price and availability

The Galaxy S21 Ultra can now be pre-ordered. The delivery is expected to take place from January 27th. It is available through Samsung's own online store, Amazon and other retailers, as well as most network operators. The 128GB version is $ 1,200, the 256GB version is $ 1,250, and the 512GB version is $ 1,380. In the UK, the S21 Ultra costs £ 1,149 for the 128GB model, £ 1,199 for the 256GB model and £ 1,329 for the 512GB model.

Our opinion

Let's take this step at a time. The Galaxy S21 Ultra isn't the biggest phone out there, but it definitely feels that way. However, the new design and color choices are Samsung's best. The camera is versatile and extremely powerful. The processor offers more power than ever before. There are a few minor issues with software and connectivity, however. Samsung continues to strive to deliver a stunning screen, and the price is significantly lower than its predecessor. Last year, however, it became clear that you don't have to spend more than $ 1,000 to get a really great smartphone. The advantages still definitely outweigh the disadvantages.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra really wins when placed alongside the other Galaxy S21 smartphones. It's the only model that really looks and feels like an S-series flagship. Samsung's shift in product range and pricing structure means that the S21 Ultra is the only version for you if you really want to own the latest and greatest in the S series phone, by which we mean the best technology for the most stylish case. The very good news is that when you receive them you will not be disappointed.

Is there a better alternative?

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has two main competitors: the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The iPhone is slightly cheaper, has a great camera, arguably more compact and easy to drill, and the software and long-term ownership experience are excellent.

The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra may have a slightly older processor, but you probably won't notice. The camera is not that powerful, but it still takes great photos. It's slimmer and more balanced, plus it comes with the S Pen pen, and there's a place to keep it too. It's also a lot cheaper than the S21 Ultra.

Both are strongly recommended. If you don't mind spending more money and want to stay with Samsung, then the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is excellent and will really turn heads with its foldable design. If you're looking to save a little money and prioritize the camera's capabilities, take a look at the iPhone 12 or the Google Pixel 5.

How long it will take?

If you get a two-year contract, the S21 Ultra will almost certainly still feel fresh in the end. There's no reason why it won't help you for another year.

If you handle the phone properly, it should be durable too. It is IP68 water and dust resistant, and the screen is covered in Gorilla Glass Victus, which is said to withstand damage from drops of up to six feet. We wouldn't put this to the test, but it does indicate that the screen can handle pocket and bag pulling in and out, and will survive general use without scratches building up.

The software installed at the time of writing is fully up to date with Android 11, OneUI 3.1, and the latest Android security update. Samsung recently committed to deliver three Android updates to various devices, including the S20 series. It is therefore to be expected that the S21 series will offer the same benefit. However, it is unknown when the updates will arrive on your phone after they are posted by Google.

Should you buy it?

Yes. It's the most advanced Android smartphone you can buy right now, and it makes decisive use of the high-level technology it contains.

Editor's recommendations




22 Jan
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S21 Review: Cameras, Battery, and Performance

"The Galaxy S21 makes a wise bet on value with a lower starting price, but feels stuck in 2020. A good phone, but not a particularly exciting one."

  • Smooth and colorful hardware

  • Excellent advertisement

  • Improved fingerprint sensor

  • Lower price translates into great value

  • Plastic back on base S21

  • No 2021 flagship camera experience

  • Galaxy S21 + disappointing value at $ 1,000

When Samsung introduced the Galaxy S21, it took an incredibly rare step in the high-end smartphone space: it cut its prices. The Galaxy S21 series is cheaper across the board for $ 200 than the introductory prices of the Galaxy S20 phones. Given that sales of the Galaxy S20 were significantly lower than the S9 and S10, and that 2021 may not be as economically stable as originally hoped, this seems like the right move.

Samsung isn't taking this move for charity, however – it is cutting the price down hopefully to increase sales and making big bucks on every phone sold regardless of that. The reality of these prices is that the Galaxy S21 and S21 + are not full upgrades from the S20-series phones they've replaced – and that smartphone enthusiasts are scratching their heads.

At first glance, there is no reason for anyone with a Galaxy S20 to consider buying an S21. Samsung knew this for sure, considering the vast majority of people update their phone every two years at the earliest. For this reason. I'm not going to come to terms with how the Galaxy S21 is better than its predecessor – what matters is the assessment of whether the Galaxy S21 can stand on its own as a good phone for the money in 2021.

I have to note that this review focuses on the base Galaxy S21 that I've been using for a week. Much of my experience can also be applied to the Galaxy S21 +, which I've spent less time with but which has the exact same platform and which is simply bigger. Since the Galaxy S21 Ultra has so much going for it that is quite different from the S21 and S21 +, we have a full separate review of this phone.

Hardware, design and display

The design of a modern smartphone is so strongly influenced by the limitations that an incredible number of complex components – processors, a large battery, antennas, speakers and several cameras – fit into one another. This leaves us with phones that look roughly 90% identical on the market. The final 10% includes material choices, camera pod design, color choices, and tiny differences in the details of the surface. The Galaxy S21 looks absolutely different from the Galaxy S20, but honestly if you covered the new rear view camera pod it would look … like an S20 again.

Samsung Galaxy S21 colorsAndrew Martonik / Digital Trends

However, there are still nuances to appreciate here. The shiny metal frame looks and feels great. I like the way the camera pod is integrated into this frame – it's sleek and distinctive. My review unit is particularly impressive in the gold and purple colors, but it's not what I would choose. Thankfully the entire color palette is superb. Interestingly, it's the base S21 that has the widest range of color options, although the S21 + has a nice set of three to choose from.

I wouldn't call the S21 a "compact" phone, but it's refreshingly small compared to the S21 + and S21 Ultra. It's almost identical to the S20 and just a bit bigger than the iPhone 12 and Google Pixel 5. My larger-than-average hands wrap around the S21 with ease, and it's not a burden in my pocket. The story is different with the S21 +: it's a typical modern large phone that's 10mm taller, 4mm wider, and 18% heavier than the S21.

I appreciate the switch from Samsung to a matte back that is finally bringing the shiny (aka greasy and stained) back to rest of the old days. It is controversial that the Galaxy S21 uses a plastic back – yes, on an $ 800 phone. This is the same material we saw on the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy S20 FE, and it's an effective cost-cutting measure. From a distance, it looks identical to matte glass, but with a single touch of a button you know it's plastic.

From a practical point of view, I get it. It's cheaper, more damage-resistant than glass, and makes the phone lighter and easier to use. It's an $ 800 phone from a futile point of view, and it's absurd not to get quality materials. Using a case is likely to have the biggest impact on whether this bothers you – I just don't like how this phone feels without a case.

From a distance, it looks identical to matte glass, but with a single touch of a button you know it's plastic.

If the bigger Galaxy S21 + is faster, then this plastic conversation can be ignored – Samsung put Gorilla Glass Victus glass on the back of the larger model. It feels a lot better, which is around the price – and it should be, as the S21 + is $ 1000.

Although the Galaxy S21 has a smaller display than the Galaxy S21 Ultra (and the Note 20 Ultra) on paper, anyone would be incredibly excited to see it every day. Yes, it's "only" 1080p, but it doesn't matter. What is more important is that it is incredibly bright, clear, colorful, and has great angles. Samsung has also added a variable refresh rate that dynamically switches from 48 Hz to 120 Hz to keep everything as smooth as possible – while conserving battery life. Samsung is once again the king of mobile displays.

The new fingerprint sensor in the display is also remarkable. This is the Qualcomm second generation ultrasound machine. It's significantly bigger and faster than before – though that doesn't say much since the Galaxy S and Note phones have had a bad sensor for the past two years. Even so, we're cutting-edge in terms of the responsiveness of the sensors and unlike previous phones, I didn't get mad at tricky false negatives. How refreshing!

Performance, software and battery life

As is usually the case, a month ago Samsung rolled out the software update for Android 11 + One UI 3 on the Galaxy S and Note phones last year. Nothing has changed here, although I have to say this software is great – as long as you like Samsung's approach to Android. I still prefer the Google version on the Pixels, but I feel at home on a UI too.

This is a neutral, good looking interface with lots of nifty animations and subtle color uses. A UI still requires a significant amount of tweaking and tweaking to get set up the way you want – in terms of the multitude of settings, the default settings that need to be changed, and the duplicate apps that need to be managed. The fact that you can tweak so much is great, but it can be overwhelming at first.

Samsung Galaxy S21Andrew Martonik / Digital Trends

The Galaxy S21 uses the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset (or Samsung's internationally comparable Exynos 2100 chipset) and surprisingly offers exceptional performance. While I "only" had 8GB of RAM, I never had a single hiccup while multitasking or gaming, which shouldn't come as a surprise given the processing and graphics power of the 888.

The Galaxy S21 only has average battery life, but the S21 + should be significantly better.

With an unchanged 4000 mAh battery, it's not surprising that the S21 is just average in the battery life division. I did it every day without a charge but didn't leave a ton behind when I went to bed – between 15% and 25%. My usual day with 3 to 4 hours of on-screen viewing and no heavy use like 8K video recording or gaming got me familiar with the battery – but anything heavier, like a day of travel, probably takes an afternoon. above. This new variable refresh rate display and more efficient chipset save some battery, but don't make a big difference.

The Galaxy S21 + should shine here with its 4800 mAh battery. Given that everything else about the phone's functions is identical to the S21 and only a slightly larger display is available for power supply (with exactly the same resolution and refresh rate), I would expect a direct 20% increase in lifespan here. Based on my experience with the S21 Ultra, which has a 5000 mAh battery and a more power-hungry screen, but has a comparatively long battery life, I expect the S21 + to perform well.

Samsung is clearly happy with the charging speed as things haven't improved from the last generation. Although some models briefly flirt with 45W fast charging, the S21 series opted for 25W cable charging. This is paired with 15W wireless charging (assuming you can find a compatible charger) as well as reverse wireless charging for earbuds and smartwatches. So yeah, it's the same as before – that's enough for what we actually need, but it doesn't get things moving either.

Cameras

What Samsung did, or didn't do in this case, with the Galaxy S21 cameras is drawing the ire of smartphone enthusiasts. The camera system is, in simple terms, the same as the Galaxy S20 phones. Samsung claimed the S20's sensors and lenses had been changed so subtly, but there's no doubt that this setup is almost identical to the previous one. This means that a 12-megapixel main, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 64-megapixel zoom camera are grouped on the back.

Samsung claims that improvements in the ISP (image signal processor) of the new chipset combined with new processing software make better use of the raw data collected by these sensors. In practice I experienced an intense déjà vu – the Galaxy S21 takes photos more or less exactly like the S20, for better and for worse.

In general, the Galaxy S21 takes impressive photos. You get great colors and clarity from shot to shot, and Samsung's processing changes seem to have subtly reduced the overly warm and blown out HDR footage of the S20 series. These are still very punchy and bright shots as you would expect from a Samsung camera, but people generally seem to appreciate that. In good lighting, the S21 produced the shot I was expecting most of the time – and that goes for all three cameras as long as you don't try to zoom in past 3x. All of Samsung's claims about zoom quality in the S21 series lie in the S21 Ultra.

The S21 only shows its age in difficult lighting conditions. When the lights go out, the zoom camera becomes unusable – the phone quickly switches to a digital zoom on the main camera instead. The ultrawide sticks a little longer, but the quality also degrades in low light. With night mode turned on, you get solid, but not spectacular, main camera footage. S21 shots in low light are characterized by mottled, overprocessed grain and soft lines, with the sky being regularly over-brightened in landscape shots. Often times, the subject of your shot will look good, but the darker parts of the picture will be completely washed out. This is a complete step up from what the Google Pixel 5, iPhone 12, and Galaxy S21 Ultra can do in low light.

Where the S21 shows its age most is in the 10MP front camera. This is just … not a great camera right now. It's fine in daylight. Especially if you turn off the face smoothing beauty mode. And Samsung actually offers you the option of choosing between "normal" and "bright" selfies! The detail is seriously lacking, however – and in low light the camera is only useful for creating watercolor images of a scene.

As much as I get into photography, I don't put more than a toe into videography. Even so, I was happy with the video capabilities of the S21, which were mostly shot at 4K 60 and 4K 30, with the video being fluid, stable, and colorful. I also didn't see focus chase or frames dropped which is always a relief. The S21 can shoot 8K at 24 frames per second (fps), but the viewfinder is severely cropped, which is a bit irritating, and 24 fps just doesn't offer the silky smooth look most people want right now.

Most of the camera experience is solid, but at night you will be reminded that this is not a 2021 level camera.

The biggest criticisms of the S20's camera were poor indoor performance and sometimes uncomfortable processing of people's faces. The S21 still struggles with the former – indoor shots quickly become soft and overworked when the lighting isn't optimal, which isn't surprising given the size of the sensors. Samsung specifically pointed out the face processing in its announcement, but I didn't see any dramatic improvement either – even with beauty modes turned off, the excessive smoothing lacks detail in the faces compared to the Pixel 5 and iPhone 12. Once again, the problem is compounded by bad ones Exacerbated lighting conditions in which the overall camera tends to over-smooth textures.

It feels like I'm tough given the price, but it's reasonable to hold one Galaxy S. to a higher standard.

It feels like I'm overly tough with this camera given the S21's lower starting price, but it's reasonable to keep a phone named "Galaxy S" of a high standard. These cameras are good, but not significantly better than those on last year's S20 phones, and that's tough to work with. If not on the $ 800 Galaxy S21, then absolutely on the $ 1000 Galaxy S21 +.

The top-end S21 Ultra model has significant camera changes, but we'll cover those in the full review of this phone. Stay tuned.

Our opinion

The Galaxy S21 is a good phone, it's just not particularly desirable or exciting. You can argue about the decision to use a plastic back or remove the SD card slot, but even with those two choices, there is nothing wrong with the Galaxy S21. The biggest problem with the S21 is that it doesn't move the needle. It doesn't push things. And that's a first for the Galaxy S line.

The redemption is associated with the price. The Galaxy S21, with its name and predisposed idea of ​​what it should offer, is a really good value at $ 799. Aside from plastic, this is a strong bang for the buck. Samsung doesn't skimp on specs, the display is excellent, and the useful functions related to the experience are all here. The performance, software, and even battery life are all good. At this price point, you can even be forgiving of some of the shortcomings that haven't been addressed with the cameras from last year.

The equation changes a bit with the Galaxy S21 +. Obviously, the bigger screen, longer battery life, and glass back are pluses that justify the price hike to $ 999. At this price point, you just can't forgive the camera quality, and it's reasonable to expect more for your money.

How you view the Galaxy S21 and S21 + depends a lot on your current phone and how price conscious you are. Anyone upgrading from a phone two year old or older will see a lot of value here and will be especially happy with the display and speed of the experience. But smartphone fans, special nerds and avid photographers will be absolutely better off with another phone – maybe Samsung's own Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Are there any better alternatives?

If you look at the base Galaxy S21, Samsung's own Galaxy S20 FE is worth considering. For $ 600, it offers the same core experience. The processor isn't as fast and the camera isn't quite as good, but the everyday experience is basically the same – including the plastic back.

The biggest competitor for the larger S21 + is its direct predecessor, the Galaxy S20 +. Samsung sourced the S20 + from Amazon, Best Buy, and its own store, but assuming you can find new / old inventory, there are likely to be deep discounts. Ultimately, it's very similar to the S21 +, although the newer phone has fresh hardware and a nice, variable refresh rate display. Given that, you might not care if the nearly identical S20 + is available at a discount.

The elephant in the room is natural the iPhone 12This corresponds to the price of the S21 and is directly comparable in size, camera and functions. Very few people compare Androids and iPhones in any given upgrade cycle. So this isn't as big a factor as the nerds would lead you to believe. Choose an operating system (and ecosystem) first, then choose the phone – one of them is a good choice.

How long it will take?

You shouldn't have a problem with the Galaxy S21 for three years. This metal frame is sturdy, the plastic back is unlikely to crack like a glass jar, and water resistance means it is unlikely to get fried in an accident. Samsung is also committing to three years of software updates for its high-end phones.

Should you buy it?

Yes, for most people. If you've come from an older phone and are looking for a flagship phone without spending a lot of money, the S21 is a great choice. If you've got a newer phone or are looking for the best that Samsung has to offer, you'll need to upgrade to the S21 Ultra.

Editor's recommendations




15 Jan
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Review: Sound, Battery, Features

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with Galaxy Buds Pro

“Galaxy Buds Pro offers excellent convenience, solid audio quality and good ANC. But they're not a complete package with tricky touch controls and just average call quality. "

  • Automatic audio passthrough is awesome

  • Simple and small charging case

  • Comfortable design

  • Great bluetooth connection

  • Touch controls can be tricky

  • Touch controls still cannot be customized

  • The call quality is not "Pro" at all

Samsung's accessory strategy seems pretty consistent: switch to a category and repeat the process. The smartwatches and fitness trackers appear to be updated randomly and without a set schedule. The same applies to smartphone accessories. More recently, it has jumped into true wireless earbuds in large measure. The first Galaxy Buds were released less than two years ago in March 2019. Since then, we've released the Galaxy Buds + and Galaxy Buds Live, which only launched a few months ago, in August last year.

Now we are here with the new Galaxy Buds Pro. It's not immediately obvious what is so "pro" about them, other than having a few extra features over Buds Live and being more expensive. But I'm here to find out.

Sound quality and battery life

True wireless earbuds will never impress audiophiles. Fortunately for Samsung, I'm not an audiophile. As someone who is perfectly satisfied with the audio quality of mine Bose QC35 bluetooth headphonesWith my car's standard stereo system and my last half-dozen pairs of true wireless earbuds, I can't complain about the sound quality of the Buds Pro significantly.

A basic equalizer with presets for normal, bass boost, soft, dynamic, clear and treble boost is available in the app. The earbuds sound rather flat in "normal" and the other modes feel … overly processed, but luckily I was happy with "dynamic" for all of my listening. I spend most of my day playing podcasts or YouTube music, and the Buds Pro play swimming.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with Galaxy Buds Pro

When you have active noise cancellation (ANC) activated, everything sounds “better” immediately because you can hear everything more clearly. This will never challenge the ANC offered through over-ear headphones and really shut out the world around you, but it does a decent job of softening ambient noise and keeping you focused on your own audio. Samsung says you can "fine tune" the noise cancellation you want, but … you can't. It's either high, low, or off.

Get your sound quality expectations right and remember, these are true wireless earbuds.

You can tell my standards are too low, but I agree with the majority of Buds Pro potential buyers. As long as the quality is above average for the segment, we will be happy. What matters more is how good the rest of the experience is.

Samsung Galaxy Buds ProAndrew Martonik / Digital Trends

Samsung nails it with its battery life estimates. The Buds Pro is quoted after eight hours of playback or after five hours with ANC enabled and that was right for me. I turned on ANC almost exclusively and I never received a low battery alarm. I won't be wearing wireless earbuds for more than five hours in a row – they'll come out to give my ears a break or because I just can't hear anything.

Five to eight hours of battery is just right, and the case charges the buds quickly.

Like all real wireless earbuds, they charge very quickly in this case. Just 10 minutes will bring back a significant amount of charge, and the case is designed to hold one and a half charges for the earphones. Not bad for a tiny case that includes wireless charging itself. The thick "circle" shape is still not as pocket-friendly as the elongated Google Pixel Buds case, but small enough not to be a problem.

One thing that could affect battery life more severely is answering phone calls during the day, which I rarely do but test because Samsung has put so much emphasis on call quality. Calls frankly were not clear or of any high quality. When used with my Galaxy S21, the inbound quality was flawless – my outbound quality was poor. Callers said I sounded "blurry" and it echoed when I spoke inside. If I do a quick test and listen to someone else talking on the Buds Pro, I understand what it means – the Buds Pro delivers outbound audio just like any random phone on the speakerphone. Her voice is flat and mixed with a lot of room noise.

Features, design and comfort

Samsung made a bold decision with the Galaxy Buds Live, introducing a new design that rests on the outside of your ear instead of using earbuds that fit in your ear. It had little to no passive noise isolation to make her more comfortable, and instead tried to rely heavily on ANC. It was uncomfortable and they never really fit my ears – in addition to providing noise isolation which was terrible on the city streets.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with Galaxy Buds Pro

The Buds Pro revert to a "normal" design, with rubber earbuds that go into your ear and provide passive suppression, in addition to ANC. Even with these earplugs, I found the Buds Pro more comfortable than the Buds Live. I immediately adjusted to the larger tips like I usually do and they naturally found their place in my ears and didn't require much adjustment.

The Buds Pro are much more comfortable than Buds Live – with better noise isolation.

Even with hours of carrying around the house, running around running errands around town, and running, I never had problems with the readjustment or feeling like they were going to fall out. They are so small and so light that I've never had ear problems. My only problem with running was the ANC, which was causing annoying sound clips at almost every step. I had to turn it off, which honestly isn't a problem – it's best to have a feel for your surroundings while so out and about.

But that's a little bit opposite to the way the Buds Pro were set up. From Samsung's point of view, you should never have to manually turn off ANC or take out your earbuds as they have advanced intelligent audio pass-through capabilities. By default, a long press on one of the earbuds will activate audio pass-through and decrease the volume of your media so you can hear the world around you. More interestingly, the same thing can happen when the earbuds sense that you are speaking – it works seriously every time and wasn't accidentally triggered every time you walked down the street, shopping in stores, and on the subway with people nearby to lead.

Audio passthrough works, but you can't get around the awkwardness of speaking to other people.

The audio passthrough works! The problem is, no matter how good the speech recognition and audio passthrough are, it's still the hell of a lot of awkwardness to use in an actual conversation. I still have rubber earbuds in my ears, which affects my speaking volume. And the person you are talking to can see that you have earbuds, which only adds to the awkwardness.

Worse, for some reason if audio pass-through automatically turns on while speaking, your music just turns down the volume. So you know you are trying to talk to someone but you don't turn off your music or podcast? It is confusing. It's not a win-win situation, however, as it's always annoying to quickly pull out a tiny earbud or two when someone unexpectedly talks to you. So I assume that passthrough is better in a pinch – but I'd never plan to speak to anyone while wearing the Buds Pro.

Samsung Galaxy Buds ProAndrew Martonik / Digital Trends

The only problem with the Buds Pro design is the touch controls – quite a big problem. Going back to the original Galaxy Buds, I could never use them consistently. There's a single tap to pause / play, a double tap to search forward, and a triple tap to search back – but if I try either, there's no guarantee it will work. It usually fails when a tip is less registered than intended – a search becomes a pause, and a pause or game is simply overlooked. That could be my problem, although I've never had a problem with that Pixel Buds‘Touch controls.

It is imperative that Samsung start with the ability to customize touch controls. That's ridiculous.

A universal problem is that the controls are not customizable. You can just change the long press action – between ambient noise triggering, Bixby, volume down, and Spotify – and choose one action per earbud. Otherwise it's set in stone, and now I have to decide whether to trigger ambient noise or adjust the volume. Why? With other earbuds, you can customize and use separate Activities for each earbud. That's not very "pro".

Our opinion

The Galaxy Buds Pro are a great pair of everyday wearable true wireless earbuds. They're neither suitable nor would they ever be for audiophiles, but the sound quality on offer is okay for the segment – and with a good ANC, they more than get the job done. Comfort is excellent so you can wear them for hours and maximize their battery life from five to eight hours. The body is compact – it is the same size as the Buds Live but smaller than the Buds Live Jabra Elite 75T – and the basics of the earphone experience, like a strong bluetooth connection and easy device switching, are very much appreciated.

They don't have anything “pro” other than the fact that they are Samsung's most expensive earbuds. In a vacuum of Samsung's own line of earbuds, it's strange that you have to pay $ 200 for Buds Pro, which in most cases isn't much better than the $ 140 Buds Live – but when compared to over the competition They look pretty good at $ 200.

Are there any better alternatives?

Even at this high price, there are multiple competitors. Of course, if you have an iPhone, this is something you should consider the AirPods Pro – They don't look that great, but the audio quality, ease of use, and noise cancellation are just as good. Alternatively there is the Jabra Elite 85twho are all around fantastic earbuds.

It's also easy to find a great pair of earphones that are cheaper. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have already been reduced to $ 140. If they fit your ears properly, they are a great alternative. It is Galaxy Buds +that don't have an ANC but are otherwise comparable cost only $ 110.

How long will they last?

The nature of wireless earbuds is that as long as you take care of them, they will last for several years with no problem. They are water and sweat resistant and have no moving parts. Just keep them in their case and they will look forward to years.

Should you buy it?

Yes. This is a great pair of true wireless earbuds for everyday use. They have solid audio quality, good noise cancellation, and audio passthrough that is the icing on the cake. They are expensive, but competitively priced with the other market leaders.

Editor's recommendations




01 Jan
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 Review: Simple and Honest

Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 review wrist bike

"The $ 60 Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is great value for money and just the right complexity to keep the casual fitness fan engaged and carried."

  • Comfortable and easy

  • Easy to use

  • Comprehensive list of activities to be followed

  • Good notification support

  • Battery life claims are exaggerated

  • Strap closure is annoying

  • Some tracking inaccuracies

Not everyone cares about high-end activity tracking features on many smartwatches or expensive fitness bands. Some really don't worry about blood oxygen levels, EKG measurements, or even built-in GPS. If you want easy daily activity tracking, you want a simple wearable device for everyday use Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 come inside.

This $ 60 fitness tracker covers all the basics and offers 15 days of battery life. This puts it firmly in the wear and tear and forgetting category. I've been wearing it for over a week now and almost forgot it on my wrist which is good. That's the way it is.

design

The simplicity of the Galaxy Fit 2 starts with its design, but it has both good and bad surprises in store. The first surprise is how bright the 1.1-inch AMOLED color screen is. I could easily leave it on the middle tier without sacrificing daylight viewing, which means it has less of an impact on battery life. The use of a color screen makes the Galaxy Fit 2 far more attractive and interesting than the boring monochrome LCDs of simple Fitbits.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Pick the red ribbon like my test device and it makes a seriously athletic statement. While the strap is comfortable once on, the clasp is very annoying. Samsung made the whole thing more complicated than it needs to be, and it's quite difficult to find and repeat exactly the right fit. I often wear the band loosely when the accuracy of the heart rate monitor isn't that important, and then tighten it when I'm tracking, and the Fit 2's strap made this normally simple procedure quite annoying. Otherwise, it's safe and won't get sweaty.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It is controlled via the touchscreen and a touch-sensitive button below. It's pretty easy to miss the button at first as the thin outline that gives you a clue of where to press disappears in many lighting conditions. The operating system reacts and is logically created. You navigate through the options by swiping and tapping. I didn't have any problems with that.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The design, screen attractiveness, and software make the Galaxy Fit easy to live with when you've stopped swearing by the stupid band.

Activity tracking

The Galaxy Fit continues the simple theme and has a heart rate sensor, accelerometer, and gyroscope. However, it is not possible to measure blood oxygen, take an EKG, connect to GPS, or even add altitude data using an altimeter. The altimeter is the only sensor that is really overlooked as the EKG and blood oxygen readings are highly specialized. If you need GPS for accurate run tracking, there are numerous alternatives available.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Instead, the Galaxy Fit 2 monitors your workout, tracks steps, and monitors your sleep when you wear it overnight. A small selection of workouts to be tracked is preinstalled in the customization. However, more can be added if the basic options are not enough. For example, I had to add yoga and stationary cycling. The Galaxy Fit 2 can be worn in the pool to track swimming, counting strokes and measuring distance. It also gives back SWOLF swimming efficiency data after you're done.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Swipe left on the screen to view your steps, heart rate, distance, and sleep data. There are reminders to get up and move around and a reminder to wash your hands too. However, this isn't automatic like the Apple Watch feature, it just suggests that you should wash your hands after a set interval. The Fit 2 also monitors stress levels, but says the feature is for wellness rather than medical use, and I found that this puts me at the higher end of the scale far more often than other wearables I've used recently, including the Honor Watch ES and the Oppo Watch.

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Both Samsung Galaxy Wear and the Samsung Health app are required to sync the Galaxy Fit 2 with your phone and are compatible with both Android and iOS. I used them on a Samsung Galaxy Fold. While health is informative – it provides current and historical data, and you can add more metrics like food intake and data from other health devices – it is not very attractive or always logical to navigate.

It's nowhere near as pretty or intuitive as Google Fit, for example, and it's also not as feature-rich. It is a bit unusual that it is not possible to get an instant heart rate reading quickly, even though the last reading taken remains on some watch faces. There are a variety of training plans available, meaning the Galaxy Fit 2 will cover almost any activity of your choice.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

In terms of accuracy, I compared the Fit 2 to the Apple Watch Series 6 over a few days and found that the heart rate monitor was in line with the Apple Watch's results, but the calories burned and step count were usually below the Apple Watch's estimate, possibly biased overall results. Most wearables I've compared to the Apple Watch in the past come up with very similar numbers overall, suggesting that the Fit 2's software may need refinement.

Battery life

Samsung makes some big claims about the Galaxy Fit 2's battery life, but there are several caveats hidden in the fine print. What you need to know is to forget about reaching 21 days, and not counting on 15 days, if you want to use most of the band's features.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Sleep tracking is one of the areas you may need to do without in order to maximize battery life, and it's well worth doing. At 21 grams, the tape is certainly light enough not to be bothersome, and when it works, sleep tracking will show different stages of your sleep and duration, and ultimately assign a sleep efficiency score. However, sleep tracking is inconsistent and has repeatedly completely missed my deep sleep phases, rendering all data collected worthless.

Notifications also drain your battery more, but this time it's worth the tradeoff. Despite the small screen size, truncated emails are legible, and WhatsApp messages and Twitter replies even offer quick reply options. How many apps send notifications to the band can be managed in the Galaxy Wear app so you can adjust the number of interruptions. I found the notifications useful, but could be frustrated at times by the slowness of the band to respond when I raised my arm to see them.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung says that in order to achieve a battery life of almost 21 days, you have to do without sleep tracking, a heart rate sensor and automatic workout tracking. It is said to expect around 15 days with average usage. I've used the heart rate monitor, activity reminders, followed regular exercise sessions, and also did some sleep sessions, and it was difficult to get any closer to that number. It loses about 10% of its battery every day without tracking any activities other than sleep.

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 costs $ 60 or £ 40 in the UK available now from Amazon and via Samsung's own online shop.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Fit 2 doesn't pretend to be the ideal partner for your marathon endeavors, or it will be there to provide focused data as you battle for Olympic glory. Instead, it covers what most casual trainers want from swimming to biking and horse riding to sailing, being honest about their skills, and having the right complexity to keep you honest in your fitness endeavors.

That general nature and affordability, however, don't forgive the inconsistencies in sleep and exercise tracking, and the very long battery life is only possible if you choose not to use many of the band's features. Other than that, the Galaxy Fit 2 is easy to use and its drawbacks haven't stopped me from wanting to wear it, and that's essential for a fitness band.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, the fitness band market is huge, so there are plenty of great alternatives. While I think the Galaxy Fit 2 is one of the better models, it has stiff competition. If a Fitbit is more appealing because of the recognizable brand name and established platform, the Inspire 2 is the closest model to the Galaxy Fit 2, but it costs $ 100. Plus, Fitbit has a monthly subscription fee to unlock some of its more advanced features. If you want a Fitbit with GPS, we recommend the Fitbit Charge 4.

If you live outside of the US or like to import, the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is great value at around £ 40, as is the Honor Band 5, which is available for even less money. If you don't need specialized fitness tracking features like GPS and you're not a dedicated athlete, then why spend more than necessary on a simple fitness band?

If you don't mind spending more and want something that looks less like a regular fitness band, there are some smartwatch-like alternatives out there too. The Amazfit GTR 2 is priced at $ 179, looks good, and has plenty of fitness tracking features, while the Honor Watch ES costs 89 pounds sterling or around $ 120 and strikes the middle ground between smartwatch and fitness band.

How long it will take?

Fitness bands last longer than your smartphone or smartwatch, as we do not have such high demands on the software or hardware. The strong strap of the Galaxy Fit 2 can be replaced if it breaks. Everything is waterproof up to 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming or showering.

Apart from any discontinuation of support for Galaxy Fit 2 in the Galaxy Wear or Samsung Health app, this will take well over three years. There is one other thing to think about and that is your continued use. The Galaxy Fit 2 isn't really for the hardcore fitness enthusiast. So expect an upgrade if your own fitness goals and tracking need to change.

Should you buy it?

Yes, provided you just want to cover the basics of activity tracking, it is an easy to use, simple, and attractive fitness band.

Editor's recommendations




30 Sep
Blog

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Review: The Phone to Beat Under $700

Samsung Galaxy S20 Fe review 1

"Most of the great Galaxy S20 experience for hundreds of dollars less – it's a winning combination."

  • Colorful design

  • Great display with 120Hz refresh rate

  • Great camera

  • 5G connectivity (in the US)

  • Low price for the specs

  • Mediocre battery

  • Plastic back

There is no getting around it – phones are becoming very expensive. However, as flagship devices are becoming more and more expensive, a completely new market segment has emerged: the premium midrange. This is exactly where the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition lives. If you're looking for a premium Samsung experience without paying an arm and a leg, this is the way to go.

The name "Fan Edition" doesn't really describe what the phone really is. A better name would be the Galaxy S20 Lite. You don't really get all that the Galaxy S20 has to offer. But you get all the essentials with a few extra bonus features and a tempting price cut.

Hardware, design and display

It's clear that the Galaxy S20 FE is a derivative of the original Galaxy S20 – it looks just like the standard device. But it also consists of slightly different materials. Gone is the glass back in favor of the standard Galaxy Note 20's plastic back. Though it's not that high quality in theory, I like the soft-touch feel it offers and I didn't really miss the glass.

The device also differs from the standard Galaxy S20 in that it is available in a wider range of colors. I'm reviewing the Cloud Navy model, but it's also available in more interesting colors like Cloud Red, Cloud Lavender, and Cloud Orange. Safe to say there should be something for everyone.

The rest of the phone design is pretty normal. There is a USB-C port at the bottom, a volume rocker and a power switch on the right, and a rectangular camera module at the top left on the back of the phone. It's not as thick as the Galaxy S20 Ultra or the Note 20 Ultra, which is nice to see, but of course you don't get the same camera specs as the more expensive phone, either. We'll get into that later.

The Galaxy S20 FE is actually a bit larger than the standard Galaxy S20. While the original device has a 6.2-inch display, the S20 FE has a larger 6.5-inch display. Also in contrast to the Galaxy S20, this phone has a resolution of 1080p. It seems that the high resolution is a feature that Samsung wants to reserve for its more expensive devices.

It still looks good. It's a Super AMOLED display with an impressive 120Hz refresh rate, just like the other S20's. The result is an extremely smooth experience and a display that responds very well to touch. We hope to see more high refresh rate phones showing up in the next year, but by then it's pretty impressive to see a $ 700 phone running at 120Hz. It also beats competitors, if only marginally.

The most obvious competitor here is the OnePlus 8, which also has a resolution of 1080p but limits the refresh rate to 90 Hz. (The upcoming Google Pixel 5 will also have a 1080p 90Hz display.) To be clear, the difference between 60Hz and 90Hz is much more obvious than the difference between 90Hz and 120Hz. But for those who can notice a difference, 120Hz is estimated.

It should also be noted that the display is flat and not curved. I like the look of curved displays, but others disagree. With the flat panel display in mind, there is no way you should run into so many problems related to accidentally squeezing your palm.

Performance and specifications

Samsung has made clear compromises in design and display, but not really under the hood. You still get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor in the US 5G version, or an Exynos 990 outside of the US, coupled with 6GB or 8GB of RAM – and as a result, the phone can easily handle anything you can throw at it in 2020 and beyond. This includes productivity apps, mobile games, etc.

Predictably, the phone handled games like Call of Duty: Mobile with no problem, and multitasking with even four or five apps is no problem. The benchmark results confirm the excellent performance in daily use. Here is an overview of the results we have achieved.

  • AnTuTu: 550,800
  • GeekBench 5: 889 single-core, 3,101 multi-core

These results don't quite get as high as we got with the OnePlus 8, but they are close and in real life you won't really miss the extra 20 single-core points on GeekBench 5, check the 6GB RAM model in the lower price range. So, if you really care about this performance benefit, upgrading your RAM might be the way to go.

Cameras

Gone are the days when incredible cameras were reserved for the best of the best phones. With devices like the Google Pixel 4a, it is becoming increasingly clear to phone makers that those who spend $ 450 or more on a phone should be able to get a premium camera experience. While you don't get the same zoom quality as the Galaxy Note 20 or the same main resolution sensor as the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Galaxy S20 FE still offers a versatile, high-quality camera experience.

The phone offers three camera sensors, including a 12-megapixel standard sensor, an 8-megapixel sensor with a telephoto lens, and a 12-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens. I really appreciate that, and while some might prefer either a telephoto or an ultra-wide device to the other, simply having both means the camera will be useful in all sorts of situations.

On paper, the specs don't quite match the standard Galaxy S20, but the photos seemed pretty good in everyday use. They're still colorful and crisp, with enough dynamism to create a punchy photo, but not so much that they wander into unnatural territory. These days, photo quality may have more to do with post-processing than sensor quality. So it makes sense that the slightly worse specs don't really result in worse photos than the Galaxy S20.

The photos are pretty good in low light. As you would expect, photos can get noisy in very low light. However, in general, the phone can capture enough detail to get decent shots. The same goes for really enlarged photos. The telephoto camera offers 3x optical zoom and up to 10x digital zoom – and the result is up to 30x hybrid zoom. Photos at this zoom level aren't that sharp, of course, but Samsung has invested seriously in cleaning up zoomed footage from its photos, and it shows. The 3-10x shots are solid, but you'll rarely want to use 30x.

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The selfie cam looks pretty solid too. The front-facing camera is 32 MP and doesn't have the dual-phase detection autofocus of the original Galaxy S20, but it still captured colorful selfies with more than enough detail. The higher resolution selfie camera is here for a reason – if you're not using the wide angle sensor, the picture is really just being cropped, and therefore the photo is only at a lower resolution.

One feature that the Galaxy S20 FE lacks is the ability to record videos in 8K. This is because you will need a higher resolution camera to do this. Even so, the camera can record 4K video at 60 frames per second, which should be more than enough for most, and saves you the maximum storage capacity.

Battery life and charging

Power is supplied by a 4,500 mAh battery, which apparently can be used for a whole day without any problems. I ended a heavy use day with about 20% battery remaining, which is not a ton but is still okay. If you are used to charging your phone every night, you shouldn't have any problems.

Fortunately, the phone is easy to charge too. Unlike the OnePlus 8, this phone supports wireless charging. You also get 25W wired fast charging. At this point I was distributing wireless chargers around my house so it was nice to be able to use them while testing this phone.

software

As expected, the Galaxy S20 FE comes with the Samsung One UI 2.5 (Android 10). I'm not going to go into the specifics of the Android customizations – you can read extensive settings in our Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Note 20 reviews – but I'll say that the bloatware on this phone seems to have been reduced a bit compared to some others . This is mainly due to the fact that you can instantly choose which apps are installed on your device. While all of the additional Samsung apps and Microsoft apps are enabled by default, just take the extra moments to adjust the pre-installs when you set up your phone, it's worth it.

In general, the software was responsive and smooth. Love or hate One user interface, Samsung has done a great job of making the entire user interface coherent and easy to use with one hand. Samsung wins for customizability too. So if you really enjoy optimizing and thematizing, you will enjoy the experience here.

Our opinion

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE offers the flagship cell phone in a $ 700 cell phone. You really don't miss much here. Sure, a screen resolution of 1440p is always good, and some of the camera specs don't reach the height of the standard Galaxy S20 or Note 20. But with a premium processor, still awesome display, premium feel, and great camera system, you are it can't do much better in the price range.

I would have liked Samsung to have brought out this phone along with the rest of the Galaxy S20 lineup, but it makes sense why it didn't in order to get those high sales first. However, if Samsung continues to bring out phones of this quality in this price range, companies like OnePlus should be very concerned.

Is there a better alternative?

It depends on what you are looking for. The OnePlus 8 is the main competitor here. While it's a great phone, it doesn't have the same camera quality, it doesn't hit the 120Hz refresh rate, and it doesn't charge wirelessly. However, OnePlus offers a cleaner and arguably better software experience.

If you are really on a budget then you should also consider the Pixel 4a or wait for the Pixel 4a 5G. They have amazing cameras and simpler software, although the specs and performance don't match the Galaxy S20 FE or the displays.

Of course, if you're not married to Android, then you should also consider the iPhone 11, which is available at a similar price, has even better performance, and a fantastic camera. However, you will not get the same ad. You also don't get 5G and have to deal with the iPhone notch.

How long it will take?

With Snapdragon 865 water resistance and IP68, the Galaxy S20 FE should easily survive a normal two year phone cycle and longer if you want or need it. Again, the plastic back helps here – while it doesn't feel premium, it helps keep the phone more likely to remain crack-free throughout its lifespan.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Sure, you could spend an additional $ 300 on a slightly better phone, but if you want flagship quality for $ 700 this is the phone to beat right now.

Editor's recommendations




18 Sep
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus Review: Awesome Tablet For Video

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 plus review

"Once you watch videos on the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus tablet, you don't want to go back to anything else."

  • Amazing screen for video

  • Very powerful

  • Long battery life

  • S pen pen included

  • No wireless charging

  • Android still doesn't do very well on tablets

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is a terrible trailblazer for bad habits. Look away now when trying to cut down your TV time as you will want to see a lot more after you buy. It doesn't matter what you want to see as pretty much everything looks and sounds amazing.

However, super video quality is just one reason to buy an expensive tablet and compete against the best high-priced tablet right now, the 2020 iPad Pro, there is much more that needs to be done. Because of this, I start the same way I did my iPad Pro review by writing this review on the Galaxy S7 Plus.

Hardware and design

The Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is huge and has a 12.4-inch screen. With the keyboard accessories attached, it's the size of a laptop and much larger than the 11.9-inch iPad Pro with the Magic keyboard we tested. It is a widescreen tablet with an aspect ratio of 16:10, so it is considerably wider in landscape mode. It's a device that always feels happier in landscape mode than it does in portrait mode. In practice this means that it is much better to watch movies horizontally than to browse books vertically or to read while lying in bed.

At just 5.7mm, it's very thin and the angular edges give it a modern and stylish look. The weight of 575 grams (1.27 pounds) is manageable and evenly distributed across the tablet so that it does not become unwieldy or tiresome. If the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is used exclusively as a tablet, it makes more sense, as it becomes uncomfortable with the keyboard cover attached.

When you hold it in portrait orientation, the volume rocker and power button are on the right side, top and bottom are speakers and a USB-C port. It doesn't have a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the back, a black stripe extends under the camera module, which hides a magnetized holder for the S Pen, which serves as a wireless charging point for the device. It's a neat solution, but it prevents the tablet from laying flat on your back when you attach it. But kudos to Samsung for including the S Pen in the box.

I like the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. It looks ultra-modern, the brushed metal case is classy and high quality, the screen bezels are slim, and everything is beautifully built as you'd expect. Tablets don't have to turn heads with their design, but they do need to look stylish and modern on a coffee table or when pulled out of the pocket, and the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus delivers it with ease.

Screen and video

The 12.4-inch Super AMOLED screen has a resolution of 2800 x 1752, a dynamic refresh rate of 120 Hz, HDR10 + support and, to absolutely no surprise, is insane. There is life, vibrancy, color and detail everywhere, and the high refresh rate makes it very easy on your eyes.

In the media, the Tab S7 Plus excels, and the resolution allows you to watch videos at 1440p, which I miss a lot when watching videos on the iPad Pro. I've found that I've been using Samsung's Video Enhancer mode for brightness and color more on the tablet than on the Note 20 Ultra because it really makes videos disappear from the screen.

This is how the carfection test of the Porsche 911 Targa looks fabulous. Such razor-sharp whites, eye-catching greens and with a resolution of 1440p also breathtaking levels of detail. The already atomic colors in Red Velvet's monster video are enhanced, and the amazing graphics look practically beyond the world at 1440p.

It almost didn't matter what I saw on the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, it's a great viewing experience. The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime? Dreamy. Paranormal Lockdown with its monochrome, loud night vision shots? Crisp and atmospheric. Even a relatively low-resolution episode of Wheeler Dealers from 2018 looked fine, despite not benefiting at all from the Video Enhancer mode.

Four speakers on the edge of the tablet ensure an impressive, surprisingly centered sound. Tuned by Samsung's own audio experts AKG, the vocals and speech are clear and defined, but the sound lacks deep bass. This is a minor point of contention, however, and the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus's ability as a video entertainment device is top-notch.

Other media? I found the tablet a bit too big for reading e-books lying down – it's like putting a small TV in bed – but good for more visual media like comics. After watching my regular rotation of videos on the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, I no longer wanted to watch them on my laptop or iPad. It really is that good.

software

Samsung's OneUI 2.5 installs alongside Android 10 and is very similar to the software found on the latest phones. This means that it is colorful with big icons, a very recognizable design, and a neat settings menu. The usual Android functions – for example a dark mode, gestures and the notification shadow – are all available and work quickly and reliably.

Problems arise with app support, as many (daring most) Android apps don't scale very well on a tablet screen and others don't work very well with the Tab S7 Plus keyboard or multi-windowing support. Twitter, Pocket Casts, Amazon, Google Drive, Strava, and so many other popular apps look terrifyingly bad in the landscape. They either enlarge the content dramatically to fit the screen, or slide it to one side with an unused blank surface next to it. Some apps even force you into portrait mode, which is incredibly frustrating.

The keyboard accessory trackpad is not fully supported by major productivity apps like Google Docs. For example, double-clicking text to highlight words does not work. In some cases, it's better to just reach up and touch what you need. With this full-featured keyboard and trackpad, you can get by with more web-based workflows. If you want to do all of your work on the tablet, it helps to be in the Microsoft ecosystem. It syncs Samsung Notes with OneNote and Outlook, for example, and the Outlook app actually looks pretty good here. Since I use a Mac with Pages and sometimes Apple's Notes app, the iPad fits my workflow better.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 plus review screenshot 20200917 165011 Twitter

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 plus review screenshot 20200917 164843 Twitter

Multitasking is strong and offers the ability to run three apps at the same time. Everything looks simple thanks to the power of the tablet. Chrome and Gmail work very well even when YouTube is running in a small pop-up window. If you're running an app in full screen mode, you can drag a multitasking app launcher to a tab on the right edge of the screen with the click of a mouse and drag out the app you want. It can be dragged to the left or right for a 50/50 split, or floated in the middle to make it a pop-up window. However, not every app supports split view or popup. So it is a bit of trial and error until you remember who can do what.

The 50/50 split view fixes many of the app scaling issues and brings them into the phone-like aspect ratio that you would expect. You can also drag the handle between the apps to resize them to whatever compromise you want. On such a large screen, you can easily do a 70/30 split and have a smaller tablet-sized app alongside a phone-sized app without feeling cramped.

Entering multiscreen mode is more tedious than multitasking activation in iOS, but I like the little icon that appears on the screen when you gently exit a pop-up and are ready to bring it back to front when required. It's great for playing YouTube in the background and still accessing it quickly when needed.

If you want a more focused work mode, there's Samsung DeX, which turns the tablet into a laptop environment with a familiar desktop layout, customizable windows, and a distinctly Windows 10-like design. The performance is great too without slowing down multiple apps running. Despite warnings, the tablet may get warm, but I didn't notice it. However, you need a really good keyboard and trackpad to take advantage of DeX.

I couldn't be satisfied with working on the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. At least not for long periods of time, and I'd only go for the iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard if I thought my tasks were going to take more than 30 minutes. Most of this is due to apps that don't perform very well and keyboard issues, which I'll talk about below.

camera

It is a dual-lens camera on the back of the tablet with a 13MP main lens with a f / 2.0 aperture and an ultra wide-angle lens with 5MP f / 2.2. This is a tablet. So don't expect camera performance to be the same as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or even phones that cost half the price like the Pixel 4a. The photos taken are acceptable, but cannot handle shadows or low-light conditions well, tend to be oversaturated, and indoor photos may lack detail. However, it doesn't matter how often the camera is used for anything beyond the basics.

The selfie camera is 8 MP and performs well on video calls. Plus, the Live Focus portrait mode took decent bokeh-style photos. Placing it above the screen in landscape mode works well for zoom conferencing and video calls with friends because the angle is more natural than when the lens is placed on the side bezel. Overall, the camera does a good job for a tablet.

Performance, safety and battery

The Galaxy Tab S7 Plus has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus chip and either 6 or 8 GB of RAM, depending on whether you buy the basic version with 128 GB or the more powerful model with 256 GB or 512 GB.

Here are the benchmark tests:

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 6343 (volcano)

Geekbench 5: 961 single core / 2758 multi core

These are above the results of the Galaxy Tab S6, but slightly below the Asus ROG Phone 3, which also uses the Snapdragon 865 Plus chip. Playing on the tablet is great in terms of performance, but the size of the tablet means the case will dig into your palms after a short while, and I never wanted to play for hours. This is where the tablet's Xbox Gaming Pass feature comes in, which allows you to pair an Xbox controller and use the tablet as a screen. Given the stunning looks of the Tab S7 Plus screen, it can be a powerful gaming tablet, but only if you're willing to spend on the Xbox Pass and controller if you don't already have one.

An optical fingerprint sensor in the display is the most important biometric security measure, but not reliable enough. Almost every time I use it, it takes two or three times for the tablet to potentially unlock. The size of the tablet makes it quite difficult to aim the selfie camera when trying to use face unlock, which adds further delays. Accessing the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is frustrating, and most of the time I had to use my PIN number to unlock it because the biometric methods failed. Interestingly, the smaller Tab S7 uses a side-mounted capacitive fingerprint sensor instead.

It's a massive 10,090 mAh battery that powers the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. With medium to heavy use, it lasts two days. This includes light work, hours of video, some reading, and some games. The included 15W charger takes at least two hours to go from around 5% to full, and unfortunately there is no wireless charging, a feature I liked on the Huawei MatePad Pro. It is compatible with a 45W charger for faster charging. However, you have to buy one from Samsung.

Bookcover keyboard and S Pen

The so-called "book cover keyboard" is an optional accessory for the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. So should you pick her up? First, let's talk about the good things. The book cover area attaches to the back of the tablet with magnets, remains very secure and has a very versatile pull-out stand and convenient compartment to keep the S Pen pen securely while charging. The hinge holds at every angle and perfectly matches the brilliant media capabilities of the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus.

The keyboard also locks into place with magnets, but is separate from the book cover. Key travel is judged well, and the keys are well spaced for touch input, and the trackpad is a decent size. If you're just typing at one desk or table at a time, that's fine. If you want to type with the tablet on your lap, it is no good at all. The keyboard area is too floppy because it is attached to the tablet with some cloth rather than a hard hinge. And while the bookcover's angled stand is set so that the screen is facing you, the entire setup is just too big unless your thighs are about 3 feet long.

In that respect, it doesn't compare to the surprisingly compact 11.9-inch iPad Pro and Magic keyboard. The trackpad also isn't very responsive and can get confused easily if your finger is still on it when you click. I also found the buttons and trackpad quite loud. So not good? It's about what I expect from the average tablet keyboard case. It's great for brief flashes of light sitting at a desk or table, but not for pronouncing thousands of words in a variety of environments. The two-piece design is a winner, however, as you can remove the keyboard and still retain the ability to prop the tablet.

If you only want to use the Tab S7 Plus for media consumption, the $ 80 book cover is a good buy as it comes in a slightly different configuration with a screen cover if you don't receive the keyboard. However, at a whopping $ 230, the Bookcover Keyboard is a tough sell. That puts the entire package north of $ 1,000, right in the range of high-end laptops, without a keyboard experience that matches the laptop.

The S Pen comes with the tablet and does not need to be purchased separately. It works the same as the S Pen does on the Galaxy Note series phones, and connects to Bluetooth for a variety of functions, including activating the shutter button in the camera. The S Pen is mostly great. The menu is easy to use, the response time of 9 milliseconds makes typing on the screen very pleasant and the note taking system is really useful.

However, some features are difficult to activate. Writing screen-off memos requires a precise combination of pressing the S Pen button and tapping the screen. The fact that the S Pen has to be placed on its flat edge in order to properly attach to the back of the tablet and charge is annoying. That said, the palm rejection is top notch, and I could put my hand on the screen and still write with ease, which makes it suitable for artists too.

Price and availability

The Wi-Fi Galaxy Tab S7 Plus can now be pre-ordered from Samsung and Amazon. Shipping begins September 18th and starts at $ 850 or £ 799. If you want 5G, pay $ 1,050, or £ 999, and only get by with the 128GB model. The keyboard bookcover is priced at $ 115 when pre-ordered, but has a normal retail price of $ 230. The book cover alone costs $ 80.

Our opinion

If you are worried about video, gaming, online shopping or other fun activities while viewing the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, just put your money down and enjoy the great giant Samsung tablet. The book cover is worth the extra, but the keyboard implies that you might want to do some work and that, despite its size and high price, isn't really its forte.

Is there a better alternative?

The 2020 iPad Pro was the main competitor of the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus and a better alternative until the 2020 iPad Air arrived with the new Apple A14 Bionic processor and compatibility with the Magic Keyboard. It costs $ 599, which is $ 200 less than the $ 799 iPad Pro. There are major differences between the two, but both share the same great iOS 14 software and app selection.

Another thing to note is the smaller $ 650 Galaxy Tab S7. It's cheaper but doesn't have the S7 Plus' AMOLED screen, but an LCD. The bigger question is, do you have to spend that much on a tablet in the first place? The new 8th generation iPad costs $ 329 and has everything that the more expensive models can do, but with fewer high-tech features. For most, simply hooking up with a phone and laptop is probably more than enough.

How long it will take?

Age. The Galaxy Tab S7 Plus offers the same performance as a top smartphone without the same requirements being placed on it. Therefore it will last for many years. When you take it out into the world, note that it doesn't have a rugged body or any form of water resistance. You can also buy the 5G version of the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus if you envision your future usage changing.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is a fantastic media-focused tablet. All you have to do is settle for the starting price of $ 850 and pay an additional $ 115 (or $ 230 if you buy from MSRP) for a keyboard.

Editor's recommendations




14 Sep
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G Review: Fully Functional Foldable

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

"The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the best foldable device you can buy right now."

  • The foldable screen opens up new possibilities

  • Excellent hardware quality

  • Soothing hinge and screen durability

  • Very good triple camera

  • Top-end specs and core features

  • Difficult and awkward to operate with one hand

  • Many apps are not optimized for leaflets

  • Much more expensive than most phones

Foldable devices will play a role in the future of smartphones. Even if they seem expensive, fragile, and compromised right now, they won't be forever. Just the evolution of quality from the first Galaxy Fold, which got off to a terrible start, to the quality of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 shows that the industry is on the right track.

However, you are not buying a foldable phone, especially a $ 2,000 phone, as it is part of an advancement of new technology. You buy it based on what it does for you and what it offers beyond what you get from a regular smartphone. Here's everything the Galaxy Z Fold 2 brings to the table to justify its sky-high price tag.

Hardware, design and ads

The new Galaxy Z Fold 2 follows the same concept as its predecessor: a device the size of a mini tablet that is halved by a large hinge, with a folding screen on the inside and an additional "cover display" on the outside. However, it is no exaggeration to say that Samsung has touched the implementation of this concept for this generation in every way. And it's all for the better.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Samsung knows how to make high-end phones that look and feel like they're worth the money, and that carries over to this huge device. The two-tone matte glass and shiny metal pieces add some flair to the Z Fold 2, and while I like it (you'll never be able to hide this phone anyway), black is an option too. The execution is flawless. Every angle is perfect, every gap is consistent, and all the details are spot on.

The redesigned hinge is most responsible for the Z Fold 2's rugged feel. It is no longer loose or thin at any point in its operation, as it sticks at every angle, e.g. B. a laptop screen or a Microsoft Surface stand. You can adjust the screen angle to whatever you want and it just stays there – but it retains a satisfactory lock when opened flat. With the screen open, you can hold the phone in one hand, shake it around, hold it vertically or upside down and it will not move.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

It's also relatively easy to return it to a folded position with one hand – as long as you comfortably press your thumb on the screen. It closes with a solid, satisfying "click" while the bezels snap together with magnets. Regardless of whether you open or close, hardly a sound can be heard. Of course, if you hold your ear to the screen, you'll notice the various layers unfold and the little dusty bristles in the hinge, but this is an almost silent operation.

Samsung has revised the hardware design and brought both displays to a new level.

Even if Samsung had kept the exterior design identical to that of its predecessor, I would still welcome the improved display. The cover display used to be weirdly small, but like any other smartphone, it is now 6.2 inches and has small frames. Major changes have been made inside. The 7.6-inch foldable panel is now surrounded by 25% smaller bezels and a simple pinhole camera instead of the huge notch with multiple cameras before. The edges of the bezel aren't raised nearly as much, and you hardly notice them even if you're using the Android 10's gesture navigation system.

The display looks great. Of course, it's a Samsung display. The colors are saturated, the brightness is excellent even outdoors and there are no deviations when viewed at an angle. It even runs at a refresh rate of 120Hz, just like the S20 series, so the movement is buttery smooth. With the flexible display levels, the clarity is not on par with the glass covers of the iPhone 11 Pro Max or the Samsung Note 20 Ultra. That slight visual change aside, this display is indistinguishable from the best in the business – it's only twice that size and randomly folds in half. No compromise here.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Let's talk about the crease. It is there and yes you will notice. Sometimes. This is most noticeable on a screen with low brightness and on a white or light background. Even so, after a few days I noticed that my eyes were ignoring it. And since you mostly use the phone in portrait orientation – the display has a very wide aspect ratio anyway – rarely touch or swipe the crease.

However, most people are more concerned about the shelf life. I only used the Z Fold 2 for this test for two weeks. So I can't say how well it will hold up over time. But I'm pretty confident, especially since we've now seen people use the original crease (well, the revised original crease) for a year with little deterioration. This new model has the Samsung display "UTG" or Ultra Thin Glass for the display and is much more resistant to scratches and bumps. There's also a pre-installed screen protector made from the typical thin flexible plastic that I'm not a huge fan of, but it's another layer of protection.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

The crease will definitely change its shape a little, and over months of folding it will absorb some aberrations. And yes, if you dig your fingernail into the screen or drop it while it's open, it will look worse for wear and tear. However, most of the phones get damaged in the latter scenario. The biggest advantage of the Z Fold 2 is that the foldable screen is closed and cannot be compromised when you are not using it. With a large foldable phone like this one, there are user-friendliness concerns, but for me they don't relate to the durability of the screen and the hinge.

With a big foldable phone

Samsung has made strides to make this hardware as slim and compact as current technology allows. However, it is still a giant compared to single non-collapsible screens. That starts with a weight of 282 grams, which is about 25% heavier than an iPhone 11 Pro Max and 35% heavier than a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. It's nearly 17mm thick, roughly twice that of a typical phone (as expected).

It adds up to a cumbersome device. It's big and heavy, and you never forget that – neither in your hand nor in your pocket. The phone is nowhere near so small that I can use it as a music source for my headphones in any kind of bag or holder. It's not waterproof either, so I wouldn't take the risk anyway.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

The weight is most noticeable when it is closed. This is how you will use it a lot. Fortunately, the new, larger cover display is big enough to get most of your chores done, and gives you full access to a typical lock screen, notifications, a home screen, and all of your apps. The screen is a bit narrow which can make typing awkward (this can be fixed with a swipe keyboard), but the main problem is getting to the top of this very tall screen while balancing out a beefy and thick phone.

The other problem you will encounter is app compatibility. Some apps just don't scale to full screen because they're so big. This is more annoying than a real usability problem, but it's there. Most of these buggy apps are the same ones that will inevitably have to be restarted if you open the phone while it is running. This is an odd odd thing about resizing Android apps (or not).

You don't use the outside display more than necessary, however, as you can open up the Z Fold 2 and get the gorgeous control panel instead. The use cases are all easy to understand. It starts with just getting more of everything. More map area, more webpage before scrolling, more photos in larger size, more of each message in a list, more book before turning the page, and so on. This is great because you never feel cramped on the Z Fold 2 – there is always enough space to do what you want.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

However, that again requires the apps that you play ball with. Many apps, including all apps from Google and Microsoft, make good use of this additional real estate when run in full screen mode. You get an additional appropriately sized panel or user interface controls, which gives you more content and less chrome. Other apps are just bad. Twitter, Seamless, Venmo, Strava, Telegram, Lyft, American Express, the list goes on. All of them just stretch out the UI and no longer offer you any content or viewing space as they were not designed for large screens. Instagram is notoriously bad at filling the screen, and now Samsung has just packed it with pillars to make it at least reasonably usable. (It's still bad.)

Samsung also uses the stiff hinge to prop the phone at an angle in "flex mode," which triggers a different user interface in a handful of apps – YouTube, Google Duo, Camera, and a few others. it's not very useful. Why cut the screen in half? I only used it for video calls when I didn't want to hold the phone or for photos where I used it as a de facto tripod.

Most of the time, you're running a single app on the Z Fold 2 and it feels clunky and like a waste of space. You really need to find and stick to the handful of apps that make good use of that space. Of course, you can also run apps side by side, which greatly improves the experience. It's instantly intuitive and extremely useful. Run Twitter while messaging, check the status of an order while viewing your credit card charge, and do a Wikipedia search while watching a YouTube video. Check your calendar while reading an email.

It is this dual app that makes the Z Fold 2 shine and really justifies its size. You can set up pairs of apps (or groups of three if you really want to) to start automatically together with the press of a button. If you already have a full screen app open, you can always drag a second, third, or floating app with a small handle on the side of the screen. About 90% of my apps ran side by side – not perfect, but close.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

If you don't open the Z Fold 2 regularly and use multiple apps at the same time, then you really are missing the point of this phone. You don't pay that much and bother with this great device just to use the cover display or a single app inside. You need to use its features.

Samsung offers the Z Fold 2 more than enough power to run three apps at the same time. You don't have to think for a moment that the phone has a Snapdragon 865+, 12GB of RAM, or 5GB – it all works like any high-end phone should and will do for years to come. However, you will appreciate the 256GB of storage as well as the useful features like stereo speakers, fast charging, fast wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. There are no compromises in terms of technical data and functions compared to non-foldable telephones, which is currently not a matter of course for foldable telephones.

Unless you regularly use multiple apps at the same time, then you really lack the point of this phone.

Battery life is almost the same as leading single monitors, but how long it lasts depends a lot on how you use them. With a lot of main screen use and multitasking, you can chew through the 4,500mAh battery (like the Note 20 Ultra) before you know it. It's not surprising that allowing yourself to watch videos more often and keep two apps running all the time will drain your resources. In my typical use, where I put what I normally do on the bigger screen, I lasted a full day on 10 to 20% battery life.

Cameras

In contrast to the Microsoft Surface Duo, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 fortunately does not have any major compromises when it comes to the camera. You get a triumvirate of cameras loosely based on the Galaxy S20: the same 12 megapixel main camera with OIS (optical image stabilization) is combined with two smaller 12MP sensors for zoom and ultrawide applications.

It's a little disappointing that this $ 2,000 phone doesn't include a copy of the Galaxy S20 + (or Note 20 Ultra) camera setup. But where things matter most, the main camera, you get an identical experience. These photos speak for themselves folks: this is a really good camera.

Just like Samsung's 2020 flagships, the Z Fold 2 takes expressive, colorful, and engaging photos. I've never taken a really bad shot, and the camera is completely reliable and consistent every time I hit the power button twice to start it. There tends to be too much saturation and sometimes the sky can be blown out or strong halos around objects, but these are minor issues.

The zoom camera is a bit of a let down as it is a smaller sensor and there is no OIS in the main camera (and in the zoom camera on the Galaxy S20). You can easily see that zoom shots are softer than the main camera even if the resolution is only 2x, and in low light conditions the software switches back completely to the main sensor. This zoom camera dates back to the Galaxy S10 series and today's midrange phones, and that's not a good thing to see at this price point. The ultrawide camera absolutely does the job, even if it's not exactly the same as that of the S20 and Note 20 series.

Regardless of the camera chosen, shooting with a huge viewfinder with the screen open is even better than a typical phone.

Perhaps the biggest camera win of all is for selfies. You can flip the Z-fold 2 over and use the rear camera as a selfie shooter with the cover display as the viewfinder. Whether you want a high quality main camera shot or an ultrawide shot for a group of friends (or a backdrop for yourself), that typical front camera will blow away – especially in low light.

Our opinion

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a huge evolution of the original. The hardware is perfectly made and exudes quality, while the functionality of the screens and the hinge has been dramatically improved. All of this without compromising the core smartphone experience – you get good cameras and most of the nice-to-have features of a regular phone.

The downsides are ease of use, size, and price. The Z Fold 2 is huge, which makes it difficult to operate with one hand at times – and if you don't use that large display all the time, it's a chore to carry this massive device around with you. At the same time, many of the software experiences when you have this screen open leave much to be desired. And then there is the price. At $ 2,000, you need a lot of cash to spend twice as much money as a typical high-end phone, but not twice as many functions or features.

This is an amazing technological feat, but it still requires understanding that you are buying a collapsible smartphone that is on the cutting edge of innovation. That means there is compromise, and that's not what most people want (or need).

Is there a better alternative?

There really isn't a direct alternative to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Some will say the Microsoft Surface Duo is a loose competitor, but really offers a different experience with its separate displays – and ultimately the Surface Duo falls far short of the mark in terms of smartphone functionality and usability.

Elsewhere in the foldable space you have a choice Samsung's own Galaxy Z Flip or the upcoming Motorola Razr, both of which offer completely different experiences. Realistically, your choice is: Are you doing this? Buy a Galaxy Z Fold 2or spend top dollars on a "traditional" high-end phone like this Galaxy Note 20 Ultra or upcoming iPhone 12 Pro Max? It's a personal choice.

How long it will take?

I'm not particularly concerned about the long-term durability of the Z Fold 2's hinge and display. Samsung clearly put a lot of work into fixing early hardware bugs, and even last year's Fold has proven to be quite durable over time. Samsung also offers good warranty protection and screen replacement if necessary. The Z Fold 2 also receives at least two major software upgrades and regular security patches that keep it going for about as long as someone actually uses the phone.

Should you buy it?

Yes. People will make fun of the $ 2,000 price tag for the Z Fold 2, and rightly so. However, if you are ready to part with that huge sum of money on the latest technology, then you are probably also interested in being an early adopter of foldable phones. The Z Fold 2 is currently the best foldable one on the (small) market.

However, if you do buy it, please do not fund the phone for more than four years as Samsung suggests on its website.

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