Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus review: specs, battery & used prices

Summary

The Galaxy S21 Plus is the middle child of Samsung's 2021 flagship family: the same Exynos 2100 platform and camera system as the standard S21, with a 6.7-inch 1,300-nit display and a 4,800 mAh battery between them. Our everyday score of 61/100 and battery score of 36/100 describe the honest arithmetic — a bigger, brighter, longer-lasting S21 that now costs barely more secondhand.

Display and design

The 6.7-inch OLED at 120 Hz carries a 1,300-nit rating — the brightest of the non-Ultra S21s and comfortable in any daylight. Screen score: 68/100. At 200 g with IP68, it is the conventional flagship footprint; the 80/100 compactness score calls it manageable rather than nimble.

Performance

Exynos 2100, as in the whole family: everyday 61/100, gaming 21/100. The larger body dissipates the chip's heat a little better than the small S21 does, which shows mostly in longer camera sessions and sustained loads.

Camera

Identical hardware to the S21 — 12 MP main with OIS, 64 MP telephoto, 12 MP ultrawide, 8K24 — and the identical 42/100 score. The Plus was never about cameras; it was about screen and battery.

Battery and charging

The 4,800 mAh cell lifts the endurance score to 36/100 — a comfortable full day with headroom, the concrete benefit of the larger chassis. Charging stays at 25 W.

Verdict

The used market barely distinguishes the siblings: 8/128 units cluster around $170 (thirteen listings) — thirty dollars over the standard S21 for a bigger battery and brighter screen, which is a favorable exchange rate. The same spent-software-window caveat applies to the whole 2021 generation. If the budget stretches, the S21 Ultra is the one 2021 Samsung worth a premium.