Samsung Galaxy S21+ in for review

We finally got our hands on the Galaxy S21+ to complete our Galaxy S21 lineup and we've started work on its review. But in the meantime, let's size it up to its peers.

Before we get to side-by-sides, here's a short unboxing - you get the phone, a SIM tool and a USB-C to USB-C cable. If you want the recommended 25W charger, you'll need to pay an extra €20 for it.

What's in the box and what's not

The Galaxy S21+ is the middle-sized option in the Galaxy S21 series. Its display is 0.5 inches bigger than that of the Galaxy S21 and its battery is a 800mAh larger. We can confirm that so far we've been seeing amazing battery life from the Galaxy S21+ - about 19 hours of video playback, for instance. That's a lot more than the Galaxy S21 and even better than the Galaxy S21 Ultra with its higher-res display.

Another key difference between the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+ is the dual-glass design on the latter. The Galaxy S21 has a plastic panel, while the Galaxy S21+ uses Gorilla Glass Victus on both ends - it's a noticeable difference, kind of like using a plastic laptop touchpad and immediately touching a glass one.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ next to the Galaxy S21

When the Plus gets sized up against the Ultra we see a less stark difference. The Galaxy S21 Ultra's screen is just 0.1-inch bigger, but the panel is curved and can run at a higher 1440p resolution. The Ultra panel also does a more advanced adaptive refresh rate, where it can go at 120Hz but also as low as 10Hz, the Galaxy S21 can only drop down to 48Hz.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra also has a more versatile camera array, but the Galaxy S21+ should be more than capable on its own.

Samsung Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra

The initial reactions to this year's Samsung Galaxy S lineup were that those after a compact and or cheap phone will go for the vanilla S21, while those that must have the absolute best will get the Ultra, leaving the S21+ in no man's land.

However, another way to look at things is that the Galaxy S21+ is actually the most sensible choice - giving you all the needed flagship features without breaking the bank.

Our review is ongoing and we should know which is the more accurate description of the S21+ next week - stay tuned!