Samsung Galaxy S24 Vs. Galaxy S21: Is It Time To Upgrade?
Your Samsung Galaxy S21 just turned three years old. To celebrate this important event, you should consider upgrading to a newer model like the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S24. With the new processor, improved display, longer battery life and other improvements, this could be a really attractive offer.
But if you still have the Galaxy S21, is the Galaxy S24 really worth the $800 asking price? Here's everything you need to know before you decide.
Samsung Galaxy S24 vs. Samsung Galaxy S21: Specifications
| Galaxy S24 | Galaxy S21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 168.0g (5.93oz) | 171.0g (6.03oz) |
| Dimensions | 147 x 70.6 x 7.6mm (5.79 x 2.78 x 0.30 inches) | 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm (5.97 x 2.80 x 0.31 inches) |
| Screen size and specifications | 6.2 inch 2X flexible AMOLED Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass 2) | Flexible 6.2-inch AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex display Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus) |
| Screen quality | 2340 x 1080 pixels, aspect ratio 19.5:9, 416 ppi The refresh rate is 120 Hz Maximum brightness 2600 nits | 2400 x 1080 pixels, aspect ratio 20:9, 424 ppi The refresh rate is 120 Hz High brightness up to 1300 nits |
| action | Android 14 | Android 11 can be updated to Android 14. |
| to express | 128GB or 256GB | 128GB or 256GB |
| healer | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 3rd Gen (4nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 (5nm) |
| Working memory | 8GB | 8GB |
| camera | Primary 50MP, ƒ/1.8 lens aperture, OIS 12MP, ƒ/2.2 aperture 10MP telephoto lens, ƒ/2.4 aperture, 3x optical zoom 12MP f/2.2 front panel | Primary 12MP, ƒ/1.8 lens aperture, OIS |
| Video | Up to 8K at 30 frames per second (fps) 4K at 60 fps FHD resolution with 120 frames per second 960 fps slow motion | Up to 8K at 24 fps 4K at 30fps or 60fps 1080p at 30fps, 60fps or 240fps |
| Artificial Intelligence of the Galaxy | Yes | NO |
| to be sure | Fingerprint on the ultrasound screen | Fingerprint on the ultrasound screen |
| Resistance | water and dust. IP68 | water and dust. IP68 |
| drum | 4000MSL 25W wired charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging | 25W wired charging 15W wireless charging 4.5W reverse wireless charging |
| SIM connectors | 1 | 2 |
| Network support | 5G (less than 6 millimeter waves) | 5G (up to 6 years) |
| Colors | Black onyx, gray marble, purple cobalt, yellow amber, green jade, orange sandstone, blue sapphire. | Illusion pink, purple, gray, white |
| Price | From $800 | From $800 (first) |
Galaxy S24 vs. S21: Design and display
As far as design goes, you might notice some differences when comparing the Galaxy S21 with the Galaxy S24. Firstly, the S24 doesn't have a pronounced camera bump like the S21. The S24's camera sensors are placed separately on the back of the phone and while they don't look particularly flashy, they do look very simple. It's also worth mentioning that the S21 has a plastic back and an aluminum frame, while the S24 has a glass back, giving it a more premium feel and better grip.
Both phones feature a flexible 6.2-inch AMOLED display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. However, the older Galaxy S21 uses Gorilla Glass Victus while the new Galaxy S24 uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The main difference between the two versions of Victus is that the new version has improved falling performance. According to Corning, the Victos 2 glass can withstand drops of up to 2 meters, which is a significant improvement over the original Victos glass. This means the S24 is less susceptible to cracks or scratches in the event of sudden drops or impacts.
While both the S24 and S21 have a consistent 120Hz refresh rate, only the S24 can go down to 1Hz. In comparison, the S21's refresh rate is just 48Hz. You might not notice it in everyday use, but it means the S24's display is sharper and offers longer battery life (more on that later).
Galaxy S24 vs. S21: Performance and battery
The Galaxy S21 was launched with two different processors depending on the region. Includes Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor when purchased in North America, Europe or China. The processor is an octa-core processor with two Kryo 680 Prime cores clocked at 2.84 GHz, three Kryo 680 cores clocked at 2.42 GHz and four Kryo 680 cores clocked at 1, 80 GHz and an Adreno GPU. Condition.
In other areas, however, the S21 is equipped with a Samsung Exynos 2100, an octa-core processor. It features one Cortex-X1 core clocked at 2.9 GHz, three Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.80 GHz, and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2.2 GHz, paired with a Mali-G78 MP14 GPU.
The new Galaxy S24 smartphone also has different processors depending on the location. If you live in North America, the Galaxy phone features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, an updated version of the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The processor includes an octa-core or ten-core processor, depending on the core speed range, which is between 1.95 GHz and 3.39 GHz and is paired with an Adreno GPU. Otherwise, the S24 is equipped with an Exynos 2400 processor.
If you switch from S21 to S24, you will definitely notice a smoother and faster user experience. The Galaxy S24 is a performance monster that runs apps and games smoothly. In 2024, the S21 is still a capable phone, but if you upgrade it you'll see an improvement in speed.
It's worth noting that Samsung hasn't made any changes to the battery between the S21 and S24 models. Both have a 4000mAh battery. Battery life was “average” in our S21 test, but should last a full day. However, it is important to remember that the battery deteriorates over time, shortening its lifespan.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 demonstrated excellent battery life, easily lasting more than a full day on a single charge. While the battery capacity remains the same, the new, more efficient chipset ensures longer battery life between charges.
Comparison between Galaxy S24 and S21: cameras
When it comes to smartphone technology, camera systems are one area that manufacturers are often constantly improving. It's no surprise that there are some great upgrades between the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S24 models.
The Galaxy S24 features a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, which is a huge improvement over the Galaxy S21. In addition, the front camera of the S24 is 12 MP.
The older Galaxy S21, on the other hand, has a 12-megapixel main camera, a 64-megapixel telephoto lens with 1.1x optical zoom, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 10-megapixel front camera. Those are still good specs, but well below the capabilities of the new S24 model. In addition to the latest camera hardware, Samsung has also improved photography on the Galaxy S24, delivering more natural and realistic colors than previous generations.
Galaxy S24 vs S21: Galaxy AI
The Galaxy S24 series has new Galaxy AI features. Of these features, the circle search feature is perhaps the most popular. You can search for images by simply swiping the screen. Live Translation is also promising, offering instant translation and transcription when you're on the phone with someone in a different language.
With the Notes app, the S24 can summarize text in clear, easily visible highlights. Additionally, the generative editing feature allows you to use powerful image editing techniques to move objects in images, remove unwanted objects, and more.
Galaxy AI features will soon be integrated into the Galaxy S23 series, but not into the Galaxy S21. If you want a phone with superhuman AI abilities, your Galaxy S21 isn't exactly for you.
Galaxy S24 vs. S21: Price and availability
In the three years since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S24, Samsung has not increased the prices of its smartphones. So the S24 starts at $800, just like the S21.
The Galaxy S24 is available in four colors: Onyx Black, Marble Gray, Cobalt Purple and Yellow. Additionally, Samsung's website offers three exclusive colors: Green Jade, Blue Sapphire and Orange Sandstone. It is available in 128GB or 256GB storage capacity and is available to purchase now.
Galaxy S24 vs. S21: Is the upgrade worth it?
If your smartphone is three years old, it's a good idea to upgrade to a new model. If you're planning on upgrading from the Galaxy S21 to the new Galaxy S24, you'll notice a number of improvements in the new model. The Galaxy S24 has better internals, improved cameras and is equipped with Galaxy AI technology. Samsung also announced that the S24 will receive software updates for seven years. This offers updates until January 2030. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S21 promises another year of upgrades before the four-year upgrade guarantee expires.
If you're still on the fence about whether to upgrade, there are two final things you need to consider. First, the price of your Galaxy S21 will continue to drop, meaning you'll have to pay more for your next upgrade. Second, the Galaxy S24 costs $800, which is probably the same price you paid for the S21. Taking into account inflation in recent years, you will spend less this time. Plus, thanks to great trade-in discounts and other special offers on Samsung.com, your carrier, and other retailers, you can definitely upgrade your Galaxy S21 to a Galaxy S24 without paying full price.
In other words, yes, now is a good time to upgrade.