Samsung S21: Still Worth Buying 2 Years Later? | Tech Rewind
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- On this episode of Tech Rewind, we take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S21, a phone that's been out for over 2 years. Is it worth buying here in 2023? Let's find out.
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:40 Govee Ad
1:37 Scoring
1:58 Category 1: Design
2:37 Category 2: Durability
3:25 Category 3: Design
4:05 Category 4: Speakers
4:28 Category 5: Performance
5:40 Category 6: Software Updates
6:10 Category 7: Cameras
7:29 Category 8: Battery
8:11 Category 9: Charging
9:06 Category 10: Value
9:53 Conclusion
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*Important note:* I've adjusted the scoring criteria for the Charging category. Some of you pointed out the unfair scoring, and I agree! My rationale was to future-proof it for future phones with fast charging capabilities, but that led to unfair scoring in many of the phones created within the past few years. The new scoring chart for the Charging category is as follows:
*0-100% Charging Test (after the device has fully shut off and is cool to the touch)*
Less than 30 minutes to 100%: 10 pts
Less than 35 minutes to 100%: 9 pts
Less than 45 minutes to 100%: 8 pts
Less than 55 minutes to 100%: 7 pts
Less than 70 minutes to 100%: 6 pts
Less than 85 minutes to 100%: 5 pts
Less than 100 minutes to 100%: 4 pts
Less than 120 minutes to 100%: 3 pts
Less than 140 minutes to 100%: 2 pts
Less than 180 minutes to 100%: 1 pt
More than 3 hours to 100%: 0 pts
*Other modifications:* No wireless charging, - 1 pt, wireless charging + 1 pt.
Under this new scoring criteria, the S21 5G earns a 6 + 1 Point for its wireless charging capability, bringing it to a total of 7 in that category.
#7 will s21+ receive Android 15 next year ?
Yes when i saw 2 for Samsung's 2 y/o 25w Charging is very good for its price compared to iphone twice as slow and twice as expensive
this series is a good review of past phones, i would just suggest if you can give us the actual stats of battery usage for you day to day usage instead of the results from that standard battery test, to give us a true picture of what to expect from the battery
N😊
@@yuanfurbax I told myself the same thing hahahahaha Iphone with their 15W max............. -2 pts lol
This kinda content is what we need! Since there are tons of people who rather buy flagship phones from recent years than newly released midrangers, Thank you so much Mark! Keep up the good work!
a54 5g will make better photos and videos literally.
@@matheoo8079 nah mrwhosetheboss made a camera comparison between new mid ranger and old flagship and the flagship won because 2 years gap isn’t long enough for mid rangers to be better
@@Unknown-sf6cs a54 has bigger main camera, and better/bigger selfie camera. Its the laws of physics. Tho, having less cpu gpu power, still has 8gigs of ram, sd card capabilities A54 has way higher video score on dxomark, so i dont see any logic going for s21+. (cause s21+ is heavily power restricted due to heat dissipation issues.)
If you go by specs, yes newer mid range phones may win, but as someone who just bought s21+ pre loved, I can attest the camera quality is miles apart from latest mid range phones in 2023.
@@Hurairahgiri i bought it new, and I hate it here. My mi10t pro did better photos without the 1.1x Telephoto cropped to 3.0x
the a54 literally has same score at dxomark and better far video score.
Had this phone for 2 years now. I use it everyday for social media browsing, video streaming, light mobile gaming and calls. I have no issues with it so far. Battery holds up for an entire day. I charge it while I sleep at night. Still a very relevant device to this day.
same
How is it now and how's the battery life
@@cobaltblue5523 great
Definitely has another 2-3 years of life in it for sure
@@cobaltblue5523 still using it and battery is still fine
In S21's defense , even a professional mirrorless camera overheats with either 4K or 8K video recording. But if it heats in normal usage then it is a downside.
I think you forgot that after those 2 more Android updates, it still has 1 year security updates going for it. So a total of 5 years. 2 more years for OS updates and 1 year more for security updates.
Love your channel, most people don't change phones every year. I have the s21 just because my S6 became a time bomb, and I'm planning to keep it for at least 5 years.
Alright, I loved the retro tech intro and the scoring of the categories. It was dope! Youve earned yourself a new subscriber!! Very nice review.
Man, loving the fun "gameshow" aesthetic. Can you review the Galaxy Note10? I wish it sold better than it did, and I feel the extra effort of making a small Note series deserved more recognition. Cheers!
Thanks man! That's what I was going for! It needs some tweaking here and there but I'm pretty happy with how it came out.
I'll take the Note 10 into consideration!
Awesome tech rewind video, Mark!! Would love to see a tech rewind video on the S21 FE, a phone that got a lot of hate for its price as well as it being released at the beginning of 2022, just weeks before the announcement and release of the Galaxy S22 series. Keep up the great work as always
I had the S21fe and sold it quickly for 2 reasons. Firstly battery life. To get through a day I had to use power saving mode and 60hz. Secondly camera colours. Just massively over saturated on every photo especially outside. Your s21 doesn't seem to have this issue. Looks natural. Perhaps that got fixed with software update. But in the end I sold it and kept my A52s which will make a full day with all options on and in 120hz. Although noisier the camera is better for colours.
Great new format, I love the redesigned style of the tech rewind
Best video I've seen in a while your channel is incredibly underrated. Love the pacing, flow, style, and overall presentation.
Thanks so much!
Can you recommend where to buy it? One's that are openline and can be used anywhere.
I bought the S20 a month or 2 earlier fir 260$
an absolute steal, premium materials, speakers, water proofing , screen
and the software experience and updates is phenomenal
You should buy s21 or s21 plus as it will get two more software updates. But s20 will not get update anymore.
@@faisalhassan1007 i still got android 13, till now i have monthly security updates
s21 cost 100$ more which is out of my budget
I'm going on this thing and it never failed me, I'm really impressed
plus i chose it because it's supported by lineageOS as well, so I wouldn't mind loosing updates
I got the s21 fe here in India for 30000 INR which is around 285 USD
@@faisalhassan1007software updates slow down your phone. They are overrated. Stop being unhappy with the software that comes with your phone.
You could've gotten a s21 for that amount.
More videos like this of older flagships please
9:39 where do you recommend buying? I have tried Amazon renewed and I got my pixel 5 for 167 it's in excellent condition love it but I want a s21 or s22
I ended up liking the S21 so much that I wouldn't mind getting a battery replacement done just to hang on to it for another few years. Does everything I need it to with a quickness.
Great video Mark, keep going ..hope to see any Pixel in the next one.
The production quality on this video is great!!
Thanks for going back to this device was thinking about getting it
Good video . What's that icon pack..?
5:25 is it only heat up on you use 8k video or is it any recording because I never use a k I usually just used 1080p or ultra HD but I think was 2K or 4k
I really dig the concept but the charging speed score can't be correct? I thought that was decent speed, it has wireless charging and so on. A 6-7 would be fair. But a 2? What phone in the world can obtain a 10 under those conditions? Full battery in 10 minutes? (with a prair that the phone don't explode at the same time).
Awesome content man I love the format💪💪
This way of representation is awesome. Love the scoring. It would be great to see the score live update in a corner like game scores. Also, can you review the Galaxy Note 10 lite? With an S-pen at low price, it has to be the best value for buck… but will wait to see it through your testing.
Actually I’m working on that live scoring idea for next time!
You have a great way of reviewing. I just found you randomly looking up this phone. Because MetroPCS/T-Mobile offer me a free upgrade from my Nokia X100...
I think it deserves 10/10 points in the display section
Great video...very happy with my new S21 ....
6:20 is there any real difference between the wide the main lens 12 mp on the s21 and the s 22 50 mp wide main lens in the photos that are taken ?
Watching this vid from my S21. Nice vid
Could you do a top 10 or 5 of phones worth buying today, with the old flagships, midranges from today... basically what would be a good choice for a phone today.
Thank you and keep up with the good work!!
Trying to decide between this and the iphone 12, probably going with this.
What is the launcher you have on the phone?
That’s a solid intro! 👏🏻
I'm using the exynos version of this phone for 2 years now and I should say its a great phone. I love the small form factor, great display (I would give 9), fairly good cameras with decent performance (i'm not playing games). battery is sufficient for a day but sometimes it runs out of juice early. i agree with most of the things in your video. Other than few heating issues and the battery, this is a really good phone for the price.
Get Snapdragon next time
I agree it's still a great phone. I got the Pixel 8 Pro. Had it for about a week and decided it wasn't worth the $1000, so I'll return it and continue using my S21. I use to upgraded almost every year until I got the S21. Now all I REALLY want is the same One UI experience and a better battery. I'll hold onto this for a bit longer.
even captain rex agrees with it, its a good deal
I have the note 10+ from 2019, and it still works like day one. So yea the s21 is def worth it
Sir..how about the green line issues...is s21 affected???
One of my favorite series I usually buy the flagship phone a year later
I got a re conditioned s21 5g od 256 g last Thursday and I'm quite content I used to have the s21 fe who sadly got stolen.. at first I thought there wasn't going to be any major difference between both devices, but once I got the s21 on my hand I noticed some differences. The build is different on the s21 as well as the screen. I'm super happy with it !
How's the battery?
@reyromero8490 it's good. However don't expect great performance, just normal. I spend the whole out working and I get home with about 17 % battery
I bought a reconditioned s21 plus. My first samsung in 12 years (iphone user). I LOVE this phone. I debated between this and the s21FE and both are great. I don't mind plastic backs and the FE at 6'4 inches felt great in the hand.
Is there any way to get updates after two years?
Finally,took u long enough😂,awesome video
The only problem with buying a phone over 3 years old is .. If your wi-fi company upgrades all the equiptment & Reaches a higher band. I have a very expensive gaming phone that was working just fine.. Then my internet comp. UP-Graded all their stuff.. The best wording I can come up with is the wi-fi outgrew my cell phone. My cell will no longer hook up to wi-fi... It still works on data. Also a lot of apps we all use everyday are saying you will soon need android 13 to keep operating normally...
Can you do a similar video with the pixel 6 pro?
A short video with alot of details 👏👏👏
I'm not into phones at all and have been using an old (what was supposed to be...) temp phone for the last FOUR years. It finally conked out on me this morning and I hastily ordered an "excellent condition" Samsung s21 from Amazon about 15 minutes later for around $250. I'm glad this phone is still worth something. Hopefully I like it and can make it stretch for at least 3 or 4 years.
Whats a temp phone
@@filbao8113 I'm sure i'm using the term incorrectly but in my mind it is an old, cheap, downgraded phone that is only temporary until you can get an upgraded phone. I was unemployed at the time I got it and wasn't willing to have an inflated phone bill due to financing a new phone and I didn't have the funds at the time to buy something better outright. I went to Walmart, spent $110 and used that phone for a few years. It was a crappy phone and I hated it, but I wanted it to break down before I financed a "nice" phone.
Thankfully I saw a bunch of phones on amazon a few weeks before the beater broke or I might have a stupid inflated phone bill and be paying interest on an already expensive device.
oh man, that intro was so CBC
Good video..ty! Im actually buying this phone today!Hopefully a good choice..sure it will be.
where do I get the icons that your s21 had?
bought my s21+ a few months ago for just £150. it's in fantastic condition, its actually a few months newer than my old phone (galaxy a12) and is so much better. I had tried out an a53 but the old flagship just has more convenient features, like wireless charging, the better fingerprint sensor and samsung dex.
Me too! I bought the S21(not the + version) for £150 6 months ago secondhand and it's fantastic value for what it cost me. I sold my iPhone 13 and Apple Watch and gone back to android. Tbh i can't think of anything i'm missing from the ios experience that Android doesn't offer too.
Great video, thanks!
Hi there, your video inspired me to consider buying an S21, would you mind giving me some recommendations on where I can buy one, please?
I think it's important to make a distinction: while a glass back cover can make the phone feel thinner and more "premium", the truth is that the material is both more fragile and uneasy to hold, not to mention it's prone to fingeprint marks. So please, I ask reviewers to stop saying that glass is the better backplate material when in reality, it's not. It might look better in video and or photos, but it's far from the best in daily use. Good quality plastic is the way to go.
I've said that for YEARS, especially when I could care less about wireless charging.
Agreed. I have no idea why these guys think we want to pay extra for premium backs of phones. Hell I don't even really care about the sides. I use a case.
I want a flagship processor, camera, battery life, and a nice display, with good durability.
The Motorola Edge plus pretty much hits all the marks. Not sold through my provider though.
Yes, agree. The glass back also makes them heavier and weight is always a factor for me when I have to carry stuff around in my purse. The matt finish on the S21 actually feels more like carbon than plastic, nice material, I like it much more than glass.
The glass backs deal with heat better tho 🤷
Great channel! I'm looking to upgrade from my Samsung S10. I love this phone and brand so was thinking of getting another Samsung. I'm leaning towards the S21. It seems great but an curious if it's worth going up to the S22 or maybe even another comparable brand. Any advice?
If you are still searching I recommend the S21 unless you game a lot! Or even S20, which also had a 4000er battery, but I heard the S21 lasts longer with the same size. The S22 is a bit smaller, it's a very nice handy but has an even smaller battery, it also has a reputation to heat up even more than the S21. If you play games a lot I would consider a different phone alltogether. I just bought the S21 and am very happy with it. Since I'm no gamer I don't have issues with heat although I do a lot with it right now, obviously a bunch of uploads, still doing set ups, learning and trying out stuff, experimenting with the camera, using it for hours and hours, my battery still lasts til night... definitely a good deal if you find a good price.
Just bought back a s21 for ard usd $292...so far so good though its exynos model here in sg
Which widgets pack is applied?
I have the s21 ultra phone and i love it, bought it used and was a massive upgrade from my old a series
The S21 Ultra is still one of my favorite android phones!
S21ultra is really ❤ superb device
@@MarkSpurrell I think for the price you can't beat it, between the cameras the screen and the specs it's top notch
I really wanted to like it. I loved how you can get themes and place widgets anywhere you like. Unfortunately the battery drains so fast for me. I’m a college student who has long breaks and goes out so often course I’m going to be on it and i would charge in between but that will just fry that battery :/
If the battery was better I would definitely would have kept the phone.
Yes ❤last week I bought s21plus blk unit snapdragon version &sale my flip four my primary device is 13pm
Using the Exynos S21 to watch this.. and from the 2 years of usage, my phone didn't heat up unless it video exporting is thrown in the mix or playing games for long period like Asphalt 9
Battery has been great for my usage, even if its capped at 85% since I plan to use it till 2025/2026
Still really love my S21 and I know it'll last all the way to the year I plan to upgrade XD
And its now got a Clear Back panel cause why not, it'll be here with me for years to come anyway
Where to get the wallpaper?
Thanks bro I just needed to watch your video to make my decision.
I honestly don't see how a phone having a plastic back is a disadvantage?
I'm watching this on my S20+. Samsung has been very reliable and performs with good speed even today.
I got the S21 right before the S22 was announced and I did that because of the plastic. It felt good in the hand, was good plastic and it doesn't crack like back glass would
I have this very model. I was after it's 12MP classic RGB pixel and the 64MP 29mm eq. Focal length serve as a high resolution camera since this is a classic RGB 64MP camera, very few phone has this ISOCELL GW2.
Just found this channel wondering whether I should upgrade my s21 ultra or not, do a pixel 6 pro next!
got mine from ebay for £200. 100% worth the buy. iv rooted mine so i cant use samsung stuff but theres workarounds. i dont like bloat on my phones. takes alot of storage and uses battery. the battery lasts decent amount. 10% would last around a hr (i watch tiktok mostly) havent tried gaming yet. but thinking about buying a s21 battery case. samsung has a nice feature basically has battery protect, and phone stops charging at 85% instead of 100%. and using a battery case will none stop be charging the phone but wont cause damage because the phone isnt reaching 100%.
but would 100% recommend if ur switching from iphone/budget phones to a nice flagship. glad i bought it :)
Mark, WHY you don't want to tell us what icon pack is this??? So many people ask you all the time...
Hey Mark I don't know if you'll see this comment. But I love your tech reviews. You give such a organized, articulate, and understandable explanation of each product you review. You speak in laymans terms, so the average person who might not be so tech savvy can understand. And you do break downs and comparisons between products. That actually backups the specs of what you're reviewing. Love how you show the difference between refresh rates, resolution, etc.
I was wondering if you could possibly make more series on smartphones, and other devices. Like a "Is it worth it" series comparing older models phones to their successors. To see if it's actually worth the money to upgrade your current device.
And maybe make videos for specific consumers. Like best phone for editing and content creation. Best phone for mobile gaming. Best phone for overall use etc. And possibly do a best smartphone for each year comparing each major competitors.
Because most of these big tech CZcamsrs just promote whatever brand is sponsoring them. And they just list off specs without any indication to what they mean. To someone who isn't computer savy it all sounds foreign. "This new processor has 800 terabytes of ram!" Average view... wtf does that even mean? 🤣
Keep up the great work I love your content.
Thanks so much! I’ll take your suggestions into consideration!
@@MarkSpurrellOmg I didn't even realize you responded! 😁
I don't mean to keep making these responses so extensive, but you're a literal God send Mark. I don't think you truly understand the magnitude of how helpful your videos are.
This video, and your Google Pixel 8 vs iphone 15. Are a casual consumer's paradise. You leave no stone unturned. You cover so many intricate details. That really helps the average buyer understand what they're buying. Like the phone's build and feel. And how different things can effect the phone. Like plastic phones heating up quicker. Or like how designs like Apple's pill shaped front camera. Can block certain images when watching videos in landscape mode. And especially you breaking down specs with on screen comparisons.
It didn't occur to me that Companies would eventually stop sending certain phones software updates. You mentioning that the s21 would stop receiving software updates in 2025. Really added a whole a different perspective. Because I was looking to buy the s21 as a Business phone. But might invest in the s22 because it only cost a little more, and if it has a longer software update lifespan the extra cost will be well worth it. I'll keep researching in the meantime however.
I've been looking to buy a PC, TV, and camera for a while now. And with there being so many options, and not knowing what's options is best for me. Has been a absolute journey! Dude the way you explain things is so helpful. And takes away a lot of anxiety and fear of making the wrong purchase. I don't always support content creators, but this is a channel I'd love to support. When this channel becomes bigger than it already is. Please don't let these evil Corporations buy you out Mark. You mean way too much to the people.
Hi Mark. Hope you are well. I need your advise. I'm thinking of getting the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus or the OnePlus Nord 3. They are at about the same price in Kenya and the plan is to use it for the next 2 years. Thanks
I seriously hope you bought the S21+
why does my baterry sudenly drain si fast ? never had problems before, but now 30 % drops very fast 🤔🤔 any help 🙏
just searching on this topic today you are a lifesaver😇😇😇
Stuck between getting an Honor X8A or a Samsung S21 which one would you recommend?
Display deserved 9/10 or 10/10 and charging AT LEAST 6/10. Charging time is good with the 25W compatible charger. The difference to fully charge with a 45W compatible phone is not that significant, is not twice as fast as some people might think.. just around 10-15% faster (the bigger the battery the bigger the difference).
Thanks, glad you changed the score :) It really is a good value deal, unless you want to play games all day. Just bought the S21 /256 gb for € 220 (240 US dollars) as a christmas gift to myself and I am thrilled so far. Last night I got the updates incl. Android 14 and to know it will be updated for 2 more years plus a third year security updates is comforting. The low weight, design as well as durability are top. I'm shocked that you find a rest capacity of 28 % no good after 5,5 hrs of hyper active use, incl. gaming, video shooting and video watching ;). I personally find the battery holds up pretty well. The later S22, which I liked better because of the smaller size, only had under 3600 mAh and has even more issues with heat. Users complain they never make it through the day with it! And the recent S23, which I otherwise find adorable and had set my dreams on, comes with under 3800 mAh for around 1000 Euros - couldn't believe it! Now that I call a bummer! I guess in the end it all depends on what you're looking for, but battery wise the S21 is superior to later small models. No heat issue so far while installing, uploading, watching or trying out the camera recording vids. I'm no gamer, so I may never feel it warm up at all. I love this phone. Fast, relyable, light weight and elegant, with a great camera, not too bad in the dark either, for a decent second hand price. It has countless features that I'm only just learning...
u mean next year will be last update? hmm still deciding to get this or a54
@@LilJimmyy this year or probably 2026... It's good value and performs wey better than A54
< yawn > jumped to the end for the conclusion after he slammed the plastic back - who CARES what the back is, the phone is in a CASE! < duh >
Is there any green line issue in s21? :(
Nice theme on the phone. What is it called? Thanks.:)
My Samsung s21 ultra just got the green line problem. Never drop or damage the phone before, phone age is about 1.5 year. This also happened on the s10+ which I owned previously. No more Samsung for me.
Is it exynos
I like his reviews, very knowledgeable guy.
Nice video bro, S20 fe next please
Just got this phone shipped to me after realizing my old s9 was eligible for a replacement once the charging port finally stopped working completely and the battery crapped as well as a broken audio jack and finger print sensor 😅
Can you do the same for iphone 11?
What home launcher is that? That's clean!
Can you please review OnePlus 6 in your next tech rewind?
I might upgrade to this from an S10. My s10 holds up just fine though.
Finally
Practical reviews of old beauties
When I had this phone the software update ui one 5.1 when I game the map had a weird stuttering animation
please do the S21 FE
Do the oneplus 8 standard next please
I strongly disagree with 2 things -
Updates and Charging.
Updates? Overlooked?!
It is insanely overhyped because Apple gives more updates.
I currently own an S20, and iPhone XS will get more updates than my S20.
But let's talk.
My S20 has Night Mode, Alway-On. Does the iPhone XS get those through updates? No. Then why should I care for the updates?
"Security", but neither iOS, nor Android has any active security measures like Defender/XProtect. Updates won't help a lot in keeping you secure.
But here's what IS actually overlooked - Repairability, and accessibility of repair.
And this makes one of the biggest impacts on lifespan. Far more than updates. You can use an un-updated Android 10 based Galaxy S9 without much issue, but a broken S23 Ultra? NOPE.
I can replace battery, back glass, S-Pen, and all 2 "secondary" cameras on an S21 for the price of an iPhone 12 Pro back glass repair.
And charging.
What's..... Wrong?
This is healthier for your battery, and 1 hour isn't slow by any means.
It isn't part of the rat race of Trillion-Watt chargers, and I actually see it as a great thing.
However, battery life on this is..... Yeah, poor. But atleast IMO, battery is the single easiest thing to fix - "Power Bank"/"Charger".
Thanks for review this phone i really need this
Can you please review google pixel 6 pro
Watching this on my S21 FE right now
just waiting for this phone review cause recently i feel need s21 for me
Wallpaper link please
Nice video BUT:
the s21 does NOT get 2 more years of update. It gets 2 more os update and 3 more years of security updates.
A lot of older iphones, that get the "newest" iOS update lack most of the new features and also just get "security updates" in the last 1-2 years.
And iPhones don't get 6 or more years of updates.
The iphone X just got dropped by apple and is not even 6 years old
My S21 ultra was the best phone I'v had in years. Had it since pre order and I just upgraded last week only because I ran out of memory
I found this at the perfect time
Review S21 FE please
Performance: 7
But not everyone play games, most use phones normally