Samsung Galaxy S21 5G beats S20 & S10 to set new UK pre-order record
The Galaxy S21 5G series is available to purchase worldwide, in some instances at discounted prices. Demand seems quite strong so far, and Samsung UK has now corroborated that.
In a recent press release (via SamMobile), Samsung UK announced that local pre-order demand for the Galaxy S21 series surpassed the previous-gen Galaxy S20 and S10 lines to set a new UK record.
The South Korean brand chose not to provide exact numbers, but it did reveal one important detail about how the orders were split — the premium Galaxy S21 Ultra accounted for over half of all UK sales.
In a statement after the announcement, Connor Pierce, Corporate Vice President for Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said the following: “Over the last twelve months, technology has been the vital thread that has maintained our connections. Demand for innovation is growing, and this is reflected in the pre-order results we have seen across our Galaxy S21 5G Series.”
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the UK’s favorite model
In a recent press release (via SamMobile), Samsung UK announced that local pre-order demand for the Galaxy S21 series surpassed the previous-gen Galaxy S20 and S10 lines to set a new UK record.
In a statement after the announcement, Connor Pierce, Corporate Vice President for Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said the following: “Over the last twelve months, technology has been the vital thread that has maintained our connections. Demand for innovation is growing, and this is reflected in the pre-order results we have seen across our Galaxy S21 5G Series.”
The news comes around five months after Samsung set its previous UK pre-order record with the Galaxy Note 20 series. In that case, it didn’t comment on the demand for individual models, but the Note 20 Ultra likely outperformed its cheaper sibling too.
On a global level, though, the standard Galaxy S21 model and the premium Galaxy S21 Ultra are expected to command similar levels of demand. The Galaxy S21+ is predicted to be the least popular model.
In the UK, customers can get their hands on the Galaxy S21 for £769 while the premium
Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at £1,149. The Galaxy S21+ aims for the middle ground with a £949 price point.
Customers in the US, on the other hand, will find the Galaxy S21 at $799. An additional $200 opens up access to the Galaxy S21+, and the top-of-the-range Galaxy S21 Ultra lands in at $1,199.
That’s all coupled with some of the best specs on the market. All models feature Samsung’s own Exynos 2100 in Europe and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 in the US coupled with decent amounts of storage.
As for the all-important cameras, the Galaxy S21 & S21+ 5G sport a 12-megapixel main camera that’s paired with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and a 64-megapixel 3x hybrid zoom shooter.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, uses a 108-megapixel main shooter and an improved 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. Those sit alongside two 10-megapixel zoom cameras which support 3x and 10x optical zoom respectively.
Lastly, corners haven’t been cut in the battery department. The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G includes a massive 5,000mAh cell, while the smaller Galaxy S21 & S21+ models use 4,800mAh and 4,000mAh batteries.
Much like the US, the UK market tends to favor high-end smartphones. So the strong interest Samsung UK has reported for the Galaxy S21 Ultra probably won’t have come as a surprise.
On a global level, though, the standard Galaxy S21 model and the premium Galaxy S21 Ultra are expected to command similar levels of demand. The Galaxy S21+ is predicted to be the least popular model.
Why might Samsung's new Galaxy S21 5G series be so popular?
Price
Samsung drastically raised its prices last year and was heavily criticized for doing so. The South Korean brand took note of the response and starting with the Galaxy S21 line has lowered its prices.Customers in the US, on the other hand, will find the Galaxy S21 at $799. An additional $200 opens up access to the Galaxy S21+, and the top-of-the-range Galaxy S21 Ultra lands in at $1,199.
Design, Specs, and Cameras
The Galaxy S20 was quite bland, but Samsung hasn’t held back with the Galaxy S21 series. It has created a new Contour Cut camera bump that blends into the frame and has chosen some more eye-catching finishes.As for the all-important cameras, the Galaxy S21 & S21+ 5G sport a 12-megapixel main camera that’s paired with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and a 64-megapixel 3x hybrid zoom shooter.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra, on the other hand, uses a 108-megapixel main shooter and an improved 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. Those sit alongside two 10-megapixel zoom cameras which support 3x and 10x optical zoom respectively.
Lastly, corners haven’t been cut in the battery department. The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G includes a massive 5,000mAh cell, while the smaller Galaxy S21 & S21+ models use 4,800mAh and 4,000mAh batteries.
Things that are NOT allowed: