Samsung Galaxy S21 early leak tips a disappointing downgrade

By Chris Burns/

Today we're taking a peek at the Samsung Galaxy S21 in its several iterations in early leaks and insider tips. This next-generation device is rumored to come in at least three different iterations, two with the name Galaxy S21 (one of these with a PLUS), and one with the name ULTRA. The Samsung Galaxy S21 will likely be a slight bump in specs, but a significant change in industrial design.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is rumored to roll with a 6.2-inch display, while the Galaxy S21+ will likely have a 6.7-inch display. Both devices are tipped to have the same resolution, at Quad HD+, with the ability to work with 120Hz image refresh rate. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra will have a larger display, coming in at at least 6.9-inches with 1440 x 3200 pixels (around 511 PPI), and 120Hz image refresh rate.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra will likely have three iterations, one 128GB internal storage with 12GB RAM, another with the same amount of ram but 256GB internal storage, and a much more massive internal storage iteration with 1TB and 16GB RAM.

Of interest to those uninterested in the extreme nature of the curved display edges Samsung's released in the last few years is the nature of the curve in the Galaxy S21. The Galaxy S21 and S21+ will have "2D" displays, according to leaker Ice Universe, while the Galaxy S21 Ultra will have a slightly curved set of edges – left and right – that's not nearly so extreme as we've seen in the last couple of years.

The smallest bezels will be on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but the bezel width will be equal around all the sides (left, right, bottom, top) for the full range. This, again, comes from a leak from Ice Universe.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 range will apparently "downgrade" VS the Galaxy S20. This idea comes from Ice Universe, who suggests – based on leaks from OnLeaks and his own sources – that the Galaxy S21 will have a larger border – around the bezel – than the Galaxy S20. This is likely a result of the Galaxy S21's flatter display design.

It'd also be a shock – though not entirely impossible to believe – that the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ will have lower costs to the end user than the Galaxy S20. The Galaxy S21 Ultra would carry the series with the most extreme specifications and features, allowing the whole series to remain a leader in the market.

We're expecting that the Galaxy S21 series will be revealed in January of 2021. It's likely the Galaxy S21, S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra will have a release date in late January or early February 2021.

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