Samsung Galaxy S21 / S21+ / S21 Ultra

[The Game 161]

I tried the Pixel 4a for a week recently and I came to the same conclusion. Android is getting better, but iOS is just much more refined, especially in combination with the Apple Watch, IMO.

iOS apps are still designed better (even YouTube’s own iOS app is cleaner than its Android app) and they actually follow iOS design language. I couldn’t find a browser alternative that matched even half of the functionality of Safari. I kept missing notifications/receiving them late/getting them all at once upon unlocking despite ensuring that all the battery saver options were off in settings. I’d wake up to about 20 Twitter notifications in the morning on my iPhone and to only 3 or so on the Pixel. I don’t like how the font size for all apps is controlled by the system font size. Also, I think the notification shade is really clunky. Why do I need to expand every notification in order to read it?

There’s a lot I liked about the Pixel, but these issues remind me why I stick with iPhone. It was nice to scratch the Android itch, though. I’m so bored with iPhone, but, man, does iOS do it right, IMO. I don’t think I’ll be trying the Ultra after my Pixel experience.

When it comes to notifications like Twitter it’s no different on Samsung. Say you get 100 Twitter notifications on iPhone on your Samsung they stop coming through at 24 and sometimes you might only get 7-8. It’s clearly an android thing with Twitter

you’re right on apps I’ve always said this and it’s always a key area for me. Others don’t always agree but I much prefer apps on iOS. Social media apps are certainly better

 

[The Game 161]

I really like the look of the S21 ultra and it has a lot of features I’d like. I know I can’t switch to android. However I’m wondering if I can use both phones? I know this has never worked well for me in the past but I wonder if I can make it work now. However I’m just worried about it sitting around unused as they have in the past. I’m just so set in the Apple ecosystem I think I’ll find it difficult to appreciate anything else as I should.

Yeah it’s not easy, I’m finding it more difficult on a daily basics to fit my fold into my daily life due to having my iPhone 12 Pro Max as my daily, SE as my work phone, MacBook Air as my work machine and iPad Pro as my personal media device it’s hard to fit in certainly when my air pods pro can switch with them all it’s tough finding that area where the fold doesn’t get left out and that’s not due to not enjoying the device it’s hard when you use that ecosystem on a daily basics it’s all you need

S21 ultra is a great device but it would be a stand alone device and wouldn’t tie into anything else I use on a daily basics so from that area it’s tough when you are using apple products and why that ecosystem is a game changer for a lot

 

[The Game 161]

It takes 2 or 3 working days. You’ll get an email from Samsung, don’t worry

Did you keep your S21 ultra in the end?

 

[Healer Flame]

Some of the pictures turn out good but I don’t like the cartoon like effect on them

however after tasing further today, the camera still makes photos look cartoonish.

happening when taking normal pictures no matter what settings I changed.

Do you mind posting few pics? I think you are rushing a bit judging the camera without proper testing.

I think you will regret your decision if you watch this video. Please watch it on youtube app

 

[Dave245]

Do you mind posting few pics? I think you are rushing a bit judging the camera without proper testing.

I think you will regret your decision if you watch this video. Please watch it on youtube app

I would but DPD collected it all yesterday. I can honestly say that the pictures in that video are not what I was experiencing. I took a number of pictures over multiple days, all turned out the same. Looking cartoonish and grainy.

The over exposure I put down to the display setting (Vivid) but I after messing about with the settings and trying everything on there, pictures still looked cartoonish and grainy.

 

[The Game 161]

Do you mind posting few pics? I think you are rushing a bit judging the camera without proper testing.

I think you will regret your decision if you watch this video. Please watch it on youtube app

Don’t forget that comparison is with a snapdragon model not exynos and from what people have been saying the processing is different judging by the comments on XDA forums.

 

[Dave245]

It takes 2 or 3 working days. You’ll get an email from Samsung, don’t worry

Is that for the tracking number to go live from DPD? I have tried to enter the number they gave me into the now.dpd.co.uk site, but it won't recognise the number. So at the moment I don't know where the package is.

 

[yui4]

Did you keep your S21 ultra in the end?

Nope. As @Shanghaichica has said, it would’ve meant 1 phone sitting around and whilst I really like the Samsung software and features, the iPhone 12 Pro Max just fits in better for me at present with everything I have. Doesn’t stop me having second thoughts though!

 

[yui4]

Is that for the tracking number to go live from DPD? I have tried to enter the number they gave me into the now.dpd.co.uk site, but it won't recognise the number. So at the moment I don't know where the package is.

I’ve returned stuff to Samsung quite a lot over last few years and never once had an issue with it getting back to them via DPD. I don’t bother checking tracking numbers anymore as I know it’ll take a few days for them to get it back and Samsung to acknowledge and then refund. The process has never been anything but smooth

DPD finding us to collect / deliver when the regular driver is off is the only glitch in the system

 

[Dave245]

I’ve returned stuff to Samsung quite a lot over last few years and never once had an issue with it getting back to them via DPD. I don’t bother checking tracking numbers anymore as I know it’ll take a few days for them to get it back and Samsung to acknowledge and then refund. The process has never been anything but smooth

DPD finding us to collect / deliver when the regular driver is off is the only glitch in the system

Are you in the U.K.? I haven’t had an issue so far. I just like to make sure that they have received it. I’m not sure if DPD deliver to them on a Saturday anyway, and then there’s the 72 hour quarantine and then a further few days to process the refund. That much i know. I’m just not sure where it is at the moment.

 

[yui4]

Are you in the U.K.? I haven’t had an issue so far. I just like to make sure that they have received it. I’m not sure if DPD deliver to them on a Saturday anyway, and then there’s the 72 hour quarantine and then a further few days to process the refund. That much i know. I’m just not sure where it is at the moment.

Yes, uk

 

[yui4]

@Dave245 ive just checked my emails. DPD collected 15/2/21, I received an email from Samsung 17/2/21 to say they’d received my return request. I then got another email 17/2/21 to say they’d processed my refund.

15/2/21 was a Monday. No doubt weekend slows it down

 

[Dave245]

@Dave245 ive just checked my emails. DPD collected 15/2/21, I received an email from Samsung 17/2/21 to say they’d received my return request. I then got another email 17/2/21 to say they’d processed my refund.

15/2/21 was a Monday. No doubt weekend slows it down

Thank you! yea weekends probably do slow it down. If I don’t hear anything mid week next week, I will contact them. The tracking number still isn’t working.

 

[The_Interloper]

I took a number of pictures over multiple days, all turned out the same. Looking cartoonish and grainy.

This may sound crazy, but did you take the protective film off the camera?

 

[mjschabow]

This may sound crazy, but did you take the protective film off the camera?

I actually heard that some units had a plastic cover that needed to be peeled off. Mine didn't though.

Really sounds like that could have been the case.

 

[noobinator]

I'd love to see some of the cartoony pictures. I'm having a hard time picturing this in my head.

 

[Dave245]

This may sound crazy, but did you take the protective film off the camera?

Yes I did, it was one of the first things I did before messing with the settings.

 

[The_Interloper]

Yes I did, it was one of the first things I did before messing with the settings.

Well, you must’ve had a faulty unit then. The S21 Ultra by all accounts has the best camera on the market right now. My son takes outstanding photos with his S10 and that’s two generations old. Puts my iPhone 11 camera to shame at times so I can only imagine the S21 Ultra is even better.

 

[mjschabow]

Wait. I might see what he's talking about now. I took a picture of my buddies last night and it does look a tad cartoonish.

 

[Zito Abroad]

Wait. I might see what he's talking about now. I took a picture of my buddies last night and it does look a tad cartoonish.

Thanks for the heads up. I am definitely not going to buy the S21 Ultra now. I'm so glad someone has shown me the horrors of that camera and lack luster performance overall. I will now overlook all the other overwhelming positive responses and experiences world wide, about this device, and I will stay away from the S21 Ultra. And I will stay with my current device that not a single person has reported a single issue with, and if they did, that's OK, because they're probably making it up.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Do you mind posting few pics? I think you are rushing a bit judging the camera without proper testing.

More chance of biting your own bum LOL

 

[Dave245]

Well, you must’ve had a faulty unit then. The S21 Ultra by all accounts has the best camera on the market right now. My son takes outstanding photos with his S10 and that’s two generations old. Puts my iPhone 11 camera to shame at times so I can only imagine the S21 Ultra is even better.

It's possible and probably just my luck. I wasn't very impressed with the camera on my Exynos version, it's one of the reasons it's gone back.

 

[Dave245]

More chance of biting your own bum LOL

There is considering it was reset to factory settings and sent back to Samsung yesterday.

 

[SteveJUAE]

There is considering it was reset to factory settings and sent back to Samsung yesterday.

Ohh so you never use your auto cloud storage, or even take a photo of the S21U with your IPhone

It's unfortunate considering all the help you can get here from many of us with all the key problems you have had with your Note 10, S21U and S3 and not one picture or screenshot so we may assist

You must be really disappointed to have had so many lemons

 

[HALE101]

Thanks for the heads up. I am definitely not going to buy the S21 Ultra now. I'm so glad someone has shown me the horrors of that camera and lack luster performance overall. I will now overlook all the other overwhelming positive responses and experiences world wide, about this device, and I will stay away from the S21 Ultra. And I will stay with my current device that not a single person has reported a single issue with, and if they did, that's OK, because they're probably making it up.

Not a single issue? You must live in a bubble. I don't comment much on here but that's a ridiculous claim. Go check r/Samsung r/android XDA forums and every major android website. EVERY phone including the iPhone has its issues . Just cause you haven't had a problem does NOT make other ppl who have issues irrelevant. Girl bye