Samsung Galaxy A21s Review: A Solid Design Let Down by Weak Performance

The Samsung Galaxy A21s attempts to balance style and affordability but falls short in critical areas. While its design boasts a striking reflective rear panel and comfortable ergonomics, the phone's display and performance fail to meet expectations for a modern smartphone.

The 6.5-inch HD+ PLS TFT LCD panel struggles with muted colors, lackluster sharpness, and irritating screen flickering, especially in brightness adjustments. This pales in comparison to the vibrant AMOLED screens found in competing devices. Underneath, the homegrown Exynos 850 chipset, while energy-efficient, lacks the power needed for smooth multitasking or demanding games. Lightweight apps manage fine, but heavier titles like PUBG Mobile stutter, and Call of Duty Mobile requires reduced settings to run playably.

On the bright side, the A21s features a generous 5000mAh battery that easily lasts nearly two days with moderate use, aided by the efficient processor and lower-resolution screen. The quad-camera system, led by a 48MP main sensor, delivers decent photos in most conditions, closely matching the performance of the Galaxy M21, though low-light images remain inconsistent.

However, these positives cannot overcome the core weaknesses. The phone feels dated alongside rivals offering superior displays, more capable processors, and better software features at a comparable price. For most buyers, the Galaxy M21 presents a stronger value proposition with its AMOLED screen, more powerful Exynos 9611 chip, and enhanced camera capabilities.