Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Galaxy S21: Should you upgrade? (2024)

• 

  Some good improvements

  Samsung Galaxy S23

  $700 $800 Save $100

  The Galaxy S23 offers the best that Samsung has, from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset to a high-class camera system led by an impressive 50MP sensor. It's a decent upgrade over the S21 if you are on an upgrade program.

  Pros

  • Better cameras
  • Faster chipset
  • Brighter display

  Cons

  • No significant battery improvements
  • Display resolution the same

  $700 at Amazon

  See Also

  Does S23 Series have the 3.5mm headset slot and external SD card support?The Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Deals—and Which Model to BuySamsung Galaxy S23 reviewSamsung Galaxy S23 vs Galaxy S22: Which one to Choose? | Samsung Malaysia | Samsung Malaysia

• 

  Still hanging on

  Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

  The S21 may feel a bit less premium than the S23 due to some design choices, but Samsung will still support the two-year-old smartphone for a while. If you want to upgrade via an upgrade plan, go for it. However, if you're spending your own money, it may be better to hold off another year.

  Pros

  • Less expensive
  • Slightly larger display
  • Bigger battery

  Cons

  • Worse cameras
  • Display is not as bright
  • Older design

  $248 at Amazon (refurbished)

The Samsung Galaxy S-series is always in the conversation of the best Android phones every year. That was true when the Galaxy S21 was released and today with the newest Galaxy S23. But how well do the Galaxy phones hold up after a couple of years if you compare them to the latest flagships?

Thanks to Samsung's commitment to software support for its devices and the relatively incremental upgrades these past two years, the S23 may not be worth the upgrade if you're dishing out the full price to replace your previous S21. Here's how the two phone stack up.

Price, specs, and availability

While it may be a flagship of yesteryear, the Galaxy S21 is still easily compatible with the major carriers in the U.S., making it one of the most accessible phones to use regardless of the wireless coverage in your area. Much like the S23, the S21 had 5G support — both sub-6 and mmWave — so it was great to use if you wanted those lightning-fast speeds in the city on one of the best 5G phones.

The Galaxy S23 starting price is $800 for the model with 128GB of storage; that's the same price the S21 was when it launched. The S21 is older now, meaning you can find it for a bit cheaper. However, it is harder to find new ones. There is a significant amount of them for sale in the secondhand and refurbished markets, and that could let you snag one for as low as $260 in some places if you feel comfortable going that route.

• 	Samsung Galaxy S23	Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
  SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy	Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100
  RAM	8GB	8GB
  Storage	128GB or 256GB	128GB, 256GB
  Battery	3,900mAh	4,000mAh
  Operating System	One UI 5.1 w/ Android 14	Android 14 and One UI
  Front camera	12MP, f/2.2	10MP, f/2.2
  Rear camera	50MP, f/1.8 OIS main, 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide, 10MP, f/2.4 OIS telephoto (3x)	12MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, 1/1.76" (main)12MP, f/2.2, 120° FoV (ultra-wide)64MP f/2.0 1.1x optical zoom, OIS (telephoto)
  Connectivity	4G, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC	NFC
  Dimensions	146.3 × 70.9 × 7.6mm	151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm
  Ports	USB-C	USB-C
  Display type	AMOLED, 120Hz	OLED, 120Hz
  Weight	168g	171g
  Charge speed	25W wired, 15W wireless	25W wired, 15W wireless
  IP Rating	IP68	IP68
  Display dimensions	6.1", 19.5:9	6.2"
  Cellular connectivity	5G, LTE, mmWave	5G
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E	Wi-Fi 6
  Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.0

Design

The Samsung Galaxy 23 finally did away with the camera bump featured prominently on the S21 (and S22), opting instead for a flush back where only the camera lenses stick out. The S21 had that camera bump, but it also had another significant difference, the back was made of plastic.

While this made the phone feel much lighter — and maybe a little cheaper — our review of the Galaxy S21 noted that the plastic back felt quite nice. Still, Samsung didn't like it in the end, as the S22 and S23 models went back to glass backs, which feel a bit more premium when the phone is in your hand.

Display

Although two years have passed, the displays on the S23 and S21 aren't too different. Both screens are FHD+ AMOLED with an adaptive refresh rate that goes up to 120Hz (and down to 48Hz). However, the Galaxy S23 can get significantly brighter. The peak brightness for the S21 was only 1,300 nits. Meanwhile, the new S23 can reach 1,750 nits, making it easier to see in direct sunlight or other settings with bright light.

You'll also barely notice the size difference between the two displays, as the screen on the Galaxy S21 measures 6.2 inches, whereas the S23 comes in at 6.1 inches.

Software

Although it may be easy to assume that the Galaxy S23 would be way ahead of the two-year-old S21 regarding software, Samsung's commitment to supporting their devices longer than other companies is giving older devices a longer shelf life, and both phones are currently running the latest One UI on Android 14.

Still, the new Galaxy S23 will be supported longer (until Android 17), while the S21 will only see one more major update.

Performance

Running straight benchmarks on the two devices is likely to produce the results you would expect. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 powering the S23 will have better numbers. Still, it's hard to say that the S21 lacks power and performance. The 8GB of RAM combined with the Snapdragon 888 still zooms through Android and plays games great.

It's hard to imagine anyone but the most hardcore of power users noticing a huge difference in performance right now. Still, a couple more years down the line, the newer chipset will likely feel a bit sprier than the 888 does. While we wouldn't say the chipset is the reason to upgrade to the S23, having the fastest Qualcomm chip available in your smartphone will feel nice.

Battery life and charging

You're unlikely to notice much of a change in battery life between the two devices. The S23 has a slightly smaller battery — 3,900mAh — than the 4,000mAh one found in the Galaxy S21, but realistically this makes little difference. The standard Galaxy S-series phone has never been a battery darling, offering middle-of-the-road performance. On average use, you shouldn't have much of a problem getting through a day, but you may need to reach for the charger a bit earlier if you're pushing its limits.

The Galaxy S21 and S23 still offer the same charging speeds, both wirelessly (at 15W) or when charging with a cable (25W), so neither phone gives you less downtime than the other.

Cameras

Samsung's flagships have always had good cameras. Though, if push comes to shove, the Galaxy S23 has a better array, mainly because it focuses more on the primary lens than the S21 did.

The S23 features a 50MP, f/1.8 sensor that is a great point-and-shoot lens, allowing you to capture great shots in most lighting conditions, whereas the Galaxy S21 has a 12MP, f/1.8 sensor.

The telephoto lens on each camera is also an interesting contrast, as the S21 has a 64MP, f/2.0 sensor, in stark contrast to the mere 10MP, f/2.4 lens found on the S23. However, both only have a 3x optical zoom option, and once you zoom past that with digital zoom, the picture quality begins to degrade. So, don't be fooled by the S21's larger megapixel count, as it doesn't equate to significantly better performance. The selfie cameras aren't much different, with the S23 sporting a 12MP, f/2.2 sensor that is only two megapixels larger than the S21's.

Shooting video on the S23 is a tad smoother since it can film 8K at 30fps as opposed to the 8K at 24fps the S21 gets. For all you TikTok stars out there, both phones can film 4K at 60fps from their selfie cams.

Is it worth the upgrade?

Even though it's been two years, upgrading to the Galaxy S23 from your S21 is not a bad idea if you're on an upgrade plan — be that through Samsung or a carrier. If you're looking to upgrade your phone, swapping your S21 for the new S23 won't disappoint you. The screen is brighter, the camera performs a little better, and when pushing the phone to its limits, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the most powerful Android chip on the market. The S23 delivers what you've come to expect from Samsung.

Some good improvements

Samsung Galaxy S23

Worth the upgrade if you're on a plan

$700 $800 Save $100

There's no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a great phone. It has a brighter screen, a faster chip, and a slightly better-performing camera array. However, it is likely only worth upgrading if you have an upgrade program to rely on. If you're looking to pay your own money for the S23, it may be worth holding on to that S21 a bit longer.

$800 at Samsung$700 at Amazon$700 at Best Buy

If you choose not to upgrade your S21, you're not worse for wear. Updates still cover you for another year or two, and although it's not as bright, the display on your S21 is about the same as the one on the S23. If you can stick it out with a plastic-backed phone for a little longer, it may be worth waiting until the upgrade is much better.

Still hanging on

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

Not a bad phone, even by today's standards

Samsung is still supporting the Galaxy S21, and even though it feels a bit less premium than the newer S23, it's not much different when it comes to day-to-day use. Still, if you have an upgrade plan with a carrier, you won't regret trading up for the Galaxy S23.

$248 at Amazon (refurbished)