Samsung Galaxy S21 might be available in a new cheaper variant

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By Aakash Jhaveri
published

By not offering 5G connectivity

Samsung Galaxy S21
(Image credit: TechRadar)

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is now available in many markets including India. In some countries, it also has a lower starting price for the base variant. New information suggests that there could be one more variant in the works which will be even cheaper.

(Image credit: Bluetooth Launch Studio)

All three models in the Galaxy S21 family are available only in 5G flavours, regardless of the chipset powering them. That might be about to change as a new version with the model number “SM-G990F” has been spotted on the Bluetooth SIG database. For context, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has the model number “SM-G991X”, indicating that the new device will indeed sit under it in terms of positioning. 

Back in November, notable leakster Roland Quandt also talked about the Samsung Galaxy S21 4G, stating that it will be destined for price-sensitive markets like Brazil. It’s still unclear how a lower price will be achieved as neither the Snapdragon 888 nor the Exynos 2100 have the 5G modem as an optional component. Unless a custom variant is developed, it will have to opt for a different chipset altogether. 

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If the phone does see the light of day, it is expected to have similar specifications to the existing Galaxy S21, including a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. The rest of the body will be made of polycarbonate plastic, but it will at least be IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. 

There should be a similar triple camera array with an optically stabilized 12MP f/1.8 primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter with a 120-degree field-of-view and a 64MP telephoto lens capable of 3x zoom. The selfie shooter is expected to have a resolution of 10MP. Features such as 8K video recording could be axed if an inferior chipset is used.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 has a 4,000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. Out-of-the-box, it runs on One UI 3.1 based on Android 10. In India, it starts at Rs 69,999 for the base variant with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and Exynos 2100 chipset. 

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Aakash Jhaveri
Aakash Jhaveri

Aakash is the engine that keeps TechRadar India running, using his experience and ideas to help consumers get to the right products via reviews, buying guides and explainers. Apart from phones, computers and cameras, he is obsessed with electric vehicles.