Samsung Galaxy S21 gets ESSENTIAL upgrade that leaves iPhone 12 in the dust

Leaked Galaxy S21 feature will gives users a much-needed boost in this key area

Samsung Galaxy s21
(Image credit: Slashleaks)

The Galaxy S21 is Samsung's next smartphone, following hot on the heels of the Note series – that includes the impressive Galaxy Note 20 Ultra – and the newly unveiled Galaxy Z Fold 2.

From everything we've heard about the handset so far, it's going to be touting some drool-worthy tech, from smaller, faster chips to killer cameras, all of which make the latest tipped feature an essential upgrade.

MySmartPrice has spotted a certification for the Galaxy S21 range of smartphones that gives us the size of the battery the devices will be housing. The 3C certification doesn't mention the smartphones by name, but the model numbers that we know are associated with them.

The Galaxy S21 base model (EB-BG991ABY) will be sporting a 3,880mAh battery, while the S21 Plus (EB-BG996ABY) will house a larger 4,660mAh battery. 

The Galaxy S20 packs a 4,000mAh battery that tends to drain faster when using the more premium features like the 120Hz display, so cutting that down by 120mAh for the S21 base model is an odd decision. 

Meanwhile the Galaxy S20 Plus boasts a 4,500mAh battery, meaning that the S21 series equivalent will get a 106mAh bump.   

Galaxy S21 3C Certification

(Image credit: MySmartPrice)

It's surprising to see the capacity dropped in the Galaxy S21 base model, but given that we don't know the size of the handset or its features, this could all make sense when we see the specs. 

Given the list of premium features rumoured for the series, like an under-display camera – tech we've seen working in the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra – an increased capacity is what we'd expect, and what we can see for the S21 Plus.

Apple's iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max house a 3,046 mAh and 3,969 mAh battery respectively, while the base iPhone 11 model's battery size is 3,110mAh, so it looks like Samsung will have the iPhone 12 beat - unless the American tech giant ups the ante with 120Hz displays and gives its smartphones the battery bump it needs to support the improved panels. 

Source: MySmartPrice

Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.