The Samsung Galaxy A21s is in our catalog but no UK retailer currently stocks it.
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32GB
64GB
Someone looking for an inexpensive, long-lasting phone for calls, messages and light browsing, such as a backup handset or a first phone for a child, where the lack of ongoing security updates is not a dealbreaker.
£5 off any Samsung phone at Mozillion
Take £5 off any Samsung phone at Mozillion, code valid on pay monthly phone contracts and SIM free phones.
Terms: Valid on SIM free phones and pay monthly phone contracts.
Ends 31 Aug 2026
Cashback:
£0.00
Upfront Cost:
£75.99
Cashback:
£0.00
Upfront Cost:
£79.00
Cashback:
£0.00
Upfront Cost:
£89.00
Cashback:
£0.00
Upfront Cost:
£95.00
17 refurbished deals available - SIM-free from £59.99.
The Galaxy A21s was Samsung's 2020 budget pick, aimed squarely at people who wanted a big screen and a battery that would not give up by teatime. The 5,000mAh cell delivers on that promise, and the Exynos 850 is efficient enough to stretch it across two days of undemanding use. Beyond endurance, though, it is a phone built on compromises. The 6.5-inch screen is only HD+, so text and video look noticeably softer than on Samsung's mid-range AMOLED models, and the 48MP main camera produces usable daylight photos but falls apart quickly indoors. Four rear lenses sounds generous, but the 2MP macro and depth sensors add almost nothing. It does keep a headphone jack, a microSD slot and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader, all things newer phones have quietly dropped. The important caveat is software: Samsung stopped issuing security updates for the A21s in July 2024, so it is no longer being patched. That makes it hard to recommend as a main phone today, though it still functions perfectly well as a spare, a child's first handset or a device kept purely for calls and messaging.
Tracking the best prices since 27 Apr 2026.
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy A21s | Samsung Galaxy A12 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.5-inch PLS TFT, HD+ 720 x 1600 | 6.5-inch IPS LCD, HD+ 720 x 1600 |
| Chipset | Exynos 850 (8nm) | MediaTek Helio P35 |
| Ultrawide camera | 8MP | 5MP |
| Front camera | 13MP | 8MP |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh, 15W charging | 5,000 mAh, 15W charging |
| Fingerprint reader | Rear-mounted | Side-mounted in the power button |
| microSD support | Up to 512GB | Up to 1TB |
| SIM-free price | Not available | From £62.00 |
£200-£399 Phones · 190 phones
Based on calibrated CPU benchmark rankings (60%) and GFXBench GPU scores (40%). Apple chipsets included via editorial calibration since AnTuTu under-represents Apple's architecture.
Based on panel type (LTPO is the modern flagship gold standard), resolution, refresh rate, peak brightness, screen size, and HDR10+ / Dolby Vision support. Marketing peak-brightness claims are capped at 3500 nits to prevent inflation.
Based on main-sensor size (1-inch / 1/1.3" beats 1/2.0"), telephoto reach (periscope > 5x > 3x optical), image processing tier (Apple Pro, Pixel Pro, Galaxy Ultra, Honor Magic Pro, Xiaomi Ultra), pro video features (ProRes, Apple Log, Dolby Vision), camera-partnership branding (Leica, Hasselblad, Zeiss) and OIS. Older flagships are de-rated since image processing pipelines have advanced significantly each generation. Megapixel count is deliberately downweighted — it correlates poorly with real-world camera quality.
Based on selfie megapixels and max selfie-video resolution.
Based on battery capacity (mAh) adjusted for platform efficiency calibrated against NotebookCheck, Tom's Guide, GSMArena and CNET reviewer tests. Apple A-series gets +45% (iOS process freezing + LTPO 1Hz + tuned panels make iPhone Pro Max outlast many 6500+ mAh Android phones in measured tests). Top Snapdragon / Dimensity flagships get +15%, budget chipsets are penalised −15% to −25% to reflect less efficient displays and looser background limits. Charging speed is excluded — see the separate Fast charging tag for that.
1080p@30fps
13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm
1080p@30fps
PLS LCD
6.5
720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density)
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
5.0, A2DP, LE
USB Type-C 2.0
Yes (market/region dependent)
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
5000
Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
