Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
How long will it last?
Official promiseSupported until January 2026 · Buy-by January 2024
Samsung promises 5 years of updates for this phone, so it's supported until January 2026 — buying it today still gets you about -0.4 years of safe use.
Source: endoflife.date (community-tracked) · last verified 2026-06-10 · how we compute this
Our verdict
Support ended in early 2026 — the Galaxy S21's updates are over, and no price makes an unpatched daily driver a good idea. This is a 'do not buy' for main-phone use.
Pros
- Still a pleasant 120Hz AMOLED and capable cameras
- Very cheap (~$113 used)
- Fine as an offline device — media player, test phone, car phone
Cons
- Security updates ENDED January 2026 — vulnerabilities no longer patched
- Unsafe for banking, payments, and sensitive accounts going forward
- TrueCost is undefined: months of safe use remaining = zero
- Snapdragon 888 runs warm and battery wear is common in used units
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, FHD+, 120Hz |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 12MP |
| ultra-wide | 12MP |
| telephoto 3x hybrid | 64MP |
| front | 10MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 4,000 mAh |
| Charging | 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 151.7 × 71.2 × 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 169 g |
| Materials | Aluminum frame, plastic back |
| Water resistance | IP68 |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | Android 11 at launch — final version One UI 6.1 / Android 14 |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, USB-C |
| Update policy | 4 OS upgrades · 5 years of security updates (official promise) |
Better-value alternatives
Similar price, lower cost per month of safe ownership.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Galaxy S21 still supported in 2026?
No. Samsung completed its five-year commitment and removed the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra from its update roster in early 2026 — the final security patch shipped around January 2026. The phone works, but new vulnerabilities will never be fixed.
Is it safe to keep using a Galaxy S21?
For calls, photos, and offline use, yes. For banking, payments, email, and anything with passwords, the risk grows every month as unpatched flaws accumulate. We recommend moving sensitive accounts to a supported device.
Should I buy a used Galaxy S21 in 2026?
Not as your main phone — at any price. With zero months of supported life left, its cost per month of safe use is effectively infinite. A $113 phone you can't safely bank on isn't cheap; it's a liability with a nice screen.
What should I buy instead of a Galaxy S21?
For similar money used: a Pixel 7 (~$144, supported to October 2027) or iPhone SE 3 (~$100, estimated to 2029). For a bit more, new: the Galaxy A16 5G ($199, supported to October 2030) is the safest cheap phone on the market.
Compare it
Specs are collected from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers and change often. Support end dates follow each brand's official policy (or, for Apple, its documented historical pattern). Last verified 2026-06-10.