Pockets beware, the giant smartphone is back with a sleeker camera and a super processor...

The Samsung Galaxy S21 has just been announced! I was able to get a bit of hands on time with the big daddy S21 Ultra. Here's my thoughts.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the phone that the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra should of been. Last year's phone was a massively powerful handset that, in some areas, was coarse around the edges – and as such fell from grace in terms of receiving a perfect score.

Stunning 6.8-inch 120Hz WQHD+ screen; Powerful flagship-grade hardware spec; Feature packed camera system; S Pen Digital Stylus support; Large; long-lasting 5,000mAh battery; 5G network compatible

Expensive; despite a price drop; Doesn't come with S Pen Digital Stylus

The Galaxy S21 Ultra delivers a high-quality superzoom camera that truly works, supports Samsung's excellent S Pen, and sets the bar for smartphone features in 2021.

Beautiful design and solid build; Excellent photo quality at up to 10x zoom; Equipped for next-gen C-band and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity

Heavy; Expensive; Some of those next-gen networks don't exist yet

The S21 Ultra takes the Note 20 Ultra's best features and builds on them in meaningful ways

Camera bump design is vastly improved; An absolute photography powerhouse; An all-around solid high-end smartphone

Expensive; No charger or headphones in the box; No microSD port

“2021's only true flagship Galaxy S Series phone is the Galaxy S21 Ultra, which has extraordinary ability, particularly from the camera.”

Highly capable; versatile camera; Beautiful AMOLED screen; Elegant new design; Long battery life; Latest software from Google and Samsung; Price is down from last year

Shaky Wi-Fi connectivity; Intermittent charging problems; Top-heavy design affects balance; No MicroSD card slot

Samsung's Galaxy S21 Ultra is a powerhouse smartphone, but can it fix the legacy burdened by its predecessor?...

Big; bright; 120Hz display Great battery life Versatile camera system Super-fast processor

Expensive No expandable storage No charger in the box

This is the "Ultra" smartphone you've been looking for!

Big; bright & beautiful display; Camera bump is no longer obtrusive; Camera has seen huge improvements year-over-year; Space Zoom is less of a gimmick; 120Hz at Quad HD+ resolution; Battery life is very impressive; $200 cheaper than its predecessor; Much improved fingerprint sensor

Large phone is large; not suitable for everyone; No charger in the box; Doesn't support fast charging (25W max); S Pen supported; but not included in box; No MST with Samsung Pay; No micro SD card slot

At $1,199 / £1,149, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra needs to be excellent, and it is. Powerful internals, a class-leading 10x zoom and a number of fun value adds, not least of all S Pen support give it some standout charm.

The Galaxy S21 is a tank. It’s a big, heavy (8.04 ounces versus its predecessor’s 7.7), blunt instrument of a phone. It’s quintessential Samsung, really — the handset you purchase when too much isn’t quite enough.