|
 |
 |
| Buy Now |
Buy
|
Buy
|
| Excellence Score |
|
|
| Value for Money Score |
|
|
| Price |
₹ 14,999 onwards
|
₹ 15,660 onwards
|
| Launch Date (India) |
Mar, 2020
|
Jun, 2019
|
| Expected Launch Date |
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Smartphone OS |
Android 10Expected update to next Android version
|
Android 9.0 Pie, Upgradeable to Android 10Expected update to next Android version
|
| Touchscreen |
Yes (Capacitive)
|
Yes (Capacitive)
|
| Screen Size |
6.4 inches
|
6.3 inches
|
| Screen Resolution |
1080x2340 pixels (~ 403 pixels per inch)
|
1080x2340 pixels (~ 409 pixels per inch)
|
| Tall Aspect Ratio / Minimal Bezels |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Scratch Resistant Display |
Yes, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
|
Yes, Corning Gorilla Glass
|
| Display Type |
AMOLED
|
IPS LCD
|
| Screen Refresh Rate |
60 HzStandard
|
60 HzStandard
|
| Display Features |
Super AMOLED
|
Punch hole Camera
|
| Full Physical QWERTY Keypad |
|
|
| Processor |
2.3 GHz
|
2 GHz
|
| Processor Type |
Octa Core
|
Octa Core
|
| Processor Name |
Samsung Exynos 9611Ranked #37 in Mobile Processor Benchmarks
|
Qualcomm Snapdragon 675Ranked #28 in Mobile Processor Benchmarks
|
| GPU |
Mali-G72 MP3
|
Adreno 612
|
| RAM |
6 GB
|
6 GB
|
| 3G |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| 4G |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| 5G |
|
|
| VoLTE |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| WiFi |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| VoWiFi/WiFi-Calling |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| GPS |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Bluetooth |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Connecting Port |
USB-C
|
USB-C
|
| Primary Camera |
48MP + 8MP + 5MP
|
32MP + 8MP + 5MP
|
| Camera Auto-Focus |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Camera Flash |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| HD Video Recording |
Yes (4K)
|
Yes (4K)
|
| Other Camera Features |
48MP: f/2.0 aperture; 26mm Focal Length; 1/2.0" Sensor Size; 0.8um Pixel Size; PDAF, 8MP: f/2.2 aperture; 12mm Focal Length; Ultra-wide; 1/4.0" Sensor Size; 1.12um Pixel Size, 5MP: f/2.2 aperture; Depth Sensor, Panorama, HDR, Video: [email protected]; [email protected]; EIS
|
32MP: F/1.7 Aperture; 0.8um; PDAF, 8MP: F/2.2 Aperture; 12mm Focal Length (ultrawide); 1.12um Pixel Size; PDAF, 5MP: F/2.2 Aperture; Depth Sensor, Panorama, HDR, Video: [email protected]; [email protected]
|
| Secondary Camera |
20MP
|
16MP
|
| Secondary Camera Features |
f/2.0 aperture, 26mm Focal Length, HDR
|
F/2.0 Aperture, HDR
|
| Internal Memory |
128 GB
|
128 GB
|
| Expandable Memory Slot |
Yes, up to 512 GB
|
Yes, up to 512 GB
|
| Contacts Storage |
Unlimited
|
Unlimited
|
| SMS Storage |
Unlimited
|
Unlimited
|
| Music Player |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| FM Radio |
Yes (Wireless)
|
Yes
|
| Dual SIM |
GSM+GSM
|
GSM+GSM (Hybrid SIM slot)
|
| Thickness |
8.9 mmMedium
|
7.9 mmMedium
|
| Weight |
188 gmMedium
|
168 gmMedium
|
| Width |
75.1 mmOk for one-handed use
|
73.9 mmOk for one-handed use
|
| Audio Output |
3.5mm jack
|
USB-C
|
| Water Resistant |
|
|
| Battery Capacity |
6000 mAh
|
3500 mAh
|
| Battery Standby |
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Battery Standby (3G) |
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Battery Talktime |
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Battery Talktime (3G) |
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Fast Charging Support |
Yes, 15W Fast Charging
|
Yes
|
| Included Fast Charger |
Yes, 15.0W Fast Charger
|
Yes, 15.0W Fast Charger
|
| Other Battery Parameters |
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Fingerprint sensor |
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Other Features |
Noise Filtration
|
Noise Filtration; Dolby Atmos
|
| 2-minute Review [Positives] |
- Decent looks and build quality - very similar to the Samsung Galaxy M31, with a a unibody polycarbonate design, and glossy finish on the back panel - the only major difference is the camera module which houses a triple rear camera
- The plastic body keeps the phone feeling relatively lightweight at 188 grams, which is mighty impressive for a phone packing a big 6000 mAh battery
- It also feels great to hold with a seamless curved panel that meets the display up front
- Modern, Infinity-U front - bezels around the screen are slim, except for a slightly thick chin - you still get around 90 per cent screen-to-body ratio, which is great
- Fingerprint sensor at the back is easy to reach and work very well
- Gorgeous, 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with excellent viewing angles, and brightness levels - easily one of the best displays in the price bracket
- It also comes with "Widevine L1" certification, which helps stream content in crisp HD resolution
- Blacks are deep on the AMOLED display, which looks good with Night mode enabled
- Samsung's OneUI is today one of the more clean, refined Android UIs that's especially well optimised for large displays like this
- One UI also brings in other useful stuff, like a System-wide Dark mode (which turns the background completely black, and looks great on the M21's AMOLED display), and Always On Display option
- Decent performance with the Exynos 9611 at the core (similar to Snapdragon 665) - the device is fairly quick to load up apps - multitasking is a breeze
- Decent triple rear camera setup - a 48MP primary snapper, an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 5MP depth sensor
- In broad daylight, you'll get consistent, crispy shots with decent dynamic range and sharpness levels are respectable with the primary lens
- The ultra-wide sensor, like on any budget phone, is a good addition - it takes social media-worthy images in great lighting conditions (in low-light, the quality dips and pictures look grainy and noisy, wide-angle shots also have barrel distortion at the edges)
- Live Focus shots are quite good and the camera app does give you the option to set the level of blur before taking a shot - edge detection is very good and the Galaxy M21 does a good job of separating the subject from the background
- The 20MP selfie camera is quite good and takes detailed selfies (though, in low light, the quality goes down a notch and results are grainy)
- Monster 6000 mAh battery delivers an incredible 2-3 days of usage easily, making for one of the largest battery life smartphones currently available
- Supports 15W fast charging
- If you're someone who consumes a lot of content on their phone, the Galaxy M21 is a good phone for you, it has great AMOLED display, outstanding battery backup that will last you for days
|
- The M40 is the first mid-range phone from Samsung with an Infinity O display (till now it was only available with the Galaxy S10 series) - the front camera is under the display in the hole punch on the top left of the screen which helps achieve a near bezel-less display - the phone is definitely a head-turner
- The body is polycarbonate (though it feels glass-like) has a very premium look and a slight gradient effect
- Polycarbonate body also means that the phone is pretty light-weight
- The middle camera sensor at the back has a silver ring around it, which stands out very subtly
- Large, bright display - you get good viewing angles and sharpness
- Samsung's new One UI is one of the most clean, and refined implementations of Android at present, and is quite smooth in day-to-day use - so on the software front, Samsung scores a big point
- Solid performance with the powerful Snapdragon 675 processor (same as Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro) - everything from day-to-day performance, to games, is smooth
- Decent set of triple rear cameras (standard + ultra-wide + depth)
- Image quality is reasonably good in well-lit environments
- Portrait shots came out really well with the subject well defined and the background blurred
- The 16MP front camera also does a decent job of taking pictures in daylight - the photos look sharp with enough details and colours are close to natural
- Overall, the camera performance isn’t the strongest in its price range, but fairly good overall
- A stand out feature is the On Screen sound technology where the display doubles up as a speaker (it works well)
- Good battery life with a 3500mAh battery - you can expect it to comfortably last the day - though of course it's not quite as brilliant as the 5000mAH batteries on the Galaxy M30 and M20
- Samsung continues it's smart comeback into the mid-range with another good addition to the M-series - the M40 is a good alternative to consider in this price bracket, for people who want to prioritise a stylish cutting-edge design, and a 'notch-less' screen
|
| 2-minute Review [Negatives] |
- The power button and volumes are quite flush with the frame which means they lack that tactile, clicky feel
- Design feels a bit dated and underwhelming, there is no spark in Galaxy M21's design as we see in other brand's phones like Xiaomi and Realme
- However, this is an old chipset and heavy gaming isn't best on this phone - the Redmi Note 9 Pro and the Realme 6 are much better options that will handle gaming better than the Galaxy M21
- Photos taken in low-light are average - focusing gets worse in low light and the extreme noise-correction makes images look like water paintings
- Overall, the cameras on the M21 are decent, but there are better cameras available in this price bracket, including the Galaxy M31, which is just a tad bit pricier
- Samsung Galaxy M11 falls behind in fast charging as competitors are offering close to 30W fast charging, the 15W on M21 feels low
- Having said that, the Redmi Note 9 Pro and the Realme 6 will still offer you more bang for your buck, overall and when it comes to intensive tasks like gaming, you’ll be better off choosing the Realme 6 or the Redmi Note 8 Pro that are probably the best phones for gaming in this segment
|
- Both fingerprint unlock (the fingerprint sensor is on the back), and the face unlock, while decent, aren't the fastest
- It's not AMOLED though, so purely quality wise, the display is not quite as vibrant and punchy as the Galaxy M30
- Tends to warm up a little bit, during heavy gaming
- Low light performance from both the rear and front cameras is pretty average though
- There is no 3.5-mm headset jack, which could be an issue for some users (USB-C headphones are bundled though)
- There is some pretty good competition though, make no mistake - there is Samsung's own Galaxy M30 (cheaper, better display, better battery, headphone jack, although it has a slightly inferior processor, and not the cutting edge 'punch-hole' design), the Poco F1 (flagship Snapdragon 845, headphone jack, though it doesn't have a very modern design), and the Redmi Note 7 Pro (cheaper, better battery, headphone jack, though MIUI is not as simple/refined as the One UI) - all of which are excellent value themselves, so what you chose will depend on what you value
|
| Expert Reviews |
All the battery life you need  in-depth Read Review »Big battery and display at an affordable price  in-depth Read Review »A good option if you are out in the market looking for a capable smartphone that is not Xiaomi or Realme  in-depth Read Review »A Phone That Caters Best To Video Content Consumers  in-depth Read Review »Sharp display, good cameras, decent performance and an amazing battery life, though the Galaxy M31 is better  in-depth Read Review » in-depth Read Review » in-depth Read Review » in-depth Read Review » in-depth Read Review » hands-on Read Review » hands-on Read Review »
|
We find it hard to recommend the Galaxy A60/M40 in the presence of phones such as the Realme X, and the Redmi K20 in the same price range in-depth Read Review »A well balanced phone...but it's own sibling M30 undercuts the M40 to offer a better overall value  in-depth Read Review »Solid overall performer, and the most polished M-series offering by Samsung till date...but falls a bit short of being the undisputed leader that it could have been  in-depth Read Review »One of the finest smartphone in its price range in-depth Read Review »Gets a lot of things right..If you are looking to buy a mid-range smartphone that offers a large display for watching videos, has a respectable camera and looks stylish, I think you should probably consider the Galaxy M40  in-depth Read Review »Power-packed device with a fresh look and good performance...set to further challenge rivals like Xiaomi in-depth Read Review »Ticks all the boxes for a premium mid-range phone  in-depth Read Review »A great phone for its price  in-depth Read Review »Brings in a higher brand value than most of the other Chinese competition...If that prestige matters more than the marginally better user experience found on the others, then the Samsung M40 is your best option in-depth Read Review »While the Galaxy M40 offers some neat features, it is ultimately undone by Samsung's own Galaxy A50, and M30, in the value-for-money stakes in-depth Read Review »Overall, we did like the Samsung Galaxy M40  in-depth Read Review » in-depth Read Review » hands-on Read Review »
|
| User Reviews |
 4.3 53+ reviews »
|
- 4.2 70+ reviews »
|
| Official Website |
Official Website »
|
Official Website »
|
| Unofficial specs? |
N/A
|
N/A
|
Individual Review
Individual Review
