Samsung Galaxy S21 real-world photos reveal crazy thin bezels

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Meet the Samsung Galaxy S21

Samsung Galaxy S21
(Image credit: Mauri QHD)

We're rounding the corner to 2021, and Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S21 on January 14. Now we’re getting a whole new look at what to expect from the flagship device. 

Samsung has yet to release official photos of the Galaxy S21, so courtesy of Twitter's MauriQHD, who claims they received these images from a friend, we have what could be our first real look at the phone. And the bezels look even thinner than the iPhone 12 — without the unsightly notch. 

The images offer a clear look at the phone, giving credence to both what we've been hearing about and seeing in rumors and a series of photos paraded out from insiders and leakers. The front display features nearly symmetrical bezels that are a bit difficult to see thanks to the leaked photos' censored areas, but it's plain to see that this is an extremely slick-looking flat screen.

Samsung Galaxy S21

(Image credit: Mauri QHD)

The leaker has flipped over the phone to show its reverse side as well. It's unclear if the back of the phone is constructed out of glass or perhaps plastic. The leaked photo shows a light purple and gold setup, which appears matte in the lighting conditions. There's also a sticker that reads "No photos allowed" and "Do not leak info," but it appears it's much too late for all those warnings.

For the curious, there’s also a look at the hole punch camera cutout, which confirms that the phone isn’t going to sport an under-display camera after all. Still, the cutout is quite small and inconspicuous, especially with the S21’s noticeably flat surface. 

We do get a good look at the phone’s triple-camera array, however, which looks quite attractive in the real world beyond the renders and up-close images we’ve seen in the past. If the cameras match the rumored S21 specs, the setup will include an ultrawide 12MP sensor, a 12MP main sensor and a 64MP telephoto lens. Android Police previously reported Samsung will include 100x Space Zoom in addition to laser autofocus on the S21 Ultra in a bid to curb some of the focus problems from last year's model.

Though prolific leaker Evan Blass has offered several high-quality photos and renders of the device in the past, seeing the phone like this is still exciting, as it confirms much of what we already suspected. Of course, it looks much like we expected it to, and is quite similar to the Galaxy S20 in many ways, which will likely satisfy fans who liked the previous model. 

Samsung has still yet to formally announce the Galaxy S21, and it hasn't spoken on rumors concerning the phone just yet. It's still hurtling toward an official unveiling on January 14. But if you're interested in picking up one of your own, you can reserve an opportunity to pre-order the Galaxy S21 by heading to Samsung's website. There, you can stake your claim to "the next Galaxy". 

These leaked photos and renders are about all we have until then, though -- but it looks like we’ve learned nearly everything we can about the upcoming smartphone. And from where we’re standing, it certainly looks like an impressive contender thus far. 

Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.