The Galaxy S21 5G is easy to repair, with superior sound, and big finger scanner
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- The Galaxy S21 is easy to disassemble and put back together, repairability score 7.5/10
- The lighter, simpler graphite cooling is superior to copper tubes and vapor chambers, as it works just as well.
- The fingerprint scanner is much larger than in the S20, boding well for its responsiveness.
- Improved speaker assembly and circulation create louder, richer stereo sound chamber.
- Both the main and the zoom camera have optical image stabilizers.
- There is a dual-SIM reader at the bottom of single-SIM models but its functionality is software-dependant.
- There are two tiny mmWave 5G antennas strategically placed on the sides of the phone to pick up Verizon's network signal.
- There is a removable cable connecting the display to the compact multilayer motherboard at the top.
That last bit is what earned the phone a higher-than-usual repairability score, and explains how Samsung achieved the near-symmetrical bezel width with narrower chin, as usually the display controller cable is permanently attached.
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