Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra camera packs a punch with new iPhone 12 stomping tech

Galaxy S21 Ultra camera leak exposes Samsung's plans for a next-gen camera upgrade

Samsung Galaxy S21
(Image credit: Concept Creator)

Samsung's Galaxy S21 series is on track for an early January launch, and while we're expecting another three models, the question of how much of an upgrade they'll be is still up in the air.

When it comes to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, we're in for a pretty big camera upgrade according to the latest leak, with Samsung rolling out its new ISOCELL HM3 sensor for the occasion.

Twitter leaker Ice Universe is back with another tidbit, reporting that the S21 Ultra is going to be getting an upgrade on the Galaxy S20 Ultra; while the device is losing the ToF sensor next year, the main 108MP camera will be the same along with the 0.8-micron pixel size, but the ISOCELL HM2 sensor will be replaced with the unannounced ISOCELL HM3.

The new sensor is set to support Samsung's upcoming ISOCELL 2.0 tech, which is will offer improved color fidelity and light sensitivity, given that's what the ISOCELL Plus offers. We've also heard that the Galaxy S21 Ultra will keep the front-facing 40MP camera.

Ice Universe added that the premium tier smartphone will boast a 120Hz display with 2K resolution. The Galaxy S20 Ultra supports both (as does the Note 20 Ultra) but not at the same time; the adaptive 120Hz screen scales down the resolution at the high refresh rate, so this is a big deal for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. 

The handset will also sit apart from the S21 and S21+ in terms of design, sporting a curved panel, rather than the new flat design that's been rumored with the 'Blade Bezel' and  'Blade Display' we're been hearing about.  

While nothing is set in stone, the camera upgrade will be good news for fans, although the jury is still out on whether the S21 series overall is going to be the improvement they're expecting. 

Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.