Samsung galaxy s21 ultra with s pen

Samsung’s new Galaxy S21 Ultra supports the company’s S Pen stylus. Support for the accessory has been a staple of Samsung’s Galaxy Note smartphones for years, but this is the first time it’s been supported in the company’s Galaxy S-series. The new S Pen will be available as an optional $39.99 accessory, and Samsung says the S21 Ultra will also work with S Pens from other Galaxy Note or Galaxy Tab devices.

As for what you can use the stylus to do on the S21 Ultra, Samsung has outlined a range of familiar use cases. These include drawing, note-taking, photo editing, and signing documents. Physically, the new S Pen stylus is a little bigger than previous Galaxy Note S Pens, but it retains the side button. Samsung is also releasing a bigger S Pen Pro later this year, which comes equipped with Bluetooth and support for air gestures.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra with its stylus.

Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge

Unlike Galaxy Note phones, the Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn’t have a built-in slot for storing the stylus. Instead, Samsung is selling cases with S Pen carrying slots, which cost $69.99 when bundled with the stylus. Having to use a case to carry the accessory doesn’t sound as convenient as being able to slot it in the phone directly, but it’s a compromise given there’ll be plenty of Galaxy S21 Ultra owners who won’t bother with the optional accessory.

In the new lineup, stylus support is exclusive to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. You won’t be able to use an S Pen with either the Galaxy S21 or S21 Plus.

Rumors of the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s stylus support have been around since last year, and the feature was essentially confirmed in an FCC filing at the end of December. Now that the Galaxy S series is inheriting one of the Note series’s biggest features, there are rumors that the latter could be discontinued. However, this has reportedly been disputed by one Samsung official.

Update January 14th, 11:02AM ET: Added details of Samsung’s S Pen Pro.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good weight and size
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021

I like the weight, construction and size. I hope Samsung use this pen size in their new Note series phone. They can make it fit inside the Note phone. It's just one inch smaller than the Note 20. Thus they can make it happen. It's good to know that the pen comes with extra nibs.

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 2, 2022

I use it less than expected. Works great, don't get me wrong. But it's not a tablet.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 11, 2022

Pen works similar to the one I got with the Samsung S21 Ultra phone. I lost my original one and decided this was a decent price compared to what i originally paid($80). Tip on pen is really sharp though which makes for not so friendly on screen feeling. I switched it out with my original pen's tips for a softer feeling on screen. Button eventually started working after a few hours maybe it needed to charge next to my phone? Overall I am satisfied. Hope this helps someone

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 27, 2022

Fast response from seller in all aspects of sale and shipping... It's a Samsung product so 100% compatible... Much less expensive than buying directly from Samsung...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 16, 2022

I got this for my s21 ultra. I got the spigen pen case which was way less than the samsung sillicone case and pen bundle. I searched around for the s-pen only and found this one in very good condition. It said it came in the box but i recieved it in a plastic bag, which is OK. It also came with the nib tips and remover, along with a instuction page. It even has the samsung logo on it. Overall im pleased. (On a side note Amazon has a boat load of knock offs and they dont have the samsung logo on it. Dont go for those.) I got mine under the used button and like i said before theres not a scratch on it. If you want to save some cash look for the like new/open box ones. You can't go wrong.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 27, 2022

Doesn't like to work with protective shield, but without it works wellonlay

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 27, 2022

Although I wasn't sure if I would use this pen with my S21 Ultra I went for it anyway. The note taking ability does come in handy but to be honest, I use the pen more as a stylus than anything else. I haven't really gotten into the other options very deeply as yet but am very pleased with it currently and its potential for other uses. The touch point on the screen is moveable which is a good thing because inevitably it always seems to be in the way for the app that I'm currently using. So I'll move it and then move it again when I use a different app. The bottom line is that I really like it although I must admit that it is really not an essential add on for me. I'm recommending this but you need to judge for yourself whether it's worth the investment.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 29, 2022

The product came on time, works well with the phone.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 21, 2022

This works with my samsung galaxy book pro 360 because they both use REM (or OEM, not sure of the actual name of the tech). Which is nice because the tips do run out. They also gave me two replacement nibs and the tool to do it too. Awesome product! :) Only problem is that it's a bit pricey for a stylus but whatever, I need it for school work so it's worth it.

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars works a treat

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 16, 2021

Ok, so their is no bluetooth on this like other s pens like the note 20, so you can't use it as a remote shutter etc. However, i've never needed a remote shutter so no issue there and if i'm that desperate i'll use the bluetooth remote selfie stick. The pen feels great in the hand and writing it pretty instead on the screen. It does have a button on the pen which the phone senses when it's close enough.

2.0 out of 5 stars Works well but no thought into storage with phone from Samsung

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 30, 2021

This pen works well with the S21 Ultra. My issue is the cost of the pen against function but most importantly is that samsung did not think of the design element...where do you store the pen. You can buy a case with an awkward holder or just leave it lying around. Come on Samsung for this price a little more thought please.on how we can store the pen WITH the phone.

5.0 out of 5 stars A decent pen for the S21

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 9, 2021

I've always liked the idea of the S Pen, and am glad to see it coming to the S21 series.

It's small, simple and opens up a few neat features on the device - particularly note taking, drawing and some shortcuts.

For most people, it's probably not a 'must-have' and it you wont be missing much without it, but with the reasonable price it's a nice addition.

5.0 out of 5 stars A decent pen for the S21
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 9, 2021

I've always liked the idea of the S Pen, and am glad to see it coming to the S21 series.

It's small, simple and opens up a few neat features on the device - particularly note taking, drawing and some shortcuts.

For most people, it's probably not a 'must-have' and it you wont be missing much without it, but with the reasonable price it's a nice addition.

Images in this review

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice pen, well made but not worth asking price

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 4, 2021

Nice pen well made but definitely not worth the money. I've bought this and used it a few times but if I could of I'd of sent it back, as I have a cheap one that does the job just as well and was 80% cheaper. It is a good product but I think it's just mainly for the Samsung fan boys as its nothing special

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful accessory for the S21 Ultra

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 6, 2021

This is a great addition to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. It's a step up from the ones I've used on Galaxy Notes. Although there are no Bluetooth features that feature on the Note versions, its extra length and thickness make it easier to draw and navigate. Latency is also flawless. Only issue I worry about is losing it and the cost of replacing. It's a little overpriced but I definitely recommend it.

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