The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is harder to find these days Samsung doesn't even offer it anymore. Our side-by-side comparisons with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which tops out at a 2.5x optical zoom, bore that out. But its the new Directors View mode that caught our eye this year: you can capture video with both the front and back cameras simultaneously. Whats the catch? Rear camera: 108MP + 10MP + 10MP + 12MP The S21 Ultras pic is overly bright and a bit washed out, while his fur his more golden and natural looking with the iPhone. Chipset: Snapdragon 888 / Exynos 2100 Dimensions: 165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9mm The display is best-in-class, the cameras are much improved and you can even use this thing as a Galaxy Note if you want to. Some features, like Bluetooth shortcuts and a spot to embed it in the body of the phone, remain exclusive to the Note 20 Ultra. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is most commonly compared with these phones: Youll get updated when important things are happening, and when you engage with our community. While we still never saw the Note 21 Ultra, this is the closest you'll get to that kind of experience thanks to the stylus. Our Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs. Galaxy S21 Ultra face-off breaks down the differences. Samsung's never-dying Bixby Assistant (the 21st century Microsoft Clippy) is still present on the S21 series, but there's no more dedicated Bixby button thankfully, so you won't accidentally trigger Bixby Voice. I am expecting about ten percent battery drain per hour with very light use. This is Samsungs vision of smartphone excess for 2021: five cameras led by a 108MP sensor, two telephoto cameras, 100x zoom and 40MP selfies, plus 5G, all-day battery life and up to 16GB of RAM all packed into an Android phone with a 6.8-inch 120Hz Quad HD display and an upgraded in-screen fingerprint sensor that has a 1.7x larger surface area than the one on last years phone. Directors View is a neat idea that you dont get on most phones (the iPhone 12 series requires a third-party app to pull this off). Heres why you can trust us. Samsung is developing a second stylus. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra led the charge for the best Android phones in 2021. You could customize actions and remotely command the Galaxy Note 20 like a magician with a wand. For example, its large display stretches the hand at 6.8 inches, yet the curved edge-to-edge screen means that bezel is almost non-existent, and that 40MP front camera hides behind a tiny punch-hole thats easy to ignore after a few minutes of watching a video. The Galaxy S21 Ultra battery life was solid during our normal testing, amounting to a full day and change but we tanked the battery much more quickly when we pushed that 120Hz screen refresh rate to the max and cranked up the resolution to Quad HD. It neatly slots into the inner spine of the case and feels secure there, so you'll want a Galaxy S21 Ultra case for more than protection. Photos look sharp, dynamic range is impressive and Samsung's tripod lock software feature steadies the 30x and 100x zoom levels on subjects to prevent the viewfinder image from jumping around. The Z Fold 3 also has S Pen support like the S21 Ultra, though it has fewer cameras. It joins last years video-focused additions, like zoom-in microphones for better capturing the subject youre zooming into, and an improved Single Take mode for recording video and taking photos at the same time. The dynamic display on the Galaxy S21 Ultra delivers a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and sharpest WQHD resolution at the same time. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. So the 10x optical zoom on the S21 Ultra gets you closer to those far-off subjects, while the 3x optical is handy for pulling it back a little bit without digital distortion. Samsungs backend software will automatically adjust between 11Hz and 120Hz, depending on your activity: reading an eBook (low) vs playing a 3D game (high). Lastly, the S21 Ultra has UWB (ultra-wideband), which makes it easier to share files with other UWB devices, like the Galaxy S21 Plus. Having been replaced by the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in 2022, it's no longer the company's benchmark for a true premium smartphone, but it's still a worthy purchase. Resolution: 1440 x 3200 And you'll be able to use this phone as a digital key for select 2022 cars. This is still Samsungs best screen, but for many other reasons. Grab an S Pen and start jotting down notes on a Galaxy S phone? That's another reason to get the Galaxy S22 Ultra, as that phone ships with an included S Pen. Easy to use. Samsung's newer version of the S21 Ultra has pretty similar specs but one massive change: the S Pen stylus fits within the body, making it a core part of the experience. But the coolest video upgrade is Director's View. Its hard to look away. Its not fantastic, but the iPhone 12 Pro Max mustered only 100 Mbps in the same location when I popped the same SIM card in that phone. Why are so many for sale as "Parts"? Photography and speed are only two-thirds of the story here. The S21 Ultra didnt flinch as I sliced through multiple enemies in Grimvalor while delivering console-quality visuals. Please refresh the page and try again. If youre looking for a phone that can last all day, this is it. I saw download speeds exceed 160 Mbps. The base-level 128GB of internal storage with 12GB of RAM might not be enough for everyone. I tried out this case, and it adds bulk to already bulky phone. You wont find a charger inside of the box either; like Apple, Samsung cites e-waste as the reason the power brick isnt included. I really don't notice much of a performance or battery life upgrade from my S8+ which is surprising since the battery life on my S8+ is declining. Is it all too rich for you? These days, though, the S21 Ultra has made way for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and that's only good news for Samsung fans. RAM: 12/16GB Samsung says it has also improved the Portrait mode on the S21 by leveraging AI to better separate the subject from the background. Bixby Today, former the leftmost menu on Samsung phones, is gone, too. We noticed that the Galaxy S21 Ultra camera offers improved dynamic range in outdoor photos (see photos with a bright sky and darker buildings) over its predecessors, and Samsung now offers 12-bit raw files for greater flexibility when editing. Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. The Galaxy S21 series is faster for two reasons: it marks the debut of brand-new chipsets, and the software has been streamlined just a bit, with the ever-evolving OneUI 3.0 interface tied into Android 11. However, things work a bit differently here: theres no S Pen included with the phone and, even when you make the separate purchase, there's no way to embed the stylus into the body of the phone. He's tested over 1,000 phones, tablets and wearables and commands a Twitter account of 1m+ followers. Cameras However, because Bluetooth isn't built in, you can't use the pen as a remote control as you can with the Note 20 Ultra. Samsung released One UI 4 for the Galaxy S21 Ultra in mid-November 2021. While it lags behind some of other top contenders, it's still a very good device for any Android fan out there. For $1,199 or $100 more than the iPhone 13 Pro Max you a get dynamic 6.8-inch display and dual telephoto lenses for crazy zoom power. The performance was pretty solid in my neck of the woods on T-Mobile. And it's amazingly bright and colorful to boot. The inclusion of microSD slots always made it easier for us to recommend Samsung over Apple when things were neck-and-neck, as you could go for the lower storage size and upgrade later. Copyright 1995-2022 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. When we wrote this Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review, it was the company's new everything phone with more cameras, beefier specs, and even S Pen compatibility to eclipse the very likable Note 20 Ultra. Its a bit unpredictable, but most of the shots turn out okay. This update brought Android 12, which offers several key improvements to the UI and privacy elements. No one (except Huawei) is doing zoom on a smartphone like this in 2021, and your Apple phone-owning friends will have telephoto envy. I have owned the Ultra 21 for just under a week now. But now that the Galaxy S22 is the new kid on the block, Samsung has announced that it's bringing some of that phone's camera features to the Galaxy S21 Ultra, like nighttime portraits with the telephoto lens. Still, at the time of our Galaxy S21 Ultra review, this was one of the best phones money can buy for those willing to pay a premium and one of the best Android phones overall. Screen died within ten minutes while setting it up - so do many others! Two telephoto lenses are the big highlight with the S21 Ultra, and the 100x zoom will impress your friends, even if the standard image quality only ties the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the very best of what Samsung can pack into a smartphone. It's also of course one of the very best Android phones and ranks among the best Samsung phones. With Super Steady mode on the S21 Ultra engaged, I captured smooth footage even as I walked fast up a hill. As I swept around a river with the S21 Ultra, it delivered near movie-quality results. The Space Zoom is so good it should not fall in the wrong hands. 120Hz Refresh rate. In addition to the deep, Vantablack-like Phantom Black color, theres also a Phantom Silver color on sale everywhere, while Samsungs own online store offers an additional three options: Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy and Phantom Brown. Samsung says the S21 Ultra has a 3 million:1 contrast ratio, which is 50% higher than the S20 Ultra. If you are interested in using our specs commercially, check out our, Two widely used Android series are experiencing annoying bugs, The best T-Mobile phones to buy - updated June 2022, Apple, Samsung face more fines for not shipping a power adapter with their pricey flagship phones, The best AT&T phones to buy - updated May 2022, Despite our efforts to provide full and correct Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra specifications, there is always a possibility of admitting a mistake. Samsung has retooled its main camera with lasers yes, lasers to remedy the autofocus issues on the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and also upgraded the specs to keep up with the demands of processing those large 108MP photos, 40MP selfies, and 8K video without as much as a hiccup. Pre-installed software: Android 11 Lastly, the S21 Ultra has the most RAM at 12GB to 16GB, while the S21 and S21 Plus make due with 8GB. Front camera: 40MP (f/2.2) But if you cant afford it, wait a few months and this phone will drop in price (during Amazon Prime (opens in new tab)Day or Black Friday (opens in new tab)). Plans, International
We found the 6.8-inch body to be easier to grasp than the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, and thats in large part thanks to the curved display and overall narrowness of Samsung's device. If you're dismayed about rumors of the end of Note series, just try the S21 Ultra. The dual telephoto lenses (3x and 10x optical zoom) get you very close to your subject, and the new Zoom Lock feature keeps things steadier with digital Space Zoom. We recommend the S21 Ultra over the S21 and S21 Plus simply because it has so much extra going on. In addition, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the first phones to support Wi-Fi 6E, a new standard that delivers faster speeds and more overall bandwidth when you have a compatible Wi-Fi 6E router. Ready for your extreme close-up? Plans, Small
After a second, the S21 Ultra camera fixes onto a subject that it outlines in yellow on the small zoomed-out corner reticle, and the shakiness is magically dialed down. Sounds like a quality control issue. We also tested the screen brightness of the Galaxy S20 Ultra outdoors, and it automatically amps up to a super-bright 1,500 nits when necessary. The S21 Ultra also fared well on the 3DMark Wild Life graphics benchmark, hitting 34 fps. As of this writing, Best Buy is selling a carrier-tied version of the Galaxy S21 Ultra for $849, while unlocked versions can be found at Amazon for $750. It starts at $1,199 / 1,149 / AU$1,849 for a version with 128GB of internal storage and 12GB of RAM. There's a new vlogger mode that lets you use the front and back cameras as the same time for recording video. Battery life: 11 hours 25 min (60Hz), 10:07 (adaptive) Hang on to your power adapters. Just keep in mind that the S Pen is sold separately, and you'll need to spring for a compatible case if you want to store the stylus on the go when it's not in use. I experienced nothing but failures with this WAY overpriced piece of junk. One UI 4.1 delivers many of the Galaxy S22's camera features to older Samsung flagships. This is a new in open box Verizon Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G 128GB. The Galaxy S21 Ultra screen is Samsungs first (among smartphones) thats capable of running at a smooth 120Hz refresh rate while in a pixel-packing Quad HD resolution. And while the S21 Ultra is fast, its still a step behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Should I buy it? The new top-of-the-line Galaxy S22 Ultra is an improvement over this model our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs. Galaxy S21 Ultra comparison details in what ways and we'd recommend the new device instead of this one. Buying a refurbished Galaxy S21 Ultra could drop the price even further. It's a foldable phone, though it does have a good-looking screen and powerful chip too. In this mode we saw a runtime of 10 hours and 7 minutes. And while other impressive smartphones have launched since we first reviewed this - including the iPhone 13, OnePlus 9 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 11 - the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra remained our pick for the best smartphone available until the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Year-over-year the biggest improvement is to the 108MP main camera, which made its debut in the S20 Ultra but was dogged with autofocus issues at launch. Apple really closed the gap this year by offering vastly improved battery life, a dynamic 120Hz display, and blistering performance. Heres why you can trust us. The Galaxy S21 Ultra will make you feel like a secret agent as you zoom in. Thats behind the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which cleared 4,100 and 1,600, but its still the best scores weve seen from an Android phone. Business
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This is something to be aware of. Rear cameras: 108MP wide (f/1.8), 12MP ultra wide (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto (3x zoom, f/2.4), 10MP telephoto (10x zoom, f/4.9), laser AF sensor Others in the official Samsung forums have similar issues. Yeah I gotta say, as an average phone user, this phone makes no sense to buy. Turning on power save mode, for example, makes adjustments immediately. You can expect the price to continue dropping over time. The issue seems to be mainly in America and Europe for whatever reason. You want some S Pen features NY 10036. The original purchase just stopped detecting the original SIM and 2 replacement SIM cards. But Samsung, along with the entire mobile industry, seems to have cooled all phone-based VR initiatives. But theres enough positive change here to offset any minor discomfort, enough that we're now confident this Ultra phone finally lives up to its name. Neither the old USB-A nor the new USB-C chargers are included in the box, but you will get all-day battery life. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is Samsung's latest foldable, showcasing the company's prowess when it comes to display technology and hardware design. All Galaxy S21 series phones now record video at 4K at 60fps from all cameras, and 8K at 24fps returns. Our previous favorite telephoto camera from Samsung, on the Note 20 Ultra, had a 5x optical zoom and 50x digital zoom. Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Cell Phones & Smartphones. The S21 Ultra is also smart enough to automatically dial the refresh rate all the way down to 10Hz to help save on power. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). My skin tone is warmer on the iPhone 12 pro Max, but overall the S21 shot looks great. Screen crystal clear and rich colors. Not anymore. Not only do you get super smooth scrolling and gameplay, you now get 120Hz and quad HD resolution at the same time. Exactly what youre supposed to do with the stylus without buying this folio case is unclear. Shame on Samsung for making such a cheap, over-priced ripoff that fails in the first ten minutes.Read full review. At 100x the zoom does get shaky but the new Zoom Lock feature can help you get a steadier shot with just a tap. Both the Galaxy S21 Ultra and S21 Plus have a smooth Gorilla Glass back while the Galaxy S21 is stuck with a polycarbonate (read: plastic) back that feels less smooth to the touch. item 1 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G 128GB Phantom Black Verizon Good Condition, item 2 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G 128GB Black SM-G998U (VERIZON) Reduced Price JW8126, item 3 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G - 128GB - All Colors (Verizon) -Very Good Condition, item 4 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G - Unlocked (All Carriers) - 128GB - Black - Good, item 5 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G SM-G998U - 128GB - Phantom Black (Verizon), item 6 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G 128GB Phantom Black Verizon Fair Condition, item 7 Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G 128GB Phantom Black Verizon Excellent Condition, 4.8 out of 5 stars based on 30 product ratings. It also comes in handy for quickly signing documents. Verizon courteously canceled my lease bless them. Included is a USB-C-to-USB cable, but youll want one of the newer fast chargers for this phone in order to speedily charge it at 25W (Samsung phones since the S10 5G had a 25W charger in the box). And only the S21 Ultra has a 512GB storage option. Theres 1.7x more surface area to this invisible biometric pad, and we found it was more forgiving of our often wayward thumb placement thats a relief given the fact that face unlock is useless at a time when were often hidden behind a mask. RAM: 12GB, 16GB We were able to jot down quick notes and bring up all of the Air Command options, which include a variety of features you can use without touching the phones screen. Photography aficionados who prefer Samsung phones will want to stick with the S21 Ultra this year. 6.8 inches It's been replaced by Google Assistant cards (formerly Google Now) that have a knack for surfacing more relevant information to your day. Display: 6.8 inches AMOLED (3200 x 1400); 10 to 120Hz The Galaxy S21 Ultra price is also notably cheaper than the S20 Ultra at launch, though its still going to cost you a lot. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra supports all of the latest wireless standards, starting with 5G. If you're constantly losing stuff like me you'll want to check out Samsung's new Galaxy SmartTags. Depending on whats important to you, then, Samsung may be offering more value for your money. The warranty replacement was simply a POS. Apple's top dog of 2021 has a big screen, three rear cameras, a powerful chipset and a top price. Note that this time is with the standard 60Hz display mode turned on and that youll see less battery life with adaptive mode (up to 120Hz) engaged. Thats faster than the Note 20 Ultras 1:16 but still well behind the iPhone 12 Pro Maxs 28 seconds. No microSD card slot is a deal-breaker for a lot of people who have emailed us/tweeted at us/left us comments. Using a 25-watt charger, the S21 Ultra reached 56% in 30 minutes and 31% in 15 minutes. The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes in a sleeker design and offers faster performance from Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chip. Apples main camera captures cleaner photos in some low-light situations, but Samsungs night mode has improved enough to almost close that gap after sunset or when youre snapping away indoors and its default camera app is more feature-packed and easier to use than Apples. The zoom functionality on both is optical, though Samsungs camera software oftentimes has a mind of its own. Front camera: 40MP The need for resolutions higher than Full HD among smartphones was being driven by VR headsets you could see a screen door effect at lower resolutions when the pixels were so close to your face. It wowed us with a huge screen, five cameras and the best zoom on any readily available Android phone. You can also upgrade to 256GB of storage and to a model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. This is why we shy away from benchmarking phones in such granular detail. I might go with black because of its slimming effect. Wireless: 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, UWB Yes, having two telephoto cameras does seem downright ridiculous, but they offer different perspectives: 3x and 10x, all without having to go digital and hybrid in between. So you can't skip tracks with a button press or control slideshows. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer. The iPhone 12 Pro Max pulls ahead in this photo of a golden retriever. Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra release date was January 29, 2021, and it's available in the US, UK and Australia, among many other places. It's like the S21 Ultra in a lot of ways, except it runs Apple's iOS, not Android. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is Samsungs best-looking phone ever. In this comparison you can make out more of the stones and bushes in the foreground in the S21 Ultras photo compared to the iPhone 12 Pro Max, although the iPhones colors look more natural. Not Sell My Personal Information. Check out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review (opens in new tab). You want epic camera zooms One of my favorite design upgrades is the 1.7x larger fingerprint sensor. All you have to do is press the shutter button. If you see any wrong or incomplete data, please, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra review, zooming in, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: all reported differences, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: the S Pen war of '21, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: the S Pen warriors of '21, Google Pixel 6 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, the nutshell, Google Pixel 6 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, iPhone 13 Pro Max vs Galaxy S21 Ultra: what we know so far, OnePlus 9 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, a price war, OnePlus 9 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, a price war, OnePlus 9 Pro 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, a price war, OnePlus 9 Pro 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, a price war to expect, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Galaxy S21 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus vs Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Galaxy S10 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs iPhone 12 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra vs Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, Predecessor: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra specs, Under-Display Face ID set to debut on the iPad Pro, Amazon has the 2021 Motorola Edge on sale at a lower than Prime Day price, Excellent new deal knocks Samsung's old Galaxy S20 FE 5G down to an irresistible price, Chromecast with Google TV finally streams live Nest Doorbell camera video feed, Prediction: the iPhone mini is not dead, it will rise from the ashes, T-Mobile is cooking up yet another fee increase (that's totally not a price hike), China's largest foundry raises alarm with production of basic 7nm SoCs, US carriers turn their backs on one of Samsung's most popular and fairly recent phone, T-Mobile vs Verizon vs AT&T: first-ever '5G Enhanced' speed tests yield surprising results, Study compares Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 to medical-grade equipment, Pixel 6A: Another missed opportunity for Google sets the stage for Nothing Phone to shine bright, FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless, HDR support, Scratch-resistant glass (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus), Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Octa-core, 1x 2.84GHz Kryo 680 + 3x 2.42GHz Kryo 680 + 4x 1.80GHz Kryo 680, 64-bit, Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, USB Power Delivery, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging, Qi and Powermat wireless charging, Reverse wireless charging, Optical zoom: 3.0x; Aperture size: F2.4; Focal Length: 70 mm; Sensor size: 1/3.2"; Pixel size: 1.22 m, Aperture size: F2.2; Focal Length: 13 mm; Sensor size: 1/2.55"; Pixel size: 1.4 m, Optical zoom: 10.0x; Aperture size: F4.9; Focal Length: 240 mm; Sensor size: 1/3.2"; Pixel size: 1.22 m, 7680x4320 (8K UHD) (24 fps), 3840x2160 (4K UHD) (60 fps), 1920x1080 (Full HD) (240 fps), 1280x720 (HD) (960 fps), 6.50 x 2.98 x 0.35 inches (165.1 x 75.6 x 8.9 mm), Back: Glass (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus); Frame: Aluminum, 2D Face unlock, Ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint, n2, n5, n12, n25, n41, n66, n71, n77, n260, n261, SA, NSA, Sub-6, mmWave, Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(AWS-1), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700 a), 13(700 c), 14(700 PS), 18(800 Lower), 19(800 Upper), 20(800 DD), 25(1900+), 26(850+), 28(700 APT), 30(2300 WCS), 66(AWS-3), 71(600), Bands 38(2600), 39(1900+), 40(2300), 41(2600+), 46, 48(3600), Bands 1(2100), 2(1900), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 8(900), LTE-A, HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s, UMTS, 32-Bit DAC, Dolby Atmos, aptX, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, 802.11 a, b, g, n, ac, ax (Wi-Fi 6), dual-band; MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot, Charging, Headphones port, OTG, Video out, GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall (for flip covers), Barometer, Octa-core, 1x 2.91GHz Cortex-X1 + 3x 2.81GHz Cortex-A78 + 4x 2.2GHz Cortex-A55, 64-bit.