The Galaxy S21 Ultra received its last major OS upgrade earlier this year in the form of Android 15 and One UI 7. And if you held on to your S21 Ultra since 2021, you may have done so because you didn't like Samsung's direction with the S22 Ultra.Truth be told, the Galaxy S21 Ultra was the last of its kind. Its sequel, the Galaxy S22 Ultra, was more like a Galaxy Note in disguise. It played a key role in Samsung's evolution, but some S series fans didn't like it.Now, the S21 Ultra is nearing the end of its useful life. Samsung will soon stop supporting it altogether, and you will have to start looking for a new phone. What are your options as a long time S21 Ultra user?One way to approach this question is to ask yourself whether or not the S Pen has remained a deal breaker for you. If you still want to avoid the S Pen at all costs, you'll have to leave the Ultra brand behind.Thankfully, you have plenty of other Galaxy models to choose from, and they all have something better to offer than your Galaxy S21 Ultra. Here are our top picks in 2025.Galaxy Z Fold 7: No S Pen support, a 200MP camera, and state-of-the-art foldable display technology.Galaxy Z Flip 7: A completely different phone experience enabled by the unique Cover Screen UI and foldable design.Galaxy S25+: Arguably the best S-series phone without S Pen support.Galaxy S25 Edge: Ultra-thin S-series model built from exotic materials, i.e., titanium. Want a foldable phone? Browse Galaxy Z offers Samsung Shop On the other hand, if you can ignore the whole S Pen situation and want to stay on the Ultra path, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a fantastic choice.It's powerful, has a titanium build, boasts an anti-reflective screen, and will feel like a worthwhile upgrade over your Galaxy S21 Ultra. Best rigid phone options Browse Galaxy S25 series offers Samsung Shop You can wait until next year before you make your moveIf you're not in a hurry to experience One UI 8 but want to hold on to your Galaxy S21 Ultra for as long as possible, technically, it's still supported with security patches for a few more months.The timing couldn't be any better. Samsung is expected to abandon support for the Galaxy S21 Ultra around the same time the Galaxy S26 series goes official early next year. You could wait until then and see what the S26 series has to offer.And finally, although it's not recommended, you could continue using the Galaxy S21 Ultra even after Samsung stops supporting it with security patches next year. However, it may become increasingly vulnerable, so you'll probably want to find an alternative sooner rather than later.Whichever high-end Samsung device you choose next, there will be plenty of new things to enjoy, from smoother UI performance, Galaxy AI features, better and brighter screens, new technologies, and more.The post Your Galaxy S21 Ultra is nearing retirement, here are your next options appeared first on SamMobile.