Samsung Galaxy S21 and Note 20 phones pick up official Stadia support

Stadia Pixel 4a Controller Mount
Stadia Pixel 4a Controller Mount (Image credit: Jennifer Locke / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Stadia is now compatible with more Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets in an official capacity.
  • Samsung's Galaxy S21 and Note 20 devices as well as its recent tablets have gained Stadia support.
  • There's no word on when Google's cloud gaming service will officially support Samsung's foldable devices.

Google has expanded the list of devices that are compatible with Stadia. The cloud gaming service now officially supports some of the best Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S21 and Note 20 lineups.

There are 11 additional Samsung devices joining the older Galaxy flagships in Stadia's official list of compatible devices. As reported by 9to5Google, these include the company's most recent high-end smartphones and tablets.

  • Samsung Galaxy S21
  • Samsung Galaxy S21+
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 20
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab A
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

However, Stadia is a bit too late in adding official support for the Galaxy S21 and Note 20 lineups compared to the competition. Amazon Luna, for example, is already compatible with those devices (except the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra).

What's particularly interesting about the updated list is the inclusion of Samsung tablets, marking the first time Google has added official Stadia support for this device category. Until now, Google has not officially supported Stadia on any Android tablet, including its own Pixel Slate.

Previously, you could only stream games from a Galaxy tablet in an experimental setup, just like you could with Android phones not on Google's official list. To do so, you needed to download the Stadia app, navigate to the Settings menu, select the Experiments sub-menu, and then choose "Play on this device."

That said, it remains to be seen when Samsung's foldable phones such as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will pick up support for Stadia.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Render Phantom Black Front Official

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

With four impressive cameras, a stunning display, and S Pen support, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the best Android phones available right now. It's set to pick up Android 12 in the coming months, and it now has official support for Stadia.

Jay Bonggolto
News Writer & Reviewer

Jay Bonggolto always keeps a nose for news. He has been writing about consumer tech and apps for as long as he can remember, and he has used a variety of Android phones since falling in love with Jelly Bean. Send him a direct message via Twitter or LinkedIn.