Samsung is back with its latest FE smartphone, and it looks phenomenal.
Samsung pulled a stroke of genius with its Galaxy S20 FE back in 2020. The smartphone featured a mid-range price tag while spotting flagship-level hardware.
Unfortunately, the company has a bit of misfortune with the next FE smartphone, the Galaxy S21 FE, and was even forced to cancel its successor, the Galaxy S22 FE.
Due to popular demand, and after detailed leaks showing the device from every angle, the Korean tech giant is back with another FE smartphone, the Galaxy S23 FE, and here’s what you need to know about it.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE design & features
The Galaxy FE series is Samsung practically dishing out a few flagship-level features at a more affordable price point. So, there will be a few cutbacks and surprising, jaw-dropping elements.
Like the Galaxy S23 FE design, while the new phone looks great, it won’t turn any heads as it carries the same design language as the cheaper Galaxy A series smartphones.
But the durability is reassuring with an IP68 dust and water-resistance rating. So, you can dunk the phone as long as it is not salt water.
We also have here some pretty sizable bezels, an aluminum frame with rounded edges, and a glass (Gorilla Glass 5) back with camera cutouts.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy S23 FE is still stuck with the same 6.4-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate.
You are also getting an under-display fingerprint sensor. Still, due to price cuts, it’s of the optical variety instead of the more reliable ultrasonic sensor featured on the Galaxy S23 line.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE specs
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Display | 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Full HD+ (2340×1080), 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (60Hz-120Hz) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (US)/Exynos 2200 |
| RAM & Storage | 8GB & 128GB/256GB |
| Camera | Rear: 50MP Primary (f/1.8), 84-degree FOV, adaptive pixel 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 123-degree FOV 8MP telephoto (f/2.4), 32-degree FOV, 3x optical zoom Front: 10MP front camera (f/2.4), 80-degree FOV |
| Battery & Charging | 4,500 mAh 25W wired charging, fast wireless charging 2.0 (15W), wireless PowerShare (4.5W) |
| Protection | IP68 dust and water-resistance |
| Software | Android 13 |
| Dimensions & Weight | 157.9 x 76.5 x 8.1mm (6.22×3.01×0.32 inches) 209g (0.46 pounds) |
| Colors | Cream, Graphite, Mint, Purple Samsung Exclusive: Tangerine, Indigo |
| Price | Starts at $599 |
You will find the Galaxy S23 FE specs familiar as it ships with mostly the same hardware as its predecessors, with some key differences in the processor and camera departments.
Depending on the region, the Galaxy S23 FE sticks with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Exynos 2200 chipset. If you were expecting the latest flagship processor, you will be disappointed.
US consumers are getting a taste of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, as the leaks foretold, but surprisingly, Samsung didn’t do for the superior Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Maybe they were short on budget; who knows?
So, this new processor basically means the Galaxy S23 FE will have plenty of processing power but not on par with the flagship Galaxy S23 variants.
On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 FE sports 8GB of RAM and 128/256GB of internal storage. We are glad to see Samsung extending memory to 8GB.
The smartphone also ships with Android 13, promising four major OS updates and five years of security patches.
A new camera setup for the S23 FE
The primary camera of the Galaxy S23 FE has changed to a 50MP shooter, which lines up with the S23 FE camera leak we saw earlier. The previous generations offered only 12MP.
This solid upgrade enables the Galaxy FE’s camera to do wonders in daylight conditions. Additionally, Samsung is working on the so-called “Nightography,” so low-light conditions won’t also be an issue.
There’s also a 12MP ultrawide camera and an 8MP 3x telephoto lens. They are fundamentally the same as the previous generations. A 10MP selfie camera is onboard, which is a downgrade compared to the Galaxy S21 FE’s 32MP shooter.
In terms of the battery life and charging, do not expect anything groundbreaking. The Galaxy S23 FE offers the same 4,500 mAh battery as its predecessors.
Still, it’s a significant upgrade compared to the base model Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S23 but definitely falls short of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The charging speed is still the same 25W, and if it’s anything like the Galaxy S21 FE, expect a full charger within 90 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE release date, price, colors, and availability
The Korean tech giant unveiled the Galaxy S23 FE on October 4, but the phone will be available in the US from October 26.
There are no more details here, but we guess the smartphone will be available through Samsung’s website and e-commerce site Amazon in North America and Europe. It’s likely the S23 FE will be available in select markets.
We will update you when more information comes about its availability.
The Galaxy S23 FE is available in four colorways, as rumored: Cream, Graphite, Mint, and Purple. And there are two additional colorways, Indigo and Tangerine, which will only be available through Samsung.com.
Samsung’s Galaxy Fan Edition smartphone remains true to its budget-friendly nature with a price tag of $599 for the 8GB/128GB variant in the US. There’s also a 256GB variant, but Samsung hasn’t revealed its price yet.
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