has Mail Privacy Protection ✖ Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G ✖ Samsung Galaxy S23 Mail Privacy Protection is a feature built into the default email app that blocks senders from using “tracking pixels” to see when you’ve read an email. Competing services upload the photos and perform this on their servers, which requires the sharing of personal data.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: Should you upgrade?
Samsung is back with the 2023 refresh of the crowd-favorite, the Galaxy FE series. The FE philosophy is only to make a few changes while delivering a close-to-flagship experience. To that end, the Galaxy S21 FE won a lot of hearts, though many found its launch pricing funny. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE USA: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Gorilla Glass Victus front Samsung Galaxy S21 FE White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Mint, Purple, Cream, Graphite And that’s not a bad thing per se since the Galaxy S21 FE came with a well-appreciated spec sheet.
The most significant point of difference is the switch over to the newer Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC over the Snapdragon 888 SoC in the US and the Exynos 2200 over the Exynos 2100 globally.
Eric Zeman / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S21 FE It’s a fine enough processor in terms of performance, but we’ve seen it hog battery and heat up too quickly in previous devices. The processor refresh on the Galaxy S23 FE is a big highlight, but Samsung could have used a newer, better chip.
There are 128GB and 256GB internal storage options on both phones, though neither offers microSD card expandability. Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Eric Zeman / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Other minor changes on the Galaxy S23 FE include support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
In comparison, the Galaxy S21 FE supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. You get a 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate on both phones.
Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Samsung’s excellent update promise has not changed with the Galaxy S23 FE, but since this is a new device, it is launching with One UI 5.1 based on Android 13 in 2023.
Eric Zeman / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The Galaxy S23 FE is taller at 157.9mm, wider at 76.5mm, and marginally thicker at 8.1mm. Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
The Galaxy S21 FE has a 12MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS. On the other hand, the Galaxy S23 FE upgrades this to a 50MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE primary camera samples The selfie camera on the Galaxy S23 FE sees a resolution downgrade, going down to 10MP with f/2.4 aperture and Dual Pixel tech from the 32MP with f/2.2 aperture on the Galaxy S21 FE. Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S23 FE The 4,500mAh battery on the Galaxy S21 FE lasts for a day and a half of regular use, and you can expect some efficiency gains on the Galaxy S23 FE from the new processor, but nothing too drastically different. As a result, many did not properly appreciate the value that the Galaxy S21 FE brought to the table despite its decent spec sheet. Samsung is fixing some of the mistakes with the Galaxy S23 FE, which has a significantly lower starting price of $599 despite the improved specifications. This puts a reasonable $200 price gap between the FE and the Galaxy S23, giving users a more substantial value for money than its predecessor. Eric Zeman / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S21 FE We’ll even see the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in a few weeks after the phone hits shelves! Ryan Haines / Android Authority Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
Unless you absolutely need to buy a Samsung device only, there are other options you should explore. Samsung’s own Galaxy A54 5G ($449.99 at Samsung) lets you save some more money and makes fair compromises, while Google’s upcoming Pixel 8 is worth watching for if your budget is flexible.
And if your budget is relaxed, the Galaxy S23 ($799 at Amazon) should be on your radar for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor alone, especially if you can find it on sale. But be aware of the generational upgrades of performance and efficiency that you are missing out on due to the older processor.
The Galaxy S23 FE is a good device, but it’s not quite a home run. They are not completely waterproof, though, but can survive submersion 1.5m deep in fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
The Galaxy S23 FE supports dual physical SIM cards and eSIM (maximum of two active SIMs) in some regions, so we recommend checking in with your local Samsung authorized store for a confirmation.
Samsung Galaxy S23 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Specification Samsung Galaxy S23 5G Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Display 6.1 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 120 Hz 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 120 Hz OS Android v13 Android v11 Battery 3900 mAh, Li-ion Battery 4500 mAh, Li-Po Battery CPU 3.36 GHz, Octa Core Processor 2.9 GHz, Octa Core Processor RAM 8 GB 8 GB Price ₹74,999 ₹33,499
Galaxy S23 FE vs Galaxy S21 FE: upgrades to look forward to
We have a brand new set of chips (Snapdragon or Exynos), upgraded main and selfie cameras, and the back panel is no longer plastic, which is even more surprising given the $100 lower launch price compared to the S21 FE. We have a brand new set of chips (Snapdragon or Exynos), upgraded main and selfie cameras, and the back panel is no longer plastic, which is even more surprising given the $100 lower launch price compared to the S21 FE. The Galaxy S23 FE is larger than its predecessor in every dimension, and thanks to its new glass back panel it is also heavier.
That is to say, it adopts the same 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, a screen refresh rate of 120Hz, and HDR support.
With a slightly larger body and the display not getting any bigger, the bezels seem to be a bit thicker than the predecessor. Galaxy S23 FE comes in two variants, one equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (for the US), and one with the Exynos 2200 (for the rest of the world). On top of being a newly released model, it also comes with one more year of software support compared to its predecessor. Samsung has not come out to specify this in any way, but judging by the specifications that the main camera comes with, there is a really good chance it is the same one as on the flagship Galaxy S23 , which should mean a jump in image quality.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 are both built on the 4-nanometer process, and they perform more or less the same when it comes to efficiency, so we shouldn’t see too much of a difference between the two. We can expect the S23 FE to beat those numbers by at least an hour or two in each segment once we put it through our dedicated battery life tests. While the S23 FE’s spec sheet shows the same 4,500mAh battery that the S21 FE has, we still expect to see some improvement with the battery life, mainly because of the more power-efficient chipsets.The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 are both built on the 4-nanometer process, and they perform more or less the same when it comes to efficiency, so we shouldn’t see too much of a difference between the two.For context, thegot around 7 hours of video streaming, 10 hours of web browsing, and 5 hours of gaming at 120Hz in our independent tests. We can expect the S23 FE to beat those numbers by at least an hour or two in each segment once we put it through our dedicated battery life tests.Charging-wise, we get the same watts for all charging-related specs, meaning 25W with a cable, 15W wireless, and 4.5W reverse-wireless.
It comes with an upgraded flagship-level chipset and more RAM, a more capable main camera, possible longer battery life, and nice new glass back panel to make it feel more premium. What makes this package truly a better deal than the predecessor, however, is the new price that is now $100 lower, starting at $599 for the base model This surely saves the S23 FE a spot for the best mid-range phones in 2023.
After all, the whole idea of the series is to show the fans some love by offering them an almost premium experience for a significantly lower cost.
Stay tuned for our final comparison with detailed information and tests done to the new Galaxy Fan Edition!
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