Samsung Galaxy S23 FE : Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) takes flagship and puts it in a high-value package, just like the company’s other phones.
This middle-of-the-road proposition cherry-picks a number of high-end elements from the standard S23 range, while taking a few deliberate hits in order to hit that more affordable price point.
Design and Build Quality
The S23 FE wears Samsung’s evolved design language, it’s simple and clean. Even without those premium materials found on its pricier siblings, it still feels plenty solid with an aluminum frame and glass back.
Just notice that the bezels a little bit thicker than some of the design-oriented models in this category, a small same that makes the IEM you in your hands look good for the price it falls into.
The phone also has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, something not often found on mid-rangers.
Display Excellence
The S23 FE experience is anchored at the display: a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X. The screen offers vibrant colors, deep blacks and buttery-smooth scrolling with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate that’s better than what you’d expect in its price category.
The panel also reportedly has support for HDR10+ content, so you won’t be let down when deservedly streaming media with supporting specs.
It doesn’t reach the same maximum brightness of the flagship models, but is adequate in all but the harshest of outdoor conditions.
Performance Profile
I also don’t know where you’re located, the report mentions Ukraine in the Android Police, but under the hood there can be regional difference, either the Exynos 2200 SoC for some markets and for others the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
Both chips offer decent processing for everyday tasks as well as for some light gaming, though neither will be able to match newer chips from in terms of efficiency or sheer horsepower the standard S23 series.
The 8GB of RAM is sufficient for multitasking, and everything remains snappy when you jump between multiple resource-heavy apps.
Camera Capabilities
The triple camera system is very clearly inspired by previous Samsung flagships with a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide, and 8MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.
Results are generally very good with good dynamic range, and Samsung’s typically vivid colour processing.
Low-light photographs aren’t quite as good as those on the flagship models, but the night mode still manages to produce usable shots in the most challenging situations.
The 10MP front selfie camera makes your self-portraits crisp with strong depth and clarity, and features live focus, enhancing the background blur to add an artistic preference to your images.
Battery and Charging
The 4,500mAh battery has got you covered when it comes to all-day endurance for most usage patterns.
The device is capable of 25W wired charging – not the fastest in its class but plenty for fast enough top-ups.
15W wireless charging, reverse wireless charging and the like are all high-end features not always on tap at this price point.
Software Experience
Samsung’s excellent software support is one of the S23 FE’s greatest draws. The phone comes with One UI which is based on Android 13 and it comes with Samsung’s full range of productivity tools and a user interface that is customisable.
The company promises four major OS updates and five years of security patches, solid longevity for any mid-range rival to try to emulate.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Quality display with 120Hz refresh rate
Market-leading water resistance
Camera system that can be used at various shooting distances
Wireless charging support
Prolonged period of software updates
Decent sounding stereo speakers with plenty of volume and clarity
Cons:
It occasionally stutters with an anemic last-gen processor
Charging is not as fast as competitors
Less efficient Exynos chipset of some regional models.
Poor quality night photography – but what do you expect for the price stringent enough to pack it into the components this good?
Design is non-identifiable as a Samsung phone compared to other Samsung offerings
Only storage expansion is restricted to the cloud type services.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: Final Verdict
The Galaxy S23 FE’s price point is perfect for the consumer looking for premium features without a flagship price tag. It’s a smart blend of compromises that nonetheless keeps the core Samsung experience more or less in tact but saves you a lot of green.
With a pretty display, solid cameras and the most iteration of software yet, this is a compelling package for anyone looking to forgo sky high specs in favour of an overall good experience.
Meanwhile, for anyone priced out of the standard S23 models, the FE offers a neat solution and around 80% of what the flagship provides at a fraction of the cost.
It’s a smart pick for pragmatic consumers looking for a premium-feeling device with longevity thanks to software support.
