It feels like rumors about Samsung's sequel to the Galaxy S21 FE have been in the headlines since forever. In fact, it's been so long that Samsung's new Fan Edition phone, announced moments ago, skipped over the S22 FE moniker and instead is called Galaxy S23 FE. Regardless, the latest installment in the Fan Edition line is finally here, and by the looks of it, it might tick all the right boxes to make up for the wait.
As we've come to expect from FE-branded smartphones, the Galaxy S23 FE is powered by a high-end chipset. It's not the latest, but it is high-end nonetheless.
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In some markets, the Galaxy S23 FE features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, while in others, it sports the Exynos 2200 chip, similar to the Galaxy S22 flagship series released last year. Samsung says gaming is facilitated by a vapor chamber that helps control the heat and sustain performance.
This year's Fan Edition smartphone borrows even more characteristics from flagship Galaxy phones, including a better camera and display, improved build quality, and a revamped exterior design to match the company's current vision.
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The Galaxy S23 FE is equipped with a 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with an adaptive refresh rate of 60-120Hz. And now, it benefits from Vision Booster technology, able to deliver better colors in different lighting conditions.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200 chip is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, and the 4,500mAh battery supports 25W charging, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.
The camera system got upgraded to a 50MP primary shooter boasting optical image stabilization and Adaptive Pixel technology for photos with higher detail without a big increase in file size. There's also a 12MP ultra-wide shooter, an 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 10MP selfie sensor. More so, the camera experience offers flagship-grade features like 2x portrait cropping, Pro Mode, Nightography, advanced VDIS, and an uncompromised Director's View.
Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy S23 FE ships with Android 13 and One UI 5.1. For productivity users, the phone offers DeX. Samsung will support it with four major OS upgrades and five years of security patches.
Last but not least, the exterior design is another area in which the Galaxy S23 FE shines. Similar to the S23 flagship series, the FE phone contains a variety of recycled materials and now boasts a Gorilla Glass 5 back panel and an aluminum frame. It looks like a phone that belongs to the S23 line, complete with individual camera cutouts on the back panel and a flat design.
These upgraded materials also make the phone feel sturdier and heavier. It weighs 209 grams, whereas the Galaxy S21 FE weighs roughly 177 grams. The Galaxy S23 FE has a higher quality feel to it. And if you're worried about water spills, the device boasts an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.
Samsung says the Galaxy S23 FE will be available from October 5 in select markets in four standard color options, Mint, Cream, Graphite, and Purple, and two exclusive colors available only through Samsung's online shop: Indigo and Tangerine. The new Fan Edition phone has a starting price of $599.
