It’s been a long while since we’ve seen a Fan Edition phone — also known as an FE model — from Samsung. After skipping an FE version for the Galaxy S22, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE arrives in an odd position. One one side is this year’s Galaxy S23 flagship while on the other is the Galaxy A54.
Samsung’s A-series phones have been gaining in popularity, and the Galaxy A54 ranks as the best cheap phone you can buy right now. So it makes me wonder why Samsung decided to pursue the Galaxy S23 FE. One quick cursory look at the phone, I’m instantly reminded about the standard Galaxy S23 — but with some differences to justify the S23 FE’s lower price of $599.
Even with that low price tag, the Galaxy S23 FE features triple cameras, IP68 water resistant construction, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and fast 25W fast charging. On paper, it’s definitely more appealing to bargain hunters than the $799 Galaxy S23, but I’m skeptical it’s enough to convince me it’s a better value than the less expensive Galaxy A54.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Price and availability
Like I said, the $599 cost of the Galaxy S23 FE falls between the Galaxy A54 and Galaxy S23 — both of which were priced at $449 and $799, respectively, at launch. Samsung’s pricing is logical, since it gives consumers an extra option for those not willing to shell out more for the Galaxy S23, but still want more premium features than what the A54 offers.
Preorders for the Galaxy S23 FE are available right now directly through Samsung, prior to the phone’s release on October 26. There will be a total of four color options to choose from: mint, purple, cream, and graphite, which I feel gives the lineup a bit of charm. Meanwhile, the 128GB and 256GB storage options are appropriate for this phone, offering more than ample capacity.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Specifications
Display | 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x |
CPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
Storage | 128GB, 256GB |
Rear cameras | 50MP main + 12MP ultrawide + 8MP telephoto |
Front camera | 10MP |
Battery | 4,500mAh |
Charging | 25W (wired) |
Water resistance | IP68 |
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Design
Checking out the Galaxy S23 FE for the first time, it’s evident that it borrows many of the same design characteristics of the Galaxy S23. In fact, I initially mistook it for the Galaxy S23 with its aluminum frame and the Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back of the phone. It’s also incredibly lightweight at 7.4 ounces.
The Galaxy S23 FE doesn’t feature the most polarizing design I’ve seen, but it doesn’t need to be given its price and where it stands in the lineup of best Samsung phones. At the very least, I’m happy that it’s solidly constructed and features the same IP68 water resistant construction as the S23 — and that’s actually a step up from the Galaxy A54’s IP67 rating.
The color options for the Galaxy S23 FE are delightful too, particularly with the purple and mint options. Usually these mid-rangers stick with neutral tones, such as white and black, so to have two additional colors is surprising.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Display
Samsung’s Galaxy phones have amazing looking displays and the Galaxy S23 FE is no exception. There’s a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display that has vivid colors and wide viewing angles, but it lacks the iridescence that draws me to other displays like the panel on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. That’s a fair compromise that still manages to get the job done when I’m doing things like watching the Super Mario Brothers trailer.
I also like the tiny cutout for the front-facing camera, so it’s not as noticeable — while the bezels around the screen are thin enough to my liking. Until we test the Galaxy S23 FE, it’s tough to say whether it has the brightness to remain visible in direct sunlight, but I at least found it adequate indoors next to a window.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Camera
If there’s one area that intrigues me the most with the Galaxy S23 FE, it has to be the phone’s cameras. You’re treated to a snazzy triple camera setup, consisting of a main 50MP camera, 12MP ultrawide, and an 8MP telephoto. The latter’s a nice touch because I usually don’t expect a zoom lens to be part of the equation on a less expensive phone; instead that third camera is usually reserved for the more novel macro camera.
Having the 3x zoom option does provide some added utility for shutterbugs to get closer, but the Samsung folks I talked to also touted the main camera’s capabilities for shooting in low light. I’m curious how well this statement holds true because low light separates the great camera phones from the good ones.
What I find even more compelling is that the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE offers 8K video capture at 24fps, complementing other go-to capture rates I frequently use in phones such as 4K 60fps and 4K 30fps. This isn’t something you’ll likely find in most mid-range handsets, seeing that 8K video capture is reserved mainly for premium flagships. Neither the iPhone 15 Pro Max or Pixel 7 Pro offers 8K, so to have it available here with for a little less than $600 with the Galaxy S23 FE is a shock.
Then again, it’s one thing to shoot in 8K, but totally another if a camera can actually deliver better quality than standard 4K. Diving deeper into the camera app, it’s apparent that the Galaxy S23 FE keeps creators in mind with its slew of features — including a true manual mode for photos and video, slow motion, hyperlapse, director’s view, and more.
If my main mirrorless camera were to conk out on me, I could very well see myself leaning on the Galaxy S23 FE for backup.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Software
Anyone that’s used a recent Samsung Galaxy device will find the interface familiar with the Galaxy S23 FE. It’s running Samsung’s One UI on top of Android 13 and doesn’t have anything really new or different that I’ve tried with the other phones in the series. I think most people would be satisfied with the minimalist look and smooth operation.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Performance
Speaking of that, the Galaxy S23 FE is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. Again, I wasn’t expecting to find this chip, with perhaps something even more scaled back like the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, but I’m not complaining.
Based on my quick hands-on time, the older Samsung chip is more than effective for everyday tasks, even if it’s not as up-to-date as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 silicon used in the rest of the S23 lineup. Still, I’m curious to see how performance compares to both the Galaxy S23 and A54 in benchmark tests.
For gaming, Samsung notes that the Galaxy S23 FE is equipped with a large vapor chamber to help out with gaming performance. I’m not one to discredit this, especially given how some phones can overheat when pushed with gaming.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Battery
There’s a 4,500 mAh battery inside of the Galaxy S23 FE”s svelte chassis. I suspect that it should match the Galaxy S23’s time of 10 hours and 27 minutes in Tom’s Guide’s battery benchmark test, more so when it’s packaged with a lower capacity 3,900 mAh battery. But to its credit, it shows greater efficiency than most phones. For example, the Galaxy A54’s 5,000 mAh battery eked out 10 hours and 20 minutes with adaptive mode enabled.
Over on the recharging side of things, the Galaxy S23 FE features 25W wired charging that reportedly can charge the phone up to 50% in 30 minutes.
Battery performance is really tough to gauge this early on, but once we’ve put it through some testing, we’ll have a better idea of how it stacks up.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on: Outlook
I understand why the Galaxy S23 FE exists. Not only does it give Sammy a “new’” phone heading into the busy holiday season, but it also gives consumers even more choice — and that’s something I feel is important to note here.
If the Galaxy S23 FE cameras prove to be just as formidable as the Galaxy S23 by delivering outstanding quality, I think this could be one phone uou can’t overlook, even if the A54 is $150 cheaper. There are trade offs to consider, but I think Samsung justifies the Galaxy S23 FE’s exsistance.