The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) is a testament to Samsung’s ability to blend affordability with premium features, offering users a near-flagship experience without the hefty price tag. Launched in October 2023, this device caters to consumers who want many of the features found in the more expensive Galaxy S23 lineup but are unwilling to pay top dollar. In this comprehensive review, we will explore the design, display, performance, camera capabilities, battery life, and software of the Galaxy S23 FE, giving you a thorough understanding of what this phone brings to the table.
Design and Build Quality
Samsung has maintained a consistent design language across its Galaxy S23 series, and the S23 FE is no exception. It features a clean, minimalist look with a flat front and a glossy glass back. The phone is available in a range of colors, including Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Purple, with online-exclusive colors like Tangerine and Indigo. This selection ensures that users have plenty of aesthetic options to choose from, making it a visually appealing device.
The S23 FE’s 6.4-inch screen places it between the Galaxy S23 (6.1-inch) and the S23+ (6.6-inch) in terms of size. Its Gorilla Glass 5 protection adds a layer of durability to both the front and back, a feature that feels premium, though not as strong as the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 used in its pricier siblings. The phone also boasts IP68 water and dust resistance, making it more robust for everyday use.
However, the thick bezels surrounding the display may feel slightly outdated for some users. While these bezels don’t severely impact the user experience, they stand out when compared to the slimmer frames seen in competitors’ phones. Still, the metal and glass build give it a sturdy, premium feel that is impressive for a device in this price range.
Display: Vivid and Sharp
The 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is one of the standout features of the Galaxy S23 FE. Known for producing vivid colors, deep blacks, and sharp contrasts, this display supports HDR10+ and offers a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and gaming. The refresh rate dynamically adjusts between 60Hz and 120Hz based on the content displayed, allowing for a balance between fluidity and power efficiency.
With a peak brightness of 1,450 nits, the S23 FE’s screen performs well even under bright sunlight. While this brightness level is slightly lower than the peak brightness of the standard S23 models, it still offers excellent visibility in various lighting conditions.
Color accuracy on the display is superb, and the screen’s Full HD+ (1080 x 2340 pixels) resolution delivers sharp and crisp visuals. This makes the phone ideal for media consumption, whether you’re watching high-definition videos or playing games with intricate graphics. Overall, the display is one of the best you can get at this price point, and it upholds Samsung’s reputation for making some of the best mobile screens in the market.
Performance: Power-Packed for Daily Use
Performance is a critical aspect of any smartphone, and the Galaxy S23 FE does not disappoint. Depending on the region, the phone is powered either by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor (in markets like the U.S.) or Samsung’s Exynos 2200 (in Europe and other regions). Both chipsets offer flagship-level performance, though the Snapdragon variant is known to be slightly more efficient and offers better thermal management.
With up to 8GB of RAM, the S23 FE is well-equipped for multitasking, handling multiple apps, and even demanding games. Apps open quickly, and navigating through Samsung’s One UI 6.0 interface (based on Android 14) is smooth. The One UI 6.0 adds several customization options and productivity features, like Samsung DeX support, which allows the phone to be used in a desktop-like environment when connected to a monitor or TV.
While the Exynos 2200 is not as power-efficient as the Snapdragon chipset, it still delivers strong performance for daily tasks. The phone handles most applications, games, and multitasking without any noticeable slowdowns. However, when it comes to heavy gaming or extended usage, the Exynos version might heat up slightly more than its Snapdragon counterpart, though it remains manageable.
The phone comes with either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, but there is no microSD card slot for expandable storage, which might be a downside for some users who require more space for apps, games, or media.
Camera: Versatile but Falls Short in Some Areas
The triple camera setup on the Galaxy S23 FE consists of a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. This setup is similar to what we see on the more expensive Galaxy S23 models, but with a few cost-saving compromises.
The 50MP primary sensor delivers excellent photos in most lighting conditions. Daylight shots are vibrant, with plenty of detail and good dynamic range. Samsung’s image processing tends to boost colors slightly, but this results in photos that are visually appealing, even if they’re not always the most accurate.
Low-light performance is where the S23 FE slightly struggles. While the phone has a dedicated night mode, the images sometimes exhibit noise and a loss of detail, especially in very dark environments. That said, the auto night mode does a decent job of balancing exposure, and casual photographers will still find it satisfactory for most nighttime scenarios.
The 12MP ultrawide camera is capable of capturing broad landscapes and group shots. However, as with most ultrawide lenses, there is some distortion at the edges of the frame, and details can be softer, especially in lower light. The 8MP telephoto camera provides 3x optical zoom, but its performance lags behind competitors like the Google Pixel 7a, which offers better results with its digital zoom algorithms. The S23 FE’s telephoto camera struggles in low light and has difficulty focusing at times.
On the front, the 10MP selfie camera is reliable for social media photos and video calls. It offers portrait mode, which does a good job of detecting edges and applying a natural background blur. While it isn’t groundbreaking, it is more than adequate for most users’ selfie needs.
Battery Life: Reliable but Not Extraordinary
The Galaxy S23 FE is powered by a 4,500mAh battery, which offers reliable battery life but doesn’t stand out compared to its competition. The battery easily lasts a full day with moderate usage, which includes browsing the web, using social media apps, streaming videos, and some light gaming. For heavier use, including extended gaming sessions or constant video recording, the battery life may drop significantly, requiring a mid-day recharge.
The phone supports 25W fast charging, which is not the fastest in the market but will get the job done. It can charge the phone from 0 to about 50% in 30 minutes, which is convenient for users in a hurry. Additionally, the device supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, allowing you to charge other devices like earbuds on the back of the phone.
While the battery life is decent for everyday tasks, heavy users might find themselves charging the device more often. Competing devices in this price range, like the Pixel 7a, may offer better battery management for prolonged gaming or intensive tasks.
Software and Updates: Long-Term Support
Samsung’s One UI 6.0 offers a polished and feature-rich experience on top of Android 14. The interface is packed with useful features, including split-screen multitasking, customizable themes, and Samsung DeX. One of the major selling points of the Galaxy S23 FE is Samsung’s commitment to software updates. The phone is guaranteed to receive four major Android updates and five years of security updates, which is excellent for a device in this price range.
However, some users might find the sheer amount of pre-installed software, or bloatware, to be overwhelming. Samsung includes its own set of apps alongside Google’s services, which leads to some unnecessary duplication. Fortunately, many of these apps can be disabled or uninstalled, but it would be nice to see fewer out of the box.
Conclusion: A Worthy Contender in the Mid-Range Market
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is an impressive device that offers many flagship features at a more affordable price. With a solid build quality, vibrant display, reliable performance, and a versatile camera system, it is a well-rounded phone that will appeal to a broad audience. Its main competitors, such as the Google Pixel 7a and OnePlus Nord 3, offer slightly better performance in specific areas like camera quality or battery life, but the S23 FE holds its own, especially when considering Samsung’s excellent software support.
While there are a few compromises, such as the thicker bezels, less efficient telephoto camera, and a battery that could be more powerful, these drawbacks are relatively minor in the grand scheme of things. For users looking for a phone that offers many of the perks of a flagship without the accompanying price, the Galaxy S23 FE is a compelling choice. It is designed for those who want to experience Samsung’s ecosystem and enjoy a feature-rich phone without spending top dollar.