The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE aims to capture the broad aspects that make the Galaxy S23 a great phone while also cutting down on the subtleties to reach budget pricing. Although you might be wary of a phone designed as a low-quality version of another, the Galaxy S23 packs great features that make it a worthwhile purchase in 2023.
We picked our favorite features of the Galaxy S23 FE. It’s a great phone from top to bottom, and you can enjoy all the excellent features introduced in One UI 6.
A beautiful screen that doesn’t cut important corners
The display is one of the simplest elements of a phone to cut corners on. In an age when budget Android phones offer great screens, you can’t go too far. Samsung found the perfect compromise with the Galaxy S23 FE. The large bezels don’t affect the screen quality.
The screen of the Galaxy S23 FE has larger bezels than the Galaxy S23. They are almost the same size as the Galaxy A54 (ie, no issues). Even if you can’t afford large bezels, it’s hard not to be impressed by the 120Hz screen that reaches 1,450 nits at peak brightness. Whether you’re gaming, watching videos, or scrolling Instagram, the Galaxy S23 FE’s screen is great.
Powerful hardware can handle gaming with ease
One key difference between the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and the S23 FE is the use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset instead of the Gen 2. This compromise reduces the price of the fan version but doesn’t have much impact on your daily usage. ,
Despite our issues with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset on the Galaxy S22, our time with the Galaxy S23 FE was crash-free. Although the phone sometimes gets warm during long sessions, it played games for hours without any issues.
Big battery will last you all day
The Galaxy S23 FE has a larger battery than the Galaxy S23. While the more efficient chipset in the latter narrows the gap slightly, the Galaxy S23 FE’s battery life is excellent.
In our time with the Galaxy S23 FE, we clocked in at around six to eight hours of screen time with average usage, which dropped to around four to five hours with heavy battery life. If you are conscious of your usage, you can easily manage more than 10 hours.
If caught low, the S23 FE can be fully charged in less than two hours with 25W charging. Overall, this is a great battery that won’t give you any trouble.
Optimized camera perfect for everyday use
The Galaxy S23 FE’s camera may not win photography awards, but it’s more than capable of documenting your day for Instagram. The 50MP rear camera handles daylight shots of still objects. Night-time photos of confusing subjects like fireworks do well on social media.
Prepare for night shots by locking down the brightness slider and finding a good focus point.
For a $600 phone, we’re impressed with the Galaxy S23 FE’s camera. While the side-by-side comparison of photos taken with the S23 Ultra is obviously different, they’re more than enough for the casual user scrolling through Instagram. (Do not attempt to capture a precise shot of a moving object).
long software support
Samsung hasn’t made any compromises with the software of the Galaxy S23 FE. It’s the same flavor of OneUI found on everything from the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to the Galaxy S23 Ultra, so you can expect to enjoy the best parts of Android 14. The best part is that Samsung’s commitment to software support extends to Fan Edition devices.
You can expect four years of software support with the Galaxy S23 FE. This means that it will receive security updates and Android OS updates until 2027. This is great news for a budget device, even if Google recently set a new standard with the promise of seven years of support for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Textured frame improves your grip
Not everyone enjoys using a case. In an age where most smartphones are slippery glass blocks, you’re asking for trouble if you don’t slap one on. The Galaxy S23 FE Matte Frame is essential if your phone constantly drops. This adds a light but noticeable texture to the frame that is easy to hold. While we recommend using a case, the Galaxy S23 FE is easier to hold than other mid-range Android phones.
The most affordable S23 device has some cool tricks
The Galaxy S23 FE achieves a lot for a $600 device. While you should be aware of its shortcomings before choosing it instead of more expensive models, it remains one of our favorite Android phones of 2023.
The biggest problem with the Galaxy S23 FE isn’t the phone. It was launched in a crowded series of great Samsung phones. From the expensive but great Galaxy Z Fold 5 to the budget gem that is the Galaxy A14, there are plenty of alternative Samsung phones worth considering.