Samsung’s S series continues to dominate the world of Android flagships, with a premium price tag to match. But not everyone can afford to splurge on the latest and greatest Galaxy phone, even if they love Samsung’s ecosystem of devices. That’s why Samsung offers the Fan Edition lineup of smartphones that offer many of the same features and benefits but at a much more reasonable cost.
The specs are so good on paper, in fact, that it made us question whether buying the Galaxy S23 is even worth it. We’re talking about the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, of course, and here are some reasons why we think the phone challenges the need for flagship spending.
Design and display
The Galaxy S23 FE is a close cousin of the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+, sharing the same triple camera setup at the back that gives it a distinctive ‘Samsung’ look that you can recognise from a mile away. Samsung calls it the “floating camera” design and it’s very sleek and simple, with no unnecessary camera specs printed on the back of the phone. This design is now common across all Samsung phones, but the Galaxy S23 FE has something extra: a Gorilla Glass 5 back. This, along with the aluminium frame, makes the phone feel solid and premium in the hand.
But while the phone looks and feels premium, it is not very comfortable to hold. The aluminium frame has a slight curve, but it does not merge smoothly with the glass on both sides. The edges are sharp and they dig into your palm, which can get irritating after some time. You will need a case if you like to use your phone for long hours. This was not an issue with the Galaxy S series as far as I remember, so it seems that Samsung has deliberately tried to create some difference between the series in terms of in-hand comfort.
On the front, you can see more signs of cost-cutting – the Galaxy S23 FE’s display has thick bezels all around. In fact, they are thicker than its predecessor (Galaxy S21 FE). They are not too annoying, but they are still quite noticeable compared to what other phones offer at this price.
It’s what rests inside those bezels that helps keep my mind off the bezels. The 6.4-inch AMOLED display can reach a peak brightness of 1450 nits and it’s stunning to look at. The display has a slightly warm tone by default, which I found quite soothing to the eyes, but you can change it if you prefer a different colour temperature.
Performance and software
The Exynos 2200 is the engine that drives the Galaxy S23 FE, but it’s not without its drawbacks. To be clear, the Exynos 2200 is a great performer with day-to-day tasks. There are no stutters or scroll lags. With care, you’ll probably also be able to eke an entire day out of the (relatively small) 4,500mAh battery under the hood.
The Galaxy S23 FE falls short when it comes to gaming, though. I didn’t have any problems with temperature while playing games like BGMI and Wreckfest, except for a slight warmth, but did notice that some games were not well-optimized for this chip. BGMI ran at HDR + Ultra, which means no 60 FPS at the highest graphics settings, and Wreckfest was choppy at max graphics – something that’s not a problem to this chip’s Qualcomm equivalent. You’ll be forced to dial down the graphics across demanding games, but I didn’t run into any issues with light gaming.
Swipe out of a game and you land into One UI 5.1 running Android 13. It’s not the latest version, but it doesn’t matter much since Samsung promises four years of OS updates and five years of security patches. One UI is one of the most feature-rich Android skins out there, and it comes with its own set of apps that run alongside Google’s. Depending on how much you use Google’s services, you may like or dislike this. I personally am a big fan of Samsung apps for their functionality, design, and the level of polish you’d be hard-pressed to find on any other Android skin.
For example, Samsung Wallet can act virtually as the DigiLocker app, storing all your cards like Aadhaar and driver’s license and making them accessible with just a swipe on your home screen. This handy app also supports UPI payments – you can practically leave your wallet at home. This is just one of the many Samsung ecosystem apps that are worth mentioning – there are others like Samsung Pass to save your passwords, SmartThings to find lost Samsung devices and control smart home devices. It’s a thriving ecosystem that rivals only Apple’s.
Camera
The camera is another strong suit of the Galaxy S23 FE. Samsung’s camera tuning seems to be favouring a more natural look overall of late and I absolutely dig that.
The main 50MP camera delivers excellent picture quality in daylight, with high levels of detail and colour accuracy. It also performs well in low-light and night scenes, thanks to the smart Night mode that automatically kicks in when needed. The details are impressive, though some noise may be visible in dark areas like the night sky.
The 8MP 3x zoom camera is also a nice addition that lets you get closer to your subjects without losing much quality. It works best in daylight, as the images can get soft at night.
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The 12MP ultrawide camera is another useful feature that lets you capture more of the scene in one shot. My favourite bit about the camera system was the consistency across the three sensors. Whether it’s the primary, telephoto, or ultrawide lenses, the photos maintained excellent consistency – something most Android phones struggle with.
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is an excellent all-rounder with design and software being its strongest suits. If you are a fan of One UI and have been eyeing Samsung flagships for the longest time, the Galaxy S23 FE will not disappoint with its excellent software experience and impressive cameras.
However, if you’re looking for a gaming phone with a snazzier design, you’d be better off with something like the OnePlus 11 or Vivo X90. We’d also recommend taking a look at the Snapdragon 888-powered Galaxy S21 FE, which turns into a far better value proposition with discounts.
