Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G initial review: A fan phone worth having?

(Pocket-lint) - Samsung seems to person adopted the FE - instrumentality variation - arsenic a bully thing, utilizing it arsenic a method of bringing different instrumentality to marketplace with much assertive pricing, erstwhile flagship models are retired of the way.

As with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, the Galaxy S21 FE arrives arsenic if popped retired of the S21 mould, with a cheaper price, a fewer tweaks present and there, but precise overmuch the aforesaid experience.

The timing of the accomplishment of the Galaxy S21 FE raises a fewer questions: the S21 models aren't overmuch much costly and the Galaxy S22 is astir to launch, truthful however does this acceptable into the cycle?

Design and build

• 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm, 177g
• Plastic back
• Gorilla Glass Victus
• IP68

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE carries the aforesaid wide plan arsenic the Samsung Galaxy S21 models, peculiarly the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21+. The size of this instrumentality means it sits betwixt those 2 devices and the plan differences are minor.

There is simply a flimsy quality however. The framework of the Galaxy S21 FE runs consecutive astir the edges of the phone, portion connected the S21 and S21+, it extends astir the edges of the country camera bump too. Here the camera bump is moulded from the aforesaid portion arsenic the backplate, much similar the 2021 Galaxy A models.

The different insignificant quality is that the Galaxy S21 FE is beauteous overmuch level connected the rear, portion the S21 models curve somewhat into the framework connected the trailing edge; fixed the size of the S21 FE, this doesn't marque overmuch of a quality - indeed, we similar the symmetry of the design.

The S21 FE volition travel successful 4 colours - Olive, Graphite, Lavender, White - truthful there's not the aforesaid assortment that determination was for the S20 FE, but we fishy the Graphite/black shown present volition beryllium the astir popular.

It's a good-looking telephone and contempt having a integrative back, it feels coagulated and the matte decorativeness is welcomed.

To springiness immoderate protection, there's an IP68 waterproof rating, portion the show is covered with Gorilla Glass Victus - which is the apical people from Corning and should assistance support scratches off. There's nary mill fitted surface protector.

Display

• 6.4in, 2340 x 1080, 120Hz
• AMOLED

With a 6.4-inch display, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, arsenic we said, slots successful betwixt the 2 smaller Galaxy S21 models. It's a level display, a azygous punch spread centre aligned astatine the apical of the page.

As is customary from Samsung it's an AMOLED sheet - oregon Dynamic AMOLED 2X arsenic Samsung calls it - with the prime of 60 oregon 120Hz refresh rates. This doesn't person the aforesaid adaptive refresh rates offered by the Galaxy S21 models.

But it does transportation with it that Samsung AMOLED look that's truthful favoured successful smartphones, with heavy blacks and vibrant colours. We've not spent agelong capable with this instrumentality to afloat measure the display, but archetypal impressions are good.

One of the changes compared to the erstwhile mentation of this telephone is simply a simplification successful the width of the apical bezel (slightly).

One of the absorbing things is that Samsung ships this telephone with on-screen navigation arsenic default, meaning you person to power to Android's motion navigation successful the settings if you would alternatively usage that. The constrictive bezel astatine the bottommost of the telephone makes motion navigation a small much fiddly than immoderate devices we've utilized - but we'll spot however we accommodate to this implicit the coming days and weeks.

There's besides an in-display fingerprint scanner and this, truthful far, appears to beryllium a bully performer, speedy to registry prints and speedy to unlock.

Hardware and performance

• Snapdragon 888 oregon Exynos 2100, 6/8GB RAM, 128/256GB
• 4500mAh battery, 25W wired/15W wireless charging

True to form, Samsung launched the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE saying that it was powered by a 5nm octo-core processor, alternatively than specifying the details. Again, it's a instrumentality that mightiness person Snapdragon successful 1 determination and mightiness person Exynos successful another.

For the Galaxy S20 FE this was elemental - the 5G mentation was Snapdragon and the 4G mentation was Exynos. For the Galaxy S21 FE that favoritism isn't truthful evident and it appears determination volition beryllium some Snapdragon and Exynos versions - with Snapdragon 888 successful Europe and the US, but with Exynos 2100 getting listed successful immoderate different regions, similar Australia, and we expect it volition beryllium successful immoderate Asian versions.

There are options for RAM and storage, though that lifts the price, and there's nary enactment for microSD, which determination was connected the erstwhile device, truthful that's a nonaccomplishment you'll feel.

The artillery is simply a 4500mAh compartment with enactment for 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. These aren't the fastest rates retired determination and there's nary charger successful the box, truthful if you privation faster charging, you'll person to caput retired an bargain a compatible charger.

That 25W wired charging is simply a small dilatory by existent standards, but Samsung seems to beryllium blessed with it arsenic it was the lawsuit for the Galaxy S21 models too.

We've not spent agelong capable with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE to afloat measure its performance, but we'll beryllium utilizing this telephone implicit the coming weeks to afloat measure it.

Cameras

• Triple camera system
  • Main: 12MP, f/1.8, OIS
  • Ultra-wide: 12MP, f/2.2
  • Telephoto: 8MP, f/2.4, 3x optical, 30x integer zoom
• Front: 32MP, f/2.2

There's a reasonably predictable postulation of cameras connected the Galaxy S21 FE. The main camera is Samsung's Dual Pixel 12-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 lens. We've seen a akin statement connected a batch of Samsung phones and it's akin to the Galaxy S21 and S21+, which we expected.

One alteration is the telephoto lens, which present uses a 12-megapixel sensor alternatively than the 64-megapixel sensor connected the Galaxy S21. One of the details you miss with this power is that there's nary enactment to sprout 8K video here, not that that truly matters close now.

The telephoto offers 3x optical zoom and 30x Space Zoom, which is Samsung's sanction for integer zoom. We've seen each this earlier and we'll beryllium comparing it to caller devices and different Samsung models successful the adjacent aboriginal to springiness it a afloat assessment.

The beforehand camera is 32-megapixels, again we can't truly recognize wherefore Samsung is opting for much megapixels connected the beforehand camera. There's adjacent the enactment to sprout astatine afloat solution and we can't spot wherefore anyone would earnestly privation to bash that.

Of people the impervious of the pudding is successful the eating and we'll beryllium giving this camera strategy a afloat workout to spot however it performs and bringing you a afloat reappraisal shortly.

Software

• Android 12
• One UI 4.0

The bundle loadout of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is astatine slightest up to date, arriving with Android 12 retired of the box. Samsung has besides done good with updates implicit the past procreation of phones, which bodes good for the aboriginal of this device.

It comes with Samsung's One UI 4.0, rolling unneurotic immoderate of the latest Android features with Samsung's latest tweaks.

We've agelong been fans of Samsung's bundle offering, arsenic it provides plentifulness of options for customisation, including immoderate lifted from Android's caller Material You offering, wherever you tin easy alteration the colour palette to lucifer the wallpaper.

We'll update with immoderate show observations we person connected the bundle positioning of this instrumentality successful the adjacent future.

Writing by Chris Hall. Originally published connected 6 January 2022.