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There were updated comparisons to phones at the end of the year.
When the S20 FE was released in 2020, it was considered a "flagship killer" phone by many. Expectations were high when it was rumored that the S21 FE would be released, but it was delayed until after the S22 was released.
The price tag makes no sense now that it has been around for a year. If you wait for the right time, you can get the S21 FE for under $500 but, at full retail price, it's not worth it.
If you happen to find the phone at a discounted price and you're a die-hard fan of the brand, you'll be fine. It's got the same great cameras from the S21 and an in-display fingerprint sensor that works well, but it's held back by a processor from 2020 and haptic motors that make the phone feel cheap.
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| Category | Galaxy S21 FE |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 13 + One UI 5 |
| Display | 6.4 inches, 120Hz refresh rate, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2340 x 1080 resolution |
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 |
| Graphics | Adreno 660 or Mali-G78 MP14 |
| Memory | 6GB or 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB or 256GB |
| Expandable Storage | ❌ |
| Rear Camera | 12MP, ƒ/1.8 (wide-angle)12MP, ƒ/2.2 (ultra-wide) 8MP, / 2.4, 3x optical zoom. |
| Front Camera | 32MP, ƒ/2.2 |
| Security | Optical in-display fingerprint sensor, single-camera face unlock |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 4/5/6, Bluetooth 5.0, 5G |
| Ports | 1x USB Type-C |
| Audio | Stereo speakers |
| Battery | 4500mAh25W Fast Charging15W Wireless Charging There is reverse wireless charging. |
| Water and Dust Resistance | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm |
| Weight | 177g |
| Colors | White, Graphite, Olive, Lavender |
The unlocked version of the S21 FE can be found at all major carriers and at the usual retailers. The price of the S21 FE is the same as the S20 FE, so it's $100 less than the smaller S22
$699.99 is the price for the 6GB RAM with 128GB internal storage version of the S21 FE, while $7699.99 will upgrade that to 8GB RAM with a larger amount of internal storage.
If you trade in your old phone for a new one, you can get a credit towards the purchase of a new device.
The best deals of the day are for the SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 FE.
We loved what the S20 FE had to offer. The price was great and the experience was just as good as a regular S20 for most users. The same thing is held to by the S21 FE. Compared to the S20 FE, it has an upgraded processor that will be able to handle anything you throw at it.
The Galaxy S21 FE is very much a combined and refined version of the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S20 FE.
The S21 FE has a Dynamic AMOLED 2X from the S21 series, which brings about general improvements in image quality and refresh rate tweaks, while game mode is enabled.
While playing fast games that require twitch reflexes, I was able to tell the difference between input and output. The ability to detect touch on the screen twice as fast as the 120Hz display is a result of a 240Hz refresh rate.
Any touches made to the screen are instantaneous because of that. It's the first time that the FE series has used this type of input refresh tech.
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The panel is gorgeous, bright, and smooth when 120Hz mode is on, as you would expect from a display from a company likeSamsung. It's possible to have the best experience without changing a single thing.
The design of the GALAXY S21 FE is very similar to that of the GALAXY S21 and GALAXY S20 FE. The sides of the S21 FE are made of metal and the back is plastic. If you press hard on it, you'll see that it's a nice powdery plastic with no obvious give.
It's more difficult to tell which parts are metal and which are plastic when the body has a matt finish. That is a stark difference from the S21
The metal side rails on the back of the phone make it easier to see the curve. A smooth transition between the back and the hump has been added to the hump camera. The curve on the S21 FE's camera hump is better than the dual-tone colors of the S21 Series.
The in-display fingerprint scanner is super responsive and accurate.
When compared to the S21, the location of the in-display fingerprint reader was lowered. When I pulled the phone out of my pocket, I found that I had unlocked it in the process of grabbing it, because the fingerprint reader was located in the exact location where I grabbed the phone.
OneUI 4 was built upon Android 12 and has been upgraded to OneUI 5. A new theme engine that fixes issues we had with the previous one is one of the new features that comes with that version. The new theme engine allows you to change the color of the interface based on the wallpaper you choose.
One of my favorite reasons to use a phone is Good Lock, because it gives you more options than any other manufacturer. Do you want a screen that is more useful than the stock one? What about the entire history of your notifications? Good Lock is almost always going to allow you to change.
It has the same battery size as last year, but I was able to use it all day. Some users could get the same longevity, because one charging cycle saw almost two full days of use.
Thanks to the 25W wired and 15W wireless charging, power users will be able to get more than a full day of use from this phone. If you need to top up a pair of earbuds, it has reverse wireless charging.
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Despite not having any hardware updates, the camera has seen a few changes and improvements. The one on the regular S21 has a higher resolution than the one on the telephoto camera. I didn't see a difference between the two phones, and in some cases, the S21 FE had more detail when zooming in more than 3x.
I preferred the images from the S21 FE over the ones from the S21
The 30x space zoom is a hybrid digital and optical zoom that can be used in photo mode. The video mode is limited to a maximum zoom of 10x.
I preferred the images from the S21 FE over the ones from the S21
Adding more shadow detail and balancing out highlights is slightly better for the S21 than for the S21, which seems to have further enhanced theHDR processing.
I preferred the Pixel 6 photo more than the one on the phone. At the end of the day, Google's processing still does a better job than anyone else.
Video recording is the only place where the S21 FE fell behind. It's not likely that most people will care about this feature at all.
When the S20 FE launched, it surprised a lot of people because it slashed the price of the S20 by $300. The difference in price between the two phones makes it feel like less of a win for customers.
The problem now is that too many other phones are available in the same price range and offer a better overall experience.
Too many other phones in the same price range offer a better experience. The phones that offer better cameras than the S21 FE are the ones that are included in this.
Carrier deals make these waters muddy. It's likely that you can get a good deal on the S21 FE, but it's also likely that you'll find the S22 or the S7 for less. Customers who don't care about high refresh rate displays and just want a solid phone with an award-winning camera can get the Pixel 6a.
On the hardware side of things, my biggest disappointment with the S21 FE is the fact that it doesn't have a home button. TheGalaxy S21 FE's haptic motor feels cheap and old, delivering that harsh, imprecise vibration of the phones of yore. They still feel more in the budget category than anything else despite the marginal upgrade from the S20 FE's vibration motors.
Pixel haptics absolutely slay the ones on the S21 FE.
It's not a big deal if you turn on the feedback immediately, but it's a big deal if you've become a snob about it.
The difference between this phone and the one on the other side of the country are not the same. One of those seemingly small features that actually provides a better overall experience over time is the S21 FE's ability to slay the ones on thePixel 6. I still like the idea of using the phone in a way that makes me feel good.
The price of the phone makes it the most direct competitor to the S21 FE. The Pixel 7 is a better value than the S21 FE because it is $100 less. It has a better camera and a better design. I like the visual design of the phone, but it's not the best for power users who want more options.
It is possible for carriers to offer a better deal on the S22 than on the S21 FE. When you trade in an old phone for a new one, US carriers often give you a free phone. The decision is easy to make in that situation. The S22 is available for purchase. You should be willing to make feature concessions if you get something older than that.
If you do, you should purchase this.
If you want to buy this, you should not.
With increased competition this year, and the fact that less expensive phones like the Pixel 6a are as good as they are, there's a strange corner for theGalaxy S21 FE. It's an upgrade over the S20 FE, but it's hard to justify spending $700 on a phone that isn't even a flagship. The Pixel 7 is a better buy if you want to keep using the software.
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