The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE evaluation reveals a smartphone that delivers spectacular efficiency, a wonderful digicam, and premium options regardless of arriving later than anticipated. On this evaluation, we’ll dive into its design, show, battery life, and total worth to see if the S21 FE is value your consideration.
The Galaxy S21 FE, after a months-long delay, is lastly in our arms, and I’ve had the chance of utilizing one for the previous week or so. Quite a bit has been stated about how the S21 FE is overpriced and coming in too near the Galaxy S22 sequence. I agreed with each these arguments when the telephone launched in early January, however after utilizing it as my main system and now that pricing has been revealed for many markets, has the S21 FE managed to alter my thoughts?
Effectively, let’s not waste any time and get all the way down to answering that query on this Galaxy S21 FE evaluation. Truly, I am going to do you a favor and allow you to know that the Galaxy S21 FE is kind of fairly just like the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ (and, because of this, the S20, S20+, and S20 FE, because the S21 and S21+ barely introduced any upgrades over their predecessors), so you would be forgiven if you happen to skipped proper to the decision. However if you would like all the main points, learn on (or try our video evaluation under).
Design and Show: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Evaluation
The Galaxy S21 FE’s design follows that of its costlier siblings, and aside from the bigger display, it is fairly just like the bottom Galaxy S21 in building. There’s Gorilla Glass Victus defending the show whereas the again is plastic (which makes for wonderful grip in comparison with glass and prevents finger marks).
Nonetheless, in contrast to the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Extremely, the rear digicam island does not hook up with the steel body. It simply stands proud from the sting of the again panel, so it is a low cost model of the design that we fell in love with in early 2022 when the S21 sequence first arrived.
Samsung has managed to make the Galaxy S21 FE thinner than the Galaxy S20 FE. At 7.9mm, the S21 FE is now as skinny because the common Galaxy S21 (there is no headphone jack, in case you are questioning), though the distinction is not that noticeable for the reason that Galaxy S20 FE was simply 0.5mm thicker. The S21 FE is lighter, too, and that is what feels extra tangible in day-to-day use.
One other means the Galaxy S21 FE has been improved over the S20 FE is the removing of the shiny border across the digicam punch gap within the show. The punch gap space hasn’t shrunk – there’s nonetheless a black circle across the digicam that takes up more room than you prefer to, however not less than now your eyes will not dart over to the highest of the display each time mild hits the punch gap.
The bigger than superb punch gap space apart, the Galaxy S21 FE has a wonderful AMOLED show, as you anticipate from each Samsung flagship. It is a (flat) 6.4-inch panel so it is simply the correct measurement for one-handed use and consuming content material. It is also acquired a 120Hz refresh price, and whereas it isn’t an adaptive refresh price (which means it stays at 120Hz on a regular basis), you are still getting a loopy clean scrolling expertise and animations.
The bezels across the show are fairly slim, though the underside one is not as tiny as it’s on the Galaxy S21 or S21+. As for the in-display optical fingerprint sensor, it is surprisingly correct and fast, and I desire it over the ultrasonic selection discovered on Samsung‘s non-FE flagships. Naturally, Samsung additionally provides you the choice of facial recognition for extra handy unlocking, and it really works nicely more often than not.
Sadly, Samsung’s cost-cutting efforts are going even additional this yr. The Galaxy S21 FE does not ship with a display protector put in out of the field, not less than in India or the UK, which is the place we acquired our evaluation models. And as we have mentioned earlier than, there aren’t any charger or earphones within the field, both. Only a USB-C cable, SIM ejection pin, and the fast begin information nobody ever reads.
Galaxy S21 FE cameras
Identical to the Galaxy S21 and S21+ carried the identical digicam sensors because the Galaxy S20 and S20+, the S21 FE makes use of the identical cameras because the S20 FE, so I am not going to enter an excessive amount of element right here. That is as a result of the S21 FE’s digicam expertise is just about a mixture of what you bought on all these fashions I discussed above.
There is no 8K video recording on this telephone, however the remainder of the digicam app’s performance is copied from the Galaxy S21 sequence, together with modes similar to Director’s View. Photograph high quality stays fairly just like these telephones, as nicely.
The principle digicam takes wonderful photos in all lighting circumstances, whereas the ultra-wide and zoom cameras carry out nicely principally in the course of the day. Selfies, in the meantime, are just a little mild on element irrespective of the time of day or setting you are capturing in however have low noise ranges.
For more information on what you’ll be able to anticipate from the digicam expertise on the S21 FE, I like to recommend studying our Galaxy S20 FE evaluation and our Galaxy S21 evaluation. Additionally try digicam samples from the telephone within the gallery under (a few these scenes had been shot at 0.5x, 1x, 3x, 10x, 20x, and 30x zoom ranges to indicate the telephone’s zooming capabilities).
Efficiency
We’ve each the Snapdragon 888 and Exynos 2100 variants of the Galaxy S21 FE, and we have not observed any efficiency distinction between the 2. Like the unique Galaxy S21 trio, the S21 FE can deal with all the pieces you throw at it and never break a sweat. Effectively, besides within the digicam app, the place for some motive taking pics repeatedly can typically be a stutter-filled affair. That is in all probability all the way down to lack of optimization, although, and simply fixable by software program updates.
Whereas we’ve not been capable of examine gaming efficiency side-by-side, each of our models did wonderful in essentially the most demanding video games whereas by no means getting something greater than just a bit heat to the contact over prolonged gameplay classes. In brief, the Galaxy S21 FE is a handy guide a rough telephone in our expertise and goes toe-to-toe with the opposite S21 fashions.
Sadly, it additionally goes toe-to-toe with them on the subject of lacking out on expandable storage. The Galaxy S21 FE does not have any, and if you would like as a lot onboard storage as potential, you are going to have to purchase the 256GB variant, which can value you additional (round $70 within the US) and is likely one of the the reason why the Galaxy S21 FE feels overpriced regardless of having the identical price ticket as its predecessor.
Software program
The Galaxy S21 FE is the primary telephone in Samsung’s lineup to launch with One UI 4.0 and Android 12 out of the field. It was initially supposed to return with Android 11, however you are getting the most recent software program as an alternative due to how the telephone was delayed. And due to Samsung’s improve coverage, the Galaxy S21 FE will someday find yourself getting Android 15, so it would match the Galaxy S22 sequence as an alternative of the Galaxy S21 sequence so far as software program assist is worried.
All the One UI 4.0 options (see the video under) are included on this telephone, together with just about each characteristic you discover on fashionable Galaxy flagships, together with assist for Samsung DeX. In truth, Samsung additionally appears to have made a couple of minor enhancements to One UI 4.0 that we do not see on gadgets that acquired Android 12 by a software program replace. I solely observed one — quantity ranges at the moment are numbered (0 being the bottom, 150 being the very best) — however there may very well be a couple of others, which we’ll report on individually ought to we come throughout them.
Audio high quality
The Galaxy S21 FE has the identical stereo speaker setup as different Samsung flagships. There is a devoted speaker on the backside with the earpiece performing because the second speaker, and there is Dolby Atmos assist. And high quality over the audio system is analogous, too, though the non-FE Galaxy S21 fashions have just a little additional bass and depth that made the superior Avengers theme tune within the last battle of Avengers: Endgame a tad extra pleasing. Nothing you’ll discover except you may have the gadgets side-by-side, however I might nonetheless have appreciated to see the identical actual setup on all 4 fashions.
Battery life
Just like the Galaxy S20 FE and the Galaxy S20+, the Galaxy S21 FE has a 4,500 mAh battery. And Samsung should have achieved some loopy optimization right here, as a result of the S21 FE — even the Exynos 2100 variant — will final you all day lengthy after which some with 120Hz mode enabled (except you are gaming for a number of hours) and performs a lot better than the S21+ with its 4,800 mAh battery.
Significantly, my Exynos 2100-powered Galaxy S21+ did not final half so long as the S21 FE does. Positive, the S21+ has an even bigger display (6.7 inches). However the decision stays the identical and the S21+ has an adaptive refresh price, which might preserve battery when 120Hz mode is enabled versus the Galaxy S21 FE’s fastened 120Hz refresh price, so there’s clearly one thing else at play right here.
In any case, the Galaxy S21 FE — whether or not you purchase the Exynos or Snapdragon mannequin — has incredible battery life. Charging can be fast, not less than in case you have a 25W charger or resolve to purchase one. A full cost from 0 to 100 took round 75 minutes, whereas 10 minutes and half-hour of charging acquired the battery as much as 21% and 56% respectively. 15W wi-fi charging and 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging (for charging different gadgets) are supported, too.
Verdict
I initially thought it might be laborious to return to a verdict in regards to the Galaxy S21 FE. However as I neared the top of this evaluation, I spotted that it is fairly easy. The Galaxy S21 FE is coming to the celebration tremendous late, and a good choice can be to attend and see what the Galaxy S22 sequence brings to the desk or not less than anticipate some reductions on the S21 FE when the S22 lineup arrives.
However, if you happen to should purchase a brand new flagship telephone right this moment that’s cheaper than the S21 and S21+ whereas supplying you with a lot of the identical options, get the S21 FE. It is a stable telephone, and whereas the removing of the microSD slot and in-box equipment may frustrate some, it is nonetheless spectacular what you are getting for the asking value and you will not remorse the acquisition.
