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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
...


7.7/10
Informr score
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE currently has an Informr score of 7.7 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 52 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The "1-Minute" Review

Verdict

The issue with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition isn’t what it does or doesn’t do. It’s the wrong time to release a phone like this when the S22 already exists.

What's good

  • Big, bright 120Hz screen
  • Fast performance
  • Good software support

What's bad

  • No MicroSD slot
  • No headphone jack
  • Released at an awkward time
  • Disappointing battery life

It isn’t odd for a phone company to release a Fan Edition (FE for short) phone version. However, it is odd to release it right next to its successor, so why should you choose this one over the S22? Reviewers are weighing in!

Design

The design isn’t anything to write home about so-to-speak. It’s very plain, and there’s a textured back made with what Samsung refers to as Glastic. You’ll also find an in-screen fingerprint scanner and a nearly unnoticeable camera bump on the back. However, the color options are decent, with your choices being blue, lavender, bronze, white, red, and graphite.

Display

It has a 6.4-inch OLED screen. Reviewers were impressed by the display’s brightness. The 120Hz refresh rate adds to the experience making menus and other on-screen elements silky smooth to navigate.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE chipset is a little behind the times. Reviewers didn’t seem to notice, though. It did alright switching apps or multi-tasking, probably owed to that 120Hz refresh rate.

Software & Storage

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE comes with Android 12 enhanced with One UI. Reviewers liked the interface and customization options. Storage has two possibilities, 128GB and 256GB, and which you choose determines the amount of RAM. There’s no MicroSD expansion on this phone.

Cameras

Reviewers stated that the cameras are not all that different from previous phones in this line. Going even further, they said that when compared to the Pixel 6, it was virtually impossible to pick which was which.

Battery Life

Typically when a consumer buys a phone, it’s with certain expectations of doing better than the previous version. With the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, the battery life is no better and possibly worse. When 120Hz refresh is enabled, the phone only lasts about 7 hours.

Audio

This phone doesn’t come with a headphone jack, so you’ll need Bluetooth. Reviewers stated that the sound out of the speakers was identical to the previous Samsung Galaxy S21 series. Okay, but better with Bluetooth.

Specs at a Glance

  • Plastic chassis
  • 6.4-inch OLED
  • Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G processor
  • 6/8GB of RAM
  • Android 12
  • 128/256GB of storage
  • 64MP camera
  • 4500mAh battery

Bottom Line

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE other than the timing. With the S22 series on the market, it would be difficult to find a reason to buy this one with a lower chipset for around the same price.

Tom’s Guide states, “The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE offers many of the same features found in the Galaxy S21, but at a slightly lower price. With the Galaxy S22 available, this phone is a hard sell.”

The Verge says, “The S21 FE arrives very late in the S21 family’s product cycle, taking some of the shine off of the “this year’s flagship for less” appeal. It also offers just about everything you get from the standard S21, except a couple fewer gigs of RAM, a lower-quality telephoto camera, and a slightly larger screen. But at $699 it’s also not significantly cheaper than the $799 S21. Considering that the S21 is often discounted and that the S22 is likely to arrive soon, the S21 FE doesn’t look like much of a deal.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.84 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.84 GHz
6.4"
Screen Size
Screen Size
6.4"
12+ MP, f/2.2
Camera
Camera
12+ MP, f/2.2
4500 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Fone Arena
Fone Arena

Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition as a device gets most of the things right just like its predecessor. Unlike S20 FE, the price of the S21FE is a bit on the higher side, making it tough to recommend. Let’s wait for the price cut.

- Vigneshwar SR, Fone Arena
DxOMark
DxOMark

Impressive specifications on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon), such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, a 4500 mAh battery and wireless charging, could not help the device overcome an overall poor performance. The autonomy is low, and the charging time is quite long, whether wired or...

- DxOMark
Ohsem
Ohsem

Getting a Fan Edition Galaxy series is like getting a worthwhile upgrade. All the functions and hardwares are from those requested by you, as a Galaxy fan. If you want image stabilisation on your camera, just let them know. If you want a bigger battery, tell them. And from all the requests and submi...

- Ohsem
Techgoondu
Techgoondu

The device handled tasks we threw at it with confidence, as one would expect of the tier-one components under the hood. Battery life is a little middling, though, likely because the battery capacity was the same as what was on the Galaxy S20 FE.  I also found the lack of variance in refresh rates od...

- Esmond Xu, Techgoondu
Ausdroid
Ausdroid

The Samsung’s S21 FE 5G doesn’t have any particularly cool hardware features but like other Galaxy phones it should be reliable and have a low number of software bugs, which is one reason Samsung sell the most Android phones of any brand. I’d say the S21 FE 5G suits a phone buyer who has a grand to...

- Neerav Bhatt, Ausdroid


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


Samsung Galaxy S21 FE prices will vary depending on retailer, age, special offers and whether or not it's purchased with a service plan. If purchased with a 2 year service contract for example, you would likely pay much less for the phone itself up front. Samsung's suggested retail price is $699.99. You can compare Galaxy S21 FE prices from around the web here on The Informr.


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE user manual here.


Samsung backs up the Galaxy S21 FE with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Galaxy S21 FE has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
6.4"

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE's screen size is 6.4 inches with 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.84 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Octa-core 2.84 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 12 operating system (OS).

Camera
12+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 12+ MP, f/2.2 camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera useful for video chat and self portraits.

Storage
128/256 GB

Internal memory is 128/256 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
4500mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 4500 mAh battery. Samsung's performance ratings are 2220 minutes, 625 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Galaxy S21 FE Specs

Overview
Release Date January 11, 2022
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 12

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Octa-core 2.84 GHz
Internal Storage 128/256 GB
RAM 6/8 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.77 W/kg
Body: 0.90 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE, 5G
Mobile / Cellular Data
5G, 4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HID, HFP, HSP, PAN
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX, aptX Adaptive
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot No
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
12+ Megapixels, f/2.2, Ultrawide, FOV 123˚
12+ Megapixels, f/1.8, Wide, Dual Pixel, OIS
8+ Megapixels, f/2.4, Telephoto, 30x Space Zoom
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Image stabilization, Multi-shot, Night mode, Panorama, Self-timer, HDR, Slow motion recording, Time lapse mode
Video Recording Formats
MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels), 60 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
32+ Megapixels, f/2.2, FOV 81˚
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology Dynamic AMOLED
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 2340 pixels
Pixel Density 403 pixels
Size 6.4 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touchscreen, 120Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 4500 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging Up to 15 W
Fast Charging Up to 25 W
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 625 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Up to 993 minutes
Talk Time Up to 2220 minutes
Standby Time Up to 12 days
Mixed Usage Unknown
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Graphite, Olive, Lavender, White
Dimensions [H x W x D] 15.57 x 7.45 x 0.79 cm (6.1 x 2.9 x 0.3 in)
Weight 177 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Water Resistant
Rugged design No
IP Rating IP 68
Headset Jack No
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Reviews
Where to buy Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
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