Samsung has just announced the Galaxy S23 FE, along with a few other FE products for its expanding portfolio. While Samsung did skip a year, the FE series is back and not going anywhere. It still sits in a weird position, since it is cheaper than the Galaxy S23, but larger than the Galaxy S23. Almost smack dab in the middle of the Galaxy S23 and S23+, as far as size goes.
When I talked with Samsung ahead of today’s announcement, I was told that Samsung will release a “FE” version of its products when it sees a spot in its lineup for one. So in the flagship range, it sees a spot where it can put out a bigger phone, at a lower price. And still offer the same great features as the regular Galaxy S23. And that’s also why we’re seeing new tablets and earbuds joining the FE range this year.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Specs
Now what kind of specs does the Galaxy S23 FE have? Well, they are pretty similar to what the Galaxy S22 had. And no that’s not a typo. Here, we’re looking at a 6.4-inch FHD display, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There is a 256GB model available as well. Finally, it’s powered by a 4500mAh capacity battery. That should get you through a full day, however, remember that this is using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which was the processor before Qualcomm started touting huge efficiency gains.
Samsung is also offering this in four colors: Cream, Purple, Mint, and Graphite. Over on Samsung.com, you can get two additional exclusive colors, that’s Tangerine Orange and Blue.
Samsung is also offering up a pretty compelling camera setup here on the Galaxy S23 FE. That includes a 50-megapixel main shooter, 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 8-megapixel telephoto. That’s a 3x telephoto sensor, that is able to do up to 30x via digital zoom. That’s actually pretty impressive to see on a smartphone at this price.
How does the Galaxy S23 FE fit into Samsung’s lineup?
The Galaxy S23 FE is the new “entry-level” model in the flagship range for Samsung. It fits in right between the Galaxy A54 and the Galaxy S23. The specs of the Galaxy S23 FE are actually very close to the Galaxy A54. The main difference is that you’re getting a much better processor in the Galaxy S23 FE, and also getting a telephoto sensor instead of a macro lens here.
As far as the pricing goes, it’s squarely in the flagship range. The Galaxy A54 starts at $449, while the Galaxy S23 FE is $699, and the Galaxy S23 starts at $799, and that’s MSRP. But what’s strange here, is that the Galaxy S23 is routinely on sale for $699 or less. So you’ll have to wait for our full review to see if it’s worth picking up. But in the mean time, check out our Samsung Galaxy S23 FE hands-on.
When can I buy the Galaxy S23 FE?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE will start at $699 with pre-orders opening today. It’ll be available shortly thereafter, and will work on all three of the US carriers, as well as being available from Amazon, Best Buy and of course, Samsung.com.
As mentioned, the Galaxy S23 FE will be available in four colors. That’s Cream, Purple, Mint and Graphite. There’s also Tangerine Orange and Blue that are going to be exclusive to Samsung.com.