Samsung Galaxy S23 series made an impact earlier this year, presenting a significant upgrade over the Galaxy S22 series. In its latest launch, Samsung has now introduced the Fan Edition (FE) of Galaxy S23, providing customers with an option to enjoy the best of the Galaxy S23 features at an affordable price point.
Design
If you’re familiar with Samsung’s smartphone releases this year, the Galaxy S23 FE won’t surprise you in terms of design. It closely resembles the flagship models and shares much of their design elements. In terms of dimensions, it falls between the Galaxy S23 and S23+, aligning closely with the Galaxy A54 5G. While the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE might not have the same level of build quality as its higher-end counterparts, it offers the same aesthetic appeal.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE design | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The smartphone has a solid build with well-defined contours and a sleek finish. Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE comes equipped with Gorilla Glass 5, an IP68 rating, providing water and dust resistance. As anticipated, the glass back of the phone can be slippery. The phone’s design adheres to the typical Samsung style, and the button placements are also conventional.
Display
The Galaxy S23 FE features a dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, delivering vibrant and crisp visuals. The screen measures 6.4 inches, offering a substantial viewing area, and boasts a resolution of 1080x2340 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 403 ppi. With a screen-to-body ratio of about 83.2%, the display provides an immersive experience for various activities, from streaming content to browsing the web.
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OS
The Galaxy S23 FE runs on Android 13, with Samsung’s One UI 5.1 overlay on top. It encompasses the full array of features present in the non-FE models. Notably, it’s set to be among the initial Galaxy devices to receive the forthcoming Android 14 and One UI 6.0 update, promising a host of new functionalities and improvements.
Processor
The Galaxy S23 FE is powered by the Exynos 2200 chipset, built on a 4nm process. The CPU setup includes an octa-core arrangement with a high-performance Cortex-X2 core running at 2.8 GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores at 2.50 GHz, and four power-efficient Cortex-A510 cores at 1.8 GHz. The GPU is the Xclipse 920, ensuring strong graphics performance for a smooth user experience. The phone delivers smooth performance and handles a wide range of tasks without a hitch. Thanks to a larger vapour chamber, it remains cool even during extended gaming sessions, allowing for sustained high frame rates. The Galaxy S23 FE offers 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. The RAM size used assists the processor very well in managing the tasks.
Camera
The Galaxy S23 FE introduces notable improvements in its camera setup. The primary rear camera now boasts 50MP, a significant upgrade from the 12MP camera found on previous FE models. This enhancement is particularly evident in daylight photography, offering excellent picture quality with high colour accuracy and ample detail. While the default setting captures photos at 12 megapixels, you have the option to switch to 50MP for greater landscape shot detail. However, HDR performance can be inconsistent at times.
Additionally, there’s an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, providing flexibility for various shooting scenarios. The 12MP ultra-wide lens with a 123˚ field of view captures expansive landscapes and group shots. This combination of lenses ensures you can capture a wide range of subjects and scenes with precision and creative freedom.
The 3x optical zoom camera delivers satisfactory results in both regular and portrait shots. The colours are pleasing, and the dynamic range is respectable, though the zoomed pictures from the S23 FE tend to be on the softer side, regardless of whether you’re shooting at 3x or 30x. Software updates have addressed some of this softness, which is on a positive note about the lens.
Galaxy S23 FE sample image | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The ultra-wide camera performs well for daylight shots and adequately in low-light conditions, especially when Night mode is activated. Manual access to Night mode is also an option for more control.
Low-light and nighttime photography remain commendable, with the camera intelligently activating Night mode when necessary. It’s worth noting that Night mode can sometimes be a little aggressive in noise reduction, resulting in a smooth appearance. Thankfully, you can disable automatic Night mode by tapping the crescent moon icon above the zoom controls.
The selfie camera on the Galaxy S23 FE sees a reduction in megapixels, transitioning from a 32MP sensor to a 10MP sensor. However, this shift is not a downgrade, as the new sensor aligns with Samsung’s flagship quality. The results are evident, particularly in daylight captures, where the front camera excels. It also handles portrait photography effectively.
Battery
The Galaxy S23 FE is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery. With moderate use, the battery easily manages to last a day. Charging options include wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, and 25W wired charging. The phone takes almost 1:30 hours from 0-100% to get fully charged.
Verdict
With a starting price of ₹59,999, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE offers a well-rounded smartphone experience and provides an accessible entry into the premium Galaxy ecosystem. The phone offers top-tier Galaxy features and camera performance. However, the price point might place the phone under unsure waters of competition.
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