Samsung’s first major product of the year, the Galaxy S21 FE, has arrived. With weird timing and a high price, it feels like a challenging sell, despite the fact that it appears to be a quality gadget after a few hours of use.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
In a bubble, the Galaxy S21 FE is a decent gadget after my first day or two of use. Even when we begin to see the first high-end releases in 2022, it has a fantastic screen that shines even when compared to Samsung’s most costly flagships, and the spec sheet on paper is strong. Performance is also commendable in our brief tests. The device swiftly carried out Android transfers with minimal hiccups.
The hardware is also rather good. The S21 FE’s plastic body is noticeably lighter and smaller than the S20 FE from the previous year. With the camera hump shifted to the top corner of the smartphone, the revised design is more in line with the rest of the S21 series. It’s a decent aesthetic, and the “Graphite” hue Samsung gave over has a subtle design that I enjoy, even if it is a fingerprint magnet.
So, what exactly is the issue? Samsung built a terrific phone, and given its sales numbers, it makes perfect sense to release a follow-up to the Galaxy S20 FE. What makes the Galaxy S21 FE so intriguing is when it will be released and how much it will cost.
When it comes to the Galaxy S21 FE’s release date, it’s around three months later than it should be. This was allegedly due to supply issues, but whatever the reason, it means the phone will be available just a month before the Galaxy S22 series. While the S22 series will almost surely not equal the S21 FE’s starting price, it will have stronger specifications and, more than likely, additional features that this phone will lack.
The cost is the other, more serious issue. The Galaxy S21 FE, at $699, doesn’t quite fill the same void that the Galaxy S20 FE did when it first launched. Samsung’s flagship series was retailing for $999 and more at the time, and the upper mid-range section of the Android market didn’t exist as it does now. In 2022, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 has a suggested retail price of $799, although it is frequently reduced to substantially lower prices. That’s a phone with a feature set that’s nearly identical to the S21 FE.
Meanwhile, Google’s Pixel 6 is a surprising contender. With its astonishingly low price, the $599 gadget caught us all off guard. When comparing the Pixel 6 to the Galaxy S21 FE, it’s difficult to understand why Samsung’s phone is the better option. Both smartphones are identical in size and come with Android 12 out of the box, but the Pixel boasts superior build materials, a better camera, and a bundle that, in our opinion, is the best deal of the year.
Samsung Features Worth Mentioning
There are a few things that Samsung does better in terms of technology. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE features a quicker refresh rate, which results in a faster touch sample rate, making the phone seem somewhat faster than Google’s. It also features a telephoto camera, something the Google phone does not have. However, neither of these qualities, in my opinion, is worth $100.
At least in the United States, carriers are where this phone will likely shine in the coming months. With lower pricing than the Galaxy S22 series, Samsung’s carrier partners are likely to offer the S21 FE for free or at drastically discounted rates with trade-ins or newlines. With the S20 FE, we saw exactly that, and it worked.
On January 11, the Galaxy S21 FE will be available in the United States and other areas.