The Galaxy S23 FE is a great option for Samsung fans who want to save a little cash. Find out more in this Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FESamsung Galaxy S23 FE
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review: At a glance
What is it? The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is a budget offering in the Galaxy S23 family, which makes a few hardware changes in order to hit a lower price point. It has a 6.4-inch 1080p OLED screen, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and 8GB of RAM.
What is the price? The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE retails for $599.99 or $629.99 if purchased from Samsung directly.
Where can you buy it? You can purchase the Galaxy S23 FE from Samsung, Best Buy, or Amazon in unlocked form. There are also carrier versions for AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and US Cellular.
How did we test it? I tested the Galaxy S23 FE for two weeks. The review unit was supplied by Samsung.
Is it worth it? The Galaxy S23 FE is a fairly unremarkable sub-flagship Android phone, but it’s a good buy for Samsung fans who can’t justify the cost of the Galaxy S23. The FE variant gets you almost all the same features for $200 less. Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE?
A quick glance will tell you the Galaxy S23 FE is a Galaxy S phone — Samsung just cut a couple of corners to keep the price down. It’s got the same general shape, camera design, and button placement as the other S23 phones. Like those devices, the S23 FE has an aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass on both the front and back. However, it’s Gorilla Glass 5 instead of the latest Victus 2, as seen on the S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra. It’s a well built phone overall that feels good in the hand, but it’s a shame we’re not getting more modern Corning glass when the similarly-priced Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 both have first-gen Victus protection.
Yes, the S23 FE is IP68 rated just like the rest of the S23 family.
One place you’ll notice the cut corners is, well, the corners. There’s a lot more space around the screen on this phone compared to the more expensive S23 phones. This wasted space makes the device larger than it needs to be — the S23 FE has a 6.4-inch display, but it’s slightly larger and heavier than the Galaxy S23 Plus with its 6.6-inch screen. I was also far more aware of the front-facing camera. There’s a reflective ring around the lens, which makes it stand out from the surrounding screen. That’s not the case with the other S23 phones. You also get stereo speakers (one bottom-firing and the other in the earpiece) that sound passable. There’s essentially no bass, but the sound is crisp until you push the volume almost to the max.
The OLED panel itself isn’t quite up to the standard set by the other members of the S23 family, but that’s not surprising, as displays are one of the most expensive smartphone components.
