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MagyarSamsung Galaxy S23 FE review - The smartphone as a fan service
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE follows after the Galaxy S21 FE, since there was no S22 FE. Samsung has already removed the microSD slot in the predecessor, even though it still used a Qualcomm SoC. But now this has been replaced by the inhouse Exynos 2200, which European customers already know from the Galaxy S22 series.
Otherwise, the Korean manufacturer has only made some adjustments, which also include the display, storage, and update provisions. What is clear is that the newest Fan Edition will be more affordable. While the S21 FE with 6/128 GB still had an MSRP of 749 Euros (~$816), the S23 FE now starts from 649 Euros (~$707) with 8/128 GB. Those who want to have twice the internal storage have to pay 699 Euros (~$761).
So is this a good deal? Or only a fan service?
Possible Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85.5 % | 03/2024 | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Exynos 2200, Xclipse 920 | 209 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.40" | 2340x1080 | |
| 90.5 % | 03/2023 | Samsung Galaxy S23 SD 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, Adreno 740 | 167 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.10" | 2340x1080 | |
| 88.8 % | 02/2022 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G SD 888 5G, Adreno 660 | 177 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.40" | 2340x1080 | |
| 88.9 % | 11/2023 | Google Pixel 8 Tensor G3, Mali-G715 MP7 | 187 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.20" | 2400x1080 | |
| 89.4 % | 05/2023 | Motorola Edge 40 Pro SD 8 Gen 2, Adreno 740 | 199 g | 256 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 87.4 % | 07/2023 | Nothing Phone (2) SD 8+ Gen 1, Adreno 730 | 201.2 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2412x1080 |
Case - The Galaxy S23 FE gets heavier and more colorful
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE uses a fairly hefty aluminum frame whose sharp edges can dig into the palms. Since the edges are more rounded in the S23, that feels more comfortable to hold. The front and back of the Fan Edition are protected by Corning Gorilla Glas 5.
We notice a significant increase in weight. While its predecessor only weighed 177 grams (~6.2 oz) and a Galaxy 23 even only 167 grams (~5.9 oz), the Galaxy S23 FE brings a hefty 209 grams (~7.4 oz) to the scale. Even though the display and battery have a similar size than those of the S21 FE, the size of our test unit has increased in all dimensions, which is reflected in wide bezels and results in a rather mediocre display-to-surface ratio of 83%.
The Galaxy smartphone is available in six different color versions: Mint, Graphite, Cream, Purple, Indigo, and Tangerine. The latter two are available exclusively in the Samsung shop. All models have a glossy back that is prone to showing fingerprints. The workmanship leaves a good impression, and the transitions between the materials are tight and even. The S23 FE only responds to attempts of warping it with some very gentle creaking noises. In addition, it offers an IP68 certification again and is both dust and waterproof.
Equipment - Hardly any changes in the Galaxy S23 FE
The Samsung smartphone offers similar equipment as its predecessor. The USB 3.2 port (Gen. 1) continues to be included, mastering both OTG as well as wired image output, even though it isn't very fast with a transfer rate of 199.57 MB/s in our copy test. If you connect the S23 FE to an external display, you can either use the DeX desktop mode or simply mirror the contents. In either case, more than Full HD is not possible.
New is only a barometer included in the array of sensors and the support of Bluetooth 5.3. The power button continues to be a multi-function key that can be configured in the settings.
Software - Android 13 with 5 years of updates
While the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE was delivered originally with Android 13, at this point it has received the update to Android 14 and One UI 6.0. The update to One UI 6.1, which includes many of the new Galaxy AI functions that we already know from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, is supposed to follow at the end of March 2024 (we report).
Samsung promises a total of four major updates (up to Android 17) and five years of security patches.
Communication and GNSS - The Galaxy S23 FE masters tri-band WLAN
Although the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE doesn't support Wi-Fi 7 yet, Wi-Fi 6E and with that also the 6-GHz frequency band is supported. It achieves high and stable transfer rates when connected to our Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 reference router.
In terms of mobile communication, the Samsung smartphone also offers good characteristics, supporting all the usual standards including 5G-Sub6.
| Networking | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz |
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| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz |
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| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz |
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| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz |
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| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 |
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| Google Pixel 8 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 |
|
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz |
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| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz |
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| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz |
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| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz |
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| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz |
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| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz |
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| Average of class Smartphone | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 |
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| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz |
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| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz |
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The Galaxy S23 FE succeeds in determining its location also indoors fairly quickly and with a high accuracy.
During a bike trip, we compare the Samsung smartphone with a Garmin Venu 2. Even though the fitness smartwatch is more accurate in built-up areas, the S23 FE is more accurate going around a lake, delivering some really good locating capabilities overall.
Telephone Functions and Voice Quality
In terms of phone calls, the Galaxy S23 FE offers a good overall package. It supports functions such as VoLTE and WLAN calls that are customary at this point. You only have to live without SIP account control integrated into the system, but eSIM support is also available.
Though the earpiece, the voice quality sounds really good, and most noises are filtered out reliably. However, we still found that the noise suppression was more powerful in a Galaxy S23 or S24. In speaker mode, the S23 FE impresses with a good microphone range (around 1.5 m, 5 ft) with only some minimal echo.
Cameras - No Expert RAW for the Galaxy S23 FE
The front camera of the Galaxy S23 FE has a lower resolution than that of its S23 sibling model and is also less light sensitive at f/2.4. There is also no autofocus. It still delivers good results in daylight conditions that are more than sufficient for social media, but you can easily see some image noise in weak light conditions. You can use it to record videos in Ultra HD resolution at up to 60 FPS.
The main camera is similar to that of its sibling models. As primary sensor, a 50-MP lens that also supports optical image stabilization (OIS) is used. This is accompanied by an ultrawide angle lens with a 12-MP resolution and a 3x optical zoom lens that offers an 8-MP resolution. None of the three lenses offers a macro function.
The performance of the main camera is quite good and also fairly similar to that of the Galaxy S23. However, we notice that the camera of the S23 FE offers a slightly lower dynamic range particularly in panorama pictures. In low-light conditions, both cameras perform at the same level, and the recordings of the ultrawide angle lens are also similar. When zooming, however, it becomes noticeable that the tele-lens only has a low resolution. The maximum digital zoom is 30x.
You don't have to accept any compromises in the settings of the camera app, and the two Pro modes as well as a RAW option are available. But those who are looking for the astro photography option, for example, won't be able to use it with the Galaxy S23 FE, since the Expert RAW app cannot be loaded using the Galaxy Store with the S23 FE.
You can record videos with the main camera in 8k/24, Ultra HD/60, Full HD/60 or HD/30. Not only can you select more frame rates (such as Full HD at 120 FPS) using the Pro mode, but there are also extensive settings, such as recording videos in the 21:9 format, for example.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main cameraMain cameraUltrawide angle5x zoomLow-light
Under controlled light conditions, our test chart looks slightly over-sharpened in the center of the image. Towards the edges, the sharpness lowers fairly quickly, but it still remains at a moderate level.
While the color reproduction is decent, particularly some blue tones show some very high DeltaE deviations, which is also reflected in a visible over-saturation.
Accessories and Warranty - The Samsung smartphone comes with a USB cable
The extent of included accessories of the Galaxy S23 FE is rather small: In addition to a USB cable, you only get a SIM tool and a few leaflets.
In Germany, the warranty period is 24 months and can be extended by the Care+ package. Depending on the selected duration and extent, this costs between 49 and 139 Euros (~$53 to $151).
Input Devices and Operation - Optical fingerprint reader in the Galaxy S23 FE
The capacitive touchscreen of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE responds quickly and reliably to all inputs. Its Corning Gorilla Glas 5 offers very good sliding characteristics and there is no additional protective foil on top of it.
The linear vibration motor is very quiet even at the most powerful level. So those who prefer a crisp feedback might not be too happy with this.
An optical fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display for biometric security. It responds with an attractive speed and works reliably. In addition or alternatively, you can also setup a less secure face recognition using the front camera.
Display - AMOLED at up to 120 Hz
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has a 6.4-inch AMOLED display that offers an extended Full-HD resolution and refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. However, this is not an LTPO panel, so that the system can only automatically switch the refresh rate between 60 and 120 Hz.
As expected, the display brightness was improved compared to the predecessor, although it still remains significantly below that of a Galaxy S23 or an S24. With a pure white background and activated brightness sensor, we measure 908 cd/m² on average. With an even distribution of bright and dark areas (APL18), the values increase up to 1,367 cd/m², and we measure a peak value of 1,410 cd/m² during HDR reproduction. If you adjust the brightness manually, the maximum brightness is 414 cd/m².
With its low minimal brightness and optional blue light filter, the Galaxy S23 FE is equipped with some important features to also go easy on the eyes even in the dark. Contrary to that, we also see some varying OLED flickering. At minimal brightness its frequency flickers between 120 and 240 Hz. Even though this still looks fairly harmless in our measurement series at a fixed zoom level and minimal brightness, this is due to the scaling, and you can see an enlarged version of the amplitude in the info box. If you slightly increase the brightness, you have to live with a relatively low 120 Hz, but then the amplitude remains very constant. The frequency only doubles starting from 47% of the manual brightness. So sensitive users can expect some difficulties here.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 97 %
Center on Battery: 897 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.08
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Dynamic AMOLED x2, 2340x1080, 6.40 | Samsung Galaxy S23 Dynamic AMOLED 2x, 2340x1080, 6.10 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2340x1080, 6.40 | Google Pixel 8 OLED, 2400x1080, 6.20 | Motorola Edge 40 Pro P-OLED, 2400x1080, 6.67 | Nothing Phone (2) OLED, 2412x1080, 6.70 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -25% | -6% | 17% | 13% | 17% | |
| Brightness middle | 897 | 1125 25% | 758 -15% | 1450 62% | 1056 18% | 951 6% |
| Brightness | 908 | 1122 24% | 758 -17% | 1410 55% | 1055 16% | 948 4% |
| Brightness Distribution | 97 | 96 -1% | 99 2% | 92 -5% | 92 -5% | 98 1% |
| Black Level * | ||||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.2 | 3.2 -45% | 1.5 32% | 1.1 50% | 1.28 42% | 1 55% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.1 | 4.9 -58% | 3.1 -0% | 4.2 -35% | 2.85 8% | 2.2 29% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.7 | 3.3 -94% | 2.3 -35% | 2.1 -24% | 1.7 -0% | 1.6 6% |
| Gamma | 2.08 106% | 1.97 112% | 2.06 107% | 2.24 98% | 2.206 100% | 2.203 100% |
| CCT | 6617 98% | 6504 100% | 6378 102% | 6584 99% | 6320 103% | 6516 100% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 120 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 120 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 120 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17903 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Measurement series at fixed zoom level and various brightness settings
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE achieves its most natural color reproduction in the Natual display mode, which offers a good calibration and targets the sRGB color space.
The default Vivid mode looks cooler and produces more saturated colors.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1.59 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.836 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.751 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 4 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 1.44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.702 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.7355 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 3 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
The Galaxy S23 FE is well equipped for outdoor usage, offering a sufficiently high brightness. Only on very sunny days, there might be some slight limitations, but those could also be traced back to reflections on the screen surface.
The viewing angle stability of the AMOLED panel is good. Even from very steep viewing angles, the loss in brightness turns out minimal. While we did not notice any color tint, the display then becomes slightly cooler, but this doesn't represent any hindrance in everyday operation.
Performance - The Galaxy S23 FE uses an Exynos 2200
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is run by the Exynos 2200 that we already know from the Galaxy S22 series. The processor is supported by 8 GB of working memory.
Correspondingly, the performance also turns out similar to that of the two-year old flagship models. The system benchmarks even turn out slightly worse, which can probably be traced back to the newer software.
But the Galaxy S23 FE still delivers a very smooth system performance in everyday operation.
| Antutu v10 - Total Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (281399 - 2162423, n=51, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 () | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (207 - 84787, n=150, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 (10374 - 10841, n=2) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Geekbench ML | |
| 0.6 TensorFlow Lite CPU | |
| Average of class Smartphone (509 - 1342, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 () | |
| 0.6 TensorFlow Lite GPU | |
| Average of class Smartphone (978 - 1478, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 () | |
| 0.6 TensorFlow Lite NNAPI | |
| Average of class Smartphone (378 - 3410, n=8, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 () | |
The Samsung Xclipse 920, which is based on the RDNA 2 architecture of AMD, was the first GPU for smartphones of its time that supported hardware-based raytracing. This is a benefit that should also please users of the Galaxy S23 FE. However, in the benchmarks we also notice that some of the more modern GPUs are significantly faster. Even the Adreno 730 in the Nothing Phone (2) offers a performance that is between 20 and 56% higher.
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Score | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| 3DMark / Solar Bay Unlimited Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE offers a good browser performance in the benchmarks. Only in Jetstream 2.0, the result is surprisingly low even after several attempts. However, nothing similar can be noticed in everyday operation.
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Nothing Phone (2) (Chrome 114) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 (Chrome 109) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=173, last 2 years) | |
| Google Pixel 8 (chrome 116) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro (Chrome 112) | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 (13.8 - 107.4, n=4) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Chrome 96) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Chrome 121) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Nothing Phone (2) (Chrome 114) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Chrome 121) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 (Chrome 109) | |
| Google Pixel 8 (chrome 116) | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 (105 - 137, n=4) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=157, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro (Chome 112) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Chrome 96) | |
| WebXPRT 4 - Overall | |
| Nothing Phone (2) (Chrome 114) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 (Chrome 109) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Chrome 121) | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 () | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 202, n=160, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro (Chrome 112) | |
| Google Pixel 8 (chrome 116) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 (Chrome 109) | |
| Nothing Phone (2) (Chrome 114) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Chrome 121) | |
| Google Pixel 8 (chrome 116) | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 (34055 - 51202, n=4) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 89112, n=214, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro (Chrome 112) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Chrome 96) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=173, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Chrome 96) | |
| Average Samsung Exynos 2200 (840 - 1566, n=4) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro (Chrome 112) | |
| Google Pixel 8 (chrome 116) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Chrome 121) | |
| Nothing Phone (2) (Chrome 114) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 (Chrome 109) | |
* ... smaller is better
Depending on the version, the Galaxy S23 FE uses either 128 or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. This turns out very fast in its class, even though it is clearly surpassed by the more modern UFS 4.0 storage.
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | Samsung Galaxy S23 | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Google Pixel 8 | Motorola Edge 40 Pro | Nothing Phone (2) | Average 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -3% | -19% | -15% | 106% | 25% | -16% | -7% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 1657.44 | 3133.7 ? 89% 1686.71 ? 2% | 1639 -1% | 1655.48 0% | 3434.4 107% | 1949.5 18% | 1599 ? -4% | 1508 ? -9% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 994.67 | 844 ? -15% 628.53 ? -37% | 760 -24% | 895.86 -10% | 2887.4 190% | 1517.6 53% | 777 ? -22% | 1118 ? 12% |
| Random Read 4KB | 322.32 | 427.61 ? 33% 343.65 ? 7% | 245.1 -24% | 183.55 -43% | 451.3 40% | 287.5 -11% | 244 ? -24% | 247 ? -23% |
| Random Write 4KB | 288.23 | 156.69 ? -46% 130.26 ? -55% | 211.2 -27% | 266.68 -7% | 539 87% | 403.8 40% | 245 ? -15% | 272 ? -6% |
Games - Samsung smartphone with a decent gaming power
The Xclipse 920 offers sufficient performance for all games from the Play Store. We analyzed several games using GameBench in more detail. PUBG can be run in HDR setting at best, and more than 40 FPS are not possible in Balanced or HD mode. Even though up to 60 FPS are possible in Genshin Impact, there continue to be some small stutters from time to time particularly in the demanding settings.
The available performance should be more than sufficient for most games, even though enthusiasts won't get all their wishes fulfilled. As most other Galaxy smartphones, the Galaxy S23 FE is also able to use the Gaming Hub.
Emissions - The Fan Edition offers dual-speakers
Temperatures
During idle operation, the surface temperatures of the Galaxy S23 FE are comfortably low. As expected, they increase steeply during the stress test, which we simulate with the Burnout Benchmark. Even though they are not low at up to 46.8 °C (116 °F), the temperatures still remain within limits that give no reason for concern.
In the stress test with 3DMark, the improved cooling advertised by Samsung becomes noticeable, since the S23 FE is able to maintain its performance over long load periods better than for example a Galaxy S22, which uses the same SoC. But there is still a noticeable loss in performance.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46.8 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.8 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.2 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Nothing Phone (2) | |
| Google Pixel 8 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | |
| Solar Bay Stress Test Stability | |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE | |
Speakers
The two speakers of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE produce good sound in the medium volume range. If you turn up the volume of the smartphone, the lack of bass becomes more noticeable, and the highs tend to get slightly distorted at times.
You can use the USB-C port for sound output for wired headphones. For a wireless connection, Bluetooth 5.3 is available, but as with its other smartphones, Samsung doesn't offer many of the modern audio codecs. Even though streaming to several Bluetooth receivers is also possible, only the SBC codec is then used.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.9% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 84% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 29% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 63% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Google Pixel 8 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.8% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 21% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery Life - The Exynos remains power hungry
Power Consumption
In terms of the power consumption, the Galaxy S23 FE shows itself as fairly power hungry. The values are higher than those of the Galaxy S23 already during idle operation, and the SoC consumes a lot of power under load.
The Samsung smartphone can be charged at up to 25 watts with a wired charger, which takes up to 1.5 hours for a full charge. Wireless charging and wireless PowerShare are also supported.
| Off / Standby |   0.03 / 0.24 Watt |
| Idle |  0.69 / 1.15 / 1.26 Watt |
| Load |
15.93 / 16.09 Watt |
    
| |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 4500 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S23 3900 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 4500 mAh | Google Pixel 8 4575 mAh | Motorola Edge 40 Pro 4600 mAh | Nothing Phone (2) 4700 mAh | Average Samsung Exynos 2200 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 44% | 1% | 25% | 16% | 13% | 17% | 6% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.69 | 0.57 17% | 1.01 -46% | 0.56 19% | 0.7 -1% | 0.9 -30% | 0.668 ? 3% | 0.897 ? -30% |
| Idle Average * | 1.15 | 0.74 36% | 1.5 -30% | 1.08 6% | 0.8 30% | 1.1 4% | 1.038 ? 10% | 1.452 ? -26% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.26 | 0.83 34% | 1.6 -27% | 1.17 7% | 1.3 -3% | 1.4 -11% | 1.218 ? 3% | 1.629 ? -29% |
| Load Average * | 15.93 | 4.26 73% | 5.54 65% | 8.01 50% | 10 37% | 5 69% | 9.43 ? 41% | 5.55 ? 65% |
| Load Maximum * | 16.09 | 6.16 62% | 9.16 43% | 8.89 45% | 13.7 15% | 10.4 35% | 11.5 ? 29% | 8.31 ? 48% |
* ... smaller is better
Power Consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power Consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery Life
The Galaxy S23 FE has a fairly large 4,500-mAh battery that helps it to achieve a mostly good battery life. However, if you compare it directly to the Galaxy S23 (3,900 mAh), the runtimes are significantly lower, which can be traced back to the lack of efficiency of the Exynos 2200.
This becomes particularly noticeable in the load test with the Burnout Benchmark, where the Samsung smartphone only lasts for 73 minutes. Due to the bad values under load that aren't really included in the evaluation, we decided to slightly lower the sub-rating.
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 4500 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S23 3900 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G 4500 mAh | Google Pixel 8 4575 mAh | Motorola Edge 40 Pro 4600 mAh | Nothing Phone (2) 4700 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 120% | 96% | 51% | 90% | 76% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1575 | 2249 43% | 1430 -9% | 1493 -5% | 2102 33% | 1744 11% |
| H.264 | 1083 | 1255 16% | 934 -14% | 1363 26% | 1062 -2% | 1245 15% |
| WiFi v1.3 | 815 | 926 14% | 594 -27% | 814 0% | 984 21% | 909 12% |
| Load | 73 | 370 407% | 388 432% | 205 181% | 297 307% | 268 267% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - A joy for fans looks different, but...
Without a doubt, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is a good smartphone. But we feel that labeling it as a Fan Edition (FE) is at least questionable. Popular user features such as a microSD slot were already removed in the predecessor, and we doubt that fans would be very happy about the change from a Snapdragon to an Exynos. In addition, there is a display with low-frequency PWM dimming. Why not simply use a good PLS panel again, Samsung?
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is a good smartphone that places between the A series and the premium segment.
But overall, Samsung continues to deliver a really good product that scores with good equipment. In addition to obligatory features such as Bluetooth and NFC, it offers USB 3.2 including DeX, Wi-Fi 6E, wireless charging, eSIM support, an IP68 certification, and five years of updates. While the Exynos 2200 may not be the most efficient chipset, a very good system performance and good battery life are still ensured.
If the display can be slightly smaller, a comparison with the Galaxy S23 might be worthwhile: Even though that is slightly more expensive and already a year old, it continues to offer the better overall package in all areas. Other powerful alternatives are the Xiaomi 13T Pro and the Nothing Phone (2).
Price and Availability
Samsung quickly abandoned the initial MSRP of 699 Euros (~$761). At the time of our test, the Galaxy S23 FE is available from the Samsung shop starting from ~$550 in the US. For a similar price, it is also available from other vendors such as Amazon, with refurbished models already starting much lower (~$430).
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
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03/15/2024 v7
Daniel Schmidt
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Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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