Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: Affordable yet premium flagship smartphone

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest smartphone maker by volume, on Wednesday unveiled the Galaxy S23 FE series – its latest fan edition smartphone, affordable and yet packed with high-end functions.

The latest model, operating as a test bed for its next-generation flagship smartphones, comes about two years after the launch of its previous Galaxy S21 FE in 2021.

The South Korean electronics giant said the new fan edition has several upgrades compared to its previous FE smartphone.

The main camera supports a 50-megapixel (MP) high-resolution sensor, up from a 12 MP lens, although it’s lower than the standard S23 series.

At night, the Galaxy S23 FE’s nightography function lets users take clear selfies and portraits in lifelike colors, Samsung said.

With the advanced video digital image stabilization (VDIS) and optical image stabilization (OIS) functions, users can take steady shots even on the go.

The phone measures 158 mm x 76.5 mm x 8.2 mm and weighs 209 grams – larger and heavier than the S21 FE.

The latest model is rated IP68, which means the phone is protected against dust and submersion in water up to 1 meter.

For gaming and streaming, the Galaxy S23 FE has a larger vapor chamber that helps control heat and sustain performance. The smartphone has a 6.4-inch dynamic AMOLED 2X display.

The new model has a battery capacity of 4,500mAh, larger than the standard Galaxy S23’s 3,900mAh.

It charges up to 50% in just half an hour with a 25W adaptor. Wireless charging is also supported.

CHIPSET: SNAPDRAGON OR EXYNOS

Samsung didn’t disclose the application processor used in the Galaxy S2 FE smartphones, but industry officials said the smartphone uses either Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Samsung’s Exynos 2200, depending on markets where the phone is sold.

By comparison, the entire line of Galaxy S23 series, launched in February this year, uses only Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 due to quality issues with the Exynos 2200.

Samsung is expected to install a new Exynos AP chip in the Galaxy S24 lineup, due to be unveiled next year.

The Galaxy S23 FE is naturally a step down from the main S23 series in terms of specifications, but the price reduction makes it an appealing choice for consumers who want an affordable smartphone packed with quality features, industry officials said.

“Our new FE devices are packed with premium capabilities that let users maximize their creativity and productivity,” said TM Roh, president and head of Samsung’s Mobile eXperience (MX) division.

The Galaxy S23 FE series, which comes in six different colors – mint, cream graphite, purple indigo and tangerine, is priced from $599.

The new phone will be available in select markets from Oct. 5.

GALAXY TAB S9 FE, GALAXY BUDS FE

On Wednesday, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, the Tab S9 FE+ and the Galaxy Buds FE.

The two tablets, with a 10.9-inch display and a 12.4-inch display, respectively, are IP68 rated, meaning enhanced durability, and feature a refresh rate of 90Hz.

The Tab S9 FE+ has a battery that supports up to 20 hours of video playback on a single charge.

The tablets come in two memory types – 128 GB and 256 GB – and are upgradable to 1 TB with a microSD card.

The Galaxy Tab S9 FE series is available from $449 in four colors – mint, silver, gray and lavender.

The tablets are known to be powered by the Exynos 1380 chipset.

The Galaxy Buds FE’s powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) and ambient sound enable users to “hear more of what they love and less of what they don’t,” Samsung said.

Boasting the longest battery life in the Buds series, the Galaxy Buds FE provides up to 8.5 hours of playback with earbuds and up to 30 hours in total, including the charging case.

The Galaxy Buds FE is available at $99.

The tablets and earbuds will be sold in select markets from Oct. 10.

To protect the environment, Samsung said the body and internals of the latest smartphones and tablets partly use recycled materials such as recycled aluminum and glass and recycled plastic sourced from discarded fishing nets and PET bottles.

Write to Ik-Hwan Kim at lovepen@hankyung.com

In-Soo Nam edited this article.