Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is the latest addition to the Samsung Galaxy series, released on January 7th, 2022. This smartphone boasts a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ capabilities. The device is powered by either the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G or the Exynos 2100, depending on the version, and runs on Android 12, upgradable to Android 13 with One UI 5.1.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE comes with a triple rear camera setup, consisting of a 12MP primary camera, an 8MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. The front-facing camera is 32MP, and the device comes with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage and up to 8GB of RAM. The phone is also IP68 dust and water-resistant and has a 4500mAh non-removable battery with 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging capabilities.

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE boasts a sleek and stylish design that is sure to catch your eye. The phone features a plastic back, aluminum frame, and Gorilla Glass Victus on the front, giving it a premium look and feel. It is available in four different colors, including White, Graphite, Lavender, and Olive, allowing users to choose the one that suits their personal style.

The phone's build quality is top-notch, offering a sturdy and durable construction that can withstand daily wear and tear. Its IP68 rating makes it resistant to dust and water up to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, which is a great feature for users who are always on the go.

The phone's dimensions of 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.13 x 2.93 x 0.31 in) and weight of 177 g (6.24 oz) make it comfortable to hold and use. The phone's ergonomic design ensures that it sits comfortably in your hand, allowing for easy one-handed operation.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has a minimalist design with a camera bump at the back. It has a single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) option, making it convenient for users who require more than one phone number.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE's design and build quality are impressive, offering a premium look and feel, durable construction, and comfortable ergonomics. It is a phone that is sure to turn heads and stand the test of time.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE boasts an impressive 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. The screen-to-body ratio is around 86.7%, which offers an immersive viewing experience. The resolution is 1080 x 2340 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 403 PPI.

The color accuracy and vibrancy are top-notch, and the brightness is excellent, making it visible even in direct sunlight. The touch sensitivity and responsiveness of the display are also noteworthy, making it easy to navigate and interact with the device.

Overall, the display on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is impressive, offering rich colors, smooth scrolling, and excellent contrast. Whether you're watching videos, playing games, or browsing the web, the display offers an excellent visual experience.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE packs a serious punch when it comes to performance. Powered by the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) chipset in the Version 1 and Exynos 2100 (5 nm) in the Version 2, it features an octa-core processor with a maximum clock speed of 2.84 GHz (Version 1) and 2.9 GHz (Version 2). Coupled with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, the Galaxy S21 FE can handle even the most demanding tasks with ease.

Multitasking is a breeze on this phone, with apps launching quickly and running smoothly. The phone's gaming capabilities are equally impressive, with even the most graphics-intensive games running without any lag or stuttering. In benchmark tests, the Galaxy S21 FE scored an impressive 566529 (v8) on AnTuTu and 3049 (v5.1) on GeekBench. Real-world usage is equally impressive, with the phone handling everything from web browsing to video editing with ease.

Despite its impressive performance, the Galaxy S21 FE manages to maintain excellent power efficiency. The phone's 4500 mAh battery provides ample power to keep the phone running all day, even with heavy usage. The phone also features fast charging and wireless charging options, allowing you to quickly and easily top up your battery when needed.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE's performance is nothing short of impressive. Whether you're a power user or a casual user, this phone has the performance capabilities to handle anything you can throw at it.

Software and User Interface

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G runs on Android 12 with One UI 5.1 on top. The user interface is sleek, modern, and user-friendly, making it easy to navigate and customize to your preferences.

One of the standout features of the software is the customization options available to users. With One UI 5.1, Samsung has continued to refine its intuitive customization features, allowing users to personalize their phones without sacrificing performance. Users can choose from a variety of themes, icons, and wallpapers, and even customize the Always-On Display to show their preferred information.

The pre-installed apps on the Galaxy S21 FE 5G are minimal and practical. Samsung has included its own apps such as Samsung Pay and Bixby, which provides voice-controlled assistance to users. There is also a SmartThings app, which allows users to control smart home devices from their phone.

One of the key benefits of owning a Samsung device is the company’s commitment to software updates. The Galaxy S21 FE 5G is expected to receive regular updates, which will ensure that the device stays up to date with the latest security patches and new features.

Overall, the software and user interface on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G are top-notch. The customization options, minimal pre-installed apps, and commitment to software updates make it an excellent device for users who want a personalized and up-to-date smartphone experience.

Camera

When it comes to smartphone cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G packs a punch. The phone features a triple rear camera setup, with a 12 MP wide lens, an 8 MP telephoto lens, and a 12 MP ultrawide lens. The front-facing camera is a 32 MP wide lens.

In daylight conditions, the camera produces sharp and detailed images with accurate colors. The 3x optical zoom on the telephoto lens provides a good level of detail for zoomed-in shots, while the ultrawide lens captures a wider field of view, making it ideal for landscape shots.

In low light conditions, the camera performs well, with the night mode producing bright and detailed images. The image stabilization helps reduce blur in low-light conditions, making it easier to capture clear shots.

The video recording capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G are impressive, with the phone capable of recording 4K footage at 30/60 frames per second. The phone also offers a range of video features, including slow-motion recording and HDR10+ support.

The front-facing camera is equally impressive, producing clear and detailed selfies with accurate colors. The camera also supports 4K video recording, making it perfect for vlogging or video conferencing.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G offers an excellent camera experience, with a range of lenses and features that make it a strong contender in the smartphone camera market.

Battery Life

Connectivity and Networking

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE offers a wide range of connectivity options to keep users connected to the world around them. With its support for multiple network technologies including GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE, and 5G, the phone can be used with a variety of carriers worldwide. It also features Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, and Wi-Fi Direct, making it easy to connect to wireless networks.

Bluetooth 5.0 with A2DP and LE is also included, allowing users to connect to various Bluetooth-enabled devices such as headphones, speakers, and wearables. NFC support is available as well, enabling contactless transactions and other features such as tap-to-share.

In terms of navigation, the phone supports GPS, GLONASS, BDS, and GALILEO, ensuring accurate positioning and location services. The availability of sensors such as fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass further enhances the phone's functionality.

While the lack of a headphone jack may be a drawback for some users, the phone's support for 32-bit/384kHz audio and its stereo speakers provide a high-quality audio experience.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE offers comprehensive connectivity and networking features that cater to the needs of modern-day smartphone users.

Additional Features

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE comes packed with a plethora of additional features to enhance your overall smartphone experience. One of the key features of this device is its water and dust resistance, which is rated at IP68. This means that you can take your phone with you to the beach or use it in the rain without worrying about any damage.

There is no expandable storage option available on this device, but with internal storage options ranging from 128GB to 256GB, you might not need it. Another notable feature of the Galaxy S21 FE is its audio quality, which is top-notch. The device does not have a headphone jack, but it supports high-quality audio playback with its 32-bit/384kHz audio, making it an excellent choice for audiophiles.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE also boasts an impressive speaker performance. It comes equipped with stereo speakers that produce sound that is loud and clear, making it perfect for listening to music, watching videos, or making calls hands-free. Other features worth mentioning include its NFC and wireless payment support, which allows you to make payments with just a tap of your phone.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has a great set of additional features that make it stand out from the crowd. From its water and dust resistance to its high-quality audio and impressive speaker performance, this device is sure to provide you with a fantastic smartphone experience.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE to other related phones, it's important to consider its competition in the mid-range market. One such phone is the Google Pixel 5a. Both phones offer 5G connectivity, a large OLED display, and excellent camera systems. However, the Pixel 5a edges out the S21 FE in terms of battery life and software updates.

Another strong competitor in this category is the OnePlus Nord 2. The Nord 2 boasts a slightly more powerful processor and faster charging capabilities than the S21 FE, but lacks the IP68 water and dust resistance rating that the Samsung phone offers.

For those looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Xiaomi Poco F3 offers similar specs to the S21 FE at a lower price point. However, the Poco F3 lacks the premium build quality and wireless charging capabilities of the Samsung phone.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE competes well in the mid-range market, but may face stiff competition from other similarly priced devices with slightly different feature sets.

Pros and Cons

XI. Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is a solid and reliable device that offers a great user experience. Its design and build quality are impressive, with a sleek and modern appearance that is both durable and comfortable to hold. The display is bright and vibrant, with excellent color accuracy and touch sensitivity. The phone's performance is top-notch, with a powerful processor and plenty of RAM to handle multitasking and gaming with ease. The camera setup is impressive, with excellent image quality and video recording capabilities. The battery life is also impressive, with fast charging options available.

While there are some minor drawbacks, such as the lack of expandable storage and a headphone jack, the overall package is excellent. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is a great choice for anyone looking for a high-quality smartphone that won't break the bank. Its competitive pricing makes it an attractive option in the crowded smartphone market. We highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a new phone.