Samsung has unveiled the 3rd generation of its FE model, the Galaxy S23 FE, with a significantly lower price tag compared to the previous Galaxy S21 FE. However, this price reduction required some compromises, one of which is noticeable with the display bezels.
One of the distinctive features of earlier fan edition models was their sleek design within their price range. Both the Galaxy S20 FE and the S21 FE had considerably slimmer bezels compared to the Galaxy S23 FE. For those who have experience with previous FE models, the thicker bezels are likely to catch their attention for some time before they get used to them.
Galaxy S23 FE’s display bezels replicates the Galaxy A54
The Galaxy S23 FE is very similar to the company’s mid range Galaxy A54 in numerous aspects including the front and back design. The only difference is the aluminum frame and the comparatively powerful Exynos 2200 chip from last year.
Although the Galaxy S23 FE produces some flashy benchmark results outperforming the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the performance might not matter to everyone. Also the Galaxy A54 (8GB+128GB) is available at only $320 on Amazon at the time of writing.
The display bezels make the S23 FE indistinguishable from the Galaxy A54. While the display of the S23 FE gets a bit brighter at 1450 nits as compared to the A54’s 1000 nits, yet again, it might not make a huge difference to justify the price.
The camera setups of the S23 FE is also quite similar to the Galaxy A54. Both offer a 50 MP main camera and a 12 MP ultrawide lens. The distinction comes with the S23 FE’s 8MP 3x telephoto lens, as opposed to the A54’s 5MP macro lens. The question is, does this relatively small difference justify the extra $280 for you?
You have got some nice alternatives though
If you can pay $100 more, the Google Pixel 8 is actually a much better option in terms of both hardware and software. The Pixel 8 series brings some of Google’s latest innovations in the field of Generative AI that just makes life easier.
You can check out our detailed comparison for more in depth insight – Galaxy S23 FE vs Google Pixel 8: Pixel 8 justifies the $100 extra price
You can consider the Galaxy S23 FE if you cannot extend your budget further, want to stay with OneUI and happen to value the metal frame and the 3x telephoto camera. However, you might also get the Galaxy S23 at a lot cheaper price now as the Galaxy S24 series is getting close. For example, the Galaxy S23 is available on Amazon at $649 as I’m writing this article.
For just an additional $50, the Galaxy S23 should be an easy choice. If OneUI is your pick, check out our detailed comparison between the Galaxy S23 FE and the Galaxy S23.
