The Galaxy S23 FE is the latest offering in the Fan Edition, which is now two generations ahead of the S20 FE, launched in September 2020. The S23 FE brings some notable upgrades over the last two generations.
So, if you’re using the S20 FE for the last 3 years and happen to be thinking about an upgrade, the S23 FE becomes an obvious option to consider. But is the S23 FE worth the upgrade for the price? Let’s answer the question.
Design changes
What’s good:
- Up-to-date camera module design
Not so good:
- Plastic frame instead of S20 FE’s aluminum one.
The S20 FE had a camera island design, whereas the S23 FE brings individual cutouts for the camera lenses, following the design language of the S23 series.
The S20 FE has a plastic frame instead of a metal frame, which not only provides a better in-hand feel but also makes the phone more durable, potentially helping in accidental drops from greater heights.
Display
S20 FE – 6.5″ Super AMOLED
S23 FE – 6.4″ Dynamic Amoled 2X
Both devices support a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+, paired with Dolby Vision. The resolution is 1080p for both. Although the pixel density on the S23 FE is slightly higher due to the smaller size, it doesn’t make any perceptible difference.
Camera improvement
This is an area where quite a lot of improvement has happened in the last three years, on both the hardware and software side. For instance, the S23 FE brings the 50MP sensor as compared to 12MP of the previous iterations.
As a result, the S23 FE offers better details in images, along with better low light performance.
Additionally, the integration and evolution of machine learning algorithms in image processing have also helped the S23 FE stand out quite a bit compared to the first Fan Edition in computational photography capabilities. Learn more about how computational photography makes up for the hardware limitations in a smartphone.
Performance
The S23 FE will bring Exynos 2200 in some regions, while others will get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 variant, as part of the dual-platform strategy. The Galaxy S20 FE is also powered by Exynos 990 and Snapdragon 865 across different regions.
If you have the Exynos 990 version, then you will notice a significant improvement on the latest Fan Edition in terms of performance and efficiency, as the Exynos 2200 has vastly improved its thermal efficiency compared to the Exynos 990.
But if you have the Qualcomm variant, then you won’t feel that much of a difference within lightweight to moderate usage. However, you will have some performance gain with the S23 FE at the cost of higher temperature and performance throttling during sustained demanding tasks like gaming.
Battery & charging
The S23 FE has the same 4500 mAh battery and 25W charging support as the first-ever Fan Edition. However, it gives you much longer battery life for the same task compared to the Exynos variant of the S20 FE.
However, for someone with the Qualcomm variant of the S20 FE, where only decreased battery life is an issue, it’s better to replace the battery rather than buying the Exynos 2200-powered new Fan Edition.
Is the Galaxy S23 FE worth an upgrade?
For most cases, NO.
Only if you can’t afford the base Galaxy S23 and OneUI is a must-have for you, then you should consider upgrading to the latest Fan Edition from the S20 FE.
We have picked the 5 best alternatives to the Galaxy S23 FE and discussed their specialties and drawbacks if any, to make it easy for you to pick which one is most appropriate for you.
The S23 FE is by no means a bad device; it’s the other options you have for the price, such as the Pixel 7 (offers better cameras).
