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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

SamsungGalaxy S21 FE 5GSamsungGalaxy S23 FE
Overview
ReleasedJanuary 2022October 2023
Display
Screen size6.4″6.4″
Resolution2340 × 10802340 × 1080
Sharpness403 pixels per inch403 pixels per inch
PanelOLEDOLED
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Peak brightness–1,450 nits
Display typeFlat Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 6.4 inches as a full rectangle or 6.3 inches accounting for rounded corners. Samsung UK support and Australian specifications give 2,340 × 1,080, taking precedence over 2,400 × 1,080 in TechRadar and Expert Reviews.FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (2,340 × 1,080), adaptive 60–120 Hz; 6.4 inches as a full rectangle, 6.3 inches with rounded corners
Pixel density–401 ppi (Samsung UK)
Brightness detail–1,450 nits peak
Screen protectionGorilla Glass Victus, according to TechAdvisor and Expert ReviewsCorning Gorilla Glass 5 front and back
Display features120 Hz refresh with 240 Hz touch sampling in Game Mode; Eye Comfort Shield with AI blue-light control; manual 60/120 Hz selection confirmed by Tom's Guide–
Performance
ChipSnapdragon 888Exynos 2200
Memory6 GB – 8 GB8 GB
Storage128 GB, 256 GB128 GB, 256 GB
CPUSnapdragon 888 in the UK model, confirmed by Expert Reviews and TechAdvisor; Samsung publishes a 5 nm 64-bit octa-core processor and lists Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 depending on region/operator. Expert Reviews identifies CPU clusters at 2.84/2.42/1.8 GHz.Samsung Exynos 2200, octa-core, 2.8 GHz + 2.5 GHz + 1.8 GHz; 8 GB of RAM
Storage typeUK 6 GB RAM with 128 GB storage or 8 GB RAM with 256 GB, confirmed by TechAdvisor and TechRadar; Samsung's global 8/128 GB configuration is regional. No microSD expansion.128 GB (100.7 GB available) or 256 GB (219.1 GB available); no microSD slot
Cameras
Main camera12 MP50 MP
Ultra wide camera12 MP12 MP
Telephoto camera8 MP8 MP
Optical zoom3×3×
Front camera32 MP10 MP
Main camera12 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel autofocus and OIS; Expert Reviews identifies a 1/1.76-inch sensor with 1.8 µm pixels50 MP, F1.8, autofocus, OIS
Ultra wide camera12 MP, f/2.2 and 123° field of view; the first UK support comparison table drops the leading digit and says 2 MP, while its second table and global launch correctly say 12 MP12 MP, F2.2
Telephoto camera8 MP, f/2.4, 3× optical zoom and OIS confirmed by Samsung UK support; TechRadar's 1.1× optical/3× hybrid description conflicts with the maker8 MP, F2.4, 3x optical zoom
Front camera32 MP, f/2.2, fixed focus and 81° field of view10 MP, F2.4, fixed focus
Zoom3× optical and up to 30× digital Space Zoom3x optical zoom; digital zoom up to 30x
Video recordingRear camera records up to 4K 60 fps; 960 fps HD and 240 fps Full HD slow motion in Samsung's Australian exact-model sheet8K (7,680 × 4,320) at 24 fps; slow motion at 960 fps (HD) and 240 fps (Full HD)
Front videoUp to 4K 60 fps, according to TechRadar–
Camera featuresNight Mode, AI Face Restoration and simultaneous front/rear Dual Recording; Single Take described by TechRadarNightography; Pro Mode
Battery and charging
Battery4,500 mAh4,500 mAh
Video playback (maker's claim)–Up to 22 hours
Wired chargingUp to 25 WUp to 25 W
Wireless chargingUp to 15 WYes (wattage not published)
Battery life detail4,500 mAh typical; 4,370 mAh rated minimum in Samsung's global release. The UK launch footnote instead calls 4,500 mAh the rated minimum; global specification footnotes control.4,500 mAh typical, 4,370 mAh rated; video playback (streaming) up to 22 hours; internet use up to 19 hours (LTE) or 20 hours (Wi-Fi); talk time up to 39 hours (4G)
Wired charging25 W Super Fast Charging; Samsung claims over 50% in 30 minutes with its separately sold 25 W chargerUp to 50% in 30 minutes with a 25 W adapter (sold separately)
Wireless charging15 W wireless chargingFast Wireless Charging
Charges other devicesWireless PowerShare supported; maker launch does not publish wattage–
Design
TypeStandardStandard
Weight177 g209 g
Thickness7.9 mm8.2 mm
Height × width155.7 × 74.5 mm158 × 76.5 mm
Water and dust resistanceIP68IP68
MaterialsPlastic back and aluminium frame, according to TechAdvisor; Contour-Cut camera housing and haze finish–
ColoursGraphite, Olive, Lavender and White in Samsung's UK launch release; the support comparison additionally lists Navy without a UK launch configurationMint, Cream, Graphite, Purple; Indigo and Tangerine online exclusives
Water resistance detailIP68; global launch footnote states up to 5 feet of water for 30 minutesIP68
BiometricsOptical in-display fingerprint sensor; camera-based face recognition described by TechAdvisorIn-screen fingerprint sensor, face recognition
SensorsAccelerometer, barometer, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, light sensor and proximity sensorAccelerometer, barometer, fingerprint, gyro, geomagnetic, Hall, light, virtual proximity sensing
SpeakersStereo speakers, according to TechAdvisor–
Software
Operating systemAndroidAndroid
Software at launchAndroid 12 with One UI 4Android 13; One UI 6.0 at UK launch
Software updatesSamsung's February 2022 policy includes S21 FE for up to four Android/One UI generations and five years of security updates, superseding the shorter commitment in January launch reviewsFour generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates
In the boxCharger excluded, confirmed by Samsung; no other UK box contents verified–
Connectivity
Mobile network5G sub-6, LTE FDD/TDD and 4×4 MIMO in Samsung's global specification; US review mmWave coverage is regional5G Sub6; 4G LTE
SIMDual SIM, according to Expert Reviews; nano-SIM format in Samsung's exact-model specificationNano-SIM plus a second nano-SIM or eSIM
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6, according to TechAdvisor and Expert ReviewsWi-Fi 6E (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax), 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz, HE160, MIMO, 1024-QAM
BluetoothBluetooth 5.0, according to TechAdvisor and Expert ReviewsBluetooth 5.3
NFCSamsung Pay with NFC; payment availability depends on marketYes
USBUSB-C; no 3.5 mm headphone socket, according to TechAdvisorUSB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1
Positioning–GPS, Glonass, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS

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