Samsung Galaxy S21 FE revealed: Colorful flagship for $699

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TL;DR

• Samsung presented the Galaxy S21 FE before the CES 2022.
• It will be launched on January 11, 2022 for $699.95 with the 256 GB model at $769.99.
• Highlights: Telephoto camera, 4,500 mAh battery, and a wide range of colors.

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Almost a year after the release of the Galaxy S21 series, Samsung has introduced a new member. As with the previous model, it is a "fan edition" that is supposed to shine with a particularly good price-performance ratio. The Galaxy S21 FE looks almost exactly like its older brothers. However, Samsung has thrown in a few more colors and covered the camera bump in plastic. All is not lost though, as there is IP68 certification against water and dust included as part of the deal.

As early as its unveiling on January 4 as part of CES 2022, Samsung has set both a launch date and price. The Galaxy S21 FE will be released on January 11, 2022 with 128GB of internal memory for $699.95, while those who hanker after larger storage space will have to fork out $769.99 for the 256GB model. Samsung has only announced the availability of this handset on its own online store, although you will probably be able to pick up the Galaxy S21 FE from various network operators and online retailers in due time.

At a glance: This is what the Galaxy S21 FE offers

Sporting an MSRP of $699.95, the Galaxy S21 FE is exactly $100 cheaper than the "regular" Galaxy S21. How the prices of the Galaxy S21 series have fallen in recent months can be read in the linked article. As with the previously released models, there is no room for memory expansion purposes, so you might want to get it right at purchase. 

For the display, Samsung relies on Dynamic AMOLED with a refresh rate of 120 hertz. It measures 6.4 inches and is thus 0.1 inches smaller than the S20 FE. Gamers will also enjoy a sampling rate of 240 hertz. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset will be the heartbeat in the S21 FE, which should ensure a buttery smooth experience for mobile games. In addition, the 128GB version has 6GB of RAM, which increases to 8GB with the 256GB model. Armed with the Snapdragon 888 chipset automatically means the Galaxy S21 FE is 5G ready.

• The best Samsung smartphones compared on NextPit

At the back of the Galaxy S21 FE, you will find a triple camera configuration that consists of a primary camera with 12 MP, an ultra-wide camera with 12 MP, and a telephoto camera with 8 MP resolution. Apart from the ultra-wide-angle camera, all lenses feature optical stabilization. Selfies are taken at a 32 MP resolution. In its press release, Samsung emphasized an improved night mode, which we hope will live up to its hype! Video fans can also enjoy dual video recording. We'll see what other camera features the S21 series offers in the review down the road.

Last but not least, the battery: It features a 4,500 mAh rating. With 25-watts quick-charging and 15-watts wireless charging, the Galaxy S21 FE retains the charging capabilities of its predecessor. If you like buying smartphones for the long haul, you can look forward to four years of security updates with the Galaxy S21 FE. The Galaxy S21 FE also comes with Android 12 via OneUI 4.0 out of the box, which automatically translates to this handset offering longer software support than the other S21 models.

What do you think of the Galaxy S21 FE? Is it a good deal or flagship killer, or simply a lazy rehash? Let us know in the comments!