Samsung is starting the year strong, with the Galaxy S21 FE hitting stores today. The Galaxy S21 FE is ostensibly an entry-level Galaxy S21, that makes a few compromises to bring the price down to under $1,000.
There are three main trade-offs when you compare the Galaxy S21 FE to the standard Galaxy S21: the back is entirely plastic - even the camera bump, the zoom lens is lower resolution, and there's less RAM. Other key specs are mostly identical, however, with the Galaxy S21 FE still featuring an Exynos 2100 process, the same 12MP primary and ultra-wide lenses, and a 120Hz refresh rate display.
The only other significant difference is that the Galaxy S21 FE is a 6.4-inch device, while the Galaxy S21 is slightly smaller at 6.2-inch.
On paper, the S21 FE is an appealing proposition. Shave off a few inessential features in exchange for a lower price tag. It worked well for the Galaxy S20 FE, which was arguably Samsung's best phone in 2020.
What makes the Galaxy S21 FE an unusual launch is that Samsung is expected to reveal the Galaxy S22 family in early February. As such, the manufacturer is all but pitting a downgraded take on last year's phone against its latest and greatest devices. Last time around, the gap between the S20 FE and the Galaxy S21 was much larger.
There's only a $250 difference between the Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S21. If Samsung holds firm with pricing, a $250 premium could end up making a Galaxy S22 a better buy. Unless you're in need of a new phone right now, it could pay to wait if you're considering a Galaxy S21 FE. And hey, it doesn't take long for Samsung phones to get discounted.
If you're keen for the Galaxy S21 FE, the phone will set you back $999 for a 128GB model or $1,099 for a 256GB model. It goes on sale tomorrow, and anyone who picks one up before January 30 will get a free pair of Galaxy Buds 2 valued at $219. You can get it in a choice of four colours: white, graphite, lavender, and olive.
Alex Choros
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