Samsung’s first new device in 2022 is the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE), coming with new colours, improved performance and better cameras.
Despite being the more affordable option in Samsung’s Galaxy S21 family, the Galaxy S21 FE still uses a premium glass back wrapped in a metal band. The rear glass has received a matte soft-touch finish to both reduce fingerprints and provide a more luxurious feel. The S21 FE 5G is also 0.5mm thinner than the Galaxy S20 FE at 7.9 mm thick. And yes, the device is IP68 water and dust-resistant.
Specifications
| Device | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Memory | 6GB / 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB |
| Display | 6.4-inch, FHD+, Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, 120Hz |
| Camera | Rear: 12MP main camera 12MP ultra-wide 8MP telephoto Front: |
| Battery | 4,500mAh |
| Security | Optical fingerprint sensor |
| Durability | IP68 |
| Port | USB-C |
| Colours | Olive, Lavender, Graphite, White |
| Pricing and availability | 6GB+128GB: CA$950 8GB+256GB: CA$1,040 Available on Jan. 11. |
The Galaxy S21 FE now uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 system-on-chip (SoC). In addition to faster performance, the SoC can accelerate AI features, especially when taking pictures. There are two memory and storage configurations: one with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage, and another with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage.
In the camera array are a 12MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom or 30x digital zoom. On the front is a 32MP pinhole selfie camera.
Samsung said the S21 FE has been prepped to grab the perfect shot for social media. As such, it features multiple shooting modes, including Night Mode, Vlogger Mode, Portrait Mode and Director View multi-camera shooting mode. For editing, it can perform AI face restoration to brighten up faces and can scrub background objects using Object Eraser.
The display has received a major upgrade over the previous generation. The Galaxy S21 FE now uses a 6.3-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, the same technology used in the flagship Galaxy models. In addition to boasting richer colours, the high refresh rate display should provide a smoother gaming experience, not to mention silky animations and scrolling.
The phone has a 4,500mAh battery and can wirelessly share its juice with other devices. Samsung said that it only takes 30 minutes to charge for hours of use. Unfortunately, like the flagship phones, it no longer comes with a charger.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G will be available on Jan. 11. The 6GB/128GB option costs CA$950 while the 8GB/256GB configuration costs CA$1,040.
Update 10:28 p.m. EST: due to a change after the pre-release media briefing, the pre-order date is no longer valid. The article has been updated to reflect the change.