Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: Our first impressions

Featuring a decent balance of specs, Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is a phone that hinges on its processing power and four-camera system, while attempting to set itself apart from its predecessor, Samsung Galaxy S21. 

This phone's most prominent physical feature is its super lightweight frame. At 177g, it weighs a little more than the 171g Galaxy S21, but its compact design and sleek display make for a favourable first impression. With the low weight and dimensions of 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm, this phone feels quite fun to hold for a long time.

A bit of time with the phone will reveal that it is ultimately a toned-down version of the Samsung Galaxy S21, and thus opens itself to a host of comparisons. The 6.4" Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is good on the eyes and is just a bit bigger in size than the 6.2" Flat FHD+ of the Galaxy S21. The size difference doesn't matter much, as the 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate allow smooth menu navigation.

With an Exynos 2100 Octa-Core 2.9Ghz processor and 5nm Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 chipset, the processor seems to be the most appealing selling point of the phone. It is designed to reduce heat and battery consumption, though of course such limits cannot be duly tested on a limited time.

The 4,500 mAh battery comes with 50W fast charging. It is reported that the device takes around an hour to fully charge from 0%. The phone also features IP68 dust and water resistance. According to Samsung, this phone can be submerged a few centimetres underwater for at least 30 minutes with absolutely no repercussion on the device.

The 32 MP front camera allows x3 zoom without any strain on the image quality and has up to x30 zoom as a maximum limit. The 12 MP rear-wide OIS and 12 MP ultra-wide cameras come with functions such as zoom lock, which can set the photo in place to reduce flickering, and an image stabilization system that reduces shakiness in photos.

The phone also has an 8MP tele-camera, and the first few photos with the test model yielded impressive results. The details on the captured images were as good as you would expect from a 32 MP camera, though the video quality was less satisfactory in comparison. Despite photos being able to reduce flickering, there was noticeable flickering when taking quick short videos. However, better results are expected from the commercially released models.

Last but not least, as implied in its name, Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G supports 5G SIMs. Being future-proofed for the latest wave of wireless technology is certainly a plus, though with a marketed price tag of Tk. 69,999/-, perhaps Galaxy S21 FE will forever be compared to its predecessor Galaxy S21, which is currently priced around Tk. 74,000/- for the 8 GB ROM + 128 GB RAM version. 

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE officially released on 6 January 2022, and just for Smartphone and Tab Expo 2022, a pre-additional offer will bring the price down by Tk. 5,000/-.