Samsung is capitalising on the popularity of the Galaxy S20 FE's success with the launch of Galaxy S21 FE 5G. After selling 10 million units of the S20 FE and S20 FE 5G editions globally, the launch of S21 FE 5G is a logical next step. But the bigger question is can the Galaxy S21 FE live up to the hype?
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G wears a premium flagship face, much akin to the Galaxy S21 lineup. The smartphone offers a pretty premium package with a price that can no longer be considered exorbitant considering the new wave of flagships in the market. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is priced at Rs. 54,999 for the 128GB variant and Rs. 58,999 for 256GB model, but there's a limited-period cashback offer on HDFC Bank cards, which knocks off Rs 5,000 on the above prices.
Here are our first impressions of the Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
First impressions
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G's design is a huge part of the phone's USP from what we can gather. The phone comes in a sleek box, without the power adaptor. All you get inside the box besides the phone is a USB Type-C to Type-C cable and a SIM eject pin. But that's just the way most flagships are going to be in a bid to reduce e-waste.
Moving on to the phone, where most of the action is, the Galaxy S21 FE takes serious inspiration from the Galaxy S21. The phone has a swept-back camera module that fuses into the frame similar to the S21, but the back panel is made of plastic. The smooth matte finish feels great and keeps smudges at bay, but you won't get that premium feel-factor. On the plus side, the phone is lighter and easier to handle with single hand.
Samsung has even managed to offer IP68 protection, which doesn't make plastic back a regrettable choice anymore. On a more practical front, the Galaxy S21 FE is more durable than phones with glass bodies.
The metal chassis adds some weight to the phone, tipping the scales at 177 grams. The power button and volume rockers are placed on the right side of the phone. The positioning of the buttons is in such a way that the volume up button requires you to stretch your thumb or the index finger.
On the front is a 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display, which maintains Samsung's integrity. The display offers 120Hz refresh rate, which makes transitions truly smooth. The haptic feedback is excellent.
For multimedia buffs, the display is rich in colours and vivid. There's a punch-hole camera centrally aligned on top, which hardly gets in the way of any content you consume, be it gaming or streaming. Samsung displays are never really areas of criticism and the Galaxy S21 FE easily has one of the best displays one has to offer in the market. Finally, the in-display optical fingerprint sensor works flawlessly.
What we are really excited to check out in the Galaxy S21 FE is the performance as it is powered by Exynos 2100 - the same SoC as the Galaxy S21 series. Flagship-grade performance is likely guaranteed on this phone, something we have experienced with the S21 siblings. We'll still be putting the phone through daily tests to see if there are any kinks.
Samsung packs some useful features such as stereo speakers, Wireless Dex mode support, reverse wireless charging, a 4,500mAh battery with 25W fast wired charging and 15W wireless charging. In fact, we wish to see Samsung level up on the fast-charging front.
With these features, Samsung Galaxy S21 FE offers a premium flagship experience on a budget. A smooth end-user experience topped with brand value and long-term software support do come into consideration.
Stay tuned for our full review of Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
