Samsung Galaxy S21 FE test: a golden deal… in the event of a promotion

Almost a year after the official release of the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra, the FE version has finally made its debut in France. But at a price of 759 euros, does it have the necessary arguments to seduce the general public? Answer in this comprehensive test.

Shortage of components obliges, Samsung willy-nilly had to postpone the release of its Galaxy S21 FE, initially planned for the summer of 2021. A summer period which finally gave pride of place to the manufacturer's foldable ranges, with on the one hand the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and on the other, the promising Galaxy Z Flip 3.

The health and industrial context has made things complicated for Samsung, which releases the Fan Edition version a few weeks before the Galaxy S22, and especially a year after the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra. All this with a price positioning that raises questions, given the great promotions already applied to the classic S21.

This test will try to answer the following question: how is the Galaxy S21 FE worth it compared to the rest of the range?

Samsung Galaxy S21 FEData sheet

This test was carried out using a model lent by the brand.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Design

We can't stress it enough, but the Fan Edition version of a Samsung Galaxy aims to deliver a high-end phone experience at a knocked-down price thanks to a few compromises. And these famous compromises are already present at the design level, in small touches.

The S21 FE has the same plastic coating as its big brothers (except the Ultra), but not everywhere: the formerly aluminum photo module tastes plastic this time. The impression that emerges is perhaps a bit less premium, but the whole is at least unified. Also, the photo block no longer overflows on the side edge, and stops precisely at the level of the edge. Also choose a shell: the plastic seems fragile and can be scratched easily.

Never mind, the design of the phone remains a great success despite these slight changes. The plastic is moreover of very good quality, and has the ability due to its properties to lower the weight of a product: in this case, the Galaxy S21 FE weighs only 177 grams, for a thin thickness of 7 .9mm (the same as the S21).

Clearly, the handling of the smartphone is very pleasant and should suit 99% of people. For lovers of compact smartphones, on the other hand, be aware that this S21 FE version opts for a slightly larger screen (we will come back to this later) and subscribes to the 6.2-inch diagonal observed on the S21.

For the rest, Samsung honors its know-how with impeccable finishes, IP68 certification (protection against dust, immersion under water for 1 hour) and Gorilla Glass Victus glass protected against scratches and shocks. (prefer a shell all the same, if only to hide the fingerprints that appear on the back).

Also count on a dual SIM and a standby button perfectly placed on the right edge. The same could not be said for the volume buttons, a bit high for little fingers like mine. Nothing prohibitive in short, you get used to it quickly.

Finally, particular care has been given to the edges of the screen, which are relatively thin except for the chin. But overall, a real edge-to-edge effect is felt when our eyes land on the phone. The selfie sensor is nestled in a central bubble. Nothing original here, just classic.

For lovers of wired audio devices, go your way: the Galaxy S21 FE obviously does not include a jack.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FEScreen

As previously spoiled, the Galaxy S21 FE's screen is up in size with a diagonal of 6.4 inches, compared to 6.2 inches on the S21. For those who like to consume content on a big screen, this can be a plus. For those who prefer more compact formats, it is less so.

The rest of the features are basic with regard to its price segment: Full HD +, OLED for infinite contrasts and 120 Hz refresh rate to bring this succulent fluidity to navigation. The screen is also flat, not curved. Again, everyone will have their preferences.

In use, the Samsung Galaxy S21 panel is a little treat to use: it responds to your finger and eye with excellent responsiveness and displays flattering colors for your retina. However, let's try to examine its innards thanks to the CalMAN Ultimate software from Portrait Displays.

The Galaxy S21 FE offers two modes: Vivid and Natural, both of which we reviewed. With Vivid mode, sRGB and DCI-P3 spectrum coverage jump to 180% and 121%, respectively. Very good scores, which however remain lower than those of the classic Galaxy S21 (200% and 150%).

The situation becomes more complicated with the Average Delta E, which corresponds to the fidelity of the colors displayed. We obtained a result of 7.12, far from the ideal score of 3. The temperature tends to pull a bit too blue (7075 K), when the maximum brightness of 703 cd/m2 is excellent. You will have no problems with visibility in direct sunlight.

Let's now go to Natural mode, which does not really meet expectations with an sRGB and DCI-P3 spectrum covered at 95 and 64%, far too insufficient at this price range. The average Delta E gets worse with a score of 8.33. The only data saving the day is the temperature of 6661 K, which is therefore close to the desired 6500 K.

To sum up the situation: favor the Vivid mode, which, of course, does not really respect the fidelity of the colors, but which has the merit of bringing a beautiful plurality. For the more picky, a gauge allows you to play with the white balance to juggle between warmer or colder hues.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FESoftware

If there's one point where this phone stands out over the Galaxy S21s, it's its software interface out of the box. This Fan Edition is natively based on Android 12 and One UI 4, the latest OS versions. Consequences: it will be entitled to an additional year of major updates and more security patches.

In other words, the software life of this Galaxy S21 FE is therefore a bit longer than its friends, despite the same name in its surname. It is therefore a strong point, since it will access more future features that other S21s will be deprived of.

Regarding One UI 4 and Android 12, we invite you to consult our complete test which summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of this interface.

Just remember that the animations of the OS are both very fluid and pleasing to the eye and that the Monet mode with Samsung sauce - which adapts the colors of the system according to the dominant hue of the wallpaper - brings a beautiful visual harmony to the experience.

I was however bothered by forced and unexpected closing of applications, but it was really rare. Also, the digital well-being function (to be found in the settings) has never worked, for reasons that are still obscure. The camera app's shutter can also take a while to activate when you want to capture a scene. Shame.

Android interface requires, the settings are always quite messy: do not hesitate to get your hands dirty and take your time to personalize the phone and find the little feature that could change your daily life.

When it comes to playing HD content on SVOD platforms, the Galaxy S21 FE ticks all the boxes with Widevine L1 compatibility. Well placed to fall naturally under your thumb, the fingerprint sensor is faultless.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FEAudio

The Galaxy S21 FE gives you a stereo sound experience thanks to two speakers: one is placed on the lower edge, the other directly in the phone at the level of the slot provided for calls. So inevitably, and as is the "tradition", their power differs: the one integrated in the lower edge is stronger.

As for the overall sound quality, you can go your own way. Apart from the good management of the mediums – the voices stand out well –, the rest really leaves something to be desired. Between a not very warm sound, treble set back and poor rendering definition, the Galaxy S21 does not collect many points in this area.

A year ago and for the same launch price, the Xiaomi Mi 11 rocked the house.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Camera

The Galaxy S21 FE goes straight to the point and offers us a no-frills photo setup with three sensors as useful as each other. Here, no unnecessary macro or depth lens.

Main sensor

Overall, the main sensor produces very good shots which should delight your peepers: the management of colorimetry certainly tends to saturate the colors, making them more pop, but this has the merit of flattering your retina. For example, the blue of the sky was not that blue in reality.

For foodies looking for beautiful Instagram photos, the phone's services should meet your expectations. The overall sharpness is satisfactory and provides an interesting level of detail. The quality of the sensor and Samsung's algorithms combine well together.

Finally, the phone generally handles dynamics well, even in more complex situations. Only the photo of the park could have been better approached: the trees, and more particularly the top of the column, seem a bit underexposed. But that's detail.

Ultra wide angle

Great performance from the ultra-wide-angle sensor, which on the one hand remains consistent in terms of colorimetry compared to the main sensor, and on the other, retains an honorable level of detail. Apart from a loss of sharpness in the corners as is traditionally the case, this lens does its job.

The only downside that can be noted concerns the dynamics: in the second photo, the sun attacks the sky which is simply too exposed. We deliberately put him in backlit situations to see what he had in mind. But overall, this sensor will bring you complete satisfaction.

x3 optical

The optical x3 continues in this same line, with excellent sharpness which guarantees a beautiful capture of details. You are going to have fun with it, that's a guarantee.

As for the ultra wide-angle, the management of the dynamics deteriorates even more: on the second image, the trees are under-exposed, on the contrary of the sky, over-exposed. Chromatic aberrations are also visible on the temples.

Finally, on the last photo, the sensor tends to slightly yellow everything. In reality, the facade of the building was whiter. Again, it's detail.

By night

At night, the Galaxy S21 FE is amazing, in a good way. Apart from the ultra wide-angle more “cracra”, the main sensor and the telephoto lens are doing really well. The first is clear and relevant, without falling into the traps (halo, lens flare) of artificial lights. That's a good point. The second suffers from more or less marked digital noise depending on the scene captured.

night mode

The night mode has a real interest on people's faces. As you can see, the normal mode smoothes the skin a lot, while the night mode gives depth to the colors and your facial features. There is a real before and after effect.

Portrait mode (x1 and x3)

In portrait mode, the behavior of the device sometimes raises questions: the x1 smooths faces a little too much, but generally outlines subjects well. A few small strands of hair sometimes slip by the wayside.

With the optical x3, still in portrait mode, the treatment applied seems to slightly deteriorate the sharpness of the image, for a mixed result but still usable. Clearly, all is not perfect, but there is good.

selfie

Samsung uses its 32 megapixel front sensor as a selling point, compared to 10 megapixels on the classic Galaxy S21. But be careful not to fall into its marketing traps. This sensor is much more restrictive than you think.

Already, it is necessary to activate the 32 megapixel mode in the settings of the camera application. Yes, it is not available by default. It is binding here. In addition, the difference with the 10 megapixel mode is minimal, if not non-existent.

In reality, the 10 megapixel photo is even better, as it has more contrast and better reflects the colorimetry of reality. The 32-megapixel mode tends to desaturate the image and give my colleague a pale complexion. This mode is a failure.

Video

Finally, note that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is able to shoot in 4K at 60 fps with the main sensor. The x3 optical zoom must be content with a maximum of 30 fps.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FEPerformance

With a processor from a different brand, which is moreover Qualcomm, the Galaxy S21 FE is necessarily expected at the turn in terms of performance. Does the Exynos 2100 of the classic S21 manage to hold the tide against the Snapdragon 888 of the FE and its 6 GB of RAM? We will try to answer it with the data found on the benchmark applications.

For Antutu, difficult to designate a winner. Indeed, the version used last year was not the same as today, the results cannot be compared. As a reminder, Antutu tries to represent the entire experience of a smartphone: it is therefore generally a good indicator to measure its power.

Instead, let's look at the 3DMark application, which focuses on the graphics performance of an SoC. The idea is to further animate the GPU – here, a Kryo 680, 5 nm, 8 cores – in order to push it to its limits. And in this little game, the Exynos 2100 of the Galaxy S21 seems to be doing better, but only slightly.

On GFXBench, which also focuses on graphics performance, the results are balanced. While on Androbench, which evaluates the storage performance of a phone, the Galaxy S21 FE is once again dominated. However, it is impossible to compare their PCMark score, as the version used is not the same.

Beyond its difficult to digest technical data, what can we learn from the performance of the Galaxy S21 FE in practice? Overall and with a simplistic use of your phone (internet browsing, small games, music, video content), everything is going well. You will have no problems with fluidity and power. The smartphone responds perfectly to your requests.

If it meets all standard uses, does it manage to deploy the necessary resources for demanding 3D games? In the case of Fortnite, the finding is half fig half grape. With HD textures, 60 FPS, Epic and 100% 3D resolution, the freezes are multiple and prevent you from playing properly. Avoid.

Lowering the FPS number to 30 is better, but far from perfect. Slowdowns are still felt during dynamic combat phases, where your character tends to move in all directions. It's playable, but really not optimal for signing a top 1. For a smartphone of its ilk, it's a bit disappointing.

We therefore advise you not to activate HD textures when launching the Fortnite application, and to limit yourself to 30 FPS to guarantee a smooth experience. Also note a pronounced heating of the phone after 10 minutes of play: in winter, this can be practical to warm your hands, but that's all.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Battery

Let's not beat around the bush: the autonomy of the Galaxy S21 FE is clearly disappointing despite its better battery of 4500 mAh (4000 mAh on the Galaxy S21). Already, our test protocol on Viser software, which simulates continuous activity to reduce autonomy to 10%, has recorded a mediocre result: 9:25 (11:32 for the S21 Plus).

This is one of the worst scores recorded on the panel of smartphones tested over the past year. This quantified assessment is corroborated by our impressions during daily use. With relatively intensive use, the battery percentage quickly dropped, to the point of falling below 10% at around 9 p.m.

If you decide to sip an afterwork drink and follow up with a restaurant while actively using your phone, expect to be HS during the evening. With more moderate use, the Galaxy S21 FE is able to last an entire day. But you will have to pass it with the charging box before your night's sleep.

Speaking of recharging, know that the phone climbs to a power of 25 W wired, but no compatible block is provided – only the cable is present. It will therefore be necessary to buy this accessory in addition to the smartphone. In any case, this 25 W peak remains too low compared to the competition in the segment, where 33 or even 67 W are now common. On this point, Samsung is lagging behind.

In terms of recharging speed, here are the measurements taken during our tests:

Samsung Galaxy S21 FENetworking and communications

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is obviously 5G compatible. Unfortunately, Samsung has not yet released the detailed spec sheet of the phone to find out which frequency bands it is compatible with. Also note that in terms of geolocation on Google Maps for example, the device is precise and reliable in terms of directions.

Regarding phone calls, it's flawless: intelligible voice, noise pollution perfectly erased (even the horns are attenuated), natural voice and microphones well cut when no one is talking. In short, you will have no problem communicating with your interlocutor with the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Price and release date

The Galaxy S21 FE is available on Samsung's official website at a price of 759 euros in a 6 + 128 GB configuration, with Galaxy Buds 2 wireless headphones (value of 149 euros) as well as 100 euros of trade-in bonus, as part of a promotional offer valid until February 8, 2022. The phone is also available from resellers.

For the most greedy, an 8 + 256 GB storage version is also available at a price of 829 euros.