Samsung Galaxy S23+ vs S21 FE 5G: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The S23+ is the clear winner thanks to its significantly faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, brighter display, and longer battery life. While the S21 FE offers good value, the S23+ delivers a premium experience that justifies its higher price tag.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy S23+ | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (Dual SIM model only) | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International | 1, 3, 5, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE-A (up to 7CA), 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat19 1600/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 7, 28, 41, 66, 71, 78, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, February 01 | 2022, January 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, February 17 | Available. Released 2022, January 07 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 157.8 x 76.2 x 7.6 mm (6.21 x 3.00 x 0.30 in) | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm (6.13 x 2.93 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM and eSIM or Dual SIM (2 Nano-SIMs and eSIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 177 g (6.24 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 105.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1750 nits (peak) | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 1Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - Version 2 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) - Version 1Exynos 2100 (5 nm) - Version 2 |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 660 - Version 1Mali-G78 MP14 - Version 2 |
| OS | Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 4.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video | 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 76mm (telephoto), 1/4.5", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 1080p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual video call, Auto-HDR, HDR10+ | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), Dual Pixel PDAF | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | - | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | 32-bit/384kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG | USB Type-C, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min (advertised) 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4700 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime | White, Graphite, Lavender, Olive |
| Models | SM-S916B, SM-S916B/DS, SM-S916U, SM-S916U1, SM-S916W, SM-S916N, SM-S9160, SM-S916E, SM-S916E/DS | SM-G990B, SM-G990B/DS, SM-G990U, SM-G990U1, SM-G990W, SM-G990E, SM-G9900, SM-G990B2, SM-G990U2, SM-G990W2, SM-G990U3 |
| Price | $ 780.00 / C$ 1,399.99 / £ 919.08 / € 1,185.89 / ₹ 94,999 | € 199.00 / $ 143.95 / £ 154.99 / ₹ 29,990 |
| SAR | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.04 W/kg (body) | 0.77 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.77 W/kg (head) 1.45 W/kg (body) | 0.95 W/kg (head) 1.48 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 111h | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.5 LUFS (Good) | -26.9 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 1234077 (v9) GeekBench: 5073 (v5.1) GFXBench: 110fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 566529 (v8), 719696 (v9) GeekBench: 3049 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy S23+
- Significantly faster performance
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Longer battery life
- Improved camera quality
- Premium build quality
- Higher price
- No charger included in the box
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
- More affordable
- Decent camera system
- 5G connectivity
- Compact size
- Slower performance
- Less bright display
- Shorter battery life
- Older chipset
Display Comparison
The S23+ boasts a brighter display (estimated 1200 nits peak brightness vs S21 FE's 792 nits) and a more vibrant color profile. Both have excellent contrast ratios (nominal 'infinite'), but the S23+'s improved brightness makes it more visible in direct sunlight. The S23+ also features a smoother 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, enhancing scrolling and animations.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the S23+ generally produces better images, especially in low light. The S23+ benefits from improved image processing and a larger sensor, resulting in more detail and accurate colors. Video recording on the S23+ is also superior, with improved stabilization and dynamic range.
Performance
The S23+’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a generational leap over the S21 FE’s Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100). Expect significantly faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and better performance in demanding games. The S23+ handles intensive tasks with ease, while the S21 FE can occasionally show signs of strain.
Battery Life
The S23+ has a clear advantage in battery life, with an endurance rating of 111h compared to the S21 FE's 92h. This translates to noticeably longer usage times between charges. The S23+'s 45W charging is also faster than the S21 FE's 25W, although neither phone includes a charger in the box.
Buying Guide
The Samsung Galaxy S23+ is ideal for power users, photography enthusiasts, and anyone who wants the latest and greatest technology. The S21 FE 5G is a great option for budget-conscious buyers who still want a solid Samsung experience with 5G connectivity and a decent camera.