Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G available on 11 January 2022

Better late than never: Samsung's essentials version of their flagship series arrives at last.

by Justin Choo

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Fan Edition) will go on sale on 11 January 2022.

The ’lite’ version of the company’s popular flagship S21 phones retains most of the features that made the flagship a hit, including the design language of the series. The FE also sports the signature Contour-Cut aesthetic for the camera housing, making it unmistakably Samsung.

The FE edition also features a slimmer 7.9mm body that’s water-resistant (IP68) and a stylish haze finish with four chic colour options in Olive, Lavender, White or Graphite.

Like the rest of the S21 range, the FE is specced with top-of-the-line chipsets (either a Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100). However, you’ll have less RAM – 8GB (paired with 128GB or 256GB storage) compared to 12GB on the flagship models. But 8GB should be sufficient for the average user.

The 6.4″ display – a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel – ticks all the right boxes as well with its 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz polling rate.

Understandably, you can’t expect to have the same menagerie of cameras so the FE edition gets a more modest trio to cover the basics: a 12MP wide-angle main camera, an 8MP telephoto and a 12MP ultrawide to complete the trifecta. However, the new phone does enjoy the benefits of the latest software enhancements for the most popular use cases such as an improved Night Mode.

At the front, it has a 32MP camera that on paper doesn’t seem to be a massive step down from its cousins. It also supports Dual Recording so you can capture both views – front and back – at once.

The battery is smaller at 4,500mAh but not by much (500mAh). It charges just as quickly with its 25W Super Fast Charging feature, enabling it to tip past the 50% in just 30 minutes.

The phone comes pre-installed with One UI 4 and thus packs countless customisable options for layouts and privacy settings.

The Galaxy S21 FE 5G will be available in Singapore from 11 January 2022 at 12am, from telecommunications operators, Samsung Online Store, Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung Official Store in Lazada and Shopee and Major Consumer Electronics & IT Stores.

The 128GB version retails for $978 while the 256GB variant is priced at $1,048. If you purchase a Galaxy S21 FE 5G from 11 January to 31 January 2022, you will receive a complimentary pair of Galaxy Buds2 worth $248. As with all things of this nature, the offer is valid while stocks last and terms & conditions apply.