Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (888) now available: Should you buy
What's the story
The Snapdragon version of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has finally made its way to India, a year after the Exynos counterpart was introduced in the country. It comes in a single 8GB/256GB configuration which costs Rs. 49,999, and retains a similar set of specifications. The device is now available for purchase, but should you really consider it in 2023? Let's find out.
Design
The handset offers a 120Hz AMOLED screen
Galaxy S21 FE gets a center-aligned punch-hole cutout, aluminum frame, and an in-display optical fingerprint scanner. At the back, it has Galaxy S21-like vertically-stacked triple cameras within a protruding island. The phone sports a 6.4-inch Full-HD+ (1080x2340 pixels) AMOLED panel, with a 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. It comes in Navy, Olive, Graphite, White, and Lavender colors.
Information
It has a 12MP main camera with OIS
The Galaxy S21 FE features a 12MP (f/1.8, AF, OIS) main, 12MP (f/2.2) 123-degree ultra-wide, and an 8MP (f/2.4, OIS) telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and 30x space zoom. On the front, it has a 32MP (f/2.2) camera.
Internals
The device supports wireless charging
The new Galaxy S21 FE in India uses a Snapdragon 888 chipset, paired with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Powered by Android 13, the device boots One UI 5 custom skin. The handset packs a 4,500mAh battery, supporting 25W wired and 15W wireless charging. Wireless power sharing is also possible. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.
Information
Price and availability
The Galaxy S21 FE comes in an 8GB/256GB configuration, which costs Rs. 49,999. It is now available via Samsung India e-store and offline retail stores. Buyers can choose from five different color variants. Flat Rs. 5,000 discount is also applicable on HDFC Bank cards.
Verdict
Should you buy this smartphone?
The Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S21 FE was one of the most demanded models in India when it wasn't available here. The device is still a great option, and you can consider it if it's available for a discounted price during the upcoming sales. However, for its current price tag, you may find better alternatives such as the OnePlus 11R and Nothing Phone (2).