The triple camera setup on the Galaxy S23 FE features a 50-megapixel wide sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 8-megapixel telephoto sensor. — Photos: Samsung
This time, we’ve got a two-fer review, marking the return of Samsung’s Fan Edition devices with the Galaxy S23 FE and Galaxy Buds FE after a brief hiatus in 2022.
The S23 FE is a smartphone that marked two big firsts for me: using an in-display fingerprint reader and really diving into what the Samsung DeX experience has to offer.
Despite having heard for years that under-screen fingerprint sensors are sluggish and inconsistent, Samsung appears to have bucked that trend, with the S23 FE having snappy unlocks and rarely failing to properly detect my finger.
The productivity it offers with DeX is also pretty outstanding, especially if you’re after word processing, general use of Microsoft Office apps, and web browsing – I even wrote part of this review using DeX!
In theory, some light gaming is possible in DeX mode, though an external controller is recommended since touch controls don’t exactly translate seamlessly to the mouse and keyboard.
Smooth operator
The S23 FE is still a flagship-tier smartphone despite the lower price, with an Exynos 2200 processor offering a snappy experience alongside creature comforts like a 120Hz refresh rate display and IP68 water and dust resistance.
Though Exynos chips have previously resulted in reports of overheating and lower benchmark scores, I didn’t face issues during my gaming tests when tested with mostly mobile ports of console games like Monster Hunter Stories and Dead Cells.
The device’s 6.4in Amoled 2X display sits between the Galaxy S23 and S23+ in size and looks good to boot, with rich colours and a maximum brightness level that makes it more than usable outdoors.
The device’s 6.4in Amoled 2X display sits between the Galaxy S23 and S23+ in size and looks good to boot, with rich colours and a maximum brightness level that makes it more than usable outdoors.
Moving on to the triple camera setup, the S23 FE has a 50-megapixel main wide sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor capable of 3x optical zoom.
Photos taken with the 50-megapixel camera had noticeably more detail, but in practice, the size of images taken using the sensor can range from about double to triple that of those from the other sensors.
The selfie camera uses a 10-megapixel sensor, performing decently enough in portrait mode with nice digital bokeh effects, though people with messier hair (like myself) may notice some awkward blurring depending on the effect’s intensity.
The other sensors are also competent at capturing detail, with the option to use 30x digital zoom, though images taken with extended zoom will start getting grainy after a point.
Simple yet stylish
Aesthetically, the smartphone looks much closer to the S23 and S23+ than the S23 Ultra, with sharper bezels and a grey-silver outer rim.
Differing from the mainline S23 devices, which had Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the FE model uses Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back, which should still provide ample protection.
However, the display bezels felt noticeably thicker than what I am used to, although they provide better grip. It also felt a bit off to someone used to a more rounded device.
Samsung also promised a minimum of four years’ worth of software support along with four generations of Android updates, so you can expect the device to get at least Android 17.
In daily use, the 4,500mAh battery had no problem lasting throughout a working day with some light social scrolling, messaging, music streaming and YouTube use, among other things.
The Galaxy S23 FE and Buds FE mark Samsung's return to its Fan Edition after a short hiatus last year. — CHRISTOPHER FAM/The Star
Samsung’s claim of a 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 25-watt charger checks out, though it charged a little faster than that during tests.
It also has extras like reverse wireless charging that can be used on other devices as well.
That leads to the Galaxy Buds FE, which doesn’t support wireless charging but makes up for it in other ways.
Sounds good
The Buds FE are appealing due to their effective active noise cancellation (ANC) and comfortable ear fit.
As a longtime over-ear headphone purist, I’ve rarely found earbuds that provide such a comfortable and secure seal for extended periods of time until I tried the Buds FE.
They sat so well in my ears that I spent a few nights sleeping with them on!
It’s likely due to how small and light they are, with the addition of small fins to keep them in, something not present in more recent iterations of the Galaxy Buds lineup.
The Galaxy Buds FE are available for RM399 in either Graphite or White.
The customisable controls are also another strong point in favour of the Buds FE, especially since they can be set to launch Spotify without having to take your phone out of your pocket.
Onto the tuning, my first impressions are that the earbuds are geared towards enjoyment rather than analytical listening, especially when using the Dynamic equaliser profile.
This profile worked best for the sort of music I listen to (mostly J-Pop, Rock, Metal, Hip Hop and Electronic), with a nice level of bass that doesn’t feel overly bloated and, more importantly, without drowning out the midrange.
The treble seemed a bit on the peaky side on the default profile, but not to the point of being sibilant, though it may induce some treble fatigue if you’re sensitive to it like me.
I did notice an odd quirk: when one earbud is out, it turns off ANC or ambient sound if either is on.
The microphone setup used for the ambient mode is, however, pretty good in my tests, mostly involving rolling down a car window to see if it picks up that flapping noise from the blowing wind some ANC headphones and earbuds get.
The Buds FE can seamlessly switch between Galaxy devices on the fly without any audio interruptions.
For voice calls, it’s as good as you would expect from wireless earbuds – not amazing, but also not bad.
Budget flagships?
All in all, both the Galaxy S23 FE and Galaxy Buds FE are solid offerings from Samsung for devices with flagship-tier specs at a more affordable price.
The Galaxy Buds FE are available for RM399 in either Graphite or White. Also, expect brand collaboration designs for the outer covers to be available down the line.
While the S23 FE does lack extras like Dolby Atmos, it still makes for a compelling deal, especially with the lower price point: RM2,999 for the 128GB model and RM3,299 for the 256GB version.
The S23 FE is available in four colour options, Mint, Cream, Graphite and Purple. — Photos: Samsung
SAMSUNG GALAXY S23 FE
PROCESSOR: Exynos 2200
MEMORY: 8GB RAM
CAMERAS: Back – 50-megapixel wide camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 8-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom; front – 10-megapixel camera
DISPLAY: 6.4in FHD+ (1,080 x 2,340 pixels) at 120Hz
DIMENSIONS: 76.5 x 158 x 8.2mm
WEIGHT: 209g
BATTERY: 4,500mAh
RATING: 4/5 stars
PRICE: RM3,299 (256GB), RM2,999 (128GB)
PROS: Solid camera setup; flagship-tier performance on a budget; vivid display colours and good peak brightness; OS upgrade up to Android 17.
CONS: Only up to 256GB storage; bezels feel a bit large.
The Buds FE are appealing due to their effective active noise cancellation (ANC) and comfortable ear fit.
SAMSUNG GALAXY BUDS FE
SPEAKERS: Custom one-way speakers
CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth 5.2
BATTERY: Up to 6 hours/21 total with ANC; up to 8.5 hours/31 total without ANC for music
DIMENSIONS: Case – 50.0 x 50.0 x 27.7mm; earbuds – 17.1 x 19.2 x 22.2mm
WEIGHT: Case – 40g; earbuds – 5.6g
PRICE: RM399
RATING: 4/5 stars
PROS: Good noise cancellation; comfortable fit with fins; customisable controls; multiple equaliser presets; solid battery life.
CONS: Only IPX2 rating for splash resistance; microphone quality in calls could be better.
