Smartphone Im Test
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Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G – Good device, bad timing
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Fan model to replace the new flagship. Until the Samsung Galaxy S22, which is expected at the end of February, the Koreans will first introduce the S21 FE 5G.
Photo: dpa-tmn / Samsung
Dsseldorf Pick up your own best smartphone from 2021, delete anything, add anything: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Done. A good tool. The only question is: who really wants to buy a really expensive smartphone now?
Samsung friends are waiting for the Galaxy S22. But Samsung sent another small horse to the competition at the CES Technology Fair. A version with the fan edition (FE) version of the Samsung Galaxy S21, full name: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G. Like the previous model S20 FE, this is a slightly modified version of last year’s flagship model.
Has it changed slightly? That means: some places have a little more, others less. For example, selfie snaps with a slightly larger display (6.4 inches instead of 6.2 inches) and more battery (4500 instead of 4000 mAh) now have 32 instead of 10 megapixels (MP).
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Four delightful colors are available, ranging from anthracite to lilac.
Photo: dpa-tmn / Samsung
Less is more, less Less elsewhere. Take the camera, for example: at first glance, it looks very similar to the original S21. There is a wide angle camera and a super wide angle camera, each 12MP and the telephoto camera now uses a sensor with an 8MP resolution. The S21 still has 64MP. But you don’t really pay attention to it. If you do not want to go beyond the 3x optical magnification of the zoom lens. Then it becomes visually shattered.
There is also a slight decrease in visibility. The offset of the S21 with metal-encased camera lenses leads to a shiny metal frame and a very simple aluminum frame with a plastic back. The previous model already had a plastic back, and the glass was only available on the larger S21 + and Ultra.
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The Galaxy S21 FE 5G’s AMOLED display has bright and beautiful colors and an upgrade rate of up to 120 Hz.
Photo: dpa-tmn / by Simon Nagel
Since no one uses an expensive smartphone without a case anyway, one wonders why manufacturers are putting expensive glass in the back. In any case, buying a plastic back of FE is not a barrier.
Fast everyday smartphone To the most obvious differences. FE works well in everyday use. The system chip is installed on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888. More speed is currently not possible. The camera takes beautiful pictures and the bright display with power saving 60 or super-smooth 120 Hz refresh rate looks great.
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Slightly reduced: plastic instead of metal, a few megapixels: the camera trio of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
Photo: dpa-tmn / by Simon Nagel
The fingerprint sensor on the display works better than previous Samsungs. However, its low position when working with one hand is still an ergonomic challenge.
The camera also does not show weaknesses. Individual modes by night, portrait or single take (a combination of different recording modes and videos) are fun and usually give good results.
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The fingerprint reader of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is reliable and fast. Unfortunately, due to its low placement, it is a bit difficult to reach.
Photo: dpa-tmn / by Simon Nagel
6GB of RAM for 9 749, 256GB of RAM with 8GB of RAM for 19 819 and storage versions below 128GB (GB). If you want to use FE’s multiple photo and video options, it’s best to opt for the larger storage option – no memory card slot.
Conclusion: Question about the meaning of special edition Better display, faster chip, better camera, better battery, up-to-date software. That’s all you have to say about the S21FE. If you like Samsung smartphones, make no mistake about it. A year later, the device actually meets all the requirements set out on a smartphone. So, the question arises: who needs this special edition a year later?
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The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (left 2) has a lot of competition: Google’s Pixel 6 (left), Honor 50 (right 2) and Motorola G200 5G have similar performance data.
Photo: dpa-tmn / by Simon Nagel
The reason: the “original” S21 from 2021 is about 100 euros cheaper than the new FE, a year after its release with a slightly better camera and slightly more valuable optics. Competitors do not sleep. Comparable smartphones are now available for very little money.
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The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G with 128GB of memory is available in stores from RRP for less than 750 euros. The 256GB is priced at around 20 820.
Photo: dpa-tmn / by Simon Nagel
About Google’s Pixel 6 (>>> our experiment) Very thin Android, fast updates, good camera (below 0 640) Motorola’s Moto G200 5G December offers similar performance data and three cameras for around യൂറോ 450.
The Honor brand, which emerged from the Huawei Shadow, also competes with the S21FE. The Honor 50 has a slightly weaker chip, but it has an interesting camera solution and a lot of brightness below 80 480 on the back. Last but not least, Samsung’s own Galaxy A52 5G, for example, is not far behind in terms of performance, but is priced below യൂറോ 450.
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