Since the success of the S20 FE, users have been craving a return to Samsung’s best ‘Fan Edition’ handsets. The S21 FE was met with mixed reviews, and the S22 generation scrapped the edition altogether, but in 2023 Samsung has released the S23 FE. Let’s take a dive and see what stands out for this device, which hopes to combine the best features of the flagship models without breaking the bank.

The Build

In the past, Fan Edition models have cut their costs by doing away with metal and glass frames in favor of plastic, like some of their mid-range cousins in the A series. However, the S23 FE has managed to find other ways to keep the price down, as these models come with front-and-back Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and an aluminum frame. Whilst it's not the latest and greatest that the S23 has, it's a big step up for fans of the FE in terms of build quality and feel in-hand.

The Display

Compared to its main flagship counterpart (the S23), the FE differs very little in its display. Both have a dynamic AMOLED 2X FHD+ display, with a max refresh rate of 120 Hz. In fact, the S23 FE's display comes in at 6.4", bigger than the standard S23's 6.1". This is a big win for the FE, keeping the screen quality of a flagship with no corners cut. The only downside of the FE's display is its considerably thick front bezel, meaning the display doesn't reach the edges of the device.

The Camera

When it comes to camera capabilities, both the Samsung Galaxy S23 and S23 FE share similar features. Both have massive 50 MP wide lenses and 12 MP ultrawide lenses, and the FE boasts a competitive 8 MP telephoto lens against the S23's 10 MP counterpart. Both also feature 3x optical zoom, up to 30x digital zoom, and video capture of up to 8K, with the FE reaching 24fps compared to the S23's 30fps at that resolution. Lastly, the S23 features a 12 MP front camera, whilst the FE only has a 10 MP front camera. All of this adds up to a very advanced camera system for its price.

The Processor

The processor seems to be where Samsung have cut  a big chunk of cost. The main S23 features the rapid Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, whilst the FE comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the USA, and a slower Exynos 2200 for the international market. This will definitely bring down the performance compared to the flagship device, however it's still a very competitive offering.

The Rest

Lastly, there are a few minor differences that set the two devices apart. First we have a few battery tweaks: the S23 FE actually comes in with a larger battery than the S23, sporting an impressive 4500 mAh battery compared to the base S23’s 3900 mAh. This could be due to performance and efficiency gains that the S23 makes over the FE, meaning it might need less power. Both feature Samsung’s super fast charging and wireless charging.


Another difference between them is the colour selection. The mainline S23 comes with a decent selection, including a few Samsung.com exclusives: 


  • Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender, Graphite, Lime.


The S23 FE comes with some similar (and some very different) options to pick from:


  • Mint, Cream, Graphite, Purple, Indigo, Tangerine


The S23 FE seems to be a triumphant return to form for the Fan Edition series, with great specs, a great look, and minimal sacrifices at a fraction of the price of the flagship product.