After months of speculation, Samsung finally announced the Galaxy S23 FE last week. The announcement coincided perfectly with the Pixel 8 series’ launch, almost as if Samsung set out to steal Google’s thunder. It’s not hard to see why, at least on paper. Like the base Pixel 8, Samsung’s Fan Edition smartphone offers near-flagship grade specs at an affordable price tag. In fact, the S23 FE is even more attractive as it retails for $100 less than both its predecessor and the Pixel 8. But the devil’s in the details and as a long-term owner of the Galaxy S21 FE, I just don’t see the S23 FE as a viable upgrade path compared to the Pixel 8. Let me explain.
When Samsung launched its mainline Galaxy S23 series earlier this year, I wrote about my excitement for the then-rumored S23 Fan Edition. I appreciated what my last-gen S21 FE offered at the time, but lamented its middling performance, so-so battery life, and dated camera hardware. If Samsung had only fixed each of those problems while leaving the overall package largely unchanged, I’d have lined up to buy an S23 FE.