Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review

Design, build quality, handling

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE borrows its design from the Galaxy S23 series, and it can proudly stand among its peers and not look out of place. Even better, with its 6.4-inch display, it fits perfectly between the S23 and the S23+.

But the Galaxy S23 FE comes in different colors, ones that really make it stand out of the crowd, and we might as well have the most beautiful among them - the Purple one. It's not flashy, but it can be quite eye-catching when sunlight hits it. Beyond Purple, there are also Mint, Cream, Graphite, and Indigo.

There is one thing you won't notice at first, but you will feel right away - how heavy the new Galaxy S23 FE is - it is 209 grams, 32 grams heavier than the Galaxy S21 FE, which is similar in size and thickness.

It's also not small as it's not only heavier but a whisker larger and thicker than the 6.6-inch S22+, which shares most of its hardware.

The Galaxy S23 FE is a dual-glass phone with an aluminum (now matte) frame, while the Galaxy S21 FE had a plastic back. Which is a nice upgrade, one that would go unnoticed.

The S23 FE uses two flat Gorilla Glass 5 panels, while the old one had a Victus front, which is a downgrade of sorts.

Finally, the Galaxy S23 FE is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance, just like any modern Galaxy S smartphone.

Let's take a closer look at this new Galaxy now.

The front is home to the 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with extended 1080p resolution. It has rather thick bezels, but hey, it's not a flagship, is it? At least the punch-hole for the selfie camera is rather tiny.

The earpiece, which also doubles as one of the speakers, is above the screen, next to the frame, but it's nearly impossible to see with the naked eye.

Also invisible is the under-display fingerprint scanner near the bottom. It's quite fast and reliable.

The Galaxy S23 FE looks similar to the S23 and S23+, but its frame is matte instead of glossy, and it isn't color-matched to the back panel. This dual-tone design, which is emphasized by the silver camera rings, makes the S23 FE look much more interesting than the regular S23 phones.

Indeed, the Purple back panel is quite captivating, as we established, but the silver camera rings give it an even nicer look. There are three of those, jutting out a bit out of the back. They surround the 12MP ultrawide camera, the new 50MP primary, and the 8MP 3x telephoto. A single LED flash is around, flush with the back.

The frame is made of brushed aluminum and is quite nice on touch, although not that grippy. It is not perfectly flat, just barely curved to make the phone feel and look a bit thinner.

There is nothing but antennas on the left side of the Galaxy S23 FE.

The volume and power/lock keys are on the right.

The top houses one of the microphones and the dual-SIM tray.

The bottom has two microphones, the USB-C port and the second speaker.

The Galaxy S23 FE measures 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm and weighs 209 grams - this is 2mm taller, 2mm wider and a hair thicker than the S21 FE. It's also 32 grams heavier.

The Galaxy S23 FE is a solid smartphone of a strong build and has a classic design spiced up with catchy colors. It is a slippery device, no two ways about that, but it's not as large as most phones and that is why it's easier to handle and operate with one hand. But it's quite heavy for some reason, which may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Long story short, it's a great smartphone with flagship design and water protection, but the screen bezels and 209 grams of weight could be off-putting to some users.