Samsung today introduced four new products from the popular fan edition
We received a phone, two tablets and headphones
With all of them, Samsung makes compromises that it compensates for with a lower price
After a one-year hiatus, Samsung revived the “FE” brand, which in previous years boasted flagship smartphones and tablets with lightweight equipment and a lower price. The Galaxy S23 FE smartphone, a pair of Galaxy Tab S9 FE and S9 FE+ tablets, and last but not least the Galaxy Buds FE headphones were presented at the night press conference in India. Do we have hot items ahead of us for this year’s pre-Christmas sales?
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: this year’s flagship with last year’s equipment?
Until now, fan editions of Samsung’s flagships have tended to make compromises in less visible places, earning them a reputation as great value for money. For this year’s Galaxy S23 FE, however, Samsung decided to “trim” more than is appropriate, which is especially evident in the deployed chipset.
While past FE edition smartphones featured the same chipsets as their siblings from the same generation, this year it’s different – Samsung has used the two-year-old Exynos 2200 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipsets in the Galaxy S23 FE (availability varies by country). At the same time, they powered the smartphones of the Galaxy S22 series, so in terms of performance, the Galaxy S23 FE will be similar to the year-and-a-half-old “flagship”.
But the design of the novelty is due to newer models – Samsung has “glued” three separate camera lenses on the back, like the basic Galaxy S23 (and its other smartphones), and fortunately, it did not compromise with them. Instead of unnecessary 2MP cameras, he deployed the following cameras:
50 Mpx main 12 Mpx wide-angle 8 Mpx with 3x optical zoom
The last camera is a 10MP selfie camera placed in the circular cutout of the display. Samsung used a 6.4″ screen, so the size of the novelty fits exactly between the Galaxy S23 and S23+. The display is of the AMOLED type and boasts a Full HD+ resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. The frames around the display are slightly thicker than the rest of the Galaxy S23 series, which is understandable given the lower price. We also have to wait for the ultrasonic fingerprint reader, Samsung deployed more ordinary optical technology.
In terms of wireless connectivity, the phone has practically nothing to complain about, it supports 5G networks, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and there is also NFC. The only physical port on the body is USB-C, which, among other things, can be used to charge the internal 4500 mAh battery. The maximum charging power is 25 watts, wireless charging is also supported, including its reverse form. The Galaxy S23 FE also impresses with its stereo speakers and increased IP68 resistance. The operating system is Android 13, but Samsung promises 4 years of system updates and an extra year of security patches.
Galaxy Tab S9 FE and S9+ FE: savings where possible
Samsung also expanded its tablet portfolio tonight. Although the newly introduced models claim to belong to the Galaxy Tab S9 flagship series by their name, their equipment deviates significantly from it. The chipset used here is also to blame, this time it is a relatively weak Exynos 1380, which powers the Galaxy A54 smartphone. The smaller model will be available in 6/128 and 6/256 GB variants, while the larger one will be available in 8/128 or 12/256 GB variants, and in both cases the storage can be supplemented with a memory card.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ FE
Savings were also made on the displays – instead of AMOLED displays, Samsung used LCD panels with a refresh rate of 90 Hz and support for the S Pen stylus, which this time attaches to the side. The screen of the larger model has a diagonal of 12.4″ and a resolution of 2,560 × 1,600 pixels, while the display of the smaller tablet has a diagonal of 10.4″ with a resolution of 2,304 × 1,440 pixels. Fortunately, neither of the displays has a cutout, the 12 Mpx front camera fit into the frame in both cases. On the back of both models we can find an 8 Mpx camera, which in the Pro model is complemented by an 8 Mpx “wide-angle”. Both tablets can record 4K video at 30 fps.
Both tablets support Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 networks as standard, there will also be variants equipped with a 5G modem. The battery capacities are 8000 and 10090 mAh respectively, the maximum charging power is 45 watts. But you will have to get the charger yourself, in the package you will only find the charging cable and the S Pen stylus. The basic Galaxy Tab S9 FE weighs 524 grams, the Plus variant shows 628 grams on the scale. IP68 water resistance and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support will please you.
Galaxy Buds FE: for less demanding listeners
The latest product introduced is the Galaxy Buds FE wireless headphones. They have a plug design and are controlled by touch surfaces on the outside. For comfortable wearing, each of the headphones is equipped with a fin that helps to settle in the ear. There are two sizes of fins and three sizes of silicone tips to choose from.
Inside each of the headphones there is a 12mm driver, where Samsung promises improved bass reproduction, AAC and SBS audio codecs are supported. Each of the headphones is equipped with 3 microphones (two external, one internal), which are used not only for mediating video calls, but also for capturing surrounding noises and filtering them out, i.e. for the ANC function. The headphones are charged in an oval box equipped with a USB-C port, which should last up to 21 hours.
Price and availability
The Galaxy S23 FE smartphone will be available in black, white, green and purple colors. It will be sold in memory variants of 8/128 and 8/256 GB, the first of which will cost EUR 699 (about 17,100 crowns including VAT).
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE and S9+ FE tablets will go to the world in gray, mint, silver and lavender colors. The price of the smaller Galaxy Tab S9 FE will start at 529 euros (about 13,000 crowns), the larger Tab S9+ FE will cost at least 699 euros (about 17,100 crowns including VAT). An additional 100 euros (about 2,500 crowns including VAT) is paid for 5G network support.
Galaxy Buds FE headphones will be available in white or black, the price is set at 109 euros (about 2,700 crowns including VAT).
We do not yet have any information about availability and prices on the Czech market.
Author of the article
Jakub Karásek
A fan of mobile technology, convertibles and wireless charging, a fan of hard music and a lover of fast driving in go-karts, bikes and skis. Opponent of FUP, slow internet and overgrown smartphones.
2023-10-04 04:42:00
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