Samsung just launched the Galaxy S21 FE here in Malaysia and we got quite a short hands-on with it. There are a few things that you need to know about this device, so we’ll share them with you alongside some of our own thoughts and first impressions.
Quick spec rundown
Let’s just get this out of the way first. The new Galaxy S21 FE is coming to Malaysia with these specs:
- 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 240Hz touch sampling rate (in game mode only)
- Exynos 2100 chipset
- 8GB RAM
- Up to 256GB storage
- 4,500mAh battery
One thing I think it’s very typical of Samsung is the chipset. Why we mentioned that this list of specs is specifically for Malaysians is because of the Exynos 2100. I’m not sure if the Galaxy S21 FE in other regions will be getting the Snapdragon 888 or not.
Still, I personally do prefer the Exynos 2100 a lot more than the Snapdragon 888 as we’ve highlighted in some of our previous write-ups and videos. I’ve used two phones with chipsets and I’m still liking the Exynos 2100 a lot more – mostly due to efficiency.
Also, the display should be more gamer-focused since it comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and also 240Hz touch sampling rate. We’ll also do a gaming test when we get our hands on it.
Colors & design
The new Galaxy S21 FE comes with a total of 4 different colors. They’re pretty standard, IMO. We have:
- White
- Black
- Olive (same hue as the Galaxy Buds2)
- Lavender
TBH, for this time around, I do like the Galaxy S21 FE in Lavender color. For some reason, I think it kinda speaks to me. It somehow exudes elegance when combined with the polycarbonate body.
Yes, it’s using a polycarbonate body – or some people will call it “glasstic” – but whatever it is, I still think that this type of body for a phone is better than glass or ceramic. It’s much more durable, too.
However, having a polycarbonate body definitely doesn’t feel hefty. And I can attest that since it does feel really lightweight to the point where it does feel like a toy. Maybe I’m just used to heavy phones.
Cameras
As for what I know, the Galaxy S21 FE comes with this camera setup:
- Main: 12MP f/1.8; Dual Pixel PDAF; OIS
- Ultrawide: 12MP f/2.2; fixed focus
- Telephoto: 8MP f/2.2; 3x optical zoom; PDAF; OIS
We’ll leave the camera testing for when we actually got the phone to test it out. From what we can see, it’s a pretty standard camera setup, honestly.
Charger?
Yeah… just like the other phones in the Galaxy S21 family of devices, the Galaxy S21 FE doesn’t come with any chargers in the box. Of course, I don’t mind that it doesn’t come with a charger.
The Galaxy S21 FE supports up to 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging – and you’ll just need a USB-PD compatible charger like this one and any random Qi wireless charger can output 15W will do just fine.
What other things you need to know
I’ll just do a quick rundown here. The Galaxy S21 FE has these characteristics:
- Has IP68 rating, which is good
- No microSD card slot, which is justifiable
- No audio jack, could be a problem for some
Accessories
Samsung does have a few first-party cases for the Galaxy S21 FE. One that caught my attention in particular is this silicone case that also acts as a “color converter” of the phone. You see, this phone is available in the 4 main colors of the phone – white, black, olive, lavender – and also another coral color.
Why I call this a “color converter” is because imagine we got the Lavender color of the Galaxy S21 FE. I can just slap on the coral color of the case and that all of that lavender color is gone – transformed into the coral color entirely.
Price
The Galaxy S21 FE is going to be priced at USD $699. I think the price is justifiable, though depending on what you’re looking for.
For the Malaysian price, it goes for:
- 128GB @ RM2,899
- 256GB @ RM3,099
Our review?
We don’t have the unit with us yet, but we’ll definitely have a review of this device when I get it in my hands.
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