Samsung has indeed opened pre-orders for the Galaxy S22 Series with all its advanced features. However, if you are looking for an alternative that is more pocket-friendly but still prioritizes the typical flagship experience, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G, which just launched in January 2022, is worth considering.
The reason is, the successor to the Galaxy S20 FE has many interesting advantages for those of you who have a budget of 9 million rupiah. Curious? Come on, just look at the reviews!
The design is still quite premium
We all know that the Galaxy S Series always carries premium designs and materials. In this FE or Fan Edition series, the sensation is still there even though the material used on the back cover is plastic.
The color variant that came to the Yangcanggih.com testing table was Graphite. I have to admit, I’m actually more interested in Olive or Lavender colors which are said to be more charming. But Graphite still looks okay, especially if you are the type of user who prefers to look calm and elegant.
On the back of this Samsung adopts a matte finish that feels comfortable when in contact with the skin. In addition, the grip sensation is quite steady, aka not slippery, and not easily dirty by finger marks. When it comes to dimensions, the Galaxy S21 FE has a body size of 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm and weighs 177 grams.
You will find the back camera design with the typical contour cut concept of the Galaxy S21 Series here. Although not as luxurious as its more premium brethren, I think the contour cut on the Galaxy S21 FE still looks cool.
I also appreciate Samsung’s decision to design the body of the Galaxy S21 FE to pass IP68 certification. That means, you don’t have to worry when your phone gets hit by water and dust. In addition, the screen is also protected by Gorilla Glass Victus which is known to be tough and more scratch resistant.
Regarding port availability, at the bottom you are presented with a USB Type-C port which is side by side with the speaker hole and dual nano-SIM slots. Yes, there is no microSD slot on the Galaxy S21 FE 5G. That means, you have to be smart in managing the internal storage space if you buy a capacity of 128 GB. There’s also no 3.5mm audio jack port, so you’ll have to use TWS or look for a USB-C to 3.5mm converter.
Discussing a little about the sales package, just like all members of the Galaxy S21 Series, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G also has a minimalist offer. You don’t get a charger, just a USB-C cable. There is also no softcase, and the screen of this phone has not been installed with additional scratch resistance.
Stunning 120Hz display
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comes with a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x Infinity-O display. The screen with the eye shield comfort feature has a Full HD + resolution and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Apart from that, there is also HDR10+ support and of course Always-On Display.
Please note that the 120Hz refresh rate on the Galaxy S21 FE screen is not yet adaptive. This means that you must manually select the desired settings when you need a high refresh rate or when you want to save battery.
The sharpness, brightness, and presentation of the colors are commendable. All the content that is presented on the screen looks so pleasing to the eye. Response to touch is also very good thanks to the touch sampling rate of up to 240Hz. Suitable for those of you who like to play games.
Camera is okay in various conditions
In the camera sector, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G brings a Triple Pro Grade Camera with a 12 MP f/1.8 Dual Pixel AF and OIS main camera, 12 MP Ultra Wide, and an 8 MP OIS telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and 30x Space Zoom. For those who like selfies, there is a 32 MP camera in front.
This camera department is supported by a series of other camera features such as Picture-Picture View and Split View on Dual Recording. There is also an Object Eraser feature that is able to remove unwanted objects.
Then, what about the photos? In ideal light conditions, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G is able to provide photos that are quite good in its price class. The detail captured is high, the dynamic range is wide, and the color reproduction is more vibrant thanks to the slightly raised saturation, typical of Samsung.
In shooting conditions indoors or in less light, you’ll find that noise reduction is a bit aggressive so that the sharpness of the photos decreases somewhat. But all of that is still at a reasonable level and can be tolerated, especially if the need is uploading to social media.
Shooting at night can rely on the night mode which is able to increase the brightness of the photo, without reducing the feel of the night. But in some conditions, the night mode makes the color of the sky too bright and slightly changed from the original atmosphere.
Turning to videography, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G can record up to 4K 60fps resolution using the main camera and front camera. The recording results are quite stable even without having to turn on Super Steady mode. I just used this mode when recording with extreme movements.
Fast performance
This smartphone is armed with the Exynos 2100 5nm chipset accompanied by 8GB of RAM. Internal storage is available in two options, 128 GB and 256 GB. The two variants are adrift a hefty price of 1 million rupiah. Just a reminder, there is no microSD slot.
In terms of performance, the Exynos 2100 can be relied on to provide a fast, smooth, and very responsive user experience. All applications can run well without any significant problems. In short, typical high-end phone performance.
For gaming it is quite fun. Popular titles such as Mobile Legends and PUBG Mobile run smoothly. While heavier games like Genshin Impact can be played comfortably as long as you don’t force the graphics settings to the highest. Most importantly, the game runs stably.
During intense gaming, I felt a hefty increase in temperature on the Galaxy S21 FE 5G body. It’s just warm, and so far I’ve never experienced heat so intense that it’s uncomfortable.
Regarding the battery, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G is powered by a 4,500 mAh battery that can accompany my activities from morning to night. Once again I remind you that you will not get a charger in the sales box. Luckily I have a Samsung 25W charger that can charge from under 10 percent to 100 percent full in about 1 hour.
One of the interesting options in its price class
Yes, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G is one of the interesting options that you can get if you have a budget of less than 10 million rupiah. It can’t be called the best smartphone in its class, but it has many advantages that should be appreciated.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is priced at IDR 8,999,000 for the 8/128 GB variant, and IDR 9,999,000 for the 8/256 GB variant.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is suitable for:
- Social media fans: Those of you who like to take photos and upload them to social media can rely on the Galaxy S21 FE camera for good results.
- Vlogger: The video recording capability is good and stable. Suitable for creating content such as vlogs.
- Students/students: In terms of price it might be a bit high for most students. But in terms of features, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G is complete to support the productivity and creativity of young people.
- Employees: Fairly balanced performance in almost every sector makes this phone perfect for work. Samsung also provides productivity support features such as DeX and Link to Windows.
- Netflix/Korean drama fans: The screen of this phone is very pleasing to the eye, and is suitable for watching content from streaming services such as Netflix in HD quality.
Pros of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G:
- Nice design and quite comfortable to grip
- Special screen
- The main camera is able to capture the moment well in various conditions
- The quality of the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras is quite good
- Sharp selfie camera
- Stable video recording, up to 4K 60fps
- Powerful performance, fun for gaming
- IP68 . Certification
- Many useful built-in features in OneUI 4
- Loud stereo speakers
Disadvantages of Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G:
- No microSD slot
- Charging capability is not as fast as its competitors
- Screen without the adaptive refresh rate feature
- Minimum sales package
