Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs Samsung Galaxy S23: What’s the difference?

Samsung has launched yet one more smartphone in 2023, this time with the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE taking the highlight.
Those unfamiliar with the FE branding might not know the way this telephone differs from the customary Samsung Galaxy S23 telephone. Is it higher, extra inexpensive or precisely the identical?
To clear up the confusion, we’ve created this comparability information to point out precisely how these two telephones differ, so you’ll be able to know for certain which is the higher purchase on your cash.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is extra inexpensive
The very first thing to clear up is that the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has a lower cost than the customary Galaxy S23 telephone. That means it’s finest to view it as a extra budget-friendly various reasonably than a souped-up mannequin like the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has a launch worth of $599/£599, and so occupies mid-range territory. Meanwhile, the vanilla Galaxy S23 had a launch worth of $799.99/£849, and so is taken into account a high-end telephone as an alternative.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has a lot of higher options than the FE mannequin to be able to justify that worth soar, which you’ll try under.
Galaxy S23 is extra highly effective
The most necessary distinction you have to issue is that the Samsung Galaxy S23 has a extra highly effective chip in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This is one in every of the strongest processors you’ll be able to presently discover inside an Android telephone.
For comparability, the Galaxy S23 FE encompasses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the USA, and an Exynos 2200 chip in all places else. These processors launched in the earlier era, and so lag behind the efficiency energy of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside the Galaxy S23.
That’s to not say that the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is gradual – these are nonetheless completely quick chips for regular use. But if you happen to crave the highest degree of efficiency doable, then the Galaxy S23 is your finest wager.
The Galaxy S23 SE is a bigger telephone
You’d assume that the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 SE would share the very same design, however that’s not the case. The latter is definitely bigger, each by way of display screen and dimensions.
The Galaxy S23 SE sports activities a 6.4-inch AMOLED show, whereas the Galaxy S23 is proscribed to a smaller 6.1-inch panel. Both have the identical 1080 x 2340 decision and 120Hz refresh price although, so the image high quality shouldn’t differ.
Those who like small telephones could also be postpone by the Galaxy S23 SE although. It measures in at 8.2mm thick and weighs a hefty 209g. For comparability, the Galaxy S23 is just 7.6mm and is lighter at 168 grams. So when deciding between the telephones, it’s value figuring out whether or not you like a bigger display screen or a lighter design.

Galaxy S23 SE has a bigger battery
One of the key benefits of getting a much bigger telephone is that it normally encompasses a bigger battery. That’s the case right here, with the Galaxy S23 FE that includes a 4500mAh cell, which makes the 3900mAh battery of the Galaxy S23 appear small by comparability.
It’s unwise to imagine this implies the Galaxy S23 SE is assured to have an extended battery life, as different components corresponding to the processor’s energy effectivity can have an effect. But it’s nonetheless a bonus in favour of the SE mannequin.
In our evaluation of the Samsung Galaxy S23, we discovered that the telephone would normally get to 11pm with about 25% battery remaining. That’s a superbly affordable end result, so the Galaxy S23 definitely didn’t have a brief battery life. We’ll solely be capable of decide the stamina of the S23 SE mannequin as soon as we name it in for testing.
Ultrasonic vs optical fingerprint sensor
One key distinction that’s simple to overlook is that Samsung has opted for an optical fingerprint sensor for the Galaxy S23 FE, which isn’t fairly as superior as the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy S23.
There are a lot of disadvantages for optical in comparison with ultrasonic. Firstly, optical isn’t fairly as dependable for registering your fingerprint, particularly in case your hand is oily or soiled. And secondly, it’s simpler to trick an optical sensor through a high-resolution picture of a fingerprint, making ultrasonic the extra security-tight choice. You can learn extra about the variations in our Ultrasonic vs Optical information.
It seems to be like Samsung has opted for the much less dependable and safe optical scanner for the Galaxy S23 FE to be able to hold the price as little as doable. There’s no cause to be too involved about this, as most Android telephones nonetheless use an optical fingerprint sensor. But if you would like the finest reliability and safety, there’s little doubt that the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S23 provides the superior expertise.