“The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is the capable successor to the S20 FE, but comes at a poor time with the S22 around the corner, making it tougher to justify its value.”

Powerful specifications, Solid cameras, Impressive 120Hz display, Priced well for a flagship

Touchscreen issues, Battery just OK, Too much competition at its price point

On paper, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is a fine mid-range phone, with adequate features like an attractive screen, powerful processor and capable cameras for those looking for a handy, less expensive mobile. However, the launch price is still far too high for what you get, not to mention issues like slow charging speed, laggy software and an unimpressive battery life.

Vibrant display; Lots of processing power; Slender design;

Far too expensive; Takes a long time to charge; Unimpressive battery life

The S21 FE is a phone out of time. It’s a pretty great, well-rounded hardware package and I doubt many people would come away disappointed, but it’s launched six months too late.

Under-stated, attractive design, Impressive triple rear camera, Updates through to Android 15

Expensive for the specs, Average battery & charging, Older tech

You should probably buy the Pixel 6 instead

Big, high refresh rate screen, Good telephoto camera, Great software support policy

Fast charging brick costs extra, Arrives late in the S21-series product cycle

So… where does that leave the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. If you’re looking at the phone in a vacuum, it’s a pretty spectacular device. The issues really only come to light when the $699 sticker price comes into play.

Performance, Display, Cameras, Battery life

Price, Slow charging

as expected, Samsung delivers a great product. Good looking and looking forward to a good few years reliable service

Nice product. But phone is heating

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is a great upper-mid-range phone

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is the most affordable phone in the S21 series - its specs and features have been streamlined to keep the cost down. While it may not be as good value as we'd have hoped for it's still a very capable piece of kit with a decent camera, powerful processing and a long-lasting...

6.4-inch FHD+ 120Hz display, Premium chipset and specs, Decent camera system

No charger in the box, Slow charging, Still quite expensive

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE ticks multiple boxes, offering good performance and a well-thought-out feature list. It isn’t the most exciting phone I’ve reviewed recently, though, and I can’t help but feel it’s been released a little too late.

A very complete package, Bright, colourful screen, An IP rating and Qi charging

Overpriced compared to the competition, Camera not as good as Pixel 6, Average battery life and charging speeds