Samsung was so targeted on its newest foldable telephones final fall it appears there wasn’t room (or extra doubtless the assets) for a refresh of its flagship Galaxy S cellphone line. But it’s a brand new 12 months and now Samsung is kicking issues off with the launch of the Galaxy S21 FE.

Like earlier Fan Edition units, the Galaxy S21 FE is basically a less expensive model of the S21 and S21+ that begins at $700. Sporting a 2340 x 1080 6.4-inch AMOLED show with a 120Hz refresh charge, the S21 FE is barely bigger than the commonplace 6.2-inch S21, however not fairly as giant because the 6.7 -inch S21+.

Samsung mixed-and-matched a whole lot of the usual S21’s options for the Fan Edition, whereas additionally including a couple of new and improved parts. For instance, as a substitute of going with a fancier (and extra exact) ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint sensor, Samsung opted for an optical fingerprint reader on the S21 FE.

To make up for the much less subtle fingerprint sensor, Samsung gave the S21 FE a higher-resolution 32-MP selfie cam, 25-watt wired quick charging, and a bigger 4,500 mAh battery as a substitute of the smaller 4,000 mAh energy pack you get on the usual S21.

Inside, the S21 FE ought to have equally robust efficiency because the S21, that includes the identical Snapdragon 888 chip. The FE will probably be out there in two barely totally different configs: a base mannequin with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and an upgraded model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. And no matter which model you select, each fashions will assist each sub-6Ghz and mmWave 5G.

Rounding out the remainder of the bundle, the FE sports activities three rear lenses: a 12-MP foremost cam, a 12-MP ultra-wide cam, and an 8-MP telephoto cam with a 3x optical zoom. And as a small added bonus, Samsung claims the S21 FE has an improved Night Mode in comparison with final 12 months’s S20 FE.

Samsung is sticking with the S21’s distinctive Contour Cut design for the S21 FE, which will probably be out there in 4 new colours: olive, lavender, white, and graphite.

The S21 FE’s greatest improve is likely to be below the hood: The cellphone will ship with Samsung’s One UI 4.0, which is predicated on Android 12 and consists of quite a few upgrades, together with new safety and privateness settings, improved house display customization, up to date lock display controls, and extra.

On paper, the S21 FE ticks all the proper containers. It’s basically a extra compact however nonetheless simply as highly effective model of the S21+ with a couple of further upgrades for simply $700, which is about the identical as what a brand new S21+ prices at present.

That’s why I marvel if the S21 FE might need arrived a bit too late. While it’s onerous to fault Samsung for delaying the S21 FE because of the provide chain points which have been plaguing virtually each electronics maker for the previous 12 months, getting a brand new S21 originally of 2022 looks like a foul determination, particularly when you think about the S21 was initially introduced all the best way again on Jan. 14 2021. Instead of an all-new S22, we’re getting a rehash (albeit a really solid-trying rehash) of final 12 months’s gadget, which feels a bit underwhelming.

That stated, the S21 FE seems to have a superb mixture of specs and worth when it goes on sale (each unlocked and by way of all the key carriers) for $700 beginning on Jan. 11.