Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G deals

Features and specs

• 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with 1080 x 2400 resolution
• Dimensions: 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm
• Weight: 177g
• Triple lens rear camera: 12MP wide, 12MP ultra wide, 8MP telephoto
• 32MP front camera
• 4,500mAh battery
• 6GB of RAM
• 5G-enabled
• Storage options: 128GB or 256GB

Billed as a mid-range phone in the Samsung Galaxy series, the S21 FE (standing for “Fan Edition”) is a more affordable alternative to the original S21 .

Samsung has made a few tweaks here and there, creating a fairer-priced handset without cutting too many corners.

Availability and price

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE went on sale in January 2022. At the time of release, prices started from £699.

It’s since dropped in price. And if you don’t want to buy it outright, there are plenty of contract deals available to help spread the cost.

How good is the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE’s design and display?

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE looks pretty similar to the original S21, featuring the same raised contour camera module on the back. The main difference is that it’s ever so slightly bigger, and it has a uniform colour scheme rather than the S21’s two-tone design.

It has a nicely sized 6.4-inch screen that covers just about the entire front of the phone with almost no bezel, and a tiny punch-hole front camera to poke through. It’s made from tough Gorilla Glass Victus, so you don’t need to worry about cracks and smashes.

As per usual with Samsung, the S21 FE’s display is vibrant and bright, and is great for watching videos or looking at photos. It has largely the same specs as the flagship S21, such as Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen technology, 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ colour range.

The aluminium and plastic back panel comes in a range of tasteful pastel colours – white, graphite, lavender, and olive.

How good is the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE’s camera?

The main camera on the back of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE has three lenses. There’s a 12MP wide lens, an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide.

As for the front-facer, there’s an incredible 32MP lens for stunningly high-res selfies.

Altogether, those lenses make for some top-quality snaps – particularly if you’re using the main wide lens, which is the same as the one found on the S21.

There’s unique Samsung photography software to help them along, too. That includes Single Take on the main camera, which captures a shot on multiple lenses so you can pick the best photo; Dual Recording, which lets you record video on the front and back cameras at the same time; and, of course, Portrait Mode for that beautiful bokeh effect.

Is the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE good for video?

You can record video using all the front and rear lenses. All cameras can capture 4K at 30 frames per second, while the main camera and selfie camera can reach 4K at 60fps.

The resulting footage from the main camera is great, with a good amount of detail, excellent dynamic range and true-to-life colours. Similarly, the 4K videos produced by the 3x telephoto camera are admirable, showcasing plenty of vivid contrast and colour.

However, budding videographers with an interest in streaming or making videos for social media may prefer to opt for the S21, which records 8K video.

What are the key differences between the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE and the Samsung Galaxy S21?

As the lower-end iteration of the Samsung Galaxy S21, the FE model comes with a few slightly different features and specs. Many are minor things under the hood, but others you may notice.

For starters, the S21 FE is ever so slightly bigger, with a 6.4-inch screen compared to the S21’s 6.2-inch one.

The cameras are largely similar, but you’ll find that a few lenses have lower resolution – for example, the telephone lens sports a mere 8MP, which is much lower-res than the S21’s 64MP telephoto lens. And while the selfie camera has a much higher resolution, at a whopping 32MP, it lacks some of the advanced photo processing tech found on the regular S21.

The in-built screen fingerprint sensor isn’t the snappy ultrasonic version found in the flagship S21 series. Rather, it’s an optical version, which is slower and less accurate.

Interestingly, the S21 FE has a larger battery than the S21 (4,500mAh compared to 4,000mAh). However, we've found this doesn't necessarily mean longer battery life.

How does the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE compare to other handsets in the UK market?

The most comparable handset released in the same year would be the Google Pixel 6a: Google’s budget-friendly, mid-range answer to its flagship Google Pixel 6.

In fact, when looking at prices, you’ll find that the standard Google Pixel 6 has a lower price than the S21 FE. At any rate, both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a are strong competitors, offering excellent cameras for a lower price.

MoneySuperMarket’s expert rating

Our rating: 3.5/5

The Galaxy S21 FE is a great phone that doesn’t cut back on too many top features. It uses the same high-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, resulting in an all-round powerful performance. The amazing display also boasts similar specs to the flagship S21, except it’s slightly bigger – all the more screen real estate to play with.

The S21 FE’s main camera is great – no surprises there, as it shares the same specs as the S21’s main lens. Not to mention, the S21 FE comes with a bigger battery – 4,500mAh to the flagship S21’s 4,000mAh (though this doesn’t translate into longer-lasting battery life).

However, its price tag at release was just a bit too high for a supposedly mid-range phone. The original launch date was also odd, with the S21 FE being released only a month or two before the flagship Galaxy S22.

At the time, it made more sense to either go with the brand spanking new S22, or snap up the previous year’s flagship S21 for a cheaper price.

Contract options

As well as buying it outright, you can get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE on a variety of pay-monthly phone contracts.

Can I get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE with no upfront cost?

Yes, some networks offer the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE on contracts with no upfront cost.

You can find them on this page by moving the upfront cost slider to zero – or to whatever amount you’re willing to spend upfront.

Can I get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE with unlimited data?

Pretty much all networks offer unlimited data deals on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. Not to mention, you can also find deals with high monthly data allowances (say, a few hundred gigabytes per month), which will likely serve you just as well.

Find them by adjusting the filter above to show you unlimited data, or only deals above a certain data allowance.

What’s the cheapest way to get a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE?

The cheapest way to get a smartphone is usually to buy it outright and get a cheap SIM-only deal to go with it.

But if you’d rather not spend a few hundred pounds upfront, there are a few ways to find a cheap contract deal.

You can:

• Choose a deal from a smaller, budget-friendly network
• Find a deal on a refurbished handset
• Purchase a plan through a reseller
• Pick a smaller monthly allowance

Just pick the things you want from your deal using the filters above, and sort the whole table by cost.

Can I get the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE with poor credit?

It might be tough, as networks tend to run a quick credit check before they let you take out a contract plan.

Different retailers have different thresholds for who they’ll accept on a contract, though. So, even if you have a bad credit history, you might still have a chance – it’s best to get in touch with the network to see.

If not, you may have better luck choosing a deal from a smaller network, through a reseller, or on a refurbished handset – all of which tend to have more lenient credit requirements.

And if that’s no good, your best option is to buy a phone outright and go for a SIM-only deal instead.

More Galaxy handsets

• Samsung Galaxy S22
• Samsung Galaxy S21
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
• Samsung Galaxy A12

Is the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE worth buying in 2023?

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE was released in January 2022. It’s set to receive three Android OS updates, as well as four years of security updates. Therefore, it should last up to the release of Android 15.

Is now a good time to buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE?

That largely depends on when you’re buying it, as well as how long you plan to use your device for.

Just weigh up how long you want to keep using the S21 FE with the years of support left for it.

Will the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE drop in price?

Typically, yes – the Galaxy S21 FE should drop in price once a newer FE model is released. If you want to get the S21 FE at a cheaper price, it’s best to wait until Samsung’s next mobile launch.

Should I upgrade or wait for the next model?

If you’re holding onto a phone from years ago, the Galaxy S21 FE is a worthy mid-range option.

However, if you have the previous year’s Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, it’s probably better to wait and see what’s next in store. Whether there’ll be a newer FE model remains up in the air – nevertheless, you could consider Samsung’s latest S- or A-series phones instead.

Galaxy S21 FE 5G specs