Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Galaxy S23 Plus

Guide

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Guide

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Swappasaurus says...

The Galaxy S21 FE was released in January 2022 and the Galaxy S23+ was released in February 2023. The Galaxy S21 FE is the “Fan Edition” model in the overall Galaxy smartphone lineup and it serves as a lower-priced mid-range model. The Galaxy S23+ is part of the flagship lineup. Overall, the Galaxy S21 FE has solid features and specs, but the Galaxy S23+ has several advantages, one of which is the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. The Galaxy S23+ also features a better rear camera system and more available storage as compared to the Galaxy S21 FE.

Price Comparison

Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Low price:

$154

Avg price:

$205

How much does Galaxy S21 FE 5G cost?

Galaxy S23 Plus

Low price:

$479

Avg price:

$636

What's the best Galaxy S23 Plus price?

Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Galaxy S23 Plus Pricing

Galaxy S21 FE 5G prices start at $154, which is cheaper than the Galaxy S23 Plus low price of $479.

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Specs Comparison

The Galaxy S21 FE key specs include a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X FHD+ display, a Snapdragon 888 processor, Adreno 660 GPU, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and a 4500 mAh battery.

The Galaxy S23+ key specs include a 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X FHD+ display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, Adreno 740 GPU, 8GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, a 4700 mAh battery, and an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

Shared specs include 5G cellular connectivity, an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, stereo speakers, NFC, and USB-C.

Size

Size	Galaxy S21 FE 5G	Galaxy S23 Plus
Width	75 mm 2.9 inches
Height	156 mm 6.1 inches
Depth	8 mm 0.3 inches
Weight	177 g 6.2 ounces

The Galaxy S21 FE measurements are as follows: 6.13” (H) x 2.93” (W) x 0.31” (D), with a weight of 6.2 ounces and a 6.4” display size. The Galaxy S23+ measurements are as follows: 6.21” (H) x 3.00” (W) x 0.30” (D), with a weight of 6.9 ounces and a 6.6” display size.

Camera

Camera	Galaxy S21 FE 5G	Galaxy S23 Plus
Primary	12.0 MP
Resolution	4000x3000

On the front, the Galaxy S21 FE features a 32MP wide-angle selfie camera, and the Galaxy S23+ features a 12MP wide-angle selfie camera.

On the back, the Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S23+ both feature a triple camera system with wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto cameras. The Galaxy S21 FE rear setup includes 12MP wide, 8MP telephoto, and 12MP ultra-wide cameras, and the Galaxy S23+ rear setup includes 50MP wide, 10MP telephoto, and 12MP ultra-wide cameras.

Screen

Display	Galaxy S21 FE 5G	Galaxy S23 Plus
Resolution	1080x2340
Screen Size	163 mm 6.4 in
Pixels Per Inch	403 ppi	ppi

The Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S23+ feature similar-sized displays, with the S21 display measuring 6.4 inches and the S23+ display measuring 6.6 inches. The Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S23+ displays are always-on Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels that are HDR10+ certified and support refresh rates up to 120Hz.

Key specs for the Galaxy S21 SE display include a resolution of 2340 x 1080 at 403 pixels per inch, an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus cover glass. And to compare, the key specs for the Galaxy S23+ display include a resolution of 2340 x 1080 at 393 pixels per inch, an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass.

Battery

Battery	Galaxy S21 FE 5G	Galaxy S23 Plus
Capacity	4500 mAh	mAh
Longevity	15 hours	hours
USB	USB-C

The Galaxy S21 FE is powered by a 4500 mAh battery and the Galaxy S23+ is powered by a 4700 mAh battery. The Galaxy S23+ supports super-fast wired charging at 45W. Otherwise, the Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S23+ both support fast wired charging at 25W, Qi wireless charging at 15W, and reverse wireless charging (Wireless Powershare) at 4.5W.

Processing

Processor	Galaxy S21 FE 5G	Galaxy S23 Plus
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G SM8350 (Lahaina)

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Color Choices

Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Available in 5 colors:

White
Graphite
Lavender
Navy Blue
Olive

Which Galaxy S21 FE 5G color should you buy?

Galaxy S23 Plus

Available in 6 colors:

Black
Cream
Graphite
Green
Lavender
Lime Green

Which color Galaxy S23 Plus is the most popular?

Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Galaxy S23 Plus Colors

The Galaxy S21 FE 5G introduces four new colors not found in the Galaxy S23 Plus color palette: Black, Cream, Green, and Lime Green. Both the Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Galaxy S23 Plus share two colors: Lavender and Graphite. However, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G does away with Navy Blue, Olive, and White, previously seen on the Galaxy S23 Plus.

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The Galaxy S21 FE color includes Graphite, White, Lavender, and Olive. And in comparison, the Galaxy S23+ color lineup includes Phantom Black, Lavender, Cream, Green, Lime, and Graphite.

Storage Options

Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Choose from 2 storage options:

128GB
256GB

Which Galaxy S21 FE 5G storage should I buy?

Galaxy S23 Plus

Choose from 2 storage options:

256GB
512GB

Which storage Galaxy S23 Plus is the most popular?

Galaxy S21 FE 5G vs Galaxy S23 Plus Storage

The Galaxy S23 Plus introduces one new storage option not found on the Galaxy S21 FE 5G: 512GB. Both the Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Galaxy S23 Plus share one storage option: 256GB. However, the Galaxy S23 Plus does not have options for 128GB, as seen on the Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

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The Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S23+ are available with 128GB or 256GB of storage space. The Galaxy S23+ is also available in a 512GB storage configuration.