When I wrote my Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review earlier this year, I had a few simple tips for people wondering whether to get the cheaper version of last year’s Samsung flagship – wait a minute. Due to a quirk in the delayed release of the Galaxy S21 FE, the phone arrived just before the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S22, so a newer and more improved phone was lurking just over the horizon.
“With the launch of the Galaxy S22, it’s hard to recommend buying the Galaxy S21 FE until you’ve at least seen all the new features of the upcoming phone and if they’ll justify paying a little extra for this handset. “, I wrote at the time.
Well, we’ve seen the new features. and I had a chance to test out the new phone for my Galaxy S22 review. And you know what? If you can swing the extra $100 the new flagship costs over the Galaxy S21 FE, you don’t need to consider buying the latter phone. The Galaxy S22 simply ranks higher on the list of best Samsung phones.
You can read our Galaxy S21 FE vs Galaxy S22 comparison to see how the two phones compare, but there are some key areas where the Galaxy S22 is clearly better than its cheaper counterpart.
Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy S22 Specs Comparison
| Galaxy S21 FE | Galaxy S22 | |
| Price | $699 | $799 |
| Screen size | 6.4 inches | 6.1 inches |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz, manual setting | 120Hz, adaptive |
| CPU | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200 |
| RAM | 6 GB, 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage room | 128 GB, 256 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Rear cameras | 12 MP main; Ultrawide 12 MP; 8MP telephoto lens | 50 MP main; 12MP ultra wide, 12MP telephoto |
| Front camera | 32MP | 10MP |
| battery size | 4500mAh | 3700mAh |
| Colors | Black, white, lavender, green | Black, white, green, rose gold |
The Galaxy S22’s screen refresh rate is truly adaptive
Both the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 FE can boost their refresh rate to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and more immersive gaming. But only the Galaxy S22 can dynamically lower that refresh rate when the action on your screen isn’t quite as frantic. You can only manually adjust the Galaxy S21 FE’s display, toggling between 120Hz and 60Hz.
A dynamic refresh rate is supposed to help manage power consumption, as a slower refresh rate doesn’t drain the battery as quickly as keeping things locked at 120Hz. Galaxy S22 battery life in our tests didn’t really impress us, but that’s the theory anyway.) But it’s also more convenient for your phone to automatically resize screens refresh rate rather than having to jump into the settings to adjust things yourself.
You’ll get a faster processor with the Galaxy S22
While the Galaxy S21 FE features the same chipset as the rest of the Samsung Galaxy S21 lineup, the Galaxy S22 features upgraded silicon. Instead of the Snapdragon 888 that powered last year’s flagships, the S22 relies on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 system-on-chip.
This translates to better performance on the new phone, although the gains are somewhat modest. On Geekbench 5, the Galaxy S22 produced scores of 1,204 and 3,348 respectively in single and multi-core tests; both results beat the Galaxy S21 FE’s comparable scores of 1,101 and 3,199. fps of the S21 FE.
The performance boost alone might not be enough to justify paying for the Galaxy S22, but add it to the new phone’s other goodies, and it’s another reason to pay an extra $100 for the latest device. .
The Galaxy S22 is not plastic
For the cheaper Galaxy S21 models – the FE included – Samsung has gone the “glasstic” route, using polycarbonate materials on the phone casing to keep costs down. A year later, Samsung has apparently figured out how to incorporate more polished materials into a $799 phone. The Galaxy S22 uses glass and aluminum, and the result is a more sophisticated look and feel. Using glass increases the chances of a nasty crack if you drop the phone, that’s true, but that’s where the best Galaxy S22 cases come in.
You’ll take better photos with the Galaxy S22
We’re actually impressed with the Galaxy S21 FE’s cameras, which can hold their own against some of the best camera phones out there. You even get a telephoto lens on the S21 FE, something you don’t often see on phones in this price range. And it supports 3x optical zoom, the same zoom capabilities as the S22.
But the Galaxy S22’s cameras are better. Not only does the S22 use a 50MP main camera for the S21 FE’s 12MP shooter, but the sensor is also larger to let in more light. That means the S22 is more likely to produce better photos in low light, and the new phone’s AI stereo depth map should also capture better portraits.
Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S21 FE – the essentials
As stated above, the Galaxy S21 FE is by no means a bad phone. If the absolute upper limit of what you can afford is $699, then the S21 FE is the best option for that money, even though the best Galaxy S22 deals probably mean you can pick up Samsung’s current flagship for less than its asking price of $799. The Galaxy S21 FE also benefits from a change to Samsung’s update policy instituted with the release of the S22 – like the new S22 models, the Galaxy S21 FE now gets four years of software updates.
But the better cameras, newer processor, and adaptive display make the Galaxy S22 a better choice for fans of Samsung phones — so much so that the $100 price difference is easier to swallow. You should always strive for the best value for money, and in that case the Galaxy S22 has more to offer.
