Skip to main content

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE could miss out on a major S23 Ultra feature

Samsung is reportedly working on a new Galaxy S23 Fan Edition (FE) phone after skipping a similar phone for the S22 series. According to reports, the company is expected to debut it with the older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor rather than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that ships with the other Galaxy S23 devices.

Samsung had typically used the same processor for the Fan edition phones as the mainline models, but has opted to cut costs with materials instead.

Playing a game on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends

The report comes from a Twitter tipster, via the Samsung-focused tech blog SamMobile, which identifies the Galaxy S23 FE as being powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. This is the same chip Samsung has used in its Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 foldables, and it is a step above the 8 Gen 1 and a half-step behind the more modern 8 Gen 2.

There’s a school of thought that says the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a good enough processor anyway — and that’s true. It powers the flagship class Z Fold 4, as mentioned above. If all you’re interested in doing is gaming, taking pictures quickly, and using all the latest apps, it should be more than enough.

There are no reports of the other specs for the S23 FE, but we can expect a broadly similar design with a plastic chassis to replace the glass. It will perhaps have a smaller display and battery, with niceties like 45-watt charging almost certainly on the chopping block.

There is one real-world feature that S23 FE users could potentially miss out on, though.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 adds significant battery improvements that make the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra battery beasts. The 8+ Gen 1 isn’t bad in the battery department, but the 8 Gen 2 handily has it beat. With the 8 Gen 2, the S23 FE could be excellent — but we suppose Samsung would say that’s what the regular S23 is for.

Editors' Recommendations

Here’s what’s really going on with those ‘fake’ Galaxy S23 Ultra moon photos
Close-up shot of the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

A few days ago, a Reddit post sparked fresh debate asking if the Galaxy S23 Ultra was faking its moon photos. Ever since Samsung started offering a periscope-style telephoto camera on its flagships that delivers an unprecedented 10x optical and 100x digital zoom, moon photography has been marketed as one of the phone's hottest tricks. 
There’s some valid history behind the skepticism, though. In 2019, Huawei faced accusations that the P30 Pro's Moon Mode was faking the images using an overlay system, even though the company denied it. The Galaxy S23 Ultra finds itself in a similar storm, but the company has now explained how you are getting those crisp moon shots with its flagship. 

What Samsung has to say about all this

Read more
Samsung may be getting ready to launch a new AirTag rival this year
Galaxy SmartTag

Samsung is not the first brand that comes to mind when you are out shopping for an object tracker. That kind of consumer trust and appeal is currently commanded by Tile, which kickstarted the trend, and Apple's popular AirTag. However, Samsung wants to wiggle its way into that space with yet another object tracker that's destined to arrive soon.

Citing unnamed sources, SamMobile reports that Samsung is planning a refresh of its Galaxy Smart Tag portfolio. And if all things go according to plan, the second-gen object tracker from Samsung will hit the shelves in the third quarter of 2023 — possibly around the same time frame as the launch of Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones.

Read more
The one thing the iPhone 14, Galaxy S23, and Pixel 7 all get wrong
Apple iPhone SE (2020) being plugged in to charge.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year, new smartphones broke cover as one would expect. I won't bore you with all the details; Digital Trends' Joe Maring and Jacob Roach wrote an excellent roundup of all the best MWC 2023 announcements already.

One key quality-of-life-improving feature we picked up on as a theme was charging speed. Apple, Samsung, and Google, the mainstream phone brands by coverage (even if not all by sales), stick to a fast-charging average speed of just over an hour — even with the latest iPhone 14, Galaxy S23, and Pixel 7. By comparison, a phone from Xiaomi, Oppo, or OnePlus can get you moving in 30 minutes or even less. It's time to demand more from our phones.
Fast charging exists — just not for you

Read more