The new Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
The new Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
Image: Supplied

Samsung hit the ground running in 2022 with a slew of new products unveiled at the CES electronics show and the announcement of the new Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

While we don’t have any local availability or pricing information regarding the products, we do have the lowdown on the new phone.

If it ain’t broke…

Having sold over 10-million units, the S20 FE was a clear success, which explains why the company decided to create another fan edition based on its current flagship series.

Much like 2020’s S20 FE echoed the design language of the S20 series, the S21 FE 5G draws heavily from the S21 series that launched in 2021. The Contour Cut frame, camera lens cutouts and flat display, signature elements of the S21’s design language, can all be found on the new handset.

While the differences between the FE and the soon-to-be-replaced S21 series are more difficult to spot than trying to find Waldo after a few mimosas, they do exist.

Unlike the two-tone colourway found on the S21 series, the FE has a mono-colour back with a haze finish. While the FE boasts Samsung’s signature Contour Cut design, it doesn’t seamlessly blend with the body of the device like it does on the S21 series.

The FE also packs a 6.4-inch display, which makes it larger than the standard S21’s 6.2-inch display but smaller than the 6.7-inch display found on the S21+, and it swaps out the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor for an optical one.

Like the standard S21, the FE forgoes the glass back found on the Plus and Ultra variants in favour of what Samsung calls “glasstic” (polycarbonate that looks like glass).

It also has the same FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display found on the S21 and S21+, Android 12 and an IP68 rating.

The new Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
The new Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
Image: Supplied

“At Samsung, we are focused on bringing the latest mobile innovations to even more people,” said Justin Hume, director of integrated mobility at Samsung SA. “We saw an incredible response to the Galaxy S20 FE and Galaxy S21 line-up. So we applied the same approach with S21 FE 5G, equipping it with the premium features that matter most to our loyal Galaxy fans — because we’re focused on delivering a smartphone that meets their most important needs, at an affordable price.”

Available in four colour options — olive, lavender, white or graphite — the S21 FE 5G is aimed at anyone wanting the signature aspects of the S21 series at a more affordable price.

Having faced various launch delays, the S21 FE 5G now lives in the shadow of the imminent S22 series launch and faces an uphill battle to persuade consumers to part with their cash.

Available January 11 2022 at R14,999. samsung.com/za

The new Galaxy S21 FE 5G family.
The new Galaxy S21 FE 5G family.
Image: Supplied
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