We analyzed 583 verified reviews from actual users of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE to understand its real-world performance. Our team reads every review to identify what owners are saying about key features, including its camera, screen, battery, and design. We then categorize each comment as positive, negative, or neutral. This process allows us to generate a simple percentage score that shows exactly how satisfied real users are with each aspect of the phone.
💰 Value for Money: Great Deal, Hidden Costs
For the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, the value for money proposition is a nuanced story of delivering flagship performance at a more palatable price. Users’ overall satisfaction with the cost-to-feature ratio scores a strong 84%, placing it in lock-step with the category average and just ahead of direct competitors like the Google Pixel 8 and Apple iPhone 15 (both 83%).
This feeling of getting a great deal is rooted in the perception of acquiring premium hardware without the premium sting. As one owner explains:
a great phone that has many features of the bigger brother S23 series phones, but at a better budget friendly price.
A sentiment echoed by another who found it was:
incredibly powerful for a phone in this price range.
Value Perception vs. Reality
However, this positive value perception is tempered by a significant frustration that has become common across the industry: items missing from the box. While the S23 FE’s score of 25% positive sentiment for this factor is slightly better than the category average of 21%, it still reveals a widespread user annoyance.
This isn’t just a minor inconvenience; it’s an unexpected expense that damages the initial feeling of a good deal. Users are pointed in their feedback, with one noting:
The box comes with a charging cable but no plug.
Another laments the loss of features that were once standard, stating:
I couldn’t bring my SD card over from my old phone and I worry that I’ll run out of memory.
The Upgrade Equation
The most compelling aspect of the S23 FE’s value story emerges when viewed as an upgrade. With a 65% positive score for Upgrade Justification, it dramatically surpasses its predecessor, the S21 FE, which sat at only 50%.
This 15-point jump signals that the S23 FE provides a tangible and meaningful improvement for those coming from older devices. One user confirmed:
I have just upgraded from the Galaxy Note 10 and the performance increase is massive.
Interestingly, the S23 FE (65%) is also seen as a more justifiable upgrade than the more expensive flagship S23 (54%). Users clearly articulate this logic, recognizing that while “the regular S23 is far more expensive,” the Fan Edition delivers the most critical improvements without the associated cost, making it the smarter financial choice for many.
Trade-Off: The S23 FE delivers a compelling flagship-like experience that feels like a smart purchase, but this value is slightly undermined by the frustrating reality of needing to buy essential accessories separately.
📸 Camera: Zoom Wins, Night Fails
For the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, the camera is a story of specialization, where one spectacular strength elevates the entire experience, even as certain weaknesses remain. While general image and video quality earns a solid 88% positive sentiment, a score that comfortably beats the category average by 10 points, the real power lies in a feature where this phone dramatically overperforms: its zoom capabilities.
With an incredible 92% positive rating, it trounces the category average of 46%. This isn’t just a number on a spec sheet; it’s a feature that creates moments of genuine delight and utility for users. As one owner exclaimed:
I have never had a phone that could capture the moon like this one.
This capability extends beyond novelty, providing practical benefits for hobbyists who can now “simply take a pic, zoom to look for double dyes, error proofs” on coins without needing a microscope, while another praised its ability to take “amazing pictures of the moon.”
Low-Light Performance
However, where the camera shines in daylight, it struggles when the lights go down. The phone’s low-light performance is its most significant compromise. While its 82% positive score is technically 21 points above the category average, it represents a notable step back from its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 FE, which achieved a perfect 100% positive rating in this exact area.
Users feel this regression keenly, with one noting that image quality can suffer in less-than-ideal conditions:
sometimes under mediocre lighting the quality and colors are not what I was looking for or hoped for.
This isn’t just about still photos; it affects daily communication. A user complained that video calls suffer from a specific and frustrating flaw:
video calls in low light are giving my skin a weird yellow tint.
Competitive Landscape
This mixed performance becomes even clearer against its rivals. The S23 FE’s phenomenal 92% satisfaction with its zoom completely eclipses the Google Pixel 8 (37%) and the iPhone 15 (60%), making it the undeniable choice for anyone who values telephoto photography.
Yet, its low-light performance, while on par with the Pixel 8, feels like a letdown for those upgrading within the Samsung family. It falls short of both its predecessor and the flagship S23 (91%). It proves that while the camera system is capable of producing “sharp, fast and crisp” images in the right conditions, its consistency is what defines the user experience.
Trade-Off: Users gain a truly class-leading zoom that far surpasses competitors, but must accept a noticeable regression in low-light performance compared to its own predecessor.
📱 Screen: Dazzling Visuals, Frustrating Touch
For the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, the story of its screen is one of stark contrasts. While it dazzles the eye with exceptional quality, it can often frustrate the thumbs with inconsistent touch performance. This duality defines the user experience, creating moments of both deep satisfaction and noticeable irritation.
Visual Excellence
The visual experience is, by a huge margin, the screen’s greatest strength. Users are overwhelmingly impressed by its display quality and vibrancy, which earns a 93% positive score—a full 10 points above the category average. This isn’t just a technical achievement; it has a profound impact on daily enjoyment.
Users find that this makes media consumption a genuine pleasure:
movies and videos are crisp and color rich
The equally high 93% positive rating for screen smoothness, driven by the high refresh rate, enhances this feeling of premium quality. One user explained how the feature improves the reading experience:
smoothness of the higher refresh rate makes reading more comfortable and enjoyable.
Interactive Frustration
However, this visual excellence is undercut by a significant pain point: touchscreen responsiveness and accuracy. Scoring just 42% in positive sentiment, this factor lands slightly below the category average and fuels the majority of user complaints. The practical consequences are frequent and frustrating, turning basic interactions into a chore.
Some users report persistent issues with the fingerprint sensor:
the fingerprint on the screen does not work properly
This forces them to make multiple frustrating attempts to unlock their device.
try a number of times for the phone to recognize my fingerprint.
This daily friction extends to typing, with one review lamenting a problem that directly hinders core communication:
I seem to be missing a lot of keys making me write a lot of words incorrectly
Competitive Context
This mixed performance becomes even clearer in a competitive context. The S23 FE’s fluid motion is a massive advantage over Apple’s iPhone 15, which scores a dismal 18% for screen smoothness compared to the S23 FE’s 93%. This difference creates a tangible sense of superiority for users who value seamless scrolling.
Yet, the S23 FE’s weakness in touch accuracy (42%) is surpassed by the Google Pixel 8 (51%). This suggests that while its visuals are top-tier, its interactive reliability falls short of key competitors, potentially pushing away users who prioritize a flawless touch experience above all else.
Trade-Off: Users receive a visually brilliant and fluid display but must accept the risk of inconsistent touch responsiveness that can undermine the premium experience.
✨ Design: Looks Great, Feels Awkward
When evaluating the physical design of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, users are drawn to its premium look and feel, a perception largely driven by its impressive 80% positive score for aesthetics and 75% for build quality.
Owners feel Samsung delivered on the promise of a high-end device, with many praising the move to more substantial materials. As one user noted, this provides a tangible sense of value and durability:
The build is superior with its glass back vs plastic
This premium impression is further enhanced by specific visual choices, with another reviewer celebrating how it creates a modern and clean profile:
the floating cameras make the phone stunning and elegant
Functional Design Flaws
However, this satisfaction with the phone’s appearance is sharply undercut by frustration with its functional design elements. The phone’s lowest-performing factor is “design features and changes,” which earned a dismal 32% positive rating, falling a significant 8 points below the category average.
This score reflects deep user annoyance over the removal of long-standing features. Many reviewers expressed disappointment over issues like:
the lack of microsd card expansion
And complained about:
the same complaint as many with the 3.5mm jack being removed.
These aren’t minor gripes; they represent practical losses for users who relied on wired audio and expandable storage.
Size and Handling
Compounding this is the phone’s cumbersome feel, reflected in a “size and handling” score of just 65%, a full 6 points below the category average. Users frequently describe it as:
much bulkier and heavier than my previous phone,
with one person stating that holding it can be:
painful, especially if you rest the phone on your pinky finger.
This struggle with the phone’s physical handling becomes even more pronounced when viewed next to its rivals. The S23 FE’s 65% score for size and handling puts it at a distinct disadvantage against the more comfortable Google Pixel 8 (72%) and Apple iPhone 15 (71%).
For potential buyers who prioritize a device that feels good in the hand, this numeric gap translates into a real-world reason to choose a competitor. While owners feel the S23 FE is a durable upgrade over its predecessor, the S21 FE 5G, it has actually taken a slight step back in handling, scoring one point lower than the older model’s 66%. This suggests that in the pursuit of a more premium build, Samsung may have sacrificed a degree of ergonomic comfort.
Trade-Off: Buyers get a phone that looks and feels premium, but they must accept its cumbersome handling and the frustrating removal of legacy features like a headphone jack and expandable storage.
🔥 Performance: Power, Heat, Trade-offs
The performance of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE tells a story of immense power held back by a significant flaw. Users are overwhelmingly impressed by its raw capability, particularly its flawless multitasking, which achieves a perfect 100% positive score—far exceeding the category average of 83%.
This isn’t just a number; it translates to a supremely fluid user experience where running complex operations simultaneously feels effortless. As one user described:
I also especially love this phone’s ‘picture in picture’ function because when playing games, I get bored and need a small video playing… that still hasn’t made it lag whatsoever.
This exceptional ability, combined with strong scores for processing power (88%) and gaming (86%), creates a device that most feel is “super smooth and lightening fast.”
Thermal Management Frustrations
However, this high-octane performance comes at a cost that users feel acutely: thermal management. With a positive sentiment score of only 36%, this is the phone’s Achilles’ heel. While this score is slightly above the category average of 33%, the real-world impact is a source of major frustration and even alarm.
The issue goes beyond simple discomfort. One user reported that when performing intensive actions, the heat becomes a real problem:
heavy tasks like playing hardcore games, or doing rough works are making the phone too hot and throttle issue starts to say ‘Hello world’!
In a particularly worrying case, poor heat management reportedly led to physical damage, demonstrating how it can undermine the phone’s powerful internals. A user claimed:
I have had the back glass of the phone spiderweb crack from it overheating.
Competitive Landscape
For gamers, the S23 FE’s 86% positive score for gaming performance is a massive draw, crushing the Google Pixel 8‘s meager 47%. This makes the S23 FE a clearly superior choice for anyone prioritizing a smooth, high-frame-rate gaming experience.
Paradoxically, while users complain about the S23 FE’s heat, its 36% thermal management score is substantially better than both the Pixel 8 (18%) and the iPhone 15 (19%).
This suggests that overheating is a widespread issue in this category, and Samsung is managing it comparatively better than its direct rivals, even if the user experience remains frustrating.
Trade-Off: Users gain elite-level multitasking and gaming power that outclasses key rivals, but must accept the tangible frustration of a device that frequently runs hot under pressure.
⚙️ Software & OS: Smooth AI, Glitchy Ride
The software and operating system of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE tells a story of brilliant execution in some areas and lingering frustration in others.
Users are overwhelmingly impressed by the day-to-day fluidity and powerful new AI tools, which feel both practical and a step ahead of the competition.
UI Smoothness and AI Features
The most celebrated aspects are the user experience and UI smoothness, earning an 83% positive score, well above the 74% category average. This isn’t just about a lack of lag; it’s about a feeling of effortless integration into a user’s life.
People report that moving their data from another phone “took very little time to set up” and that once running, “The operating system is fast.” This seamlessness is a consistent theme, with one user noting:
transferring data, apps, home screen and other settings went smoothly using SmartSwitch.
This is complemented by a powerful suite of AI features, scoring an impressive 84% positive rating against a category average of 69%. Users feel these are not gimmicks, but genuine enhancements, with one highlighting:
I also love the AI features, specially Live translation, Transcript and Note assist. So useful!!
Another found a very practical benefit, noting:
the best being the extract wording out of screenshots!
Software Stability Concerns
However, the experience is not without significant friction. The phone’s software stability is a clear point of concern, with only 40% of mentions being positive.
While this score is notably better than the category average of 27%, it means a majority of users commenting on stability have encountered problems that disrupt their daily use. These aren’t minor hiccups; they are significant bugs that cause real-world problems.
One user reported:
GPS signal is lost numerous times en route
Another expressed frustration that:
Sometimes my phone won’t get any messages at all until I restart it.
The issues can also be basic but infuriating, such as when a software default gets in the way:
I was confused why my power button stopped working though and was taken over by Bixby. Searching to figure out how to change this was annoying.
Competitive Landscape
In the competitive landscape, the S23 FE’s software truly stands out. Its impressive 83% score for UI smoothness puts it well ahead of direct competitors like the Google Pixel 8 (74%) and Apple iPhone 15 (72%).
This tangible difference is what converts people, with one former Apple user stating:
Samsung has just refined their OS and everything about their phones to near perfection… Won’t be going back to iOS anytime soon.
Critically, while its stability issues are a clear weakness, the data shows the S23 FE is far more reliable than its predecessor, the S21 FE (18% positive).
It even outperforms the iPhone 15 (19% positive) on this front, suggesting that while frustrating, these bugs are less prevalent than on rival devices.
Trade-Off: Users gain a class-leading smooth and AI-rich interface but must accept a higher-than-ideal chance of software glitches, even if it’s less frequent than on key competitors.
🔋 Battery: Fast Charge, Fast Drain
The performance of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE’s battery tells a complex story of highs and lows. While users are overwhelmingly thrilled with certain aspects, they are equally frustrated by others, creating a deeply divided experience that hinges on what a user values more: how fast the phone charges or how long it lasts.
Impressive Charging Speed
The undeniable star of the show is the charging speed. With an exceptional 90% positive sentiment score—towering 21 points above the category average of 69%—users feel this is a transformative feature.
This isn’t just about topping up; it’s about fundamentally changing how they interact with their device, freeing them from the wall socket. Praise is clear, with one user celebrating getting a phone that:
“takes less time to charge,”
and another praising how it:
“charges quickly with Samsung’s charger.”
The feeling is one of relief and modern convenience, eliminating a common point of anxiety for smartphone owners.
Frustrating Battery Drain
However, this bright spot is cast in the shadow of a significant problem: unpredictable battery drain. This factor scores a dismal 8% in positive mentions, nearly half the category average of 15%, revealing a deep-seated user frustration.
The issue isn’t just that the battery doesn’t last, but that its depletion feels random and surprisingly fast, creating a sense of unreliability. This is vividly captured by one user’s experience:
“What shocked me the most was the battery. It deteriorates even without use. I charge it before I sleep 100% and when I wake up I see that it has lost about 15% to 20%; that is really unbelievable.”
Another user, who doesn’t even play games, stated bluntly:
“The battery still drain really fast.”
This rapid, unexpected power loss undermines user confidence, turning a device’s core function into a source of daily stress.
The Upgrade Dilemma
This creates a fascinating dilemma for potential buyers, especially when comparing the S23 FE to its siblings. It’s a massive leap forward from its predecessor, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G, which scored a mere 50% on battery life and 58% on charging speed.
For anyone upgrading, the S23 FE’s 73% battery life score and 90% charging speed score represent what one person called a:
“quantum leap upgrade.”
Yet, the choice becomes more difficult when looking at the step-up Galaxy S23. The S23 offers more reliable endurance with a much better score for drain patterns (24% vs. the FE’s 8%), but surprisingly, its charging speed is rated far lower at just 65%.
This forces a very specific decision: a user must choose between the superior all-day stamina of the S23 or the convenience of the FE’s much faster, but more frequent, recharges.
Trade-Off: Users gain class-leading charging speeds but must accept unpredictable battery drain and shorter overall endurance than its premium sibling, making it a compromise of convenience for consistency.
Bottom Line
- ✅ The camera’s zoom is a standout highlight, earning an incredible 92% positive rating that trounces competitors like the Pixel 8 (37%).
- ⚠️ Performance is a double-edged sword; while fast, severe overheating is a critical flaw, with a low 36% positive score for thermal management.
- 📉 Battery life is a major pain point, with users reporting dramatic overnight drain and a dismal 8% positive score for its unreliable endurance.
- 🔻 Feels like a regression for loyal users, with the low-light camera performance (82% positive) dropping significantly from its predecessor’s perfect 100% score.
- 🏁 Outshines key rivals with a brilliant display, scoring 93% for screen smoothness compared to the iPhone 15’s dismal 18%.
- 💡 A phone of extreme trade-offs, best for users who prioritize specific flagship features over consistent, all-around reliability.