Update: A fresh batch of full specs for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE have been supposedly leaked.
We’ve heard some rumors that there may be a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE coming later this year, but so far we haven’t heard a huge amount about what the phone will offer.
Well, as we get closer to the presumed launch window, the rumor mill is finally dishing the dirt. And if there's any truth to them, it's looking like an exciting package.
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Not only have we now got a full list of rumored specs, we also have some official-looking (though unconfirmed) renders showing us what the phone might look like. Here's what they promise.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE specs: Rumored
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Header Cell - Column 1 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.4-inch |
| Dimensions | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 176g |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888 |
| Battery | 4,370 mAh |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128/256GB |
| microSD? | Up to 256GB |
| Rear camera | 32MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto |
| Selfie camera | 12MP |
| Other features | Android 11, 5G, Dual-SIM, under-display fingerprint sensor |
According to TENAA’s listing, the Galaxy S21 FE will pack in a 6.4-inch display and will measure in at 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm. That means the phone would sit between the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Plus from a size perspective. For reference, the standard Galaxy S21 has a 6.2-inch display and measures 151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm. The Galaxy S21 Plus has a 6.7-inch display and measures 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm.
TENAA’s listing also seemingly confirms that the phone will weigh 176g and will be powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset, while also packing in a 4,370 mAh battery, 8GB of RAM, and a choice of 128GB or 256GB of storage. Interestingly, the listing also claims the phone will support microSD card expansion up to 256GB, a feature the rest of the Galaxy S21 range infamously lacks.
Some compromises do seem to have been made to the camera, since the Galaxy S21 FE is said to pack in a triple lens rear setup with 32MP, 12MP, and 8MP lenses. The Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus both had a 64MP telephoto lens, a 12MP wide and ultrawide angle lenses. It’s not clear which lens is which, though it wouldn’t be surprising if Samsung followed a similar convention to the other Galaxy S21 phones.
That said, the Galaxy S21 FE is said to come with a boosted selfie camera, like the Galaxy S20 FE did last year. The phone is reported to have a 12MP front lens, and while that would be smaller than the 32MP front shooter from last year, it would still have a higher resolution than the 10MP front camera on the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus.
Other features noted in the TENAA listing include an under-display fingerprint sensor, Android 11 software out of the box, 5G, and Dual-SIM support, though none of those are particularly surprising.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE renders
It should be no surprise that these renders show off a phone that looks remarkably like the original Samsung Galaxy S21. After all, if the Galaxy S21 FE is anything like the Galaxy S20 FE, it’s going to be almost exactly the same phone — albeit with a few compromises that should help lower the price.
The renders themselves come from long-time phone leaker Evan Blass, who has a proven track record with accurate and legitimate leaks. However these are still unverified, so view these gifs with a hint of skepticism.
In any case, Blass posted four 360-degree renders of the phone, showing off a range of bright colors including green, lilac, white, and black. There’s not quite as much choice as the extra-colorful Galaxy S20 FE we saw last year.
If the renders are accurate, it also looks like the metal Contour Cut edges of the Galaxy S21 may have been replaced by a plastic unit, though it's tricky to tell from the images.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Specs
While renders are no big surprise, given we'd expect the Galaxy S21 FE to look rather similar to its more expensive stablemate, what’s really interesting are the specs. These have reportedly been listed over on TENAA, China’s equivalent of the FCC (via MyFixGuide).
While the Galaxy S21 FE name wasn't used, the model number in the listing, SM-G9900, tracks with the one used for the Galaxy S21 (SM-G991). And the specs posted would indicate the phone in the TENAA listing is a form of scaled-back Galaxy S21.
Bottom line
While regulatory listings are a lot more trustworthy than your average rumor, this is all still unverified, so take this information with a grain of salt. The only question is, when will this phone launch?
Currently there are rumors that Samsung will hold an Unpacked event on August 11, where we expect to see the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3 (and Flip 3 Lite), and the Galaxy Watch 4. It's not clear yet whether we'll see the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE there as well, especially since the S20 FE had its own solo launch, and previous rumors suggested an August 19 launch was on the cards.
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