Galaxy S21 FE unboxing: unpacking, setup and first impressions
Verdict in brief
In first impressions, Jen likes the Galaxy S21 FE in Graphite: matte black with an aluminum frame, 6.4-inch AMOLED, Snapdragon 888 and 4,500 mAh. A charger is missing. Whether the Fan Edition was necessary at €749 RRP, Jen clarifies in the long-term review.
The video is only loaded from YouTube after you click.
The video is in German.
Pros
- Matte black look, reminiscent of the Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Matte aluminum frame, not prone to fingerprints
- 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED with an in-display fingerprint sensor
- Snapdragon 888 and 4,500 mAh, Jen hopes for long battery life
Cons
- No charger in the box
- Plastic back
Shortly before the market launch of the Galaxy S22, which I am really looking forward to, Samsung quickly releases the Fan Edition of the Galaxy S21. With an RRP of €749, it is about €150 cheaper than the RRP of the regular Galaxy S21. But you can already get the S21 at much lower prices. That raises the question of whether the Galaxy S21 FE was actually still necessary. I unpack it in Graphite with 128 GB and set it up. I bought the device myself, and everything said is my personal opinion.
Unboxing and what’s in the box
The S21 FE comes in four colors, and Graphite is perhaps the most boring one. But I have a weakness for matte black phones. The packaging is very slim, and a charger is not included, as is now the case everywhere. I have gotten used to that and no longer get annoyed.
In the box are:
- the Galaxy S21 FE in matte black, which strongly reminds me of the Galaxy S21 Ultra
- a USB cable
- a SIM pin
- the usual paperwork
Specs
| Galaxy S21 FE | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm |
| Weight | 177 g |
| Back | Plastic |
| Frame | Aluminum, matte |
| Display | 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED, Full HD+, 403 ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Fingerprint sensor | under the display |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Battery | 4,500 mAh |
| Rear cameras | 12 MP ultrawide, 12 MP wide-angle, 8 MP telephoto |
| Front camera | 32 MP |
I especially like the matte aluminum frame because it is not prone to fingerprints. Snapdragon 888 and 4,500 mAh give hope for long battery life.
Setup
- Select your country and agree to the privacy policies.
- Add Wi-Fi.
- Decide whether apps and data are copied from an old device.
- Sign in to your Google account.
- Decide whether data is backed up to Google Drive, location is used, Wi-Fi scanning is allowed, usage data and error reports are sent, and updates and apps are installed.
- Select the search engine. I am surprised again and again by which search engines are shown. It is something different with every restart; this time, for example, Ecosia was there, which I did not know yet.
- Set up a lock function: face recognition, fingerprint, pattern, PIN or password. I started with the fingerprint.
- Agree to Google Assistant.
- Optionally sign in to your Samsung account to use the Samsung services.
That was it. The device is based on Android 12, so there are a great many customization options, including for the design. I will adjust those for myself now.
Outlook
The Galaxy S21 FE will be my new daily driver, and after the first few minutes I am already really looking forward to it. I will now test it extensively and deliver a long-term review shortly. There we will clarify whether the Fan Edition was even still necessary so close to the market launch of the S22 and who the purchase is still worth it for.
Questions and answers
- How much does the Galaxy S21 FE cost?
- The RRP is €749. That is about €150 less than the RRP of the regular Galaxy S21, which at the time of the video could already be had at much lower prices.
- What is in the box with the Galaxy S21 FE?
- In the box are the smartphone, a USB cable, a SIM pin and the usual paperwork. A charger is missing.
- What are the specs of the Galaxy S21 FE?
- The S21 FE has a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with Full HD+ and 403 ppi, a Snapdragon 888 and a 4,500 mAh battery. On the back are a 12 MP ultrawide, a 12 MP wide-angle and an 8 MP telephoto camera, on the front a 32 MP front camera.
- What colors does the Galaxy S21 FE come in?
- There are four colors. Jen's device is in Graphite, which she says is the most boring color of the lineup, but she likes matte black phones.
