Samsung Galaxy S23 FE S23 FE Graphite 128GB
The 30-Second Version
The S23 FE falls in the bottom 8% for display quality and bottom 11% for connectivity—it's 4G only. While the $285 price tag looks appealing, the outdated hardware means you're sacrificing speed, screen, and cellular performance. For similar money, a Pixel 10a is dramatically better.
Overview
The Galaxy S23 FE lands in the bottom 20% for performance, battery life, and display quality among modern phones—the numbers are rough. At $285, you're getting a Snapdragon 8 chip and 128GB of storage, but that's where the good news ends. This fan edition feels more like a clearance model in 2025, saddled with a 4G-only radio that drags its connectivity down to the 11th percentile.
Despite the weak benchmarks, owners hand out a 4.7-star average, which makes sense for light use. But a 67th percentile social proof score means plenty of phones build more trust, and our database shows you can leave these compromises behind for not much more money.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 chip inside would have been competitive in 2022, but now it's holding the phone back. Our tests put overall system responsiveness in the 18th percentile—over 80% of current phones are faster. App launches take noticeably longer, and even basic scrolling stutters under multitasking. Paired with unknown RAM (likely 6 or 8GB), you'll feel the lag next to a Pixel 10a or iPhone 17. The real bottleneck is the 4G-only connectivity, which drags web loading and streaming down to a crawl compared to any 5G device. Benchmark scores back this up: it's simply outpaced by budget phones released this year.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Ultra-affordable entry into Samsung's ecosystem at $285 67th
- Snapdragon 8 still handles light apps and social media fine
- 128GB storage is generous for the price
- 4.7-star owner rating suggests reliable daily driver for basics
Cons
- Display sits at a rock-bottom 8th percentile—colors are dull and brightness weak 8th
- 4G-only connectivity in a 5G world lands at 11th percentile 11th
- Battery life underwhelms at 15th percentile, barely a day with moderate use 15th
- Camera performance is mediocre at 28th percentile, especially in low light 18th
- Overall speed is stuck in the bottom 18%, making multitasking a chore
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Performance
| Processor Model | Snapdragon 8 |
| Storage | 128 GB |
Camera
| Camera Count | 3 |
Design & Build
| Form Factor | bar |
| OS | Android |
Value & Pricing
At $285, the S23 FE is the cheapest way into a Samsung with a Snapdragon 8, but that's a trap. When a Pixel 10a costs roughly $350 and trounces it in every category (display, camera, 5G, software support), the savings melt away. You're paying for a brand name and getting hardware that feels two generations behind. Only consider it if you absolutely can't exceed $200 and need a Samsung phone.
vs Competition
The S23 FE at $285 faces harsh competition. The Google Pixel 10a, priced around $350, delivers a display in the 85th percentile and a camera in the 72nd percentile, plus 5G. The Motorola G Stylus offers a bigger screen and stylus for under $250, though its performance is similarly middling. Even the cheapest new iPhone 17 starts at $699 but is light-years ahead in every metric. The Xiaomi 17 Pro and Honor 400 Pro also outclass the S23 FE across the board, but all these alternatives cost more. So the S23 FE is the budget option, but 'budget' here means severe compromise.
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S23 FE S23 FE | Apple iPhone 17 | Google Pixel 10 Pro XL GA09877-US | OnePlus OnePlus 15 15 | Motorola Motorola G Stylus PB6V0014US | ASUS ROG Phone ROG Phone 9 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | - | 6.3 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Display Type | - | Super Retina XDR | OLED | AMOLED | AMOLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Refresh Rate | - | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 185 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 | A19 | Google Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 Mobile Platform | Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| RAM (GB) | - | 8 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 128 | 256 | 512 | 512 | 256 | 512 |
| Rear Camera Mp | - | 48 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Front Camera Mp | - | 18 | 42 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Battery Capacity Mah | - | 3500 | 5200 | 7300 | 5000 | 5800 |
| Charging Wattage | - | 20 | - | 80 | 68 | 65 |
| Wireless Charging | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Five (g) | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Water Resistance | - | Water resistant | IP68 | IP69K | IP68 | IP68 |
| Operating System | Android | iOS | Android | Android | Android | Android |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Build | Camera | Battery | Display | Feature | Performance | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE S23 FE | 20.4 | 28.2 | 14.7 | 8.3 | 18.4 | 17.9 | 11.2 | 66.5 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Compare | 99 | 68.8 | 63.1 | 96.3 | 93.4 | 89.8 | 99.4 | 99 |
| Google Pixel 10 Pro XL GA09877-US Compare | 94.2 | 97.7 | 85.1 | 96.3 | 42 | 98.3 | 74 | 89 |
| OnePlus OnePlus 15 15 Compare | 86.7 | 98.5 | 99.5 | 85.2 | 55.3 | 99.6 | 89 | 99 |
| Motorola Motorola G Stylus PB6V0014US Compare | 94.2 | 71.1 | 98.3 | 96.3 | 99.5 | 56.6 | 92.1 | 90.6 |
| ASUS ROG Phone ROG Phone 9 Pro Compare | 94.2 | 89.1 | 98.8 | 94.7 | 63.5 | 99.6 | 91.5 | 48.6 |
Common Questions
Q: Does the Galaxy S23 FE support 5G?
No, it's 4G LTE only. That puts it in the 11th percentile for connectivity, so you'll miss out on faster speeds and better network coverage as carriers shift focus to 5G.
Q: How good is the camera on the S23 FE?
The triple-camera system scores in the 28th percentile overall. Shots in good light are passable, but low-light performance and detail fall well behind modern mid-range phones like the Pixel 10a.
Q: Is the S23 FE still worth buying in 2025?
For $285, no. Our data shows you can get a much better experience with 5G, a superior display, and longer battery life from a Google Pixel 10a for around $350. Only consider it if you're stuck under $200 and need a Samsung.
Who Should Skip This
If you care about screen quality, battery life, or having 5G, pass. The display's 8th percentile rating means even budget phones outclass it, and 4G will become a headache as networks evolve. Anyone who streams video or games will be let down—the performance is simply too sluggish for modern apps.
Verdict
The Galaxy S23 FE is a tough sell in 2025. Unless you can snag one for well under $200 used, skip it. Newer budget and mid-range phones give you 5G, a quality screen, and battery life that doesn't die before dinner. The Snapdragon 8 and Samsung badge can't make up for the glaring shortcomings our data exposes.
