Samsung started using the Fan Edition (FE for short) terminology with the Galaxy S20 FE back in late 2020. It focused on the core features that made Samsung fans fall in love with Galaxy phones. This year, Samsung is upping the ante with its family of FE devices: the Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Tab S9 FE and FE+, and Galaxy Buds FE! The company aims to bring the best entry point to flagship Galaxy devices without spending flagship money.
Galaxy S23 FE Elevates Your Everyday
The Galaxy S23 FE brings the essentials of what makes a Galaxy S phone what it is today. From the new floating camera look to its premium finish that has IP68 water and dust resistance, the S23 FE stays true to the iconic S series design. This phone also features recycled materials and packaging which pushes Samsung’s initiatives in terms of sustainability.
The Galaxy S23 FE carries a triple camera system consisting of a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. With both its digital image stabilization and OIS, steady shots are possible in bright light or low light. You can take advantage of this phone’s Pro Mode and Camera Assistant app for more customization.
The S23 FE uses either a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or an Exynos 2200 depending on where you live. (Rumor has it that the Philippines will get the Exynos model.) It rocks a 4500 mAh battery with 25W charging that charges this phone to 50 percent in 30 minutes. You get to experience all these through a 6.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
The Galaxy S23 FE starts at $599 with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. It comes in four standard colors: Mint, Cream, Graphite, and Purple. There are also two Samsung.com exclusive colors: Indigo and Tangerine.
Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE+: Bringing the S Pen and IP68 to More People
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE+ deliver the best of what Samsung tablets have to offer. Unlike the phone, Samsung has two tablet options in the FE line. There’s the Tab S9 FE with a 10.9-inch display and the Tab S9 FE+ with a 12.4-inch display. Both have a 90Hz refresh rate, Vision Booster support, and S Pen support. (There’s even an S Pen included in the box!)
These tablets (and the S Pen) also have IP68 water and dust resistance and have long-lasting batteries. (The Tab S9 FE+ has up to 20 hours of battery life.)
Both tablets come in four colors: Mint, Silver, Gray and Lavender. The Galaxy Tab S9 FE series starts at $449.
Galaxy Buds FE: Bringing Superior Sound and Powerful ANC to More Users
I’m honestly glad that Samsung decided to bring the Galaxy Buds as part of this FE lineup of devices. The Galaxy Buds FE bring powerful bass and features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Ambient Sound to a more accessible price point. It’s even cool to see technologies like automatic personalized beamforming and AI-powered Deep Neural Networks (DNN) in these buds. Those aforementioned technologies help separate your voice from unwanted background noise for clearer calls.
These buds boast the longest battery life of any Galaxy Buds at up to 8.5 hours of playback for each earbud. With the charging case, you get up to 30 hours! When using ANC, you get up to 6.5 hours of playback for the buds and up to 21 hours with the case. The design of these buds bring the ergonomics we come to know of the Galaxy Buds while bringing a more customized fit. This is thanks to the included three different sizes of ear tips and two different sizes for wingtips.
The Galaxy Buds FE retails for $99 and comes in Graphite and White.
Local Pricing and Availability
Shortly after I posted this article, Samsung Philippines announced the local pricing of the new FE devices! Here they are:
- 8GB + 128GB Samsung Galaxy S23 FE – P36,990
- 8GB + 256GB Samsung Galaxy S23 FE – P39,990
- 6GB + 128GB Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE – P26,990 (Wi-Fi) / P31,990 (5G)
- 8GB + 128GB Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ – P34,990 (Wi-Fi) / P39,990 (5G)
- Samsung Galaxy Buds FE – P5,490
All of them will be available in the Philippines on October 20, 2023.
What do you think of Samsung’s new FE devices? Do you think they bring the best of what Samsung has to offer at a lower price? Sound off in the comments!
Updated 2023/10/10: Samsung Philippines shared the local pricing and availability of all the FE devices.
