Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5g (256GB, Graphite)

Such a relief to return to Samsung after a couple of years using an obscure (in this country, at least) brand that just didn't work as well, that my husband had bought for me from overseas. I'd had a Samsung Galaxy S5 for many years previously, only giving it up because as a local Civil Defence representative it was a bit embarrasing that it no longer received those notifications; it's still otherwise a perfectly good phone. I bought the S21 instead of the newer S22 because it had better reviews, and it's only a bonus that it came in purple! It seemed reluctant to connect to bluetooth connections (car, ear buds), but it worked fine in the end - the car I found connected when I went to connect another device, when it appeared to not connect earlier, and the ear buds ... MoreSuch a relief to return to Samsung after a couple of years using an obscure (in this country, at least) brand that just didn't work as well, that my husband had bought for me from overseas. I'd had a Samsung Galaxy S5 for many years previously, only giving it up because as a local Civil Defence representative it was a bit embarrasing that it no longer received those notifications; it's still otherwise a perfectly good phone. I bought the S21 instead of the newer S22 because it had better reviews, and it's only a bonus that it came in purple! It seemed reluctant to connect to bluetooth connections (car, ear buds), but it worked fine in the end - the car I found connected when I went to connect another device, when it appeared to not connect earlier, and the ear buds connected when I tried another time. Teething problems, probably a certain amount of user-error on my part, nothing major. I'm finding the S21 easy to use, and easy to customise to my preferences - though I'm still getting used to the different ringtones, but that's on me not the phone. Nice camera - my photography skills have improved no end just with the upgrade.

Best Investment I've Made in Years

I've been a Samsung Galaxy fanatic since the S2. Had 3 of them, an S4, and then a brand new S7 that lasted me for 6 years. One fateful morning in January, 2022, I awoke to my beloved S7 totally dead and not even a total factory reset could get it boot up. I had all my pics and videos backed up, but unfortunately lost 6 years worth of contacts, most of which were work related and... that was painful, but that was my fault, not the phone.I have a "Bring Your Own Phone" service provider, so I need to buy a phone outright. Went out to Best Buy, laid eyes on the (at the time) Brand Spankin' New Galaxy S21FE. Love at first sight. Bought the last one they had, and it's revolutionized my life.My S7 was no simple machine, it was a sophisticated piece of equipment, ... MoreI've been a Samsung Galaxy fanatic since the S2. Had 3 of them, an S4, and then a brand new S7 that lasted me for 6 years. One fateful morning in January, 2022, I awoke to my beloved S7 totally dead and not even a total factory reset could get it boot up. I had all my pics and videos backed up, but unfortunately lost 6 years worth of contacts, most of which were work related and... that was painful, but that was my fault, not the phone.I have a "Bring Your Own Phone" service provider, so I need to buy a phone outright. Went out to Best Buy, laid eyes on the (at the time) Brand Spankin' New Galaxy S21FE. Love at first sight. Bought the last one they had, and it's revolutionized my life.My S7 was no simple machine, it was a sophisticated piece of equipment, however, I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how much of a quantum leap wireless devices had made during the 6 years I kept that S7 chugging along (ALWAYS buy the most expensive, heavy duty case you can find).The way this phone seamlessly integrates with my Laptop, my smart TV, that tap-the-credit-card-reader thing to pay when I'm checking out in stores... Samsung Pay I think it's called?I had no idea what I was missing. These services are mind-blowing to me. I didn't even have cloud storage prior to this phone and I am content creator. I can't put into words what Microsoft OneDrive has done for my workflow, and I'd have never found about it if I didn't get this Samsung Galaxy.I love it beyond measure, am a devoted Galaxy customer for life, and the iPhone, while definitely a cool piece of tech, has got NOTHING on what Samsung has done with the Galaxy line. This device is incredible.

Best phone on the market available! Samsung ROCKS!

Upgrading from the original Google Pixel (first gen), I am ASTOUNDED by Samsung's superiority in the smart phone market. I purchased Samsung's Galaxy S 21 FE 5G (256gb graphite) on sale from Samsung.com for about $150 off, making it an even better deal. As a computer scientists and photographer, I use and appreciate the countless features Samsung phones have very day. Photography wise, I appreciate the options to change the ISO, shutter speed, focus and white balance manually on pro mode. I can also set the camera to save images in RAW format in the camera settings, which drastically helps post-image editing, especially for astrophotography. Using my Samsung camera almost feels like using a professional DSLR or mirrorless camera because of the customizable camera ... MoreUpgrading from the original Google Pixel (first gen), I am ASTOUNDED by Samsung's superiority in the smart phone market. I purchased Samsung's Galaxy S 21 FE 5G (256gb graphite) on sale from Samsung.com for about $150 off, making it an even better deal. As a computer scientists and photographer, I use and appreciate the countless features Samsung phones have very day. Photography wise, I appreciate the options to change the ISO, shutter speed, focus and white balance manually on pro mode. I can also set the camera to save images in RAW format in the camera settings, which drastically helps post-image editing, especially for astrophotography. Using my Samsung camera almost feels like using a professional DSLR or mirrorless camera because of the customizable camera features and striking quality. I use these features to take incredible pictures of everything from the Milky Way/night sky to portraits of my loved ones and time lapses of the clouds. For such a low price, no other company could possibly beat Samsung's edge on advanced technology and superior features. The under - display fingerprint sensor is lightning quick and very useful, and the overall design is very pleasing. To this day, even after having it for months, everytime I look at at my phone I notice how beautiful of a phone it is; it looks like a meticulously crafted expensive piece of jewelry. Others seem to think so, too, because I get compliments on it's look all the time. I don't understand why anyone would choose not to buy a Samsung phone because they're the best on the market, especially for their price. In fact, just yesterday one of my iPhone using friends' phone died, and when I showed her I could charge it with my phone by just putting their backs together using the power share feature, she was utterly shocked that such "futuristic" and "amazing" technology existed. She even said she wanted to buy a Samsung smartphone just for that feature. Little does she know, although, about the countless other amazing features that she would discover about Samsungs if she did so; features like Dolby Atmos, multi device connectivity in 'media output' settings, the highly customizable and adaptable Samsung keyboard, etc..Overall, the Galaxy S21 FE is an incredible phone that I highly recommend, especially for the price. In fact, I recommend any Samsung s-series or z-sries phone in general because you cant go wrong with them. The numberless unique features that you will continue to discover about your Samsung phone months later is only one of the many experiences Samung users get that its competitors don't. If you're a photographer, Samsung is definitely the best way to go as it has highly versatile camera features that other companies lack. You can never go wrong with a Samsung.All of the attached photos were taken by me on my Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G

Excellent phone

I received this phone as a gift last Christmas. I have been using my old Galaxy S7 for three years and I wanted to replace it since last summer because it had some problems with the display. The S21+ was the one that caught my eye since it launched for a number of reasons. One of the reasons I wanted this phone instead of the S21 is the longer battery life. The battery lasts around two days while having the bluetooth on at all times and around one or one and a half days of playing games, listening to music and watching videos. Secondly, I chose it for its larger screen. I mostly use my phone for watching videos and the larger display is an advantage for me. Although I haven’t taken many pictures using this phone, I can say that the pictures are as clear as I would ... MoreI received this phone as a gift last Christmas. I have been using my old Galaxy S7 for three years and I wanted to replace it since last summer because it had some problems with the display. The S21+ was the one that caught my eye since it launched for a number of reasons. One of the reasons I wanted this phone instead of the S21 is the longer battery life. The battery lasts around two days while having the bluetooth on at all times and around one or one and a half days of playing games, listening to music and watching videos. Secondly, I chose it for its larger screen. I mostly use my phone for watching videos and the larger display is an advantage for me. Although I haven’t taken many pictures using this phone, I can say that the pictures are as clear as I would expect form Samsung’s S-range. The performance is great even for games with high graphics and I did not experience any lag so far. The only drawback of this phone is the fact that it does not include a headphone jack and I had to buy an original adaptor. In my opinion, the S21+ is one of the best phones that are on the market because of its excellent value for money due to its battery life, good camera and outstanding performance.

Greatness loaded with precision!

In general and specifically, this phone is great and I am very happy I bought it. My past phone was Samsung A11 which experienced a serious issue with the network card. The S21 FE turned out to be very helpful and valuable since it costs almost $1000 after accessories and add-ons. The phone does get hot sometimes with high performance, but cools down in a few minutes. I would strongly recommend this phone to anyone who wants a low scale and value phone. They can also go for any phone in the S21 series which is best! And better than S21 is S22 series due to the software and security features it has. And of course the accessibility and productivity levels have been increased to a different level, more than any Apple phone. If you want better picture quality, just use ... MoreIn general and specifically, this phone is great and I am very happy I bought it. My past phone was Samsung A11 which experienced a serious issue with the network card. The S21 FE turned out to be very helpful and valuable since it costs almost $1000 after accessories and add-ons. The phone does get hot sometimes with high performance, but cools down in a few minutes. I would strongly recommend this phone to anyone who wants a low scale and value phone. They can also go for any phone in the S21 series which is best! And better than S21 is S22 series due to the software and security features it has. And of course the accessibility and productivity levels have been increased to a different level, more than any Apple phone. If you want better picture quality, just use the Remaster picture feature from Gallery and it will do a lot of things to make that picture attractive and ideal to be seen in general. For the past years, my parents have the A70 and A30 series phones and they still work whereas in Apple, it would be a bunch of issues with the motherboard or speaker or something else. Still strongly recommend the Samsung S21 or S22 series phones.

Pleasantly Surprised!

Having had an S8 in the past then went to an A31 for the last few years the S21 FE 5G was a huge improvement. Only one thing lets it down is the battery, and this is similar for most of the S range. Battery life is far superior on the A series.What has surprised me the most is the quality of the camera! Chose the S21 over the S22 for the slightly higher capacity battery even though the camera specs were much better on the S22, on paper at least! We use my phone for filming video reviews and this is a huge improvement both in resolution, colour and even sound. Our wireless lapel mics connect to the camera without having to use a third party app as we had to on the A31, and the sound is clear and has no interference that we experienced on the previous phone. And the ... MoreHaving had an S8 in the past then went to an A31 for the last few years the S21 FE 5G was a huge improvement. Only one thing lets it down is the battery, and this is similar for most of the S range. Battery life is far superior on the A series.What has surprised me the most is the quality of the camera! Chose the S21 over the S22 for the slightly higher capacity battery even though the camera specs were much better on the S22, on paper at least! We use my phone for filming video reviews and this is a huge improvement both in resolution, colour and even sound. Our wireless lapel mics connect to the camera without having to use a third party app as we had to on the A31, and the sound is clear and has no interference that we experienced on the previous phone. And the big winner is low light photography, absolutely stunning and crystal clear! And then there is the 30x zoom. For the first time ever I have been able to take a clear photo of a full moon instead of it turning out as a white blurry blob! Can even see the craters.More than happy with this phone.

Quick and decent phone, with a bad battery life

Since my OnePlus 8 was stolen, I was looking for a new phone. When looking around for a cheaper high end phone, I stumbled upon this phone.This is a beautiful phone. The display is superb, the camera's make stunning pictures and the phone handles all multi tasking swiftly. I tried some heavy gaming and the phone didn't give a flinch, it al went very smoothly. Connected with my Galaxy Buds+, it proves that the Dolby Atmos is a work of art. Also the speakers work als they should.It was also my first time one the Samsung OS and I instantly liked it. Coming from the stock Android Oxygen OS that OnePlus gives, I was happy to see that Samsung does something similarly. It is convenient and has a nice array of customizations. It is also nice to know that Samsung offers ... MoreSince my OnePlus 8 was stolen, I was looking for a new phone. When looking around for a cheaper high end phone, I stumbled upon this phone.This is a beautiful phone. The display is superb, the camera's make stunning pictures and the phone handles all multi tasking swiftly. I tried some heavy gaming and the phone didn't give a flinch, it al went very smoothly. Connected with my Galaxy Buds+, it proves that the Dolby Atmos is a work of art. Also the speakers work als they should.It was also my first time one the Samsung OS and I instantly liked it. Coming from the stock Android Oxygen OS that OnePlus gives, I was happy to see that Samsung does something similarly. It is convenient and has a nice array of customizations. It is also nice to know that Samsung offers 4 years of Android updates!So all with all, this phone did a super job and especially for this price, I got a lot of value for that money. So far a true flagship killer!But there is one major setback, why I won't give the 5 stars, and that's the battery life. For this phone you would have expected a proper battery life, but it was disappointing. Barely making the end of the day, even if I turn the screen to 60Hz instead of the beautiful 120Hz the phone also offers. For me this is a big drawback compared to my 3 year old OnePlus 8.Alltogether, a good and reliable phone for the day to day user. For me personally the battery life was too short, but for other people this could still be enough. I eventually swapped the S21FE for the S21+. Roughly the same specs, with a way better battery, for about 100 euros more.

S21 Fe is the master of none but in a good way!

Let's start by just appreciating that Samsung one UI has made me love thier phones since 2018, that's when I got my first mid range phone from Samsung Galaxy M30s and when I moved to a new country in 2022 it was a necessity to upgrade to a new phone. So I never had a doubt in my mind and I did anyways choose Samsung Galaxy series phone over anything else even though this country is obsessed over iOS devices (aka Apple). And when it came to the phone I ended up getting was the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE it's an all-rounder flagship for not so flagship price! What I use the most in Samsung Galaxy is the seamless software integration with windows 11 devices, ease of transferring file without proprietary apps like iTunes (I know the pain, former iPhone user! And see my ... MoreLet's start by just appreciating that Samsung one UI has made me love thier phones since 2018, that's when I got my first mid range phone from Samsung Galaxy M30s and when I moved to a new country in 2022 it was a necessity to upgrade to a new phone. So I never had a doubt in my mind and I did anyways choose Samsung Galaxy series phone over anything else even though this country is obsessed over iOS devices (aka Apple). And when it came to the phone I ended up getting was the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE it's an all-rounder flagship for not so flagship price! What I use the most in Samsung Galaxy is the seamless software integration with windows 11 devices, ease of transferring file without proprietary apps like iTunes (I know the pain, former iPhone user! And see my current iPhone user struggle still in my household). So this device is a good balance of everything that has a flagship processor and removing flagship gimmick like full glass build ("Because glass is glass! So, Glass breaks!" Said a wise person ;-) So summary who would like this phone will be anyone who loves value for money and people who realize all glitter are not gold! Because S21 FE does cost like a gold bar.

SYSTEM DATA HOGS UP OVER HALF OF AVAILABLE UNUPGRADEABLE INTERNAL MEMORY

Galaxy S21+ 128GB modelSuper phone if you don't care about having only half the advertised memory available for your personal data, pics, vids, music, etc.The video captures are great but can use massive amounts of memory data. Video taken at higher resolution, not even the highest available, uses about 1GB pe5 min recording. That can use up non system available memory rather quick if you're hoping to use it for recording lots of video.I'd have been happy if I hadn't been stuck buying the 128gb model as all the 256gb models were sold out and at the time the waiting list for the bigger memory model was months long.Here is a pic of my memory stats showing the bulk being consumed by the phones data. Also, I have almost no third party apps installed, this is ... MoreGalaxy S21+ 128GB modelSuper phone if you don't care about having only half the advertised memory available for your personal data, pics, vids, music, etc.The video captures are great but can use massive amounts of memory data. Video taken at higher resolution, not even the highest available, uses about 1GB pe5 min recording. That can use up non system available memory rather quick if you're hoping to use it for recording lots of video.I'd have been happy if I hadn't been stuck buying the 128gb model as all the 256gb models were sold out and at the time the waiting list for the bigger memory model was months long.Here is a pic of my memory stats showing the bulk being consumed by the phones data. Also, I have almost no third party apps installed, this is mostly data being used by the installed features, of which most can't be removed to free up space.I'm going to upgrade to the S23 ultra if it's availed with the larger memory option.

Will make you have trust issues

I switched to S21 Fe after my beloved One plus 6T and can honestly say- this is the buggiest clueless phone ever!!Pros: Display is neat, phone is pretty quick at 120Hz refresh rate, Design is goodCons: Legit the dumbest phone I've used. Battery life is very okayish compared to how Samsung touted it to be. Jio 4g DOES NOT work at all some times. The internet stops working out of the blue, i couldn't open Spotify, youtube or even a simple Google Chrome page when that happens, it's just so frustrating..Phone contacts get randomly deleted and I had to recover it from the trash from my Google account. Face sensors are the worst, does not work at all even in a little bit of dim light. Also, Noone has mentioned this but the phone just doesn't get connected to a new ... MoreI switched to S21 Fe after my beloved One plus 6T and can honestly say- this is the buggiest clueless phone ever!!Pros: Display is neat, phone is pretty quick at 120Hz refresh rate, Design is goodCons: Legit the dumbest phone I've used. Battery life is very okayish compared to how Samsung touted it to be. Jio 4g DOES NOT work at all some times. The internet stops working out of the blue, i couldn't open Spotify, youtube or even a simple Google Chrome page when that happens, it's just so frustrating..Phone contacts get randomly deleted and I had to recover it from the trash from my Google account. Face sensors are the worst, does not work at all even in a little bit of dim light. Also, Noone has mentioned this but the phone just doesn't get connected to a new wifi network for some reason. For a flagship phone , it sure has a hell lot of useless samsung apps that persuasively asks you to update - AND a million Samsung ads!!!. I regretfully bought the "fan edition" and ironically, it seems nothing like it has listened to its fans. The c type cord only recognises a headphone jack from samsung. The phone does not work with any of the other chargers, or is extremely slow charging ( one whole day for 80% of charge) forcing you to buy a charger from Samsung which costs about 2500rs which, in my opinion is very cunning of samsung(considering how their website mentioned they haven't included a charger because 'they're saving the environment' ) Camera is over hyped as it literally has nothing special to it. Also, No task can be done quickly, it will take a while for you to to find your way around the settings (Apple, much?) The phone lacks innovation in terms of features and build but thinks a stupid dancing AI avatar will compensate for it. What are we, 10?All of the above complaints have been already reported in their website but there is no response from their end except for a stupid automated response. Yep. poor customer service tooAll this for freaking 60,000rs!!!I am a person that takes great care of my phone and I miss my one plus 6T which worked like an absolute dream for 4 years before i got bored of it and wanted an update. Do not go for this phone if you are a lover of quality and do not trust the reviews given by Gadget giants on YouTube (you know who I'm talking about)