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Latest Samsung Galaxy S23 FE reveal settles age-old processor debate

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Sep 21, 2023, 5:05 AM

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Latest Samsung Galaxy S23 FE reveal settles age-old processor debate

So how excited are you for Samsung's "next big thing?" No, we're not talking about the presumably state-of-the-art Galaxy S24 family, which obviously fits that description best while not exactly looking set for an imminent launch.

Instead, there's actually a (moderately) exciting new Galaxy handset far closer on the horizon right now, and following a (summer) avalanche of revealing reports and highly detailed leaks over the past few months, yet another key puzzle piece appears to be falling into place today.

This is by no means a surprising Galaxy S23 FE revelation, but it does seem to clarify (once and for all) an important aspect that caused a little bit of controversy in the rumor mill a while back.

We will have different versions for different markets after all

Before we get into exactly what a bunch of freshly discovered Google Play Console listings seemingly confirm, we'd like to treat you to a quick history lesson (free of charge, of course). Does anyone here remember the Galaxy S21 FE?

Sure you do, especially given that the relatively inexpensive 6.4-inch high-ender is still around in most global markets. But not all S21 Fan Edition units are created equal, with some of them packing a Snapdragon 888 processor and others a Samsung-made Exynos 2100.

This is the Galaxy S23 FE Snapdragon variant.

That's a strategy employed by the world's largest smartphone vendor for the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra as well, not to mention the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra. But the S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra come with the exact same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset everywhere, which led some leakers and tipsters to anticipate that all S23 FE devices will instead opt for homebrewed Exynos silicon.

That's no longer anyone's expectation, but if you were hoping the next-gen handset would offer Snapdragon power worldwide, we're probably going to disappoint you today.

That's because the "r11q" variant of the Galaxy S23 FE is now all but confirmed to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, while the "r11s" model seems virtually guaranteed to pack an Exynos 2200 SoC.

The specific regions where these two versions of the same phone will be sold are technically unknown at the moment, although history suggests European countries could get the Exynos model while buyers in markets like the US, China, and India probably have the Snapdragon variant to look forward to.

Are there any other regional differences in the pipeline?

Almost certainly not. As revealed by multiple sources, including this new and very reliable one, the Galaxy S23 FE comes with 8GB RAM on deck and a screen resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels around the world.

Everything else should also be the same across all global regions and countries, including a 50MP primary shooter joined by a 12MP secondary camera and 8MP tertiary sensor on the S23 FE's familiar-looking back, a 10MP single front-facing snapper, a 4,500mAh battery with 25W charging capabilities under the hood, and Android 13 out the box on the software side of things with an Android 14 update undoubtedly around the corner.

And this is the Galaxy S23 FE Exynos variant.

The Galaxy S23 and A54-inspired design is also visualized today in perfect clarity and great detail for the umpteenth time (plus one) in recent weeks, so all that's really left here is for Samsung to stop this faucet from leaking like crazy with an official announcement.

Not even the price point is a particularly well-kept secret, although we'll admit we don't know exactly how much the S23 FE 5G is supposed to cost in the US in its likely 128 and 256GB storage configurations and exactly when we should expect a commercial debut to take place.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.