If you're a general mobile enthusiast, you probably already know and are excited about Apple and Google's upcoming product announcement events. But if you're a hardcore Samsung Fan (with a capital "F"), you might feel inclined to give both those shindigs the cold shoulder and instead focus primarily on what the world's top smartphone vendor has planned for... sometime in the near future.
While it remains unclear if the company will hold another Unpacked launch party by the end of the year, several different "Fan Editions" of popular existing gadgets are definitely coming soon. Chief among them should be the Galaxy S23 FE, a presumably inexpensive high-end handset that will act as a legacy sequel to the early 2022-released S21 FE, which was inexplicably never followed by a Galaxy S22 FE model.
But how affordable will this bad boy be?
Until today, that was impossible to say, as all the leakers and tipsters who helped piece the S23 FE's spec sheet together in recent months appeared to intentionally avoid the subject, suggesting... well, that there was nothing credible to report on the pricing front.
Now we have just that, although it's obviously wise to treat the numbers "exclusively" revealed on Twitter X by Abhishek Yadav with a healthy dose of skepticism. It's also not easy to extrapolate and make any global predictions based on price points specifically tipped for India, which is a... somewhat unusual market.
These recently leaked renders show off the Galaxy S23 FE in all its glory.
At Rs. 54,999 in an entry-level 128GB storage configuration and Rs. 59,999 with 256 gigs of local digital hoarding room, the Galaxy S23 FE would definitely be significantly cheaper than the "regular" Galaxy S23, which typically starts at 75,000 rupees in the world's second most populous nation.
That's not surprising in the least, but of course, a much more relevant comparison is with the Galaxy S21 FE, which continues to be available in India in a Snapdragon 888 variant with 256GB storage and 8GB RAM at a recommended price of Rs. 49,999.
That means the Galaxy S23 FE could be costlier than its predecessor, which would make it rather hard to bid for the title of best budget 5G phone out there. That's because the OnePlus 11R, for instance, commands an official price of just 45,000 rupees with a whopping 16GB RAM and 256GB storage on deck, while something like the Motorola Edge 40 starts at a measly 35,000 rupees.
What do all these numbers mean for the US?
That, our friends, is the million-dollar (or perhaps billion-dollar) question right now, and alas, we're afraid we don't have a comprehensive, 100 percent accurate, and 100 percent reliable answer for you just yet.
Technically, Rs. 54,999 and Rs. 59,999 equate to roughly $660 and $720 respectively, but with the Galaxy S23 regularly available for $800 and up stateside, pricing the S23 FE around those marks would be suicide on Samsung's part.
The S23 FE may or may not be pricier than the S21 FE (pictured here).
Given how smartphone prices normally seem to "translate" from India to the US, we're expecting instead the Galaxy S23 Fan Edition to start at 600 bucks or so, thus matching the S21 FE. What might complicate things is if Samsung decides to release this upcoming device with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor stateside and a homebrewed Exynos 2200 in India, which would kind of make it two different phones altogether.
Both models are however widely expected to come with the same 6.4-inch 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED screen in tow, as well as an identical triple rear-facing camera system comprised of 50, 8, and 12MP sensors. Under the hood, the Galaxy S23 FE is further tipped to pack a 4,500mAh battery with 25W charging capabilities regardless of region, while the general external appearance looks to be borrowed from this year's Galaxy A54 mid-ranger.
A commercial release is likely to happen sometime this month, but it remains to be seen what kind of a formal announcement will precede that rollout.
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'.
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