I was right about the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE — we don't need this phone

Samsung galaxy s21 fe review
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

After many troubles and delays, Samsung finally made the Galaxy S21 FE official. On its surface, it's a pretty good phone for $699, but no handset exists in a vacuum. I've been saying for months — since September, in fact — that Samsung should have just canned this one and saved all the fanfare for the Galaxy S22.

When we have excellent phones that offer flagship experiences, like the spectacular Pixel 6, for less than the Galaxy S21 FE, I fail to see a reason why this device should have come to market. Sure, it offers a lot of high-end features for its $699 price point, and that means a lot to a certain segment of smartphone buyers.

But then there's the regular Galaxy S21, which can often be found for less than the S21 FE, depending the available deals. The existence of the new member of the S21 also further muddles the line between Samsung's different offerings, like the Galaxy A52.

Samsung galaxy s21 fe review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Samsung won a lot of good will with the Galaxy S20 FE in 2020. Back then, the Galaxy S20 series was ludicrously expensive and the FE offered most of the same features for $699. We called it a value triumph and it certainly was. But in 2021, Samsung knocked $200 off the Galaxy S21 prices, with the base model starting at $799.

At that, the Galaxy S21 FE lost any reason to exist. I thought any cost-saving measures would hamper the experience to a small degree, and while there's nothing wrong with the phone, you certainly get a better device with the Galaxy S21 for $100 more. A higher resolution telephoto lens and an adaptive display refresh rate on the regular S21 stand out immediately.

My colleague Philip Michaels is handling the Galaxy S21 FE review, but from what I've gathered, you'd be better off either going with the $599 Pixel 6, saving up for (or finding a good deal on) the Galaxy S21, or waiting for the Galaxy S22. The latter is rumored to launch in a month and you can bet there will be good deals on it, both from Samsung and carriers.

Six months ago, the Galaxy S21 FE might have made more sense, but at the start of 2022? This phone shouldn't exist and I think Samsung was foolish to go ahead with it. Not only is it too little too late, but now the Korean phone maker runs the risk of eating into either the S21 FE's or Galaxy S22's sales. In a perfect world, both devices could exist, but now the S21 FE seems like it's just in the way.

TOPICS
Jordan Palmer
Phones Editor

Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over six years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Outside of work, you can find him poring over open-source software and his studies.

Read more
samsung galaxy s25 edge at mwc 2025
I just saw the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge up close — and I'm not impressed
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
This Galaxy S24 FE deal for $499 makes the iPhone 16e look like a joke
Galaxy S25 reasons to buy and skip
Samsung Galaxy S25: 5 reasons to buy and 4 reasons to skip
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
I won’t be upgrading to Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra — here’s why
Galaxy S25 Plus held in the hand.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review: No man's land
Galaxy Z Fold 6 shown in hand
2024 is the year Samsung fell behind on foldables — here's why
Latest in Samsung Phones
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge next to Galaxy S25 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 Plus: Everything we know so far
Showing the front of a Galaxy S25 Ultra held in hand
One UI 7 will arrive late for US Samsung users — here’s when it’ll launch for you
samsung galaxy s25 edge mockup at galaxy unpacked
Galaxy S25 Edge is overhyped — I want Samsung to make this phone thinner instead
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Older Samsung phones are finally getting One UI 7 — here's all the devices
The iPhone 16 Pro Max (L) and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rear cameras
I took 200 macro photos with Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro — here's the winner
Try Galaxy home screen on iPhone 16 Pro Max
You can now try Samsung's latest One UI 7 software on your iPhone — here's how
Latest in Opinion
A Samsung DU7200 LED TV on a side table
I'm a TV reviewer — here's the one type of TV I wouldn't buy
A distraction-free desk setup built around the Oakywood Standing Desk Pro
I built the ultimate distraction-free desk setup to get truly locked in — here's how
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 — these are the 5 launch games that would make me buy on day one
(L-R) Carey Mulligan as Cassandra and Bo Burnham as Ryan in "Promising Young Woman"
I haven’t stopped thinking about this thriller for 5 years — and it’s steaming for free on Prime Video right now
Man and woman side by side lifting dumbbells in a plank position during a weights workout
I tried Gemini's new 'Gems' feature to create my own custom AI fitness coach — here's what happened
Pictures of a PC post-fire
My PC caught on fire recently twice — 5 tips to protect your rig from a similar fate