While tech insiders such as Yogesh Brar and Roland Quandt are sceptical about Samsung releasing a Fan Edition (FE) of its Galaxy S23 flagship line, there are those who believe otherwise. One of which is website SamMobile, which recently published a report, citing a “trusted source”, claiming that a launch of the variant will still happen this year sometime within the fourth quarter.
Apart from the alleged release date, the source also shared details regarding the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, which is revealed to feature several different internal hardware than its recently launched siblings. Most notably is its onboard chipset, which is said to be an Exynos 2200 – the very same SOC that powered the European versions of last year’s Galaxy S22 line-up.
The change to using Samsung’s dated first-party chipset will surely disappoint those who’ve been looking forward to an FE variant, especially given the fact that the existing Galaxy S23 models are equipped with a souped up version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Since the Fan Edition models have always been intended to be a somewhat affordable entry to the line-up, the shift to Exynos does make sense in order to achieve a less hefty price tag.
However, there’s also a chance that the phone could feature a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 instead, at least according to a separate rumour reported by Tom’s Guide. Undoubtedly, this would be the more preferred choice, seeing that Qualcomm’s silicon has a better track record when compared to Samsung’s Exynos.
Accompanying the processor, SamMobile adds, is up to 256 GB of internal storage and up to 8 GB of RAM. Meanwhile, powering the Galaxy S23 FE is said to be the same 4,500 mAh battery as its siblings, which also features 25 W of fast charging support.
One significant change that fans would truly appreciate is its imaging system. While it may not be using the Ultra’s excellent 200 MP sensor, the FE would still differentiate itself from the standard and Plus models by featuring, allegedly, a 50 MP primary camera. However, don’t get your hopes up as it’s very unlikely that it would be the 1-inch Sony IMX 989 that’s featured on devices such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or the HONOR Magic5 Pro. Unfortunately, SamMobile’s source did not specify the other cameras on the Galaxy S23 FE.
As for its design, details surrounding this aspect of the allegedly upcoming Samsung handset is still shrouded in mystery for now, so it’s uncertain what type of display it is expected to feature, let alone the size. And as much as we hope that it would come with an integrated S-Pen and is introduced to the market as a more budget-friendly Galaxy Note successor, chances of that actually happening is very, very thin.
(Source: SamMobile / Tom’s Guide)
