Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S21 FE: Which one should you buy?
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Fan Edition just passed its first birthday. It barely beat the Galaxy S22 series to market, but how has it held up over the course of 12 months? The designs may look quite similar, but some critical differences are under the hood. Let’s compare the Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S21 FE to help you pick your next phone.
Note: We’ll be looking at the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus in this comparison rather than the Galaxy S22 Ultra, as it’s aimed at a slightly different group of users. You can read more about the Galaxy S22 Ultra right here.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S21 FE
Design and display
One look at the Galaxy S22 or S22 Plus next to the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, and you might not be able to tell them apart. Yes, the sizing is slightly different, but Samsung’s Contour Cut design makes its return once again. The camera bump blends into the corner on both models and matches the frame color. You’ll also find a trio of lenses on both series, covering the wide, ultrawide, and telephoto trifecta — but more on that later.
Once you move away from the camera bump, you’ll notice what might be the most significant difference between the devices — the materials. Samsung carried its “glasstic” finish to the Galaxy S21 FE, but the Galaxy S22 series marks the return of a glass panel on the back. Despite the different rear materials, both the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy S22 carry aluminum frames, offering better durability.
The Galaxy S22 series marks the triumphant return of glass, while the Galaxy S21 FE offers a glasstic alternative.
Taking the similarities a step further, all three devices offer flat AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates and Full HD+ resolutions. Once again, the best way to tell them apart is the size. Samsung’s vanilla Galaxy S22 is the baby of the bunch at 6.1 inches, while the Galaxy S21 FE lands in the middle at 6.4 inches. The Galaxy S22 Plus comes out on top at 6.6 inches, and both of the newer handsets sport Gorilla Glass Victus Plus compared to the standard Victus of the Galaxy S21 FE.
All three panels offer Infinity-O designs, with a single, central-mounted selfie camera. This time, the Galaxy S21 FE is much more powerful with its impressive 32MP shooter compared to the 10MP sensor on both the S22 and S22 Plus.
We loved the Phantom finishes on the Galaxy S21 series, and it’s nice to see a few options return. The new Galaxy S22 series comes in Phantom Black, Pink Gold, green, and white. Over on the Galaxy S21 FE, your color options include white, Graphite, Lavender, and Olive, but the matte finish doesn’t catch light quite as well as the Galaxy S22 series.
Complete your setup: Our guide to all the phone accessories you’ll ever need
Hardware and cameras
We’ve pretty well established that the Samsung Galaxy S22 series and Galaxy S21 FE look an awful lot alike, but now it’s time to go under the hood. While the Galaxy S21 FE can hold its own with 2021’s Snapdragon 888 processor, the Galaxy S22 series has a slight advantage thanks to the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. You can grab up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on any of the three models, and there’s no microSD slot in sight.
We briefly mentioned that the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S21 FE carry three rear cameras, but not all trios are created equal. Where the Fan Edition device offers a 12MP wide, 8MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide lens, the S22 duo packs far more megapixels. The phones swap to a 50MP wide lens and a 10MP telephoto lens and record up to 8K video at 24fps.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S22 offers the smallest battery of the three. However, it makes the curious decision to carry a smaller battery than the Galaxy S21. Samsung’s small flagship offers just a 3,700mAh cell, while the Galaxy S22 Plus and Galaxy S21 FE offer 4,500mAh options. The Galaxy S22 Plus is the only way to go if you’re worried about charging. It tops out at 45W wired speeds, while the others stop at 25W. No matter which way you go, you’ll get 15W wireless charging. Unfortunately, neither device includes a charger.
While all three devices pack fingerprint readers in their displays, the Galaxy S21 FE once again lags behind a bit. It offers an optical fingerprint reader compared to the ultrasonic option on Samsung’s flagships.
Yet another similarity to consider is the software support. All three devices arrived with Android 12 and Samsung’s One UI skin onboard. The Galaxy S22 duo comes out slightly ahead with One UI 4.1 compared to 4, but the difference is minimal. Samsung’s update policy actually tops Google with four major Android OS updates and five years of security patches. That means we should see up to Android 16 and patches through early 2027.
Price and colors
- Samsung Galaxy S22: $799
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus: $999
- Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: $699/£699/€759
Samsung hasn’t changed its flagship pricing structure from last year — the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus start at $799 and $999, respectively. However, the Galaxy S21 FE with 128GB of storage undercuts them at $699. If you want additional storage, the Galaxy S21 FE will cost $769 for 256GB. Over on the Galaxy S22 series, the 256GB version of the Galaxy S22 will set you back $849, while the S22 Plus comes in at $1,049.
As for colors, the Galaxy S21 FE offers a simple slate of matte selections. You can grab it in white, Graphite, Lavender, or Olive. All four are single-tone finishes, so you won’t get contrast for the camera bump like you will with certain Galaxy S22 finishes.
Both of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 options come in the same set of colors. If you’re shopping from Amazon or a mobile carrier, your options include Phantom Black, white, pink gold, and green. While the four base colors are single-shaded, Samsung also offers a few exclusive designs. You can grab Sky Blue, Violet, or Cream and bring back the two-toned look from the Galaxy S21 series. Each version adds a gold finish to the camera housing.
Specs
| Galaxy S22 | Galaxy S22 Plus | Galaxy S21 FE | |
|---|---|---|---|
Display | Galaxy S22 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED Flat display FHD+ resolution (2,340 x 1,080) 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (10Hz to 120Hz) 240Hz touch sampling rate | Galaxy S22 Plus 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED Flat display FHD+ resolution (2,340 x 1,080) 120Hz adaptive refresh rate (10Hz to 120Hz) 240Hz touch sampling rate | Galaxy S21 FE 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED FHD+ (2,340 x 1,080) 120Hz refresh rate 240Hz touch sampling in gaming mode |
Processor | Galaxy S22 US: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Global: Exynos 2200 | Galaxy S22 Plus US: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Global: Exynos 2200 | Galaxy S21 FE US: Snapdragon 888 Global: Exynos 2100 |
RAM | Galaxy S22 8GB | Galaxy S22 Plus 8GB | Galaxy S21 FE 6GB or 8GB |
Storage | Galaxy S22 128 or 256GB No microSD card support | Galaxy S22 Plus 128 or 256GB No microSD card support | Galaxy S21 FE 128GB or 256GB No microSD card support |
Power | Galaxy S22 3,700mAh battery 25W wired charging 15W wireless charging No charger in box | Galaxy S22 Plus 4,500mAh battery 45W wired charging 15W wireless charging No charger in box | Galaxy S21 FE 4,500mAh 25W wired charging 15W wireless charging Reverse wireless charging No charger in box |
Cameras | Galaxy S22 REAR: - 50MP wide (1.0μm, ƒ1.8, 23mm, 85-degree FoV) - 12MP ultrawide (1.4μm, ƒ2.2, 13mm, 120-degree FoV) - 10MP telephoto (1.0μm, ƒ2.4, 69mm, 36-degree FoV, 3x optical zoom) FRONT: - 40MP wide (ƒ2.2, 23mm, 80-degree FoV) | Galaxy S22 Plus REAR: - 50MP wide (1.0μm, ƒ1.8, 23mm, 85-degree FoV) - 12MP ultrawide (1.4μm, ƒ2.2, 13mm, 120-degree FoV) - 10MP telephoto (1.0μm, ƒ2.4, 69mm, 36-degree FoV, 3x optical zoom) FRONT: - 40MP wide (ƒ2.2, 23mm, 80-degree FoV) | Galaxy S21 FE Rear: -12MP primary (ƒ1.8, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, 79-degree FoV) - 12MP ultrawide (ƒ2.2, 123-degree FoV) - 8MP telephoto (ƒ2.4, 3x optical zoom, OIS, 32-degree FoV) Front: - 32MP single (ƒ2.2, 81-degree FoV) |
Connectivity | Galaxy S22 5G (mmWave + Sub6) Wi-Fi 6 (ax), Dual Band Bluetooth 5.2 NFC support | Galaxy S22 Plus 5G (mmWave + Sub6) Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz) Bluetooth 5.2 NFC support Ultra-wideband support (UWB) | Galaxy S21 FE 5G (mmWave + Sub6) Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.0 NFC support |
Security | Galaxy S22 Ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor 4 x 9mm size | Galaxy S22 Plus Ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor 4 x 9mm size | Galaxy S21 FE In-display optical fingerprint sensor |
Software | Galaxy S22 Android 12 One UI 4.1 | Galaxy S22 Plus Android 12 One UI 4.1 | Galaxy S21 FE Android 12 One UI 4 |
S Pen support | Galaxy S22 No | Galaxy S22 Plus No | Galaxy S21 FE No |
Materials | Galaxy S22 Gorilla Glass Victus Plus front and back Armour Aluminum frame | Galaxy S22 Plus Gorilla Glass Victus Plus front and back Armour Aluminum frame | Galaxy S21 FE Gorilla Glass Victus front Metal frame Plastic rear panel |
Durability | Galaxy S22 IP68 certified | Galaxy S22 Plus IP68 certified | Galaxy S21 FE IP68 certified |
Dimensions and weight | Galaxy S22 70.6 x 146 x 7.6mm 168g | Galaxy S22 Plus 75.8 x 157.4 x 7.6mm 196g | Galaxy S21 FE 155.7 x 74.5 x 7.9mm 177g |
Colors | Galaxy S22 Phantom Black, Phantom White, green, Pink Gold | Galaxy S22 Plus Phantom Black, Phantom White, green, Pink Gold | Galaxy S21 FE White, Graphite, Olive, Lavender |
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S21 FE: Which should you buy?
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE offers a great way to get your hands on Samsung’s latest hardware and software at a slightly lower cost. However, $100 goes a long way for the Galaxy S22 series. The newer devices carry updated processors, better build materials, and significantly improved rear cameras — even if the selfie cameras take a step back.
That said, there are a few features that you’ll have to drop $1,000 to match on a Galaxy S22 device. The Galaxy S21 FE tops the vanilla model in battery size and display size, even if the Galaxy S22 Plus offers the fastest charging and largest display of the three.
Samsung Galaxy S22 vs Galaxy S21 FE: Which one should you buy?
If we rule out the similar design languages and identical RAM and storage options, it makes your decision a lot easier. Those looking to load up on selfies should choose the Galaxy S21 FE, while users hoping for a rear camera experience should drop the extra $100 for the Galaxy S22 series. We’ve given you our thoughts, but now it’s up to you to vote in our poll above and choose your next device.
While we’ve focused on the Galaxy S22 as a rival to the Galaxy S21 FE in this article, you might also consider the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S23, too. It makes a few improvements on the Galaxy S22, including the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and a slightly larger 3,900mAh battery. More importantly, it doesn’t come with a price increase over its predecessor.
Save some money: The best Samsung Galaxy deals