Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. Galaxy S21 FE: The Most Important Differences

• 

  Galaxy S22

  
      $800 at Samsung
      

• 

  Galaxy S21 FE

  
      $700 at Samsung
      

    

    If you’re an Android fan shopping for a new smartphone, you might find yourself deciding between the $800 Galaxy S22 and $700 Galaxy S21 FE. Not only are they similarly priced, but they’re around the same size and both have a triple-lens camera. That said, there are some important differences between the two.
    The Galaxy S21 FE is essentially a repackaged version of last year’s Galaxy S21, while the Galaxy S22 is the next generation of the S21. The Galaxy S21 FE runs on a slightly older processor than the S22 and its main camera is lower-resolution. It doesn’t have the improvements that Samsung has made to nighttime photography, and its design is less exciting than that of the Galaxy S22. But the S21 FE has a noticeably larger screen than the S22, a sharper selfie camera and, most importantly, a lower price.
    The Galaxy S22 is better suited for those who want better camera quality and prefer smaller devices, while the S21 FE is for those who prioritize screen size and a lower price.
    Here’s a closer look at how the two smartphones compare.?
    Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. Galaxy S21 FE
    

	Galaxy S21 FE	Galaxy S22
Display size, resolution	6.4-inch AMOLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels; 120Hz	6.1-inch AMOLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels; 120Hz
Pixel density	401 pixels per inch	425 pixels per inch
Dimensions (millimeters)	74.5×155.7×7.9mm	70.6x146x7.6mm
Weight (ounces, grams)	177g	167 g (168 g for mmWave model)
Mobile software	Android 11	Android 12
Camera	12MP (main), 12MP (ultrawide), 8MP (telephoto)	50MP (wide), 12MP (ultrawide), 10MP (telephoto)
Front-facing camera	32MP	10MP
Video capture	4K at 60 fps	8K at 24 fps
Processor	Snapdragon 888 (in the US)	Snapdragon 8 gen 1
RAM/Storage	6GB/128GB; 8GB/128GB; 8GB/256GB	8GB/128GB; 8GB/256GB
Expandable storage	None	None
Battery/Charger	4,500 mAh (no bundled charger)	3,700 mAh (25W wired charging)
Fingerprint sensor	In-display	In-display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	No
Special features	5G (Sub-6GHz and mmWave), 120Hz display, IP68 rating, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging	5G (mmw/Sub6), 120Hz display, IP68 rating, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging
Price off-contract (USD)	$700 (128GB/6GB); $770 (256GB/8GB)	$800

    

The Galaxy S22 has a smaller screen, but a more elegant design
    The Galaxy S21 FE (left) and Galaxy S22 (right).
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
    The most obvious difference between the two devices can be seen by just looking at them: The Galaxy S22 has a 6.1-inch screen, while the Galaxy S21 FE has a 6.4-inch display. Which size is better depends on your preference. The Galaxy S22 can seem a little cramped, especially when typing, while the Galaxy S21 FE feels like a better balance of portability and screen space. Compared with the Galaxy S22 Plus and Ultra, the Galaxy S22 feels right for people who prefer smaller phones like the iPhone 13 Mini?or Samsung Galaxy S10E. However, both of those phones are considerably smaller than the S22.?
    The Galaxy S22 and S21 FE have very similar display quality. The Galaxy S22 technically has more pixels per inch, but the difference isn’t noticeable. Both phones can crank their screens’ refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and they both support HDR10 Plus, so you’re not missing out on anything major by opting for the cheaper FE. The Galaxy S22 family has a new feature called Vision Booster, which adjusts the screen to the lighting in your surroundings, but I didn’t notice much of a difference between the two.?
    Where you will notice a difference, however, is in the phones’ design. The Galaxy S22 is made from metal and glass, giving it a more elegant and expensive feel than the cheaper Galaxy S21 FE. The S22’s metallic edges even remind me a bit of the iPhone 13 Pro. The Galaxy S21 FE’s design looks dull by comparison, but that probably doesn’t matter much if you plan to cover your device with a case. The Galaxy S22 is also slightly lighter than the Galaxy S21 FE at 167 grams compared with the S21 FE’s 177 grams.?
    Read more:?Galaxy S22 vs. Galaxy S21: Everything That’s New
    The Galaxy S22 has a better main camera, but the S21 FE wins at selfies?
    The Galaxy S21 FE (left) and Galaxy S22 (right).
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
    The Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S21 FE both have triple-lens main cameras, but the difference is in the details. The Galaxy S22 has a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera. The Galaxy S21 FE has a 12-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera.?
    As a result, I found photos taken with a Galaxy S22 generally looked more colorful and detailed than those shot with a Galaxy S21 FE. These changes are most noticeable in photos of single subjects, like a portrait or a bouquet of flowers, than in busier scenes like a street corner.
    Galaxy S22
    The photo of a flower bouquet was taken with the Galaxy S22.?
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNETGalaxy S21 FE
    This photo was taken with the Galaxy S21 FE.?
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNETGalaxy S22
    This portrait was taken with the Galaxy S22.
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNETGalaxy S21 FE
    This portrait was taken with the Galaxy S21 FE.
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
    I also noticed that the Galaxy S22 took sharper zoomed-in photos than the Galaxy S21 FE, which makes sense since it has a slightly higher-resolution camera. Take a look at the photos below to see the difference. The photos of the spiky ball hanging from a tree were taken at a 10x zoom, and you’ll notice that the Galaxy S22’s is sharper.
    Galaxy S22
    This photo of a spiky ball hanging from a tree was taken with the Galaxy S22.?
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNETGalaxy S21 FE
    Here’s the same photo taken with the Galaxy S21 FE.
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
    But it’s not just the resolution that’s changed. Samsung has also improved the way the Galaxy S22 lineup takes photos in low light, which you can read more about in our full story on the?Galaxy 22’s Nightography night photography improvements. The Galaxy S22 took photos that were generally clearer, brighter and crisper than the Galaxy S21 FE’s during my testing. Take a look at the photos below, which were captured in my apartment with all of the lights turned off.?
    Galaxy S22
    This photo was taken with the lights turned off in my apartment.
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNETGalaxy S21 FE
    This photo was taken with the Galaxy S21 FE in a very dark room.
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
    But the Galaxy S21 FE’s 32-megapixel front camera gives it an advantage when it comes to taking selfies. The Galaxy S22, by comparison, has a 10-megapixel selfie camera. You’ll notice the Galaxy S21 FE’s photo has much more detail, especially when it comes to my hair.
    Galaxy S22
    The Galaxy S22 has a 10-megapixel front camera for taking selfies.?
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNETGalaxy S21 FE
    But the Galaxy S21 FE’s 32-megapixel selfie camera is sharper than the Galaxy S22’s.?
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
    Read more:?The Galaxy S22 Ultra Fails to Excite This Pro Photographer. And That’s a Problem
    The Galaxy S22 has newer Qualcomm processor, but general performance is similar
    The Galaxy S22 (left) and Galaxy S21 FE (right).
    Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
    The Galaxy S22 runs on Qualcomm’s new processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, while the Galaxy S21 FE has last year’s Snapdragon 888. That’s the same chip found inside the Galaxy S21 lineup.
    So what does that mean for overall performance? Not much. Both phones feel snappy and fluid when loading apps, playing games and scrolling around the operating system. The Galaxy S22 performed slightly higher in benchmarks that test general computing and graphics performance, but by a slim margin. Check out the results below.
    
Geekbench 5 Single Core

    Galaxy S22
    
    
    

     1,179
    
    Galaxy S21 FE
    
    
    

     1,086
    
    

Note:
Higher scores are better.

    

Geekbench 5 Multicore

    Galaxy S22
    
    
    

     3,233
    
    Galaxy S21 FE
    
    
    

     3,137
    
    

Note:
Higher scores are better.

    

3DMark Slingshot Unlimited

    Galaxy S22
    
    
    

     8,511
    
    Galaxy S21 FE
    
    
    

     8,227
    
    

Note:
Higher scores are better.

    Where the new processor really makes a difference is in powering new features. Part of the reason why the Galaxy S22 is better at taking photos in the dark, for example, is its new processor.?
    The phones also offer similar memory and storage, although the Galaxy S22 has more memory at the base level (8GB versus the S21 FE’s 6GB). But both phones are available in either 128GB or 256GB storage options.?
    The Galaxy S21 FE has slightly longer battery life than the Galaxy S22 according to my testing, but not by much. The S21 FE lasted for 15 hours, 46 minutes in CNET’s battery test, which involves continuously playing a video in airplane mode with the screen brightness set to 50%. The Galaxy S22, by comparison, lasted for 15 hours, 21 minutes during the same test. Both phones lasted noticeably shorter than the Galaxy S22 Plus and giant-size Galaxy S22 Ultra, which both exceeded 18 hours.?
    Read more:?Samsung Galaxy S22 vs. S22 Plus vs. S22 Ultra
    Galaxy S22 photos: Get a closer look at Samsung’s new phones
    
    
    
    Should you buy the Galaxy S22 or the Galaxy S21 FE?
    The Galaxy S21 FE (left) and Galaxy S22 (right).
    
    The Galaxy S22 is the best choice if you don’t mind swapping a smaller screen size in exchange for a better camera, marginally faster performance and a classier design. If photography is a top priority, the Galaxy S22 is the better option. It can capture photos that are generally more detailed with more contrast than the S21 FE gives you, and it’s better at taking zoomed-in photos too. It can also take brighter photos in low-light conditions.
    But the Galaxy S21 FE is better for those who want a larger screen at a significantly cheaper price than the $1,000 price tag of the Galaxy S22 Plus. The camera isn’t as good as the Galaxy S22’s, but it still takes photos that are good enough for most people. The S21 FE’s sharper front camera will also come in handy if you take a lot of selfies, or frequently use your phone for video calls.?
    For more, check out CNET’s Galaxy S21 FE review?and how the Galaxy S22 Ultra compares with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. You can also take a look at?what Samsung’s calling Nightography?and?what the Galaxy S22 line means for the Galaxy Note. Want to learn more about Samsung’s latest flagship phones? Check out?everything you should know about the Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra.