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The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE could miss out on a major S23 Ultra feature

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Samsung is reportedly working on a new Galaxy S23 Fan Edition (FE) phone after skipping a similar phone for the S22 series. According to reports, the company is expected to debut it with the older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor rather than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that ships with the other Galaxy S23 devices.

Samsung had typically used the same processor for the Fan edition phones as the mainline models, but has opted to cut costs with materials instead.

Playing a game on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The report comes from a Twitter tipster, via the Samsung-focused tech blog SamMobile, which identifies the Galaxy S23 FE as being powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. This is the same chip Samsung has used in its Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 foldables, and it is a step above the 8 Gen 1 and a half-step behind the more modern 8 Gen 2.

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There’s a school of thought that says the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a good enough processor anyway — and that’s true. It powers the flagship class Z Fold 4, as mentioned above. If all you’re interested in doing is gaming, taking pictures quickly, and using all the latest apps, it should be more than enough.

There are no reports of the other specs for the S23 FE, but we can expect a broadly similar design with a plastic chassis to replace the glass. It will perhaps have a smaller display and battery, with niceties like 45-watt charging almost certainly on the chopping block.

There is one real-world feature that S23 FE users could potentially miss out on, though.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 adds significant battery improvements that make the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra battery beasts. The 8+ Gen 1 isn’t bad in the battery department, but the 8 Gen 2 handily has it beat. With the 8 Gen 2, the S23 FE could be excellent — but we suppose Samsung would say that’s what the regular S23 is for.

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Michael Allison
Michael Allison
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A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…
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