One of the more notable headlines from last week was Epic Games’ win against Google in the District Court of Northern California. The three-year-long legal battle was settled with the jury determining Google holds a monopoly in the Android app distribution market and in-app billing services. That court settlement wasn’t the only one fought by Google as the Android maker was also facing an anti-trust lawsuit against a coalition of attorney generals from all 50 US states.
Google reached a settlement with the US legal officials back in September and we now get the detailed settlement...
Apple will preemptively remove the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 from its stores in the US this week to comply with an ITC ruling regarding a patent dispute with Masimo. The ruling bans Apple from selling the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 in the US on its website after 3 pm ET on December 21, and in stores from December 24.
The ruling is regarding Apple using medical device maker Masimo's technology in the two watches SpO2 (blood oxygen) sensor. Apple spokesperson Nikki Rothberg says Apple "strongly disagrees" with the order and is "pursuing a range of legal and technical options" to...
Confession: ever since testing the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+’s predecessor, the Diletta Bello, earlier this year, it’s been a struggle having to go back to my old French press and my cheap milk frother.
It's not that a French press doesn't have its advantages – it lets you brew rich, full-bodied coffee and has the lowest carbon footprint of all coffee makers – but as one of the best espresso machines on the market, the Bello has truly made a convert out of me, compelling me to appreciate the beauty of an even slower coffee morning routine.
There’s a touch of romanticism that comes with the craft of espresso- and latte-making, from the tamping of the grounds in the portafilter to the turn of the lever to produce that robust double shot of espresso to the surprisingly tricky way you have to steam your milk so that it produces the perfect foam. All of that takes time, patience, and an unhurried pace, and starting my day with that felt like an addictingly cozy break from my usual mad dash of life.
Naturally, when, after months of pining for the Bello, Seattle Coffee Gear asked me to test the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+, I had to jump at the chance. After all, it’s basically the Bello on steroids – at least in terms of features. It comes with a PID controller that moonlights as a shot timer, and programmable pre-infusion, both of which are supposed to, as Seattle Coffee Gear claims, “give home baristas the tools they need for improved shot quality.” It also comes with an eco mode for faster heat-up times and an even bigger-capacity drip tray.
Of course, more features typically mean a higher price tag, and that’s also the case here, contributing to the Bello+'s lofty price point. This makes it harder to recommend to a lot of people, even the most passionate coffee enthusiasts. That’s especially because I don’t find the extra features particularly necessary for most people – not when the slightly more affordable Bello is already near-perfect without them.
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Price
List price: $1,899 (about £1,500, AU$2,800)
Unavailable outside the US
To be more specific, the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ is $200 more than the Bello. Taking this manual espresso machine home means shelling out $1,899 (about £1,500, AU$2,800) of your hard-earned money, and while those with deep pockets might not bat an eye at that, most people will balk at having to spend that much just for a daily cup of coffee, no matter how smooth it is.
One thing to learn here though, if you’re an espresso machine novice, is that most top-quality espresso machines are going to be expensive. A handful of manual espresso machines from the likes of Breville and Delonghi are more than $1,000 / £1,000, and you’ll find a handful from other brands that are even pricier than the Bello+.
That doesn’t change the fact that the Bello+ is a luxury purchase, even for those who take their caffeine fix very seriously. And I’m just not completely convinced that it’s worth paying that extra $200 for all those additional features – at least not for most people who would want to jump on the manual espresso machine bandwagon.
Value: 3.5 / 5
Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Specs
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Design
Additional features missing from the Bello
Gorgeous, retro design and solid stainless steel build
Manual controls when brewing and steaming
Those extra features on the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ could be worth it for a handful of espresso enthusiasts, however. The PID controller does come in handy as it lets you do things like change your desired steam boiler temperature – note that the ideal brewing temp for espresso is around 194-205 degrees F (90-96 degrees C) – and adjust the pre-infusion time to up to 10 seconds (pre-infusion, to the uninitiated, is the process of soaking the tamped grounds in the portafilter before brewing to evenly extract coffee from the puck.)
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
I’ll discuss those two features in detail later, but for now, just know that the PID controller is definitely useful if you really want to hone in on your daily dose/s of caffeine. It also lets you set things like turn on/off Standby Mode, set the Eco Mode Timer, change the Probe Sensor Height, and more. The PID display also moonlights as a shot timer, allowing you to monitor your brewing progress.
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(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
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(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
These are not available on the Diletta Bello, allowing it a more analog approach to espresso making, but the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ still offers the same manual controls for extraction, milk steaming, and hot water dispensing. There are now buttons for these. Both the steam wand and the hot water wand, located on either side of the group or brew head, work by turning their respective knobs. And for the group head start (and stop) brewing espresso, you have to lift (and lower) the brew lever yourself – not to mention monitor its progress.
Since I have experience with manual espresso machines, I prefer to simply look at the liquid pouring out and lower the lever when it “blonds” (turns light brown). However, you can use the Shot Timer on the PID display as well – although you still have to know how many seconds is ideal for your preferred brew, which takes some experimentation.
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
The Bello+ comes in three colorways, including black and white, with its case, frame, and boiler made of stainless steel. It’s just as robust and as beautiful as the Bello, with the same elegant retro look that makes it a classy addition to any kitchen, no matter your aesthetic. It also has a pressure gauge, which helps guide you when the machine is ready to brew, as well as a cup warmer on top next to the water tank opening so you can warm your cup up.
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
Unlike the Bello, however, the Bello+ comes with a larger drip tray so you don’t have to empty and clean it as often. During testing, I’ve only had to do so every 6-7 days, which means I don’t have to spend time I don’t have on weekdays to clean it out.
If you’re new to the world of manual espresso machines, the Bello+ can be intimidating. However, while it may take a bit of practice to get that perfect brew, it really won’t take you long to get comfortable with the controls. Plus, Diletta provides a quick start guide with the machine, which is all you need. Honestly, it’s all very simple, and pretty soon, it’ll start being fun to operate.
Design: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Performance
Slow to reach thermal stability
Eco mode isn’t all the faster for heating up
Smooth results with pronounced crema, produces rich froth
If you’re not used to manual espresso machines and used to rushing through your morning coffee brewing, the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ may be a bit of an adjustment for you. After you turn on the machine, you have to wait at least 13 minutes and 30 seconds for it to reach your set temperature and the boiler pressure gauge reads between 1 and 1.5 bars. That’s not counting the actual extraction process – not to mention the milk steaming if you want a latte or a cappuccino.
To put that in perspective, regular drip coffee machines take an average of about 5-10 minutes to finish brewing while it takes me about 6 minutes to brew my coffee in my French press. If your mornings are almost always a rush, I recommend turning this machine on first thing before showering, making your breakfast, or feeding your pets.
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
There’s a minor disadvantage, here, unfortunately. I’m not sure if it’s just my review unit – since Seattle Coffee Gear only has a handful of units available for media reviewers, my unit is not new out of the box, and it’s possible that I got a slightly imperfect unit – but I have found that there were a handful of times, even when my machine had reached the set temperature and the gauge needle was between 1 and 1.5 bars, when water still wasn’t hot enough for proper infusion. I often found that I had to give it a bit more time to warm up, and when I didn’t, my resulting espresso was not only relatively cool in temperature but also not as smooth or rich as it should be. It didn’t happen every single time, but it happened often enough.
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
The great news is that when the temperature is right, it produces rich and incredibly smooth espresso with a nice crema on top. Even non-coffee aficionados will notice the difference between coffee made from this and coffee made in a French press or with a drip coffee machine.
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(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
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(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
The steam wand also worked as expected, and it’s effective enough to produce thick foam even from oat milk, which is notoriously hard to froth. As is the case with the hot water wand, which is useful for making tea and such.
Eco mode is a fantastic feature as it lowers the machine’s power consumption when it’s still turned on but not in use but offers faster heat up times when you need another shot of espresso. While this is useful for energy-saving purposes, it still takes time to heat up – just a few minutes faster than when you’re turning the machine on for the first time. If you need a caffeine fix every couple of hours or so, it may be wise to turn this feature off.
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
The 3L water tank will last you quite a while – it usually takes me around a week to refill it, and that includes me running the group head to rinse grounds that are stuck to it. Although, if you do drink a lot more than one or two double shots of espresso a day, you naturally will go through the reserve faster.
Overall, the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ is an impressive espresso machine that delivers delicious espresso shots or coffee drinks. And it's a fantastic appliance to have if you want a slower and more relaxing morning routine.
Performance: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+?
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Also consider
If the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ is not for you, here a couple of options to consider.
How I tested the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+
Tested daily for a month
Used both bottomless and double portafilters
Experimented with its basic and premium features
Testing the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ for a little over a month, I used the machine every day to make one or two coffee drinks a day. Lattes are my favorite coffee drinks, so I made a lot of those, with oat milk as my choice of cream.
I made espresso shots using both the bottomless and the double sprout portafilter Seattle Coffee Gear provided, and utilized the steam want often. I also made sure to test the machine's other features to see how useful they are to the espresso extraction process.
As an avid coffee drinker (and a bit of a coffee snob), I've owned, tested, and reviewed my share of coffee machines, from the drip types to the bean-to-cup models. I'm also the Interim Homes Editor here at TechRadar.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
It’s the last hurrah for the Galaxy S23 series as Samsung is gearing up to launch the 2024 flagships. But the outgoing models are down on price right now, in part because of the Discover Samsung Winter Sale and in part because of Amazon discounts.
The vanilla Samsung Galaxy S23 is $675 on both Samsung.com and Amazon. You should go with the former if you want to trade in an old phone, Samsung is doing its usual “enhanced trade in” so you can send in more than one device (including tablets and watches), phones with cracked screens are also accepted (at a lower but not by much price).
...
The Polar Vantage V3 is the update to Polar’s flagship premium multisports watch, which launched back in 2020. So we’ve waited a few years for its successor and Polar has rewarded that wait with some big features.
The headline addition might be the new AMOLED screen, but Polar has also introduced its new Elixir biosensor that can now deliver blood oxygen, skin temperature and heart rate via ECG to arm you with more metrics. It’s also adding offline maps and dual-frequency GPS to deliver more accurate outdoor data.
While the Vantage V2 was a solid offering from Polar, the Vantage V3 sees things step up a notch and it now feels like a better match for the competition. It's meriting an inclusion in our best running watch guide.
I’m still not entirely convinced its core heart rate powers are the best, but the Vantage V3 is definitely a multisports watch that stands out for all the right reasons.
Polar Vantage V3: Specifications
Polar Vantage V3: Price and availability
(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
$599.90 in the US
£519 in the UK
$899 in Australia
The Polar Vantage V3 was announced in October 2023 and is available to buy now directly from Polar and a small collection of retailers currently. It has a current RRP of £519 in the UK, $599.90 in the US and $899 when purchasing it in Australia, around the same asking price as the Garmin Forerunner 965.
Value score: 4/5
Polar Vantage V3: Design and screen
New AMOLED touchscreen
Heavier than Vantage V2
Nicely textured buttons
The Vantage V3 is Polar’s performance watch, so unlike its Grit series, it’s offering high grade materials, all while keeping things relatively light and comfortable to wear day and night.
It still measures in with a 47mm case like the V2 but is now thicker at 14.5mm compared to the 13mm thick case on the Vantage V2. It’s also got heavier, jumping from 52g to 57g. Those changes ultimately don’t alter the experience of strapping the V3 on. It’s still a pretty sleek-looking watch with aluminium in the case and the bezel to give it an attractive metallic frame.
The strap attached to that case is a workout-friendly silicone one, though you wouldn’t think it at first glance as Polar has clearly tried to give it the appearance of a traditional watch strap. I’m not sure I entirely love the feel of it though as it sits very snug towards and can pull at hairs. Both strap and watch case are waterproof up to 50 metres depth, which does mean you can use it in water but is a downgrade on the stronger 100 metre waterproofing available on the V2.
Around that aluminium case lies five physical buttons and they still have that nicely textured finish that makes them nice to press, even with sweaty or wet fingers. That surrounds a 1.39-inch, 454 x 454 resolution AMOLED touchscreen with Gorilla Glass on top to protect it against scratches. Along with the added pop of colour it’s a bigger display, and while there is a thin black bezel around the edge it’s well hidden by Polar’s predominantly black coloured watch faces.
It's a great AMOLED panel, with deep blacks, good max brightness and I’ve had no issues viewing it indoors, outdoors or in a swimming pool. The screen can be kept always-on with the raise to wake gesture support not as responsive as I’d have liked. What is nicely responsive is the software running on the V3. It’s slick, doesn’t lag and is a massive improvement on the experience of interacting with its predecessor.
When you need to charge it Polar includes a proprietary charging cable that clips into the port just below that new sensor array. It’s not the most secure of charging setups, and you just need to be mindful it’s out of the way of anything that might knock it out of place.
Design score: 4.5/5
Polar Vantage V3: Features
(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
Dual-frequency GPS
Free offline maps
Elixir sensor array
The Vantage V3 takes everything that was good on the V2 and aims to make improvements in some pretty important departments.
On the tracking front, Polar’s introduced dual-frequency GPS to enhance outdoor tracking accuracy for activities like running, when using the watch near tall buildings, in bad weather or densely forested areas. It’s now also adding free offline maps to join the existing turn-by-turn guidance offered by the Komoot app support.
There’s still over 150 sports profiles offered and Polar is bolstering one sport in particular, promising additional swim metrics including automatically detecting swimming style.
Around the back of the watch is where you’ll find Polar’s new Elixir sensor array, which sees a change in the design of the optical setup that’s now capable of capturing blood oxygen, skin temperature, take ECG heart rate measurements, with the upgraded Gen 4 version of Polar’s optical heart rate sensor also in tow.
Polar continues to offer rich sleep and training features, so you’re still getting access to its Training Load Pro and Recovery Pro insights, with Polar’s FitSpark suggested daily workouts and FuelWise fueling reminders for endurance athletes also still on board. It’s added the voice guidance support from the Ignite 3 along with the Work-Rest-Guide, which uses heart rate data to dictate when you should rest between workout sets.
On the smartwatch front, Polar still keeps things simple once again, offering the ability to view your notifications, change watch faces and control music playback on your paired smartphone. The added AMOLED screen and boost in CPU performance certainly makes these features much nicer to use day-to-day.
Features score: 4.5/5
Polar Vantage V3: Performance
(Image credit: Michael Sawh)
Welcome dual-frequency GPS accuracy boost
Heart rate still so-so
Delivers good battery life and overall performance
The V3 is Polar’s premium multisports watch, so it’s giving you the best the company has to offer in watch features. It’s bringing in the dual-band GPS support it debuted on the Polar Ignite 3, it’s boosting the mapping and navigation features it introduced on its Grit outdoor watch and the new Elixir sensor aims to offer boost in accuracy to improve the reliability of sports, wellness and sleep tracking.
Polar’s dual frequency GPS, which like Apple, Garmin and Suunto among others, means the V3 can use the L1 and L5 frequency bands to enhance positioning tracking accuracy. I wasn’t massively impressed with it on the Ignite 3 where Polar first introduced it, but it’s certainly more reliable here on the V3. I’ve been using it alongside Garmin and Suunto’s similar modes and while just slightly off on the distance tracking compared to the Garmin and Suunto, it wasn’t enough to cause any concern. Mapped routes inside the Polar Flow app didn’t raise any alarms either.
Polar says it’s also boosted the swimming metrics on offer, so I hit the pool along with the Form Swim Goggles and Garmin Forerunner 965, two swim trackers I know deliver good tracking accuracy in the water. Despite delivering good core swim data, I can’t say I saw anything particularly groundbreaking here. You’ll get quickest pace and average pace stats along with average and max cadence metrics and that’s really about it.
Then there’s the reliability of that new Elixir sensor, which promises an upgraded optical heart rate sensor, though I can’t say the accuracy has been massively upgraded for me. Even on steady paced workouts I found the optical heart rate sensor tended to report lower average heart rate readings and maximum heart rate readings seemed higher against a heart rate monitor chest strap. It’s not a terrible performer, but it’s also not the best performance I’ve seen from a wrist-based heart rate monitor. If in doubt, pair up an external heart rate monitor.
Polar’s Elixr sensor array also brings new blood oxygen tracking, skin temperature tracking at night, and ECG measurements when you hold your finger on the top physical button for 30 seconds. All of these new metrics place the onus on your simply tracking and analyzing trends, which can help you decide whether you should be taking it easy or you’re in good shape to have a strenuous day.
That insight also works in tandem with Polar’s rich sleep tracking, something that does separate it from the sports watch competition. Along with core sleep tracking stats, it’s offering you nightly recharge measurements, nightly skin temperature and the boost from sleep insights, which feels similar to Garmin’s Body Battery energy monitor. Crucially, the sleep data is some of the most reliable I’ve come across on a watch and it held up well against the Oura Ring Gen 3’s great sleep tracking.
Another big positive is that unlike previous Polar watches, comprehensive sleep tracking doesn't show a huge drain on battery, which on the whole, is a big improvement on the Vantage V2. There’s now a bigger 488mAh capacity battery, which Polar says can last for up to 12 days in its daily watch mode and 61 hours in training mode, up from 40 hours. I found the Vantage V3 could last a week with regular tracking using the top GPS accuracy mode. When you opt to keep the screen set to always-on, you’re going to get less than 5 days, and using features like GPS will see a further dent too.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Polar Vantage V3: Scorecard
Polar Vantage V3: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
Garmin Forerunner 965
Garmin's top-tier running watch, now with an AMOLED screen.
In the Moto G54 5G, Motorola has in some ways gone back to the drawing board. There is still the overall mission to offer customers the best possible mobile experience for as little money as possible, but in the G54 5G, I think it’s genuinely achieved it. I say that in the sense of, with the previous model in this series, the Moto G53 5G, there were too many compromises for one to make. In this latest model,Motorola has properly cracked it, and I feel it not only delivers an experience that belies its price, but it gives phones a fair bit more expensive than it a decent run for their money.
Yes, Motorola has now done a complete 180 since the G53 and made improvements across the board, to deliver an undeniably affordable smartphone that I struggled to find major fault with. And the company is actually charging less for this latest model than it did for the G53. That alone should be lauded.
No, of course the Moto G54 5G still isn’t going to trouble the four-figure flagships of the world, but the more mid-range phones? They should certainly be worried. For anyone looking for an affordable phone, I can’t personally think of anything better than this. The screen is finally full HD+, the processor offers a decent amount of performance (super intense gamers should still tread with caution) and the camera takes noticeably improved images compared to its predecessor. I also think it looks fantastic, and did plenty enough to make me rethink what a ‘budget’ phone is supposed to look like.
Having reviewed the earlier Moto G53 5G myself, I approached taking temporary ownership of the G54 5G with caution. And yes, I definitely made pre assumptions in my mind that I was going to be in for much of the same ride, just maybe in a shiny new colour. Well shouldn’t I now just eat my shoes. I was wrong and I applaud Motorola for producing a genuinely good device for not a lot of money.
Motorola Moto G54 5G review: Price & availability
List price of £180 / AU$299
No direct US equivalent again
Availability of Motorola devices continues to be inconsistent, depending on where you are in the world. As we’ve seen with previous Motorola smartphones, the Moto G54 5G is available in the UK and Australia, but isn’t available in the US, not by the same model name anyway. In the UK, you can expect to pay £180, £10 less than the previous model, while in Australia the Moto G54 5G receives a AU$30 discount over its predecessor, coming down to AU$299.
In the US, the Moto G Power 5G appears to be the most similar on paper, and this can be bought for $199.99 (down from $299.99) at the time of writing.
The fact that Motorola has taken what was already an affordable phone and made it cheaper is seriously impressive. When I reviewed the Moto G53 5G I gave it a value score of 4 out of 5, and given the G54 5G is cheaper and offers much-improved specs, it has to receive a 5 stars this time around.
• Value score: 5/5
Motorola Moto G53 5G review: Specs
Motorola Moto G54 5G review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Multiple colors, including vegan leather option
Thinner and lighter than previous model
Not always the most ergonomical
The majority of wallet-friendly phones now follow a very similar design language. Namely, plastic build, large-ish bezels (compared to the very best phones at least) and, in my experience anyway, they’ve all been lightweight and come in a selection of unexciting colors.
And, while the Moto G54 5G doesn’t deviate from the norm too much, I think there have been enough changes to make it look decidedly more premium and, dare I say, sexy? The review unit I received came in the Indigo Blue color, which employs an attractive vegan leather material on the rear. It’s a material often reserved for more premium devices to cement their premium status, so it was a genuine surprise to find Motorola has been able to get it to trickle down here – the company’s Razr 40 Ultra flip phone employs a similar material, for example. The result is a tactile phone that really is a joy to hold.
The other color options are Midnight Blue in Australia/UK and Mint Green and Glacier Blue in the UK – though they are all of a plastic-only persuasion.
Elsewhere it is largely business as usual. A large 6.5-inch screen dominating the front with a small punch hole camera in the top center. A small bump housing the two camera lenses is on the rear, and I’m pleased to say this bump barely protrudes at all, so when the phone is placed down on a surface it continues to sit flat.
A power button with built-in fingerprint sensor and the volume rocker are on the right edge, and it’s here that I did find a slight flaw. While the power button does sit at a natural height for one to use their thumb to unlock the phone – I did find using the fingerprint sensor unlocked the phone 9 times out of 10, and quickly too – the volume rocker, for me, sits too high up the right edge to be used comfortably. This is a tall phone, and I would say I have large hands and even I had trouble using it. I either had to shuffle the phone down in my hand, or move to two-handed operation. A minor issue to most, I would expect, but an issue I found nonetheless. I would have preferred to have seen the volume buttons placed at a more natural height on the left edge so I could adjust using my index and middle fingers.
Speaking of the left edge, it’s where you’ll find the SIM card and micro SD card tray, the latter being capable of accepting cards up to 1TB. The Moto G54 5G also supports eSIM along with physical SIM cards, and you’re welcome to use one of each in conjunction if you wish.
As with the Moto G53, there’s no mention of Gorilla Glass protection for the screen on the Moto G54, so I would recommend investing in a screen protector as a best practice safety precaution. Motorola also only advertises a water-repellent design, so while a splash of rain shouldn’t trouble the Moto G54, you’ll want to avoid any possibility of fully immersing it.
• Design score: 4/5
Motorola Moto G54 5G review: Display
6.5-inch full HD+ LCD with 120Hz refresh
Fantastic colors and contrast
Excellent for watching streamed content
(Image credit: Future)
One of the biggest drawbacks to the Moto G53 5G was, in my opinion, its display. While it did support a 120Hz refresh rate, the resolution was a big let down at only HD+. While it could be argued this was acceptable for a ‘budget’ phone, the fact was other companies producing similarly-priced phones were including full HD resolutions as a minimum.
I don’t think I was alone in that assessment and it appears as though Motorola has listened to the criticism, because now we’ve got a full HD+ display, baby! The resolution this time around has been increased to 2400 x 1080, resulting in 405 ppi. It’s not quite double the resolution of the outgoing model, but it’s a huge improvement and colors are noticeably sharper, more accurate and vibrant. I once again turned to a Disney Plus stream of The Incredibles – one of my go-to movies for testing color and movement – and while I didn’t have the G53 to hand to test side-by-side, I have a strong memory of the picture when playing the Pixar movie on that device to be a little pale. Definition between the red suits of the super family and green forest trees was good, but overall it was a rather lackluster performance.
The same can’t be said of the Moto G54. My experience this time was far more enjoyable across the board. Images were sharp and really did pop with color, and despite there being a pixel density difference on paper between the G54 and my iPhone 13 Pro, I couldn’t detect any discernible difference. If anything, I preferred the image produced by the Moto G54, owing to it looking more natural.
I also loaded up a Netflix stream of Edge of Tomorrow and again, was thoroughly impressed. Colors appeared natural, whether it be skin tones, sandy beaches or blue skies. Contrast was admirable too and fast-moving scenes were handled well. Black levels weren’t quite OLED deep, but honestly, they weren’t far off. The only thing I will say about the display as a whole is that the glass can be quite reflective even with brightness turned up all the way. So if you’re viewing with a bright light source behind you, then you may find yourself having to readjust your position to get the best possible experience.
A 120Hz refresh rate returns, and this can be set to automatically adjust if you wish, or you can lock it at either 120Hz or 60Hz, either to the detriment of battery life or to preserve it, respectively. I left it on Auto mode for the majority of my review, which gives all control over to the phone to determine what refresh rate is required at what time, depending on how you’re using it or what you’re viewing. I never noticed any notion of stutter, even when flicking quickly between home screen menus – something I did occasionally notice when using the G53.
For a sub-£200/AU$300 phone, the Moto G54 5G’s display is nothing short of outstanding.
• Display score: 5/5
Motorola Moto G53 5G review: Cameras
50MP main, 2MP macro and 16MP front cameras
Optical image stabilization a new addition
Improvement on previous model, but still not up there with the best
(Image credit: Future)
Motorola has opted for the same dual camera system in the G54 as it did with the G53, in the form of a 50MP main sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. However, Motorola has reduced the micrometer from 1.28 to 1.22. What this should mean, on paper, is that the camera in the G54 is theoretically capable of taking sharper images, as the pixels are more compressed.
This should be especially true in the case of the G54, as Motorola has also added optical image stabilization, which shouldn’t just help produce sharper images during the day, but help to improve low light photography too.
In practice, yes, images are better than those I was able to take on the previous model, but they’re still not all that great. In good lighting you will be able to take decent images, with colours appearing natural and only a minimum amount of noise being introduced when you zoom in.
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(Image credit: Future)
I personally decided to turn off the Auto Enhance feature, as I felt it made images look a little fake or airbrushed, particularly on images of people. Changing the setting to Natural made things look more… natural. As for the front-facing camera, despite getting a bump from 8MP to 16MP, it still leaves a lot to be desired, which I was surprised by. Ok, so I probably do look a bit better in selfie pictures compared to the previous generation, but other than posting them here for the purposes of this review, I don’t think I’d be sharing them on my socials.
Naturally, you have to factor in the cost of the Moto G54 when forming an opinion on the camera, and in this sense, it could be considered capable. But, as smartphone cameras in general go, it does still leave a lot to be desired.
The Motorola Moto G54 5G comes running Android 13 and will be eligible for an Android 14 upgrade when it becomes available. Motorola has confirmed its team is working on the upgrade, but doesn’t yet have a release date.
So, in the meantime, what you get is a predominantly bloatware-free Android experience, although Motorola does preinstall some of its own apps, which includes one that lets you customize your G54 to make it truly your own. You’re able to change the font, theme colour, layout of the home screen and any gestures to carry out an assortment of tasks. It’s an intuitive app, and I was able to adjust multiple settings in no time at all.
What I also appreciated about Motorola’s own UI was just how much better it looked on the G54 compared to the G53, made possible by the full HD+ upgrade to the display. If I hadn't known how affordable it was already, then I would certainly have assumed it would have cost more, had I seen it in the hands of someone around me.
To gain a clearer idea of how well (or not so well) the Moto G54 5G performs compared to similar devices, we can turn to Geekbench 6 and 3DMark to run a couple of tests. On Geekbench 6, the Moto G54 5G returned a single core score of 924 and a multi-core score of 2,354, both notable improvements over the previous G53, which posted scores of 719 and 1,743. With this latest phone, Motorola has opted to use a Mediatek Dimensity 7020 processor, moving away from the Snapdragon 480+ chip found in the G53. The move appears to have been the right one, and coupled with 8GB RAM as opposed to the previous 4GB, the G54 is far better equipped to handle a range of everyday tasks.
To determine how well the GPU of the Moto G54 5G performed, I ran 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme, and was returned a score of 2,565. The 3DMark app told me this was only 56% better than results from other devices. I was unable to run our usual 3DMark Wild Life test, as the Moto G54 5G doesn’t support all Vulkan features.
However, this doesn’t necessarily affect real world gaming performance, and to find out, I installed and played Asphalt 9 with no discernible lag or frame rate drops. In fact, I played through a good number of races and the phone performed admirably. The only thing I would point out is that I did start noticing a bit of heat generation through the rear panel, so I wouldn’t recommend playing for seriously long sessions – and more graphically-intense games may be out of the question – but for the most part, mobile gaming is fine on the Moto G54 5G.
In terms of audio, I was pleased with the volume produced by the speakers. The Moto G54 supports Dolby Atmos audio processing, and it’s on by default – there’s no way of turning it off. You are able to change from the base setting of Smart Audio, which analyses the type of content you’re watching/playing, and adjust sound output accordingly.
I switched the setting to Music when playing songs via Apple Music, and there was a noticeable difference. Vocals came through a bit clearer, albeit with a bit of harshness in the top end, and I was able to pick out slightly more detail in the stream of Alicia Keys’ Rock wit U. But, for the best overall audio performance, I would recommend leaving the Smart Audio setting on.
When streaming video content from Netflix, the virtual surround sound applied via the default Dolby Atmos processing was more noticeable. During the first beach fight scene near the beginning of Edge of Tomorrow, sounds of helicopters flying around did appear to move around the phone, as opposed to coming directly from the speakers at either end of the device. Bullets flying out of Tom Cruise’s arm-mounted machine guns had real impact, and the movie’s soundtrack provided support in the background. All in all, an impressive presentation.
There is a separate ‘Spatial sound’ option in the sound settings menu, which can be turned on in conjunction with Dolby Atmos, and which appears as being available in Netflix for content that I’m aware is available with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack on other platforms. I switched between turning Spatial sound on and off in the settings while watching a number of films, and found they all sounded better with it switched off. The same was the case for playing music, again from Apple Music. In all instances, Spatial sound did introduce a slightly wider soundstage, but on the whole it just sounded more echo-y and totally unnatural.
• Software & performance score: 5/5
Motorola Moto G54 5G review: Battery
5,000mAh battery lasts well over a day
15W 'TurboPower' charging could be quicker
No wireless charging
I’ve always found battery life in Motorola phones to be exemplary and the same can very much be said of the Moto G54 5G. Once again, Motorola has fitted a 5,000mAh battery which, under general everyday use, should last you into a second day without needing a recharge. It did for me, anyway.
Of course, performing more intensive tasks such as streaming video content or playing games will reduce it significantly, as will locking the screen refresh rate to 120Hz, as previously mentioned. Indeed, spending about half an hour playing Asphalt 9 did diminish the battery percentage considerably, by around 10%.
Where Motorola has improved things compared to the G53 is by adopting a faster charging speed. The Moto G53 maxed out at 10W throughput, which meant it took just over two hours to recharge the phone from near empty. In the Moto G54 however, this has increased to 15W with support for TurboPower charging, and Motorola even includes a 20W charger in the box.
Admittedly, I wouldn’t call the charging speed of the Moto G54 ‘Turbo’, but I didn’t exactly feel short changed or as if I absolutely needed it to be quicker. Charging from 18% to 100% using the supplied charger took roughly an hour and a half. It’s also worth noting that wireless charging isn’t supported. I personally didn’t mind this, as I’ve never used wireless charging, but if you are a user, you’re going to be missing out.
• Battery score: 5/5
Motorola Moto G53 5G: Score card
Should I buy the Motorola Moto G53 5G?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
If you're looking at the Motorola Moto G53, then it's most likely because you're looking to spend as little as possible on a phone. But you're also going to want to get the absolute most bang for your buck. Here are some good alternatives that do cost a little bit more, but which don't scrimp on features.
How I tested the Motorola Moto G55 5G
I used my review unit of the Motorola Moto G54 5G mainly for leisure during my testing period of a few weeks. I predominantly used it to browse web pages, scroll through social media and to take some pictures, and also found myself watching full length movies, due to its display being so engrossing. I also attempted to play a few games on it to best mimic the most likely real-world use case scenarios.
I didn't use it to replace my usual phone, an iPhone, but I was still able to send messages to friends via social media apps when connected to Wi-Fi. I also used my iPhone as a means to compare picture-taking abilities, being well aware that the iPhone was going to take more impressive shots due to its more capable camera system.
Epic Games captured a notable win in the District Court of Northern California against Google. The jury determined that Google does indeed have monopoly power in the Android app distribution markets and in-app billing services. The court decision comes three years since Epic Games filed its initial complaint after its hit game Fortnite was removed from the Play Store due to Epic’s bypassing of Google app store fees on in-app purchases aka the “Google tax”.
Today’s verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world. It proves that Google’s app store practices are...
Epic Games captured a notable win in the District Court of Northern California against Google. The jury determined that Google does indeed have monopoly power in the Android app distribution markets and in-app billing services. The court decision comes three years since Epic Games filed its initial complaint after its hit game Fortnite was removed from the Play Store due to Epic’s bypassing of Google app store fees on in-app purchases aka the “Google tax”.
Today’s verdict is a win for all app developers and consumers around the world. It proves that Google’s app store practices are...
If you ask Samsung folks what the ‘FE’ in Galaxy S23 FE stands for, they’ll tell you it no longer stands for ‘Fan Edition’; it doesn’t stand for anything. I’m telling you this really is a Galaxy S23 for the fans. By ‘fans,’ I mean folks who appreciate the best that Samsung offers, even when they can’t afford the best that Samsung offers. Like car fans will look for great used car deals, and fashionistas find flash sales and samples, Samsung fans can still get (most of) the best of the Galaxy S world without paying sky-high prices.
The Galaxy S23 FE is a bargain, especially if you find it on sale, and it quickly went on sale for Black Friday soon after launch. This phone lists for $599 in the US, but it dropped as low as $399 for Black Friday, and it’s still got a discount as of this writing. This is a phone that is meant to fill the wide price gap between the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy A54, but it will also be a terrific bargain when sales are active.
What makes this a Galaxy S23 for the fans? It’s very powerful, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform that was the engine for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It has solid cameras with excellent features, including cool photo modes that are easy to use and make your photos look much better. It also has a solid build quality, with total water resistance. It even comes in some cool colors.
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Of course, because it’s a Samsung, the Galaxy S23 FE also goes over the top in ways that other bargain phones don’t. For instance, the Galaxy S23 FE can run DEX, Samsung’s desktop environment that turns your phone into a laptop when you plug it into a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. That’s a great feature if you use your phone for email, apps, and playing games that you don’t usually run on your computer, and I can’t believe it’s included on the Galaxy S23 FE.
The Galaxy S23 FE is overloaded with features, like every good Samsung phone. It not only includes wireless charging, it can share its charge wirelessly with other devices, so if your earbuds run out of battery you can just sit them on the Galaxy S23 FE.
In some ways, the S23 FE even tops Samsung’s biggest competitor. It has Wi-Fi 6E, which the iPhone 15 can’t match. The iPhone has USB-C, but the Galaxy has a much more capable USB-C port with faster charging. Oh, it also has a real telephoto zoom lens with 3X optical zoom, in addition to the wide and ultra-wide lenses. Take that, iPhone.
The downside? It looks like a cheaper version of the Galaxy S23. It doesn’t look like a bargain phone. Bargain phones gussy up cheap plastic to make a nice-looking shell that isn’t really durable. The Galaxy S23 FE feels plenty durable. It also feels thick and heavy. Definitely not chintzy, not at all, the materials feel strong and premium. Samsung just didn’t bother cutting any bulk from this big guy.
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
That said, you’ll appreciate the durability in three or four years when you are still using this phone. Samsung has made an excellent promise of four years of OS updates and five years of security patches, and that’s stellar for a phone in this price range.
The Galaxy S23 FE is easy to recommend, whether or not it’s on sale, especially against other phones you can find for the same price. It’s more powerful than a Google Pixel 7, with more features. It’s got better cameras than the Motorola Edge. It’s not already two years old, like the comparably-priced iPhone 13.
If you’re deciding whether to spend a little bit more to get this phone, I’d say it’s worth the extra. Samsung gives you a lot when you jump into the Galaxy S family. If you want a phone that’s better than this, you’ll have to spend a lot more.
Want more of our thoughts on the latest Galaxy phones? Check out our news round-ups for the upcoming Galaxy S24 and the rumored Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Galaxy S23 FE review: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Starts at $599.99 / £599 / AU $899 for 128GB and 8GB RAM
Less expensive than the Galaxy S21 FE was
Great sales already dropped this to $399.99 in US
For a while, if you had around $600 / £600 / AU $900 to spend on a phone, there weren’t any great options from Samsung. You could find cheaper phones like the Pixel 7 or the Galaxy A54. Or, you could get an iPhone 13, which is still available new. Otherwise, you mostly had to hope for a deal to drop a great flagship phone into your price range.
Enter the Galaxy S23 FE, or I should say re-enter the FE because we had a Galaxy S21 FE, but that phone was disappointing. It was expensive and underpowered. There was no Galaxy S22 FE, despite rumors, and Samsung seems to have listened to criticism to get the Galaxy S23 FE into the sweet spot for a bargain edition of its flagship phone.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the deals we’ve already seen on this phone. We rarely get such amazing deals before we can even finish a review. This phone hadn’t launched in the UK when Amazon dropped the price in the US to $399.99, which is absurdly low. From here on, we’ll be looking for price drops on this device, as it seems to be an early favorite to put on sale.
Even at full price, however, the Galaxy S23 FE is a good choice. It has some important features that other phones lack, like IP68 water and dust resistance, and it has some niceties that even some flagship phones still skip, like wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. It’s powerful and durable, and Samsung will support it with major updates for four years, so it has better longevity than most phones.
If you can find a deal, absolutely grab this phone. Even if you can’t, this is the best new phone you can buy at this price.
Value score: 5 / 5
Galaxy S23 FE review: Specs
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
The Galaxy S23 FE uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform found on the Galaxy S22 family, including the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It has the same 8GB of RAM that you’ll find in the Galaxy S23. In other words, it’s plenty powerful. It’s powerful enough to be a real workhorse for creative types, running photo editing software like Lightroom and recording video up to 8K resolution.
Where does Samsung cut corners? Well, Qualcomm’s newest processor is a bit faster than the 2022 chipset. The screen on the S23 FE is very nice, but the regular Galaxy S23 is brighter. The main camera is similar, but the ultra-wide and zoom cameras are better on the Galaxy S23, which can handle more advanced video shooting.
Still, this is an impressive phone for the money, especially thanks to the excellent build quality that screams durability, and the extra large battery inside. This phone had no trouble lasting all day, and it was fun to use. Nothing about the Galaxy S23 FE tells you that it's a bargain phone unless you spend a lot of time with phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Galaxy S23 FE review: Design
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Great color options, with exclusives on Samsung’s site
Big, thick, and chunky
Design is youthful, like a My First Galaxy phone
Do smartphone colors seem a bit serious to you? The Galaxy S23 FE is here to help. The purple on my review sample is the happiest purple I’ve seen on a phone in years. The tangerine color will inspire oohs from folks who spot your phone. The colors are bright, glossy, and saturated. You can still get cream or graphite if you want to be boring, but there is also a lovely mint and a cloudy indigo blue.
Why start with the colors? Because if you’ve seen one Galaxy S phone, you’ve seen the rest. The design for the Galaxy S23 FE comes straight from the Galaxy S playbook. It’s glass front and back. The cameras are like portholes peeking out from beneath the sea of purple (or tangerine). The branding is remarkably subtle: you can’t see the word “Samsung” unless you hold the phone in the light just so.
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
This phone is thick, for sure. The middle-child Galaxy S23 Plus has a larger display than the Galaxy S23 FE, but the FE is more than a half mm thicker, and it weighs a hefty 13 grams more than its bigger sibling. It looks big and feels big. It isn’t uncomfortable. The sides are brushed metal and nicely rounded, so it’s very comfortable to hold. It’s just a big chongus of a phone.
With a thicker design, thicker bezels around the display, and brighter colors, the phone gives off a youthful vibe almost like a toy, but a toy that won’t break. It feels like a great starter phone if you want your kid to have something serious, but also something durable that won’t break the bank if they break it.
Design score: 3 / 5
Galaxy S23 FE review: Display
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Sharp with good color
Bright enough but not the brightest
Bezels are too large and asymmetrical
As you’d expect from a Samsung phone, the display on the Galaxy S23 FE looks great, especially against other phones at this price. It’s not quite as bright as the Galaxy S23, but it looks just as sharp and colorful, and it holds HDR10+ certification for watching streaming content in superior HDR quality.
The bezels around the display are big and they aren’t symmetrical, which bothered me. I didn’t think it would bother me this much, but once I noticed that the lower bezels were bigger than the rest, I always noticed. I couldn’t not see the unevenness. Maybe this sort of thing doesn’t bother you. If it does, you know who you are, and this will bother you.
There’s a good always-on display option on the Galaxy S23 FE, but it is turned off by default so you’ll have to dig to find it. If you’re a true Samsung fan, I also recommend downloading Samsung’s Good Lock app from the Samsung Galaxy Store. It has a lot of great themes, wallpaper, and lock screen options that are not part of the normal Samsung One UI. Only for true fans, though.
Display score: 4 / 5
Galaxy S23 FE review: Software
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Lots of apps, maybe too many
Features can be buried under layers of menus
Good search (and Bixby) can help
The great thing about Samsung phones is that they are loaded with features. The terrible thing about Samsung phones is that every year more and more features get crammed in, and the old ones just get pushed to the back of the Settings closet. The good news is that Samsung has great tools that can help, if you’re willing to give them a try.
I’m talking about Bixby, and if you’re a Samsung fan then you don’t shudder or turn away in disgust when I say that name. The Galaxy S23 FE has more features than any other phone in its price range, and Bixby is the best way to find them.
For instance, the Galaxy S23 FE can charge other devices wirelessly using a feature called Wireless Power Sharing. So, where do you find this feature? I’m going to tell you (and you won’t believe me), but the easiest way to find it is to just ask Bixby. Hold the Bixby button (read: Power button) and say, “Turn on wireless power sharing.” Voila! The feature is turned on. You won’t have to worry about the next part.
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
If you want to find wireless power sharing on your own, first grab your bullwhip and fedora, because this is an adventure. At first, I thought the feature was called “reverse wireless charging,” but it’s called wireless power sharing. I looked under the Battery and device care settings, but it wasn’t there. It wasn’t even buried under the corner submenu dots. I couldn’t find it.
Then, on the Battery Settings screen, I see three meters that show how full your battery, your storage, and your RAM are currently. To find wireless power sharing, you have to tap on the Battery meter. There’s no indication that this is even a button or a menu. You just have to know. I’m a longtime Samsung user, so I expect these things.
The problem with the Galaxy S23 FE and all of Samsung’s software is that far too many useful features are like this. They are buried. They are impossible to find. They are hidden under buttons that don’t even look like buttons. It’s great to have so many features, but Samsung needs to simplify.
Samsung DeX gives you a real desktop with a taskbar (Image credit: Future)
I was shocked to find Samsung’s powerful DeX on the Galaxy S23 FE. DeX is Samsung’s ‘desktop environment experience.’ It’s basically a new home screen that your phone creates when you connect to an external monitor. You can run multiple apps in windows side-by-side, just like you would on a laptop. It feels like a Chromebook.
DeX is endlessly useful if you know when to use it. It’s especially great when you’re traveling and can just plug your phone into a workstation, or even connect wirelessly to a TV. It’s also nice if you have a work phone and a personal computer, or vice versa, and you don’t want to mix your work and personal lives on each device. You can just work on your phone the way you’d work on a computer.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5, which has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor inside, doesn’t have DeX on board. Amazingly, a bargain phone like the S23 FE has such powerful software. You know what’s also amazing? Samsung forgot to load a Clock app. Or a Calendar. You can get the Google Clock and Google Calendar from the Google Play Store, but this was a really, really weird oversight.
It’s time to simplify.
Software score: 3 / 5
Galaxy S23 FE review: Cameras
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Cameras are very good for a phone this price
Some trouble with night photos
Solid zoom and great photo modes for fun options
The Galaxy S23 FE has very good cameras, and it sits in the middle of phones in this price range. The main camera is very good, especially under bright lighting conditions, though details weren’t always perfect. The 3X optical zoom camera is passable and better than the digital zoom you’ll get on other phones for this price.
Samsung does a good job with its camera app, and you can trust the photo modes to do what they promise. The Food mode on Samsung cameras is one of my favorites, applying warm color tones and a nice bokeh blur to the background to make food subjects pop. In every mode, photos are highly saturated on this phone, but that’s nothing new to Samsung fans.
A great sandwich deserves a great Food mode (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
If you care about photography, you might be better off with an older phone like the Google Pixel 7, which takes slightly better pics and also gives you Google’s unique photo editing tools. Of course, the Galaxy S23 FE is powerful enough to run Adobe Lightroom, if you want to edit, so Google isn’t the only game in town.
The Pixel 7, like the Motorola Edge and the iPhone 13, skips the telephoto lens. If you want real zoom on your camera, you’re going to need the Galaxy S23 FE. I found zoom to be one of its best qualities, and even at night, zoomed-in pics looked pretty good.
Of course, because it’s Samsung, there are maybe too many camera modes, and not all of them are clear. If I’m shooting video, should I just use Video mode, or do I need to use Director mode? And what is this enigmatic Single Take mode, that lets you shoot anything from ‘boomerang clips’ to ‘collages’ to ‘cropped shots’ without explanation?
There’s a lot to love in the Camera app, but just like everything else on the Galaxy S23 FE, it needs to be simplified. Samsung needs to make more decisions for us and get rid of so many unnecessary options.
Confusingly, Samsung includes two photo gallery apps: its own Gallery and Google Photos. You can stick with Photos, but I’ve been using both for a long time, and Samsung Gallery backs up to OneDrive, so you have a cloud backup that follows you to your next device, just like with Google.
The camera was a bit less responsive than I’d like, and it seemed to take a beat to focus and snap a photo, especially in night mode. My photos still came out great, but if you’re chasing fast animals or rugrats for your pics, you may want a better camera phone.
Galaxy S23 FE camera samples
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Camera score: 3 / 5
Galaxy S23 FE review: Performance
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Excellent performance from a proven chipset
Much faster than anything else in its class (except iPhone)
Able to handle real performance tasks like DeX
Forget that the Galaxy S23 FE runs on a chipset that is now officially two and a half generations old. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was fast enough for the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and it’s fast enough for anything you can do on an Android phone. If this phone is powerful enough to emulate a laptop in DeX mode, then you can be sure that performance is no problem.
Gaming is also great on this phone, though the screen could be a bit brighter and maybe bigger for real gaming fanatics. Still, if you’re looking for a capable and affordable performer, the Galaxy S23 FE had no trouble tearing up cheap phone noobs on Call of Duty Mobile. It handles all the detailed particle and motion effects in Marvel Snap with aplomb, at 60 FPS.
Performance score: 4 / 5
Galaxy S23 FE review: Battery
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Great battery lasted all-day
Lots of performance and power-saving options
Advanced charging modes for a bargain phone
The Galaxy S23 FE had no trouble lasting through a busy work day until it was time for bed. It may be big but that also means there’s space inside for more battery, and Samsung took advantage with a 4,500 mAh battery, which is much larger than the 3,900 mAh cell inside a Galaxy S23.
Most of Samsung’s choices add up to better battery life on the Galaxy S23 FE. The screen isn’t as bright as the Galaxy S23? Saves battery. The processor isn’t as fast? Saves battery. These are worthwhile sacrifices, and I almost wish Samsung would make the same on its upcoming Galaxy S24 phones.
Some phones can charge much faster than the Galaxy S23 FE, but it still hits a respectable 25W, which is about the best you can expect from an iPhone 15 Pro, anyway. Better than that, it has wireless charging, which is a feature some phone makers (looking at you, OnePlus) omit to cut costs.
Not only does Samsung give you respectable 15W wireless charging, but you can also use the Galaxy S23 FE to wireless power share with another device, like your Galaxy Buds Pro (the Galaxy Buds FE case doesn’t charge wirelessly) or your friend’s dead iPhone. That’s a feature you only find on premium smartphones.
There are tons of power-saving features and performance adjustments you can make to save battery life, and I’m not going to rehash my same complaint about Samsung phones: great features, very hard to find. Dig and you shall be rewarded. Or just let the phone do its own thing and it will still last all day. Either way, the battery life was good.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the Galaxy S23 FE?
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)
Buy it if...
You have $600 or less to spend The phone market is sharply divided between very expensive and very cheap phones. This is one of the few phones in the middle that gives you more and is worth buying.
You are a true Samsung fan
I don’t care if FE doesn’t stand for Fan Edition, this phone has DeX, zoom cameras, and software bloat. Don’t tell me it’s not for the fans.
You like bright, colorful phones
Honestly, most of the other phones in this price range are boring, black slabs, besides the odd-looking Pixel. Samsung gives you the best looking phone in bright, glossy colors.
Don't buy it if...
You need real camera performance
This is a great camera phone in the bargain phone price range, but premium phones are much better, and the Pixel 7 has some cool photo features unique to Pixel phones.
You wear tight pants
The Galaxy S23 is a thin and light phone, but the Galaxy S23 FE is like the cousin that loves pasta and has a bigger battery. Big but beautiful? Definitely bigger.
You want something simple
The Galaxy S23 FE is a bargain phone with a lot more, so if you want something simple and easy, find an iPhone you can afford, instead.
Galaxy S23 FE review: Also consider
Google Pixel 7 The Google Pixel 7 isn’t quite as powerful as the Galaxy S23 FE, but it does come with Google’s machine learning features that are exclusive to Google devices, including the Magic Eraser and other great photo editing tools. This might be the better camera pick for the money.
Motorola Edge (2022) The Motorola Edge is a bargain phone that masquerades as a flagship. It looks pristine and professional, but it isn’t quite as powerful and the cameras can’t hold a candle to Samsung’s offering. You might find it cheaper, however.
How I tested the Galaxy S23 FE
Review test period: More than one month
Testing included: everyday work and personal use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used: Anker Prime GaN charger, Galaxy Buds FE, Galaxy Watch 5
I used the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE for more than a month as my primary work phone. During this time, it was my business device for taking meetings and video calls, working while traveling and playing games on my commute to work.
I used the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE to take photos, navigate with maps, and play games. I used it for phone calls and messaging of all sorts, including RCS messages and various messaging services, including Slack and WhatsApp. I also used Bixby to control the phone and to send messages using voice commands, especially while I was driving and using Android Auto.
I played games extensively with the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, and I tested it with several streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, and Max.
I tested the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE with various accessories, including the new Samsung Galaxy Buds FE and the Galaxy Watch 5. I also used it with Pixel Buds Pro, my MX Master 2 mouse, and an SD card reader. For battery testing, I recorded my usage during the day and noted the times the phone died. I timed the phone during the charging process to verify charging claims.
Leica’s first foray into the instant camera market was in 2016 with the original Leica Sofort, Sofort meaning “immediately” in German. The camera borrowed its functionality from the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 (a camera I still enjoy using) but had Leica’s premium price tag and that iconic red dot. The Sofort 2 arrives seven years later - a long time in the photo industry - and plenty has changed between the first and second generations.
You see, the Sofort 2 is now a hybrid; a digital camera and printer all-in-one that still pushes out Instax Mini-sized film. This time, another license from Fujifilm sees the camera taking its design cues from the Instax Mini Evo, with filters and lens effects (more on these later), a new button layout, and a satisfying lever that you pull back to activate printing. I like that you get a shutter on the front and top of the body to make it easy to fire while taking a selfie. There’s a mirror to check out your framing, too.
There's no viewfinder, so the only way to compose shots is with the screen on the back, a 3-inch TFT LCD that isn't touch-responsive and can be hard to see in bright light. Navigating the menu is straightforward though, and holding the Sofort 2 is comfortable - even if the black colorway is a fingerprint magnet. In the camera menu, you can switch between natural and rich printing, and I prefer rich for its strong, vibrant tones. Pressing the up button in playback mode brings up more settings like the flash and self-timer.
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Pull the print lever and the Sofort 2 will take a few seconds to prepare (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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A print takes about 15 seconds to pop out of the top/side of the camera (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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You can shoot with 10 film styles, including Leica Monochrom and retro (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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10 lens effects can be applied by clicking the dial on the lens round (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
The Sofort 2 has the Leica name, but that doesn’t mean you can expect the same image quality as its rangefinders. I was disappointed by the specs here, as you get a 4.9MP camera with a 1/5-inch CMOS sensor, and images are in JPG format only. The aperture range is f/2-f/16 and the ISO is 100-1600, but you can’t change either of these settings yourself. Exposure is fully automatic, unlike the Polaroid I-2, although you can tweak the white balance and exposure compensation, which is handy when the camera overexposes in high-contrast lighting.
The flat pancake lens is equivalent to a 28mm full-frame, which is wide enough for you to get good group shots and expansive landscapes. The camera’s autofocus is limited, but the face recognition mode isn’t terrible. It took me about a week to discover the macro mode for getting subjects as close as 10cm in focus, and this was a game-changer for nature images.
For point-and-shoot users wanting to shake things up, the Sofort 2 has ten lens effects and ten film styles, effectively giving you over one hundred combinations in the camera. Instax film being the price it is, I didn’t try them all, but I did play around with the iconic Leica Monochrom, vintage, and a bizarre canvas style, plus the vignette and mirror lens effects. Some are more gimmicky than others, but I can see them being fun for amateurs used to Instagram filters.
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The camera takes packs of standard Instax Mini film, but there are Leica-branded options (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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The Sofort 2 is slimmer and sleeker than the Instax Mini 40 (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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It's easy to transfer images from camera to phone with the Leica FOTOS app (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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Once linked via Bluetooth, the Leica FOTOS app can be used to print and transfer photos, and remotely control the Sofort 2 (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Being a hybrid, you can print from the camera’s internal memory (around 45 images), a microSD card (a 1GB card will let you take a whopping 850 images), or over Bluetooth from the Leica FOTOS app. None of these were options in the original Sofort, and another welcome new feature is a USB-C connection for transferring images and charging the battery.
Unintentionally, I used the Sofort 2 more as a printer than a camera (it takes about 15 seconds to print an image whatever the source). Maybe that approach is cheating, but there’s no escaping the fact that the image quality - sharpness, color richness, and dynamic range - from the Sofort 2 is behind most modern smartphones. When I had the iPhone 15 Pro in my pocket, there was always a real temptation to use that instead and avoid wasting expensive film. The Sofort 2 is a brilliant portable printer, and the prints it makes are vibrant and authentic-looking, with all the vibes that make Instax so popular.
For me, the Leica FOTOS app was also a pleasure to use, and surely one of the smoothest in the business. While you’re not spending over $300/£300 on an instant camera for its app, it’s fair to say that Leica has streamlined the experience, even if you don’t get any editing or effects like stickers.
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Prints from a smartphone are much better than the Sofort 2's in-built camera (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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There are a huge range of Instax Mini film options, in packs of 10 (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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Taken on the Leica M11-P and printed on the Sofort 2 with the app (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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Print from a smartphone shot. The Leica Color film is vibrant (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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Print from a smartphone shot. The film struggles with deep shadows (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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Print from a smartphone shot. Leica's Color film is perfect for holiday snaps (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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A photo taken with the Leica Sofort 2. The 4.9MP lags miles behind my iPhone 15 Pro (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
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A digital photo taken with the Leica Sofort 2's camera in rich mode (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
For me, the best instant cameras are the hybrid ones, simply because they unlock more possibilities and mean you’re not limited to (let’s face it) basic optics and (in this hybrid) small sensors. And they save you dosh on a separate printer.
The Sofort 2 is for style-conscious photographers who want something more serious than the average instant camera. That’s me on a good day. Because it still functions similarly to an Instax camera, anyone can pick it up and use it without a rigorous learning process. But the branding is sleek and grown up, and to be honest, I loved whipping out the Leica dot whenever I got the chance.
Reviewers don't talk enough about how cameras make us feel when we’re using them. During the test period for the Sofort 2, we became practically inseparable partners, and not just because it was small enough to fit in my coat pocket. It made me feel creative, inspired, and cool - and that’s more than I can say of my flagship mirrorless camera, or indeed, my dust-gathering Instax cameras since it came along.
Leica Sofort 2: Price and release date
Available in the US for $389
Available in the UK and Australia for £350 / AU$649
The Leica Sofort 2 was released on November 9, 2023, although some retailers are still asking you to join a pre-order waiting list. The official Leica store has had the best availability since the camera's launch. There's a choice of three colorways; white, red, and black – to reflect the iconic Leica branding.
In the box, you get a carrying strap, lens cap, USB cable for charging or transferring photos, and a quick start guide. Leica also sells a wide range of Sofort-friendly accessories like bags and a metal tin to keep your prints stored safely.
The Sofort 2 takes Instax Mini Film, and the cost of this varies depending on what design you choose. Standard twin-packs with 20 exposures of Instax Mini film start at $14.99 / £14.99 / AU$34.95, while 20 slides of Leica-branded film will set you back around £19 / $30.
The Sofort 2 is sleeky and shiny, although the black colorway attracts fingerprints (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Leica Sofort 2: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Leica Sofort 2: also consider
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Leica Sofort 2: How I tested
Friends tried out the camera at an event
Printing in-camera and via the Leica Fotos app
I had the Leica Sofort 2 for a two-week testing period and during that time I carried it pretty much everywhere in my bag; on family walks, a trip to a Christmas market, plus out for coffee and brunch (because where else is better to take hipster images).
Over this time, I shot plenty of photos using the built-in camera and printed them straight away. I played with the built-in image effects and face recognition setting. At home, I also linked the Sofort 2 up to the Leica Fotos app on my iPhone and printed a selection of existing photos to see how the camera handled different lighting types and extra detail. I even printed out some photos taken with the Leica M11-P that I'd been reviewing for another outlet.
The Sofort 2 became my compact instant camera, street shooter, and party companion, as well as an Instax printer. I used a range of Instax Mini film packs, including the Leica-branded Instant Color Film and Instax Mini Contact Sheet.
