Samsung To Release Cheaper Note 7 FE Ahead of Galaxy Note 8 Launch

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Samsung will apparently re-release the infamous Galaxy Note 7 on July 7, but don’t be concerned. It’s not exactly the same phone that was exploding late last year. The South Korean outfit has apparently done some work to prevent a recurrence and slightly changed its name. It will be called the Galaxy Note 7 FE, short for Fandom Edition. It’s going to be significantly cheaper than the flagship Note handsets, but with enough bells and whistles to make it desirable.

Where to get the Galaxy Note 7 FE

According to the WSJ, this July 7 re-launch date is only for South Korean consumers. It’s expected to be priced at around 700,000 won (US$600). It’s thought that an initial batch of 400,000 units of the rebooted device will be made available, and if all goes well, we could see other markets getting a taste of the Note 7 FE.

Unfortunately, right now, no one knows which other markets they will be, although it’s thought that the U.S. will not be one of them. In March, such a reboot in the U.S. was supposedly said to be “not on the cards.” Exactly why that is the case is unclear, so take it with a grain of salt. However, according to Gizmodo, it apparently came from a Samsung spokesperson.

gfxbench Note 7 fe specs
Image Source: GFXBench

Specs and features

If the phone had been launched already, like in April, the Note 7 FE with its slightly refurbished spec sheet would have been Samsung’s flagship. However, we now have the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, and the Galaxy Note 8, which is expected to be fantastic, is on the horizon.

Fortunately, the secrets of this phone’s specs have not been kept very close to Samsung’s chest, as the results from a GFXBench test have appeared. The test shows the vast majority of the handset’s specs, so we now know the following.

The Note 7 FE carries the model number SM-N935 and comes with an Exynos 8 chip, plus an octa-core CPU. It has 64GB of onboard storage and a decent 4GB of RAM. Where the cameras are concerned, it has a 12MP rear sensor and a 5MP selfie lens on the front. Finally, unlike its ill-begotten previous incarnation, the FE comes with Android Nougat out of the box.

Will you buy this phablet?

Could Samsung entice you to purchase a handset that was recalled, re-issued with new batteries, and then recalled again? This handset was also banned from flights in most parts of the world. We’re not biased; those are the facts. The question is whether you will buy it or wait for the Galaxy Note 8.

After all, there are real reasons to believe that, come this time next month, the Note 8 will have arrived! Furthermore, if you don’t believe all of the rumors which suggest Samsung is having manufacturing problems, it could be amazing. It’s possible that it will be the first smartphone to feature a fingerprint sensor embedded in the display. Also according to rumor, it may have the first rear-placed dual-lens camera on a Samsung handset. So there’s a lot to look forward to in addition to 6GB of RAM and a 6.3-inch screen.

So can you wait, or will you take a chance on last year’s ill-fated Note 7 in a new package?

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