PhoneLifespan

iPhone SE (3rd gen) vs Galaxy S23 FE

vs

Winner

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

The Galaxy S23 FE wins this one, taking battery and camera decisively. Against the iPhone SE (3rd gen) it's also the sounder buy at $5.77 per month of safe use.

Value Score: iPhone SE (3rd gen) 56 · Galaxy S23 FE 71 methodology

The lifespan decider

When specs are close, support length decides it — this is what each phone costs per month of safe use.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd gen) $100
Buy with care$3.02/mo
2022◆ Buy-by Mar 20272029
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE $164
Buy with care$5.77/mo
2023◆ Buy-by Oct 20262028

Category by category

Display
iPhone SE (3rd gen) 50Galaxy S23 FE 70

The Galaxy S23 FE's screen is the better one — 6.4-inch dynamic amoled 2x, fhd+, 60–120hz.

Performance
iPhone SE (3rd gen) 74Galaxy S23 FE 65

The iPhone SE (3rd gen)'s Apple A15 Bionic is simply the faster chip.

Camera
iPhone SE (3rd gen) 40Galaxy S23 FE 79

The Galaxy S23 FE has the stronger camera system (3 real rear lenses vs 1).

Battery
iPhone SE (3rd gen) 20Galaxy S23 FE 70

4,500mAh vs 2,018mAh — the Galaxy S23 FE lasts longer between charges.

Software longevity
iPhone SE (3rd gen) 39Galaxy S23 FE 34

The iPhone SE (3rd gen) is supported until Mar 2029 — 5 months longer than the Galaxy S23 FE.

Value
iPhone SE (3rd gen) 56Galaxy S23 FE 71

Overall value goes to the Galaxy S23 FE at $5.77 per month of safe use.

Full spec table
SpeciPhone SE (3rd gen)Galaxy S23 FE
Price (street)$100$164
Display4.7-inch Retina HD LCD, 60Hz6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, FHD+, 60–120Hz
ChipsetApple A15 BionicSnapdragon 8 Gen 1 (US model)
RAM4GB8GB
Storage64GB/128GB/256GB128GB/256GB
Battery2,018 mAh4,500 mAh
Charging20W wired, Qi wireless 7.5W25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless
Rear cameras12MP main50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto 3x
Dimensions138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm158.0 × 76.5 × 8.2 mm
Weight144 g209 g
Water resistanceIP67IP68
Supported untilMar 2029Oct 2028

Scores and verdicts are computed from our verified database — see exactly how. Specs from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers.