Perhaps you've been waiting with baited breath for the Galaxy S21 FE, long rumored to be a cheaper version of Samsung's flagship Galaxy S21 phone. If so, I'm here to give you the straight talk: forget about the Galaxy S21 FE.

Even though Samsung has had numerous opportunities to follow up the Galaxy S20 FE, they have failed to do so. Current rumors suggest that the S21 FE is still in Samsung's plans, so much so that the Galaxy S22 flagship's launch has been postponed by a month so that this lower-priced option can launch in January.

So why give up when the Galaxy S21 FE is rumored to be close to release? Because, according to yet another rumor, the phone will only be launched in a few markets, and the US is not one of them.

In a way, this is a puzzling move by Samsung, as the Galaxy S20 FE has proven to be a well-received phone, offering many of the features of the Galaxy S20, but for $300 less than the debut price of the 2020 flagship model. Although it was forced to make some trade-offs with respect to the camera hardware, buyers got a very capable phone in return, offering the same processor and refresh rate as its more expensive sibling.

Of course, Samsung lowered prices when it released its Galaxy S21 lineup earlier this year, so the theoretical price difference between the S21 FE and the rest of the lineup will not be as great as between the S20 FE and other S20 models. Considering the fact that Samsung has been steadily improving its mid-range Galaxy A phones, you can see why some people claim that the Galaxy S21 FE no longer serves any real purpose.

Even if Samsung surprises us and makes the Galaxy S21 FE widely available in early 2022, you'll only have to wait another month for the Galaxy S22 to appear, which should be a more impressive phone at just a bit higher. (That's assuming that Samsung keeps the pricing it laid out for the S21.) But what if you need a phone now and are not willing to pay the flagship's price? Don't worry, there are plenty of options on the Android market in the Galaxy S21 FE's rumored price range. And these phones have the advantage of actually existing.

So forget about the Galaxy S21 FE and consider one of these devices instead.

Let's say you're going to stick with Samsung phones, but still think the Galaxy S21 and perhaps the Galaxy S22 are too expensive. No worries. As we mentioned, the Galaxy A phones are more capable devices than ever, thanks to 5G connectivity and improved cameras. And the Galaxy A52 5G is the best of the current models.

At $499, $300 less than the S21's list price, the Galaxy A52 5G offers a display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a long-lasting battery. As the name implies, it can also connect to 5G networks where the service is available. [The Galaxy A52 5G runs on the Snapdragon 750G system-on-chip rather than Qualcomm's leading Snapdragon 8 series chipset. Still, it is more than capable of handling what the average smartphone user can throw at it. The Galaxy A52 also does not have a telephoto lens, but its 64MP main shooter delivers solid photography. (As for the other lenses (the 12MP ultra-wide shooter, depth sensor, and macro sensor), we don't give them much credit.

With several eye-catching options available, the Galaxy A52 5G offers a fun design. And while it doesn't quite reach the heights of Samsung's Galaxy S phones, the A52 remains a great option at an unbeatable price.

Motorola has its own mid-range 5G-enabled phone, the Motorola Edge 5G UW, which will work on Verizon's ultra-fast ultra-wideband 5G network if available in your area. Even if you don't live in one of the 80+ cities where Verizon has deployed Ultra Wideband, you can still access Verizon's nationwide 5G network, albeit at a modest speed increase over LTE.

The latest Motorola Edge is a big improvement over the 2020 version, with better cameras and faster charging speeds. The phone also offers a 6.8-inch display with a 144 Hz refresh rate, but this feature could severely hamper battery life.

Only Verizon customers should consider this Galaxy S21 FE alternative because of its connection to Verizon. They can get the Motorola Edge 5G UW for free on Verizon simply by subscribing to Verizon's unlimited data plan and committing to at least 24 months of usage. This will save you $549 off the regular price of Motorola's new phone.

If we are supposed to skip the flagships when looking for a replacement for the Galaxy S21 FE, what is the Google Pixel 6 doing here? Because it is not priced like any flagship out there right now.

The Pixel 6 starts at $599 if you get it unlocked or buy it through certain carriers like T-Mobile. (In return, you'll get Google's new Tensor silicon, which rivals the performance of Snapdragon 888-powered phones while also enabling some pretty clever machine learning-driven features. We're thinking Magic Eraser, which can remove unwanted objects from a photo with a simple tap, or smart typing for accurately dictating text messages.

The camera on the Pixel 6 performs better than ever in low-light situations, and Google remains the leader in computational photography. As a result, it is one of the best camera phones outperforming other Android makers.

If the price of the Pixel 6 is too high for your blood, you can opt for the Pixel 5a instead; the Pixel 5a is powered by the Snapdragon 765G chipset, so no Tensor tricks here. But the camera is the best you can find in a budget phone, and at $449, the Pixel 5a is the cheapest alternative you can find to any would-be discount Samsung flagship.