Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24: Which should you buy and what's the difference?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is one of the hottest phones of 2024, but what if you’re looking for a similar experience on a tighter budget? Enter the Galaxy S24 FE, which was officially unveiled today as the latest affordable version of the company’s flagship.

The new Galaxy S24 FE comes with a heavier price tag than its predecessor and a few other changes. It’s also a much bigger phone than the Galaxy S24 compared to past years. Let’s jump in at take a closer look at the Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24 on paper to see which phone is a better fit for you.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24: Specs

Typically, the Samsung Galaxy S FE is just a watered-down version of the company’s base flagship model, but this year is a little different. While the Galaxy S24 and S24 FE still share many similarities in terms of design and core features, there is more than just build materials and processor changes to set these models apart.

This year, the Galaxy S24 FE is increasing in size, thanks to its 6.7-inch FHD Plus display. That’s a full 0.5 inches bigger than the Galaxy S24 (and 0.3 inches bigger than the S23 FE), aligning more closely with the Galaxy S24 Plus. While the screen difference is the most obvious distinction, processing power is another key differentiator.

The Galaxy S24 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC in the United States, while most other markets have the Exynos 2400. As expected, the Galaxy S24 FE uses a cheaper chip to reduce costs.

While the Galaxy S23 FE previously used the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, this year, Samsung is pushing the Exynos 2400e, which is essentially a lower-clocked variant of the Exynos 2400. In fact, the only change is that the Cortex-X4 prime core runs at 3.11GHz instead of 3.21GHz. The other nine cores remain unchanged from the standard 2400 SoC.

This adjustment is likely made to prevent overheating, similar to how Tensor chips in the Pixel A series tend to have more aggressive throttling due to potential heat issues from cheaper packaging materials and other cost-cutting measures. Additionally, the Exynos is the only processor option, even in the US, marking the first time Samsung hasn’t offered Snapdragon chips in the region.

The fingerprint scanning technology also differs between these two handsets. While the Galaxy S24 uses an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint scanner, the Galaxy S24 FE sticks with a less accurate in-display scanner. While some people have better experiences with these than others, I honestly disliked the idea of touching my display to unlock a phone until my Galaxy S24 changed my mind as I’d had too many subpar experiences previously. I suspect the Galaxy S24 FE wouldn’t impress me in comparison.

You can expect a mostly similar software experience, including the same seven years of OS update and security fix support. You’ll also get Samsung Galaxy AI features such as Interpreter, Circle to Search, Live Translate, and more. If you’re familiar with the Galaxy S24 AI experience, you won’t find anything new here, but you can learn more about these features in our Galaxy AI guide.

As for the rest of the experience? The main other differences have to do with design, camera, and battery.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24: Design, size comparison, and colors

The Galaxy S FE has always been noticeably larger and thicker than its mainline Galaxy S counterpart, but the differences are even more pronounced this year, thanks to the much larger display onboard.

The Galaxy S24 FE has dimensions of 162 x 77.3 mm and a thickness of 8 mm. This is significantly larger compared to the Galaxy S24, which measures 147 x 70.6 mm and has a thickness of 7.6 mm. The Galaxy S24 FE is also notably heavier at 213g, compared to the Galaxy S24’s 167g.

The Galaxy S24 FE compares more favorably with the Plus model, which comes in at 158.5 x 75.9 mm with a thickness of 7.7 mm. However, the Galaxy S24 FE is still heavier, as the Galaxy S24 Plus weighs only 196g.

As expected, there are also some differences in the build materials. The Galaxy S24 features an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the Galaxy S24 FE has a plastic frame paired with Victus Plus glass.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 offers more variety in color choices, with options including Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Marble Gray, and Onyx Black. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 FE will be available in Blue, Graphite, Gray, and Mint.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24: Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S24 offers a solid camera experience, even though the sensors are starting to show their age as we previously noted in our Galaxy S24 review. Regardless, the Galaxy S24 can still take decent photos in almost any lighting condition. You’ll also find helpful AI features and plenty of other software extras.

On paper, the Galaxy S24 FE doesn’t seem too different. Both phones have a 50MP wide shooter and a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and many of the specs are the same. However, we don’t have exact sensor information, so we can’t say precisely what sensors are being used here. The Galaxy S24 FE also swaps out the 10MP telephoto shooter from the Galaxy S24 for a more modest 8MP lens.

While this might sound similar, there’s more to a camera sensor than just a megapixel count. For its part, Samsung claims the Galaxy S24 FE has a much better camera experience than its predecessor, the Galaxy S23 FE. Not only does it feature upgraded sensors, but it also benefits from Samsung’s ProVisual Engine, which uses AI to further enhance photo quality.

The Galaxy S24 FE also includes many of the same AI editing tools as the Galaxy S24, such as Generative Edit for removing background objects, Portrait Studio for turning selfies into cartoons or paintings, edit suggestions for fixing flaws, and Instant Slow-Mo.

Overall, the Galaxy S24 FE seems like an upgrade in the camera department, but can it hold its own against the company’s flagship? That remains to be seen until we have a chance to put it through its paces.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24: Battery life and charging

The Samsung Galaxy S24 packs a 4,000mAh battery and is more than capable of lasting through a full day, as long as you’re not playing games or engaging in other high-performance activities for hours on end. Personally, I’ve never had an issue with my Galaxy S24’s battery performance, though I do wish it would charge a bit faster than the 25W speed limit it’s currently stuck with. Generally it takes me a little over an hour to get back to 100% from nearly empty.

As expected, the Galaxy S24 FE doesn’t improve on the slow charging speeds but does offer a larger 4,900mAh battery. While you might expect this to result in better battery life, we wouldn’t necessarily count on it, as the larger display is likely to offset the extra capacity.

Still, you’re likely to easily get a full day’s use out of the Galaxy S24 FE without needing to reach for a charger. Once you do deplete the battery, expect it to take a while, given the bigger capacity. Around an hour and a half for a full charge seems likely but that’s just speculation until we’ve had hands-on time with the device.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24: Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S24 first arrived in January 2024 and has since become widely available at most major retailers globally. The Galaxy S24 starts at $799.99 for the base model, though you can regularly find it on sale.

In contrast, the Galaxy S24 FE is available for pre-order in the US starting today at a price of $709.99 via Samsung.com. All other retailers will start pre-orders on October 3rd, including most global markets. That’s $50 higher than the Galaxy S23 FE and only about $40 cheaper than the Galaxy S24 — without factoring in potential sales discounts now that the Galaxy S24 is about nine months old.

Before you complain, keep in mind that the Galaxy S24 FE is actually closer in size to the Galaxy S24 Plus, which starts at $999.99. In fact, this new size and pricing strategy makes a lot of sense when you consider this. The Galaxy S24 FE is still going to be cheaper than the Plus model in most cases, and its larger size might tempt those who would otherwise consider getting the Galaxy S24 base model on sale.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S24: Which should you buy?

Ultimately, it depends on what you value. The Galaxy S24 is available right now and offers a more premium design, a faster processor, a better camera, and a few other extras. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 FE will come with a larger display and a bigger battery, but with a few sacrifices as a result.

For most people, I’d recommend getting a Galaxy S24 on sale or just spending the extra $40, even without sale pricing. You’ll get a true flagship phone and might even save money compared to the Galaxy S24 FE.

If you prefer bigger screens and are tempted by the Plus but aren’t willing to pay as much, the Galaxy S24 FE will be a worthwhile option. Even when the Galaxy S24 Plus is on sale, it has never dropped below $800, which still makes the Galaxy S24 FE nearly $100 cheaper.