Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review

Introduction

Samsung has launched the Galaxy S24 FE exactly one year after the Galaxy S23 FE, and it turned out exactly what we expected it to be, but with a twist. It is not a reworked Galaxy S24 version in a slightly larger body but a proper spin-off of the Galaxy S24+.

The Galaxy S24 FE looks a lot like the S24+ both in size and feel - it has two Gorilla Glass panels, a flat metal frame, and three standalone camera rings on the back. It is also IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.

This year, Samsung matched the Galaxy S24 FE screen size to the Galaxy S24+ screen size, meaning we are getting a 6.7-inch OLED now. It's not the same LTPO panel as on the Plus model, though, and that is how we meet the first difference. The S24 FE has a 1080p OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support.

The Galaxy S24 FE is powered by Samsung's Exynos 2400e chip, which has the same 10-core CPU and Xclipse 920 GPU as the Exynos 2400 inside the Galaxy S24+ but with slightly lower clocks. The RAM has been capped at 8GB, which is not ideal, but it is still enough for most purposes, even AI.

The camera is where we meet the next obvious differences. There are still three cams on the back with the same 50MP OIS primary as on the S24+. But here we have a more basic telephoto (8MP, 3x) and ultrawide (12MP, FF). The selfie camera is a familiar 10MP from previous generations of Galaxy S phones.

The Galaxy S24 FE has a 4,700mAh battery with 25W wired and up to 15W wireless charging. It also supports reverse wireless charging.

Compared to the Galaxy S23 FE, the new model has just a few updates - the slightly larger display and the new chipset. That is about it, and we doubt the S24 FE will be considered an upgrade option.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE specs at a glance:

• Body: 162.0x77.3x8.0mm, 213g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min).
• Display: 6.70" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1900 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 385ppi.
• Chipset: Exynos 2400e (4 nm): 10-core (1x3.1 GHz + 2x2.9 GHz + 3x2.6 GHz + 4x1.95 GHz); Xclipse 940.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM.
• OS/Software: Android 14, One UI 6.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 8 MP, f/2.4, 75mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree.
• Front camera: 10 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@960fps; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 4700mAh; 25W wired, PD, QC2, 50% in 30 min, 15W wireless, Reverse wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6e; BT 5.3; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; Virtual proximity sensing, Samsung DeX, Circle to Search.

At first glance, the Galaxy S24 FE has no obvious omissions, but we do not appreciate the virtual proximity sensor, not on a flagship-like smartphone anyway. It has long overstayed its welcome on Samsung phones, and no matter how good the maker programs it, it just cannot be as accurate as the real deal.

We also remember the days when FE stood for Fan Edition and gave us some fan-favorite features such as a microSD option and an audio jack, but that's no longer the case.

Unboxing the Galaxy S24 FE

The thin black box of the Galaxy S24 FE matches the size and style of the Galaxy S24+'s. Inside, you will find the phone, a black USB-C cable and a SIM ejection tool.

There is no charger in the box. The S24 FE is rated to charge at up to 25W (as opposed to 45W) and it does have wireless charging, too.