Most smartphone manufacturing companies release “lite” device models to give you a cheaper option. This way, you can have near-flagship features without spending too much. The Galaxy S24 FE is one of such phones, and was launched on September 6, several months after the first S24 phone came out on January 31.
The phone should hit the stores globally on October 3 with pre-orders already ongoing. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth your money, or better to get the S24 phone, here’s a comparison guide to help you make that decision.
Specs overview: Galaxy S24 Vs Galaxy S24 FE
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| Component | Samsung Galaxy S24 | Samsung Galaxy S24 FE |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) / Exynos 2400 (4 nm) | Exynos 2400e (4 nm) |
| RAM | 8 GB / 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB, no card slot | 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB, no card slot |
| Display | 6.2 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | 6.7 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz |
| Main Cameras | 50 MP (wide), 10 MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom), 12 MP (ultrawide) | 50 MP (wide), 8 MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom), 12 MP (ultrawide) |
| Selfie Camera | 12 MP (wide) | 10 MP (wide) |
| Battery | 4000 mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless | 4700 mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless, reverse wireless |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 3.2 | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C, OTG |
| Price | $799.99 | $649.99 |
Design
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 FE look the same and can easily be mistaken as the same phone from afar. On closer inspection, you’ll see that the S24 is smaller and lighter, having a 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm dimension and weighing 167g. On the other hand, the bigger S24 FE measures 162 x 77.3 x 8 mm and weighs 213 g, so it feels a bit bulkier in hand.
When you look at the materials, the S24 has a more premium feel, which makes sense as it’s the original flagship model. It uses the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on both the front and back, plus an aluminum frame. Meanwhile, the FE model has Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the back, which are still tough but not quite as strong as what’s on the S24.
The SIM card options are different too. The S24 supports a variety of configurations like Nano-SIM and eSIM or Dual SIM, which is great if you want multiple lines. The S24 FE can handle a dual SIM setup with either two Nano-SIMs or a combo of a Nano-SIM and eSIM. Both models have an IP68 rating, and can survive submersion in water up to 1.5 meters for about 30 minutes.
Aesthetically, the S24 wins with more color options. You can get it in seven different colors, including Amber Yellow, Jade Green, and Sandstone Orange. The S24 FE is two colors short. You can get it in Blue, Graphite, Gray, Mint, and Yellow only.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy S24 has a 6.2-inch display reaching up to 2600 nits and is easy to see outdoors. The resolution is sharp at 1080 x 2340 pixels and has tough protection, thanks to the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 material.
In contrast, the S24 FE has a larger 6.7-inch display that is still nice but not as bright, with a peak brightness of 1900 nits. It has the same resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, but since it’s bigger, the picture isn’t quite as sharp (about 385 ppi). Because the S24 has a smaller 6.2-inch display, the pixels are tightly packed together, giving it a higher pixel density of about 416 pixels per inch (ppi).
This higher ppi makes the image appear sharper and clearer, especially for text and other details. The S24 FE’s screen is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, which is strong but a step down from the Victus 2. Both phones have a 120Hz refresh rate.
Performance & battery
The Galaxy S24 uses two chipset versions, depending on where you are in the world. chipset depending on the region. In the USA, Canada, and China, it features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with a powerful CPU setup that mixes the Cortex-X4 and Cortex-A720 cores, along with an Adreno 750 GPU for graphics.
Meanwhile, the S24 FE uses a less powerful Exynos 2400e chipset with a simpler 10-core CPU configuration and the Xclipse 940 GPU. The main difference in both processors is the clock speed. The Exynos 2400e has a max clock speed of 3.1GHz, while the Exynos 2400 hits 3.2GHz. Besides that tiny clock speed difference, the two processors are pretty much the same.
Samsung itself confirmed it to Android Authority, saying that you won’t see a noticeable difference in everyday performance. Interestingly, Exynos chips provide better battery life. So, the S24 FE should still keep up with the S24 series, especially with similar AI features on board, making it a competitive option in the lineup.
The FE model has the larger 4700 mAh battery, while the S24 phone has 4000mAh. Hence, it has better battery life since it has a bigger capacity to store energy. Both phones support 25W wired charging and can reach about 50% charge in 30 minutes as advertised, but the S24 FE has the same charging speed despite its bigger battery. They also both support 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Memory
When you consider memory options, the S24 offers more choices and faster storage. You can choose either 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage and 8GB or 12GB of RAM. Also, it features UFS 4.0 storage, which is quicker.
The S24 FE gives you the same storage options, but it only has 8GB of RAM across all models. Plus, it lacks the faster UFS 4.0 in its base configurations.
Camera
The S24 and S24 FE share a 50MP wide lens. But the S24 has a better telephoto lens at 10MP with 3x optical zoom, compared to the S24 FE’s 8 MP telephoto lens. So, if you’re zooming in on distant subjects, the S24 will give you clearer results. For ultrawide shots, the S24 FE has a 12 MP lens that offers a 123° field of view. The S24’s ultrawide lens is also 12 MP but has a slightly narrower 120° view. If you like taking landscape photos or fitting more friends in a group shot, the FE might be a better pick.
Both phones can shoot impressive 8K video at 24 fps and 4K video at 30/60 fps. However, the S24 FE gives you more flexibility with 1080p recording options, allowing for a range of frame rates, even up to 240 fps, and it can shoot 720p at 960 fps, which is great for slow-motion clips.
On the front, the S24 has a stronger 12MP front camera compared to the S24 FE’s 10 MP camera. The S24 also supports 4K video for your selfies at 30/60 fps, while the S24 FE does the same but with slightly less resolution.
Software & features
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 FE both run on One UI 6.1, which is built on Android 14 and is more customizable. Samsung usually supports their phones with four years of major Android updates and five years of security updates, but has promised seven years on both phones.
So they’re among the few phones worldwide where longevity is reassured. There’s also the presence of Samsung’s Galaxy AI, so you won’t miss out on Circle to Search, Live Translate, and other features present on the S24.
The verdict: Which Galaxy S24 phone should you buy?
Here’s the thing. It’s always important to weigh value and price when buying any phone. The way I see it, you should just spend $150 more for the Galaxy S24 if you can afford to save a little longer. You’ll get better performance and features intended for the original phone.
At $649, the S24 FE doesn’t really feel like a budget option. I mean, it’s even more expensive than the budget A series phones, like the Galaxy A35, which costs just $399. If anything, the S24 FE is closer in size to the Galaxy S24 Plus, which starts at $999. Now, if you were looking for a bigger phone without paying for the Plus model, then the S24 FE is a good investment.
