Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Review – Flagship Features Without The Flagship Price

I’ve always been a big fan of Samsung’s FE models. They come in cheaper and slightly less powerful than their original flagship counterparts, but they still pack more punch than the Galaxy ‘A’ series mid-rangers. It’s always interesting to see how Samsung balances what to trim in terms of build quality and hardware to offer the FE at a price that still makes it a strong value. I remember when the chip shortages hit in 2022 and Samsung had to skip the S22 FE entirely, redirecting chips to the S22 Ultra. Thankfully, the FE series made a comeback with the S23 FE, and that one was a winner in my book.

So now, let’s take a close look at the Galaxy S24 FE this year and see if it’s got the quality and power to match its price.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Spec Sheet

Design and Build

Samsung’s phones have always given off that “same-same-but-different” vibe, with designs that feel familiar each year. That’s not to say the S24 FE looks boring—it’s actually pretty sleek. In fact, it’s got such a premium look this year that, for some reason, it even reminds me of an iPhone. The front and back are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, framed by aluminium trims, giving it that high-end feel both visually and to the touch.

Like last year’s model, the S24 FE comes in four colour options, perfect for those who like a bit of personality in their devices. It’s a Fan Edition, after all, so you get to choose from Blue, Graphite, Gray, or Mint. There’s supposedly a Yellow option too, but Samsung’s website doesn’t list it—odd, since they’re still showing it in promo photos.

With its IP68 rating, the Galaxy S24 FE can handle fresh water up to 1.5 meters deep. Just a heads-up—this only applies to fresh water, so maybe skip taking it for a dip in the ocean. And it’s dustproof, so no need for extra cases to keep out the grit. However, without a case, you’ll likely notice fingerprints and smudges on the glossy glass back.

One upgrade that caught my eye this year is the display size. Last year’s FE had a 6.4” screen, but this year’s model comes with a 6.7” display, putting it right up there with the flagship S24+. For reference, the base S24 has a 6.2” screen, and the S24 Ultra hits 6.8”. Despite the size boost, the S24 FE only weighs 4 grams more than last year’s version.

Display

Let’s dive into the phone’s display and its generous 6.7” screen. One of the standout upgrades this year is the jump in display size. Last year’s FE came with a 6.4” screen, but this year’s model bumps it up to 6.7”, putting it right alongside the flagship S24+. To give you a sense of scale, the base S24 has a 6.2” display, while the S24 Ultra tops out at 6.8”. It’s a bold move from Samsung to push the FE this close to the Plus model—and all without adding more than 4 grams to last year’s weight.

When it comes to display quality, the S24 FE isn’t playing around. It packs a Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with HDR10+ support and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. At a peak brightness of 1900 nits, it doesn’t quite reach the flagship S24 and S24+ panels, which can go up to 2600 nits, but honestly, it holds its own. Colours are vibrant and sharp, making everything from photos and gaming to streaming look fantastic. This FE might be a step below the flagship, but its display still shines with that premium feel.

Hardware, Performance, Gaming

Now, the core of the S24 FE is powered by the Exynos 2400e chip, a slightly less powerful version of the Exynos 2400 found in flagship models in Malaysia. But truth be told, you’d hardly notice the difference in daily use without specialised software. For the average user, the 2400e chip offers a smooth, lag-free experience that holds up well with most tasks, from video streaming to AI-based work and gaming, so long as you stay realistic about its limits.

This model comes in two storage options—256GB or 512GB—both equipped with 8GB of RAM. While 8GB RAM might not seem like a powerhouse, it’s generally sufficient as long as you don’t push it too hard. Demanding games like Genshin Impact can run on high settings at 60 FPS, though you’ll feel the phone warming up, and the battery quickly drops from 97% to 93% within minutes, draining faster the longer you play. For games like Asphalt 9 or Call of Duty, performance is smooth and reliable. Playing the latest Pokemon TCG Pocket game that just launched recently, I find the battery draining a little too quickly for a passive trading card game.

On the AI front, the S24 FE includes Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite. While these tools are designed for productivity, in my experience with the S24+, they might not be something everyone uses daily. The AI tools are neat—things like auto-transcribing meetings are useful, but for most people, they won’t be used all that often. The AI also struggles a bit with accents and, in Malaysia, where it’s common to blend languages, that can be a bit of a headache.

But there are genuinely handy features like the ‘Circle to Search’ tool, which is brilliant for quickly learning more about an object or scene in a photo. I use it all the time, and it’s a real timesaver. In short, while I don’t find the Galaxy AI a particularly attractive selling point at this moment, I am, however, optimistic that Samsung will continue to roll out updates and refine these AI tools, bringing even more value to the S24 models, including this FE.

Camera

The S24 FE sticks with Samsung’s tried-and-true 3-camera setup, making it a solid choice for everyday photography. The 50MP wide lens takes the lead, handling a variety of shots with ease. For zoomed-in photos, there’s an 8MP telephoto lens offering a 3x optical zoom, and if you need a broader view, the 12MP ultrawide lens is there to expand your perspective. Impressively, the rear cameras can even record 8K videos. For everyday photos, I found the camera quality comparable to my S24+ if I kept the right distance—though don’t expect the high-end zoom capabilities of the S24 Ultra; there’s a reason this phone is more budget-friendly.

In low-light conditions, the camera actually surprised me in a good way. Using the auto-detection mode, images did come out with a bit of background noise and a slight blur, but I found an easy fix: just lower the brightness setting a bit, and the main subject in the photo appears much sharper and clearer. With the phone’s peak brightness at 1900 nits, it’s also best to set the screen brightness to maximum for a more accurate preview before snapping a shot.

The front camera has a 10MP wide lens, capable of recording up to 4K at 30 or 60 FPS. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’ll do the job for selfies, video calls, or quick mirror checks. Overall, the camera setup delivers enough value for the price. No, it won’t perform miracles, but honestly, it doesn’t need to—it’s more than capable of everyday use.

Battery

This year, Samsung has given the S24 FE’s battery a nice little boost, bumping it up by 200mAh to a solid 4,700mAh. That’s actually impressive, especially when you realise the flagship S24 base model only has 4,000mAh. Even compared to the S24+ and S24 Ultra, this FE model holds its own—the S24+ has 4,900mAh, and the Ultra only slightly more at 5,000mAh. But of course, capacity isn’t everything—how the processor manages battery life matters too. Over my 7-day experience with the S24 FE, I found that the Exynos 2400e chip didn’t seem to handle battery management all that differently from the Exynos 2400 in my S24+. In day-to-day use, both chips seem to keep battery drain fairly consistent, with no major differences in efficiency that I could notice.

On a typical day—some gaming, Netflix on my lunch break, about three hours of music, plus all the usual social media and web browsing—I found the phone still had around 30% left by bedtime. Naturally, on days when I gamed more or used GPS on a long drive, it drained faster. But honestly, my main gripe with the battery isn’t about its size—it’s the charging speed. Samsung’s kept it at 25W, just like last year’s FE, and I really think it’s time to bump it up to the flagship standard of 45W.

At 25W, charging from about 15-25% takes over an hour to reach full, which feels slow for anyone trying to keep up with a busy schedule. If Samsung could speed up the charging on the FE, it’d be a game-changer.

Price tag and S24 vs S24 FE

The S24 FE’s 8GB | 256GB variant is currently going for RM 2,999 with the promotional discount, while the 512GB version is priced at RM 3,599. After the launch promo, those prices will jump to RM 3,299 and RM 3,899, respectively.

Here’s where things get interesting: Samsung is also running a promo on the base S24 model, bringing the 8GB | 256GB version down to RM 3,299 (originally RM 4,099). So, for those considering the S24 FE, the base S24 is now within reach. But how do you choose between them? Here’s a straightforward comparison:

• Camera: The S24 has a slight edge in camera quality, but only marginally.
• Processor: The S24 packs the better Exynos 2400 chip, meaning it offers stronger performance.
• Display Quality: The S24 has a higher-quality and brighter display.
• Display Size: The S24 FE has a bigger screen at 6.7” versus the S24’s 6.2”.
• Battery: The S24 FE wins here with a larger 4,700mAh battery compared to the S24’s 4,000mAh.

Personally, I’d go with the S24 FE. The advantages of the base S24 are minor, whereas the S24 FE’s benefits—like the larger display and bigger battery—are more noticeable in day-to-day use.

All-in-all;

What I like about the phone;

• Premium Design and Build
• Large Display
• Versatile Camera Setup
• Large battery capacity
• Competitive Pricing

What I wish was better;

• Battery drains unusually fast sometimes when gaming (certain games)
• Slow Charging Speed
• Low-light photography requires consistent manual intervention for decent shots

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE strikes a great balance between price and performance, offering a premium design, a large display, versatile cameras, and solid battery life at an attractive price point. While it’s not as powerful as the flagship S24 in processing and camera quality, its advantages—such as a bigger screen and larger battery—are more noticeable in everyday use. For users seeking flagship-like features at a more budget-friendly price, the S24 FE stands out as a smart choice, especially with the current promotional pricing. However, the slower charging and minor performance limitations may be drawbacks for those with higher demands. Overall, the S24 FE provides strong value and is a worthwhile pick for users looking for a capable, reliable phone without breaking the bank.