Samsung Galaxy S24 FE goes official starting at $649 – is it still a ‘Fan Edition?’

Ben Schoon | Sep 26 2024 - 8:05 am PT

Samsung has just unveiled the Galaxy S24 FE, its latest “Fan Edition” smartphone, but with a questionable value proposition for those “fans.”

Following up on last year’s Galaxy S23 FE and two other “Fan Edition” releases before it, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is a value-focused version of the company’s mainstream flagship. Similar hardware and design, a comparable camera array, and watered-down specs, all for a lesser price point.

This year, the Galaxy S24 FE is best compared to the Galaxy S24+ thanks to the use of a larger 6.7-inch display. The FHD+ “Dynamic AMOLED” display isn’t as high in resolution as the S24+, but it should look rather similar to most users. On that display, you’ll find an optical under-display fingerprint sensor and a 10MP camera that’s used for optional face unlock.

Under the hood, there’s an Exynos 2400e chipset, an unlocked version of the standard Exynos 2400, in all regions. In the US, that means a switch from Snapdragon, where the Galaxy S23 FE used the generation-old Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 instead of an Exynos chip. The device also gets 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, and runs Android 14 out of the box with Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite and Google’s Circle to Search.

It also comes with 7 years of Android OS upgrades and security updates.

The battery here is 4,700 mAh with 25W wired charging and wireless charging too. The battery is slightly smaller than Galaxy S24+, and there are three rear cameras. A 50MP primary shooter, 12MP ultrawide, and an 8MP 3x telephoto.

Samsung will open sales of the Galaxy S24 FE on October 3 in give colors – Graphite, Grey, Yellow, Mint, and Blue – starting at $649. Samsung’s store is offering up to $400 off with trade-in and a discount on Buds FE.

9to5Google’s Take

On the whole, the Galaxy S24 FE is not an awful package, but the value is questionable.

At $649, it’s $350 cheaper than the Galaxy S24+ it’s most comparable to, but with lesser cameras, a smaller battery, half the storage, 25% less RAM, and a significantly worse processor if you’re buying in the US. And that’s not to mention that the Galaxy S24+ is often available for hundreds of dollars off through carriers, and $200 off through Samsung’s own online store right now.

Where Samsung’s first “Fan Edition” smartphones offered a clear advantage over their more expensive counterparts, it’s harder to see the value this time around, especially seeing as this is a device not really meant for “Fans,” but rather for cheap carrier offers. But from those same carriers, you’ll probably find the Galaxy S24+ for just a couple of extra dollars per month, or less. Verizon, for instance, is currently giving away the Galaxy S24+ for free with trade-in, or just $5/month for new customers with no trades. With that in mind, how could the Galaxy S24 FE possibly present a better value?