Forget iPhone 16: Samsung's $649 Galaxy S24 FE may be the new mainstream phone to beat

At an event in New York, Samsung today unveiled the final model of its Galaxy S24 series — the mid-range Galaxy S24 FE. Well, the FE models are usually the last in their respective lines unless the company decides to release a second option, but we doubt that’ll be the case. Regardless, the S24 FE is shaping up to be a solid, relatively affordable smartphone that could have prospective iPhone 16 buyers thinking twice.

Also: Why I’m recommending the standard iPhone 16 over the Pro this year (and I’m not alone)

In fact, this Galaxy FE will be slightly different from previous generations. It won’t just be a demure smartphone; it’ll boast significant improvements compared to its predecessors. In fact, many of its features are ripped straight from the more powerful S24 phones. See below for the breakdown.

Just to give you an idea, the Galaxy S24 FE sports a larger screen, multiple Galaxy AI features, and a camera system similar to the base-level S24 smartphone.

What’s different about the new Galaxy S24 FE?

As alluded to earlier, the Galaxy S24 FE comes with a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display, dwarfing the base Galaxy S24’s 6.2-inch screen and putting it more in line with the S24 Plus model. The extra bulk did increase the weight to 7.51oz. Samsung also saw fit to upgrade the battery capacity to 4,700mAh (up from 4,500mAh), extending the lifespan to a rated maximum of 81 hours on a single charge. 

The tech giant also made a few arguable downgrades. Instead of a Qualcomm chipset this year, Samsung gave the S24 FE a less-proven Exynos 2400 chipset. Naturally, it’s harder to gauge just how well the phone’s performance will be, but I wouldn’t expect a massive decrease, so stress not. Regarding the camera system, the new model keeps the rear 50MP wide-angle and 12MP ultra-wide-angle lenses. 

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However, the selfie camera and the telephoto option have dropped to 10MP and 8MP, respectively. Samsung is making up for this by introducing a new photography feature to the S24 FE called ProVisual Engine. This harnesses “AI algorithms” to enhance image quality for what that’s worth.

What’s the same with the new Galaxy S24 FE?

We’ve already gone over some of the similarities between the base Galaxy S24 and S24 FE, although there are a few that are worth mentioning again. The most impactful of these are the AI-powered features. 

These include but are not limited to Circle to Search for interactive web searching, Note Assist for summarizing audio recordings, and Generative Edit for creative photo arrangements. Additionally, Samsung Knox is returning to safeguard sensitive information.

Also: The Samsung phone I recommend to most people is not a flagship (and it’s discounted)

The Galaxy S24 FE is available for preorder at Samsung’s digital storefront, with prices starting at $649. The smartphone launches on October 3 and will be available in four different colors: Blue, Graphite, Gray, and Mint. A fifth Yellow color will roll out later.

Along with the Galaxy S24 FE, Samsung is also releasing an updated LTE version of the Galaxy Watch FE. It’ll offer familiar features, such as Energy Score tracking and stylish designs, but what’s new is data connectivity, allowing the watch to quickly send and respond to messages, make calls, and access the web when Wi-Fi is unavailable. The wearable will be available to preorder today for $249 and comes in Black, Pink, Gold, and Silver.