When I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE last year, my reservations about the phone had nothing to do with its hardware. I couldn’t justify its $650 launch price. It was stuck in no man’s land. Too many powerful flagships were available for a few dollars more, and plenty of midrange phones offered better value.
Thankfully, six months later, discounts have started on the Galaxy S24 FE, with a current deal bringing its price down to $500. A lower price makes the Galaxy S24 FE competitive, especially against recently released phones like the Google Pixel 9a. The Galaxy S24 FE is a fantastic option if you want to save some money. Here are 5 reasons I’d buy one right now.
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5 Samsung displays are back
Gorgeous colors and contrast
I was concerned when I saw the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra display. The company turned down the saturation, opting for more natural tones on its screens. I have no problem giving people the option of muted hues, but I hated that my Galaxy S24 Ultra didn’t give me a choice. This trend was also seen on several other Samsung phones, like the Galaxy A55, but I was thrilled to see it reversed on the Galaxy S24 FE.
The S24 FE has a gorgeous 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display refreshing at 120Hz. It’s easily viewable outdoors, and I love its vibrant colors. Movies and games look fantastic, and finding a better display on a midrange phone is hard.
4 Premium build at a midrange price
Solid all-around
I’d expect an IP68 rating, Gorilla Glass Victus+ display, and an aluminum frame for $650, but it’s more impressive for $500. The Galaxy S24 FE feels excellent in the hand, and I love how Samsung tapered the phone’s backside, allowing the aluminum frame to mold to my palm. It’s a way to put flat edges on a phone without them feeling sharp, and I’m glad Samsung took the time to worry about comfort.
Gorilla Glass Victus+ is an item you rarely see included at lower prices. It means your Galaxy S24 FE screen will be durable, and I enjoy carrying my phone around without a case. It’s not something I would advise to most people, but if you like enjoying the aesthetics of your device, the Galaxy S24 FE provides you with some added peace of mind.
3 Better performance than I thought
Exynos comes through
When the Galaxy S24 FE was released, the Exynos 2400e chipset was a big question mark. I had no idea what to expect, and I hoped I’d get solid performance. I’m not an Exynos hater, and I’ve seen legitimate improvements in several Exynos chipsets. The Exynos 1480 in my Galaxy A55 was excellent, and I’ve gotten similar performance from the Exynos 1580 in my Galaxy A56.
Thankfully, the Exynos 2400e continues the upward trend. Performance is excellent, especially for a midrange phone. My experience was silky smooth, and I didn’t feel any overheating that plagued earlier Exynos chipsets. Gaming is also a pleasant experience on the Galaxy S24 FE. I didn’t expect games like Genshin Impact to run as well as they did. Don’t expect the game to run on max settings, as you still have to be realistic with your expectations, but overall, you’ll be pleased. The Galaxy S24 FE’s vapor chamber helps to keep things running cool, even during gaming.
2 All-day battery life with room to spare
Would still like faster charging
A cooler, more efficient chipset also leads to better battery life. I easily get all-day use from my Galaxy S24 FE’s 4,700mAh battery. I typically end a day with 40% charge remaining, including moderate gaming usage. Before the Exynos 1480 in the Galaxy A55, I wasn’t used to Samsung’s silicon being power-efficient, but I’m getting used to it. The Galaxy S24 FE battery does the job, and it’s a selling point of the device.
However, the Galaxy S24 FE is not perfect. I’d still love to see faster charging speeds, as 25W wired charging is anemic in 2025, even on midrange devices. I’m glad to see Samsung move to at least 45W on the newer Galaxy A56, but that’s not expected in the US until later this year. It’s a drawback of the Galaxy S24 FE, which you should consider if you constantly forget to charge your phone at night.
1 Samsung still has the most reliable software…for now
One UI 7 or no
With the current difficulties surrounding One UI 7’s launch, it’s getting harder to give Samsung the nod for most reliable Android software. I’m concerned the company is slipping back to the days of TouchWiz, but I’m still willing to give the company the benefit of the doubt a while longer.
The Galaxy S24 FE is slated for 7 years of software support, including One UI version upgrades. This is fantastic software support for a midrange phone, and I love that Google and Samsung decided to extend support to less expensive phones. Samsung also includes Galaxy AI on the S24 FE, a feature suite that doesn’t always make its way past the company’s flagship offerings.
If the company can clean up One UI 7, the software experience will continue to be excellent on the Galaxy S24 FE. Android 14 with One UI 6 is running smoothly, and I still like what Samsung offers with its Android version.
Hard to beat at a lower price
I couldn’t recommend the Galaxy S24 FE at full price — the OnePlus 13R and now the Pixel 9a offer too much competition for between $500 and $600. However, for $500 on sale, the Galaxy S24 FE makes much more sense and starts to fight its way to the top of the heap. Even if you don’t need what Samsung provides with Galaxy AI, the Galaxy S24 FE becomes a midrange winner for anything less than $600.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
The Galaxy S24 Fan Edition brings the Galaxy S24 experience at a more affordable price point. It packs everything you can ask for in a mid-ranger, including a 6.7-inch display, all-day battery life, and competent cameras. The phone launched always felt expensive at its original MSRP, but a $150 discount makes it a lot more tempting.
