Foldables are expensive. While costs have dropped considerably since the original Samsung Galaxy Z Flip launched at $1,380 in 2020, the company’s latest model — the Galaxy Z Flip 6 — still starts at $1,099.
Plenty of people have been waiting for a cheaper model to try, and Samsung may be about to grant that wish. After denying plans of a cheaper foldable back in 2023, it seems like the company may finally have something very soon indeed, with Samsung seemingly pushing code out to an unreleased model with the code number of SM-F761. This could well be the Samsung Galaxy Z FE.
How will the ‘Fan Edition’ of Samsung’s flip phone differ from the regular model? Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy Z Flip FE so far.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE price and release date
If the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE is coming this year, as the code update seems to suggest, you might assume it’s coming with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and regular Galaxy Z Flip 7 this summer.
However, according to Korean media, the phone will arrive “several months later” than the regular foldables, which suggests a possible release in September, October or November.
Pricing is completely up in the air at the moment, but we can look to Motorola for some possible inspiration.
The company’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 rival — the Moto Razr Plus 2024 — starts at $999, while the cheaper Moto Razr 2024 is $699. Samsung may choose to position the Galaxy Z Flip FE as a competitor of the latter in the $650 to $850 range.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE design and display
CAD renders produced by OnLeaks and SammyGuru show a phone that looks remarkably like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, right down to the dual-camera array and oddly shaped cover display. That means a 3.4-inch external screen which flips back to reveal a 6.7-inch internal panel.
The phone is, however, slightly less wide and a bit thicker, with dimensions of 165.1 x 71.7 x 7.4mm, over the Z Flip 6’s 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm. That may mean a slightly larger battery than the 4,000mAh cell on the regular model.
It’s worth noting that even if the FHD+ 120Hz internal screen is maintained for the FE, the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 7 will likely have it beat, with talk of the external cover screen reaching 4 inches and considerably less bezel.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE performance and cameras
To reach a cheaper price, cuts have to be found somewhere, and the most likely area is in terms of performance. To that end, the SammyGuru report cited above says that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE will use last year’s Exynos 2400e chipset rather than something from Qualcomm.
The Exynos 2400e is a cut-back version of the Exynos 2400. But as we saw from its appearance in the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, it’s not a bad performer, only a little worse than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 that powers the regular Samsung Galaxy S24. Crucially, it’s also capable of running Galaxy AI features, meaning buyers aren’t likely to miss out on much artificial intelligence-powered functionality, contrary to earlier reports.
While the renders reveal a dual rear camera array, specs have not been confirmed. It seems likely that this will at least match the 50MP main sensor and 12MP ultrawide lens found on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but this would be an opportunity for Samsung to save some money.
While nothing has been leaked, we should also keep an eye on RAM and internal storage. The 12GB RAM on the Z Flip 6 could easily be cut back to 8GB while still running Galaxy AI applications, and 256GB of storage could equally be reduced to 128GB in the name of cost saving. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE gets by with these RAM and storage specs in place, though perhaps significantly, that’s not actually any less than the regular S24.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE outlook
It’s early days for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE, and we’re still on the lookout for the main cost-saving areas. A year-old chipset isn’t ideal, but it’s not a deal-breaker either, especially if it prompts significant savings.
If Samsung can get the price right, not only might we be looking at a new value pick for our list of the best foldable phones, but a possible boost for the still niche foldable market. We should find out later this year.
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