For years, I've struggled to figure out why Samsung makes an FE version of its Galaxy S flagship phones. And with the Galaxy S24 FE hitting retail shelves on October 3, that struggle figures to continue.
It's not that past FE models have been subpar. I've used the last two versions, and my Galaxy S21 FE review and Galaxy S23 FE review were generally positive. But both times, I found myself at a loss when forced to explain who should buy one of those phones. Take the Galaxy S23 FE, which I called "a phone I can recommend, though with not a lot of enthusiasm. It tries to thread the needle between higher-end flagship phones and lower priced midrange models without fully convincing you that you'd be better off opting for either of those instead."
You can probably find fainter praise somewhere, but I wouldn't recommending searching.
The FE phones have been at their best when there's been a significant gap between their price and what Samsung charges for the entry-level Galaxy S flagship at the time. The Galaxy S20 FE was easily the most successful FE model, and the fact that it cost $300 less than the Galaxy S20 likely contributed to that. (Samsung flagships were crazy expensive four years ago.) Even the Galaxy S23 FE managed to undercut the Galaxy S23's price by $200.
With the Galaxy S24 FE, though, the gap has narrowed. Samsung is charging $649 for this version, which is $150 less than the starting price for the Galaxy S24. That's not an insignificant amount of savings, mind you — it's just easier to swallow hard and pay up for the more expensive flagship when you're not saving $200 or more. Or, if you prefer, go in the other direction, and opt for a less expensive yet still capable midrange model like Samsung's $399 Galaxy A35.
What's new with the Galaxy S24 FE
If it's not necessarily the price difference with the Galaxy S24, then why should would-be shoppers consider the Galaxy S24 FE? Quite simply, it comes down to the telephoto lens — a feature you don't find on too many phones in this price range.
If you want an Apple or Google handset with a dedicated telephoto camera, you're paying $999 for either the iPhone 16 Pro or Pixel 9 Pro. (Admittedly, the $799 iPhone 16's 48MP main camera can crop in on shots to approximate a 2x optical zoom, but it's hardly the same thing.) The OnePlus 12 offers a 3x zoom lens, but that phone costs $799, although a trade-in does help you knock down the price by $100. But all those caveats just underscore how rare it is to find a telephoto lens on the cheap.
The sensor used by the Galaxy S24 FE's telephoto lens doesn't pack in as many megapixels as the S24 does — we're talking 8MP vs. 10MP. That said, the Galaxy S24 FE does offer the same 3x optical and 30x digital zoom as the Galaxy S24, so perhaps the trade-off in megapixels will be minimal. We'll have to compare what each camera can produce to see if you're getting good value along with your cheaper asking price.
Galaxy AI to the rescue?
But the Galaxy S24 FE could be packing another feature this time around that makes it a better choice than less expensive midrange phones while making people feel like they're getting the Galaxy S experience without the higher price tag. You're getting access to Galaxy AI capabilities when you buy the Galaxy S24 FE — a lot of them.
That's a stark contrast to the Galaxy A35, which can support Circle to Search — a great addition to a $399 phone, by the way — but not much else. In contrast, Galaxy S24 FE users will be able to turn videos they've shot into slow-motion shots after the fact and put generative editing to work on their photos with the Photo Assist feature. Additionally, Live Translate, Interpreter Mode, Note Assist and Sketch to Edit will work on the Galaxy S24 FE, too. So will Circle to Search, as you might imagine.
It speaks well of Samsung's attitude toward how AI features should be implemented. Basically, it wants to get those features into the hands of as many of its customers as possible, regardless of whether they're paying top dollar for their phone.
We've got a lot of testing ahead of us before we see if the Galaxy S24 FE can finally provide the answer to the question that I've been asking for the last two FE models. But more affordable Galaxy AI sounds like a good reason to keep coming out with new versions of this Galaxy S off-shoot.
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