This Galaxy S24 FE deal for $499 makes the iPhone 16e look like a joke

Samsung's "Fan Edition" phones are a great way to snag a mid-range handset that can compete with the best smartphones without breaking the bank.

And right now you can get it on sale for a price that puts the newly released iPhone 16e to shame.

Right now, Amazon has the Samsung 128GB Unlocked Galaxy S24 FE on sale for $499. That's a $150 savings off an already reasonably priced unlocked device that could be a flagship phone on the hardware alone. While we saw it fall to $449 last Black Friday, this is the lowest price the Galaxy S24 FE has hit so far this year.

If you need more storage room to play with, you can also get the 256GB model for just $559, marked down from $709. This deal includes all the Galaxy S24 FE color variants, so you can grab an S24 FE in Graphite, Blue, Gray or Mint.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE (128GB): was $649 now $499 at Amazon

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE offers a very similar experience to Samsung's other flagship devices at a lower overall cost. You get a brilliant-looking display, robust software experience, and up to 7 years of support and access to Galaxy AI. If you want the best that Samsung can offer at an affordable price, this is the one for you.

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In our review of the Galaxy S24 FE, we called it one of the most underrated phones we tested last year. And with Apple's latest budget phone leaving much to be desired, it's only grown more impressive.

Where the iPhone 16e is stuck with a single 48MP camera on the back, the Galaxy S24 FE packs a three-camera array with a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultrawide, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.

You're also getting a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display, compared to the 6.1-inch panel on the iPhone 16e, and a 120Hz refresh rate, a huge upgrade compared to the iPhone 16e's 60Hz. All of this is controlled by the Exynos 2400e supported by 8GB of RAM and a 4,700mAh battery.

All told, it's an impressively solid set of hardware. While the Exynos chip might lag behind Galaxy S25's Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy in terms of raw performance, it’s more than capable of handling daily tasks with ease.

Plus, you also get access to all of Samsung's handy new Galaxy AI features, including Circle for search and Interpreter mode. With the promise of seven years of major software updates and security patches, you're getting a great deal for under $499.

Granted, the Galaxy S24 FE isn't without its flaws. The 10MP selfie camera underperforms, and the battery life could be better, particularly given that this area is usually Samsung's strong suit.

But overall, the Galaxy S24 FE is a fantastic device that's not far off its pricier Galaxy S24 sibling. And at this price, it's an easy recommendation.