Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs. Galaxy S24
If you are eyeing the Galaxy S24 FE, you may be wondering what makes it different from the Galaxy S24 proper and which one is the better phone to get.
While these two are very different devices size-wise, we can see how somebody might look into both for the cheapest entry into the Galaxy S24 family.
Of course, there are other considerations besides price to go over since, if that is the only concern, the decision is obvious â the S24 FE is still the cheaper device of the two.
That said, we'll do our best to quickly and concisely go over the main comparison points between the S24 FE and S24 in this article.
Table of Contents:
For starters, you can compare the complete specs sheets or directly continue with our editor's assessment in the following video or the text further down below.
Size comparison
The Galaxy S24 FE and the S24 proper are very different size-wise. The Galaxy S24 is one of the few "compact" smartphones in modern terms. Its display is just 6.2 inches in diagonal, and its overall body measures 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm. It is also pretty light, tipping the scale at 167 grams.
Conversely, the S24 FE is a fairly large device with a 6.7-inch display. Its body measures 162 x 77.3 x 8 mm and tips the scale at 213 grams. That's a bit on the "chunky" side, even considering the display-diagonal. Its display bezels are notably thicker too.
Other than that, the two devices have a very similar overall design - the current "signature" Samsung Galaxy look. Both phones are also IP68-rated for ingress protection.
The bill of materials is quite similar too. You get an aluminum frame and a glass "sandwich" on both sides. That said, the Galaxy S24 is technically made with tougher and more premium Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the S24 FE "settles" for Gorilla Glass Victus+.
Display comparison
We have already mentioned the obvious size difference between the displays on the two phones. Other than that, at least on the surface, the two display panels are not that different. They both can reach 120Hz refresh rate. Both have an HDR10+ resolution. Both are also HDR10+ certified.
According to Samsung, the S24 proper should be noticeably brighter than the S24 FE. However, in our testing, both phones manage very similar brightness outputs.
The one major display difference is that the LTPO tech is only present on the S24 and not the S24 FE. It is debatable how much of a difference it makes in practice. Still, the S24 clearly leverages LTPO to save power with more dynamic refresh rate switching since it manages a better Active Use Score than the S24 FE on a smaller battery.
This is probably the place to mention that while both phones have an under-display fingerprint reader, the one in the S24 FE is optical, while the S24 gets an ultrasonic unit. The ultrasonic one is faster and more accurate but doesn't work with glass screen protectors.