Samsung recently announced the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, the latest and most affordable member of the Galaxy S24 series which is currently comprised of the Galaxy S24, S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra.
It brings Galaxy AI and some other flagship-level features like software support at a relatively lower price compared to the rest of the Galaxy S24 series. But how does it actually fare in the real world?
Well, we were given the opportunity to test it out for ourselves and I’m here to run you through my experience with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Review
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Full Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Design and Build
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE has the iconic Galaxy S-series design which the company has used for a while now. Yes, this includes the camera module-less floating camera lens.
I guess, it’s something you either love/gotten used to or you’ll find it a bit “plain” in the current landscape in the Android market. Personally, I’m alright with it. I’m neither blown away or dislike the design.
It must be said though that the device is well-designed and feels very premium in the hands. This is mostly thanks to the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ back coupled with the slight curves around the back panel. The curves, in particular, make it relatively easy to yield for everyday use.
We were lent the Blue colorway which I think is quite cute. There’s also Mint and Graphite, but I think Blue looks the best among the three colorways.
The device is built around a 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x panel which is a pretty average-sized device in 2024. I prefer my devices to be just right as my hands are the largest and these devices are relatively easy to use for everyday use.
The Galaxy S24 FE features the buttons, both volume rockers and the power button, on the right side of the device. Meanwhile, at the bottom is the USB-C port flanked by mics on either side and a speaker grille on the right.
I think its a well-built device but I wish the design could’ve been changed up a bit, just to make it easier to discern it from the rest of the Galaxy S24 series.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is powered by the Exynos 2400e coupled with 8GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. The variant we received though is the 128GB storage, which is good but if you plan to play games, you may want to consider the higher options if you have the budget for it.
Before I get to my experience with the device, here are benchmark results from AnTuTu, Geekbench, 3DMark, and PCMark:
I’ve used the Galaxy S24 FE for a little over two weeks for general social media use, watching videos, productivity, and light to medium gaming sessions. Throughout this, it was very very smooth with no hiccups in performance.
One thing that I really enjoyed about the Galaxy S24 FE is its display. The colors and blacks on the Dynamic AMOLED 2x panel just look so good. As someone who enjoys watching so many videos on my phone, this was very apparent switching between the Galaxy S24 FE and my personal daily driver – the Nothing Phone (2).
Moving on to games, the limited storage left me testing three games at different graphics levels – Genshin Impact, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Call of Duty Mobile.
Unsurprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE handled both Mobile Legends and CODM at max settings with ease. I was also able to enjoy Genshin Impact at Highest graphics setting but I suggest maybe lowering it to High or Medium, especially if you’re going to play it for longer periods. This raw performance combined with the display made it very fun to play especially Genshin Impact with its dynamic weather conditions and colorful settings.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Camera
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is a pretty respectable device when it comes to camera performance. It is equipped with a 50MP main camera around the back joined by a 12MP ultrawide lens and an 8MP 3x telephoto lens.
Without a doubt, the 50MP lens does the heavy lifting on the Galaxy S24 FE. It delivers bright colors, good contrast, and even good bokeh for portrait shots.
In dimmer settings though, it had mixed results with some good color reproduction but also some washed out.
The 12MP ultrawide lens is pretty good on the Galaxy S24 FE. It allows you to include more elements or of the landscape into your shot without much distortion or colors being faded.
The 8MP telephoto sensor does good, especially in brighter places. It’s also a good addition to add more flexibility, allowing you to shoot at up to 3x optical zoom. You can go up to 30x zoom but it really isn’t the best as it is digital zoom at this point.
On the front is a 10MP shooter which offers pretty solid shots.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE stands out on its own in the camera department. It won’t blow your photos out of the park but it is pretty reliable and good for social media posts.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is equipped with a 4700mAh battery and supports 25W fast charging.
Before I get to my use-case scenario, here are the results of the PCMark Battery test for the 4700mAh battery. I ran the benchmark twice, one on Standard (60Hz refresh rate) and another on Adaptive (adjusts up to 120Hz refresh rate).
Adaptive mode offered 14 hours and 25 minutes, while Standard mode clocked in 16 hours and 33 minutes.
I mostly used it in Adaptive mode for a smoother experience during the time I used it. Based on my use which included watching videos, scrolling through social media, light work, and some gaming sessions, it ran pretty close to the benchmark from 12 to 13 hours.
I charged the device with my 40W charging. Based on my experience, a 10-minute charge gives you about 11%. A full charge from 0% takes a little over 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Despite the relatively slower fast charging support, it has got to be pointed out that the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE has a larger battery capacity than the Galaxy S24, which is a good upside for me as you get more use out of your phone without needing to charge it.
However, it is below what is the “norm” these days which is a 5000mAh cell.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Software
The Galaxy S24 FE runs on OneUI 6.0 out of the box which also brings the same Galaxy AI features that debuted with the rest of the Galaxy S24 series. But I’ll get to Galaxy AI features later.
I’ve grown to respect and enjoy OneUI, especially with its more recent iterations. OneUI 6.0 is pretty smooth and brings new customization options for things like the lock screen which is definitely a welcome addition.
Samsung brings with it its own set of apps pre-installed but knowing that some of these include the Gallery and other apps, I don’t mind them as much.
Upon booting the device, it comes with some pre-installed third-party apps though which I was alright with as they are some of the more frequently used apps like GCash and Facebook. It lessens that extra step when setting up a device.
One thing that I do appreciate with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE though is that it comes with 7 generations of Android upgrades and 7 years of security patches. This brings flagship-level software support minus the price that will break the bank.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Galaxy AI
Now, to the main event, Galaxy AI. Having tried the different versions of AI on phones this year, I think Galaxy AI is among the best and the most well-thought-out in the market.
Galaxy AI offers a couple of features that I didn’t quite use like Live Translation, AI Summarization, and being able to help you with writing specifically spelling and grammar, writing style, and composition.
I may not have used them but it’s nice to have and quite well-implemented. Summarization could come in handy for those who go through documents or websites with long texts but you just want the gist.
Meanwhile, AI Writing Tools will be of great use for people who struggle to write messages in a specific tone like wording emails appropriately.
What I enjoyed the most from Galaxy AI though are the photo editing tools like being able to remove people in your photos or roughly drawing elements that you want to appear which will be turned into actual graphics.
Removing people in photos was the most useful for me. I enjoy taking photos when I’m out and about and sometimes a place is just too busy but you can’t help but take a photo. This feature coupled with being able to select certain elements in your photos and being able to transfer and resize them was quite fun. It helps you create a better photo by shifting people around to where you want them to be.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the ability of Galaxy AI to fill in a photo when resizing or rotating the photo. This comes in quite handy for those photos you take that aren’t quite as straight as you’d hope but you’d like to keep the shot.
I admire Samsung for the polish that Galaxy AI delivered and the features it offers look to be things I can use day-to-day.
My Verdict
I think the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is worth checking out especially if you want to experience the Galaxy AI features and don’t quite have the budget for the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra.
There are many other devices within this price range but I think the implementation of Galaxy AI features like turning your drawings into life and removing people/moving them around is among the best I’ve experienced.
The Galaxy S24 FE is priced as low as PHP 39,990 for the 8GB+128GB variant and goes as high as PHP 59,990 for 512GB storage. Sure, it isn’t quite the most affordable device in the market today, but I think the 7 years of Android updates and security upgrades can justify the higher price on top of the Galaxy AI features.
That said, if you’re looking for raw performance, I think this device can be considered. However, if you’re looking for a phone specifically for photos, there are better options in the market at the same price point or less.
You can check out the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE here.
Source: Gadget Pilipinas
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