[Review] Samsung Galaxy S24 FE: First Impressions, Mini Review, Pros and Cons

I’ve been meaning to share my first impressions and a quick review of the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I kept putting it off. Now that I’ve had the phone for about six months, I feel I can offer a more balanced assessment of its strengths and shortcomings.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. Jep | Flickr

My previous phone finally kicked the bucket late last year. It was an old Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and replacing it was way overdue since it had been a while since Samsung announced the end of support for the handset. I am normally a use-it-until-it-breaks kind of guy but the old phone was rebooting at random intervals and I was a bit worried that the security patches was not being updated anymore considering that I use it for online banking and accessing of my investment portfolio, I thought that it was the right time to look for a new device.

I've always been partial to Samsung flagship models whenever my budget allows, though I am not the type who buys every latest flagship iteration available on the market. This time, a premium phone just wasn’t practical, so I found myself exploring “budget flagship” models or phones that strike a balance between performance and cost.

Some initial thoughts:

The Galaxy S24 FE immediately impressed me with its responsiveness. Coming from an older device, the speed difference was striking. The centered pinhole front camera took some getting used to, but it’s a minor quirk. Build-wise, it feels sturdy and premium, definitely not like a stripped-down version of the S24 built with cheaper materials.

I do miss a few things from the Note 9, like the dedicated headphone jack and the blinking LED indicator light that let me know at a glance if I had unread messages. Still, the battery life on the S24 FE has been excellent so far, which was one of my top priorities after dealing with a failing battery and frequent restarts on my old phone.

As for features, the camera performance is impressive, and while I’m only mildly enthusiastic about the AI tools, they’re a nice bonus. I haven’t missed the S-Pen much, except on the extremely rare occasion I need to sign an electronic document.

The Galaxy S24 FE is positioned as a mid-range alternative within Samsung’s flagship S series, offering much of the premium experience at a lower price point. I bought mine just as the S25 series was about to launch, which helped with the price. If you’re open to a few compromises, this might be a phone worth considering.

Pros

Excellent Battery Life: Thanks to the 4,700mAh battery, the phone lasts all day and supports both fast wired and wireless charging. *
Strong Performance: With the Exynos 2400e chip, the S24 FE handles everything from day-to-day tasks to heavier workloads with ease. Compared to my Note 9, it’s a massive upgrade in speed and efficiency.
Sharp Display: The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen is vivid and buttery-smooth with its 120Hz refresh rate.
AI Tools Included: It comes with Samsung’s latest AI features like photo editing, transcription, and text generation, though some are less intuitive to access.
Solid Build: Sleek, minimal design with Gorilla Glass Victus+ and IP68 water/dust resistance.

* Product specs are taken from Samsung's website.

Cons

Camera Limitations: The main camera is solid, but the telephoto and ultrawide lenses are apparently a step down from higher-end S24 models. Some say they’re reused from older flagships, but I couldn’t confirm that.
Average Speakers: The audio is decent, but not great compared to its pricier siblings. Audiophiles might find it underwhelming despite Dolby Atmos support.
No Ultra-Wideband (UWB): Not a dealbreaker for most, but if you use precision tracking tools like Moto Tags with Google’s Find My Device, you might notice its absence. Only a handful of handsets, mostly flagships and Pixel phones.
Hidden AI Features: While the AI tools are a highlight, they’re not always easy to find within the settings.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE offers strong performance, great battery life, and thoughtful design, all at a price that won’t break the bank. It’s a well-rounded mid-range option, especially for those who don’t chase the latest flagship every year. Personally, I hope that Samsung continues to offer this kind of compromise to all succeeding releases in the future.

See the rest of the unboxing photos below: