Samsung Galaxy S24 FE hands-on: How different is it from the Galaxy S24 Ultra I have?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, a new budget-friendly, mid-range phone launched on Thursday, is designed to let users experience some of the bells and whistles of the Galaxy S24 series – outside spend around $900.

I spent about two hours with the new Galaxy S24 FE. As someone who uses the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra on a daily basis, I was curious to see if I would notice a significant difference between the two.

Admittedly, we’re comparing apples and oranges here. A better comparison would be the new Galaxy S24 FE (starting at $649.99) and the entry-level Galaxy S24 (starting at $859.99). They share many of the same specs and the price difference between the two is only $210.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, with a starting price of $1,299, is about $650 more than the Galaxy S24 FE. Still, I didn’t expect such a big difference – and boy was it gone.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE works

When I picked up the Galaxy S24 FE, I said, “Wow!”

Only after holding the FE did I realize what my Ultra, with its refined titanium frame, really felt like.

• Galaxy S24 Ultra – Corning Gorilla Armor (back), Corning Gorilla Armor (front), and titanium frame

• Galaxy S24 FE – Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (back), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ front, and aluminum frame

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, surprisingly, doesn’t feel sturdy. If I didn’t know better, and you told me that the Galaxy S24 FE was a demo unit of some sort, I would have believed you.

Meanwhile, my Galaxy S24 Ultra feels like it’s full of heft, density, and gravitas. If they were both personified as wrestlers, you’d definitely be worried about the Galaxy S24 FE when the Ultra model changed its color.

The Galaxy S24 FE is also very light, which I thought I would enjoy – but I don’t. You know that satisfaction you get from wearing a luxury watch? It’s heavier and more durable, and because of that, it feels more quality. On the other hand, the budget watch feels simple and fragile.

This is not to say that the Galaxy S24 FE is fragile – it is not. It’s still a well-designed phone, but from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, you can indeed feel the difference.

The display has lost me

Also, remember, that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the display I’m used to.

It also comes with the following specs:

• 6.8 inches

• 1,440 x 3,120-pixel resolution

• 2,600 nits of high brightness

The 6.7-inch Galaxy S24 FE has a non-standard size again far from my 6.8-inch Galaxy S24 Ultra, but with a 1,080 x 2,340-pixel OLED screen, I noticed the difference. right now.

Mashable Light Speed

The rich and vivid colors I enjoyed on my Galaxy S24 Ultra have been slightly reduced. There was also a slight loss of sharpness and detail. The Galaxy S24 FE, on its own, packs a punch, but compared to my Galaxy S24 Ultra, the budget model doesn’t cut it for me.

I’m also not a fan of the wider bezels on the FE model. On the other hand, I love how zippy it was to navigate on the Galaxy S24 FE with its variable 120Hz refresh rate. That’s the same experience as my Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The colors are not to my taste

My Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in a bright Titanium Yellow color, which makes it look like it’s been dipped in gold.

The Galaxy S24 FE phones have pastel vibes, meaning they’re not flashy.

As someone who prefers rich, deep colors, my only choice is Graphite, which is miles better than the other offerings: (barely-there) Blue, (just) Mint, and (ghostly) Gray.

Cameras are OK

Keep in mind that I only had two hours with the Galaxy S24 FE, but I was shocked when I took a selfie with the phone’s 10MP front-facing camera.

One of the best selling points of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is its selfie camera. Whenever I take selfies with my friends, even iPhone snobs, they always talk about how great the 12MP selfie lens is.

When I briefly tested the 10MP selfie lens, I wasn’t blown away or disappointed; the picture was correct.

I guess I expected better color reproduction. Again, it’s not it’s bad. I just got used to the impressive photos taken by the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Galaxy AI is a fun addition

I’m relieved that Samsung didn’t keep Galaxy AI in its flagship lineup. Galaxy AI may not be perfect, but it was fun to test on my Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Whether you want to remove an object from a photo, need to communicate in a foreign language, or summarize a long-winded story, Galaxy AI has your back.

Conclusion: I’m very bougie on the Galaxy S24 FE

I get that some people downgrade from a high-end phone once it’s booted up and connecting isn’t possible, but I wouldn’t feel confused if I had to go from the Galaxy S24 Ultra to the Galaxy S24 FE.

I know what you’re thinking. “Duh! Yeah the Galaxy S24 FE is nowhere near the Galaxy S24 Ultra.” As I said earlier, I know this and even made the point that the base model of the Galaxy S24 would be a better comparison.

However, this guide was meant to highlight how surprised I was about the huge difference between my Galaxy S24 Ultra. If you’ve ever wondered if the Pro Maxes, Ultras, and XLs of the world are real different from its budget counterparts, the answer is a resounding yes.

The difference is more pronounced than I expected, leaving me with a great appreciation for my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Still, the Galaxy S24 FE looks like a solid sub-$700 phone with the same 50MP wide-angle camera as the Galaxy S24 (though not as good as the 200MP lens on my Galaxy S24 Ultra), support for Galaxy AI, and a slightly larger battery.

Once I get a review unit, I’ll shift my focus to examining it through the eyes of a mid-range phone user, putting aside my poor experience with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.