Samsung Galaxy S24 FE: The Flagship “Festival Edition” Unveiled
Samsung has introduced its latest Fan Edition phone, the S24 FE. Often considered a “Festival Edition,” this device is known for being one of the most popular phones during sale seasons, offering flagship features at a compelling price. This year, the S24 FE brings a 360-degree upgrade over its predecessors, the S21 FE and S23 FE, with significant changes in display, OS, and cameras.
What’s in the Box?
A quick unboxing of the S24 FE reveals the essentials. Inside, you will find the phone itself, along with documentation, a USB Type-C to Type-C charging cable, and a SIM card tool.
Design and Durability
The S24 FE features a noticeable size increase compared to the S23 FE. The design language has shifted towards more pastel colors, moving away from the bold colors of previous generations. The phone maintains a similar form factor to the flagship S24, with a front and back glass construction and a matte aluminum frame that resists fingerprints.
Weighing 214 grams, it has a substantial in-hand feel that might feel large for smaller hands. A key upgrade is the inclusion of Gorilla Glass Victus Plus protection on both the front and back, an improvement from the Gorilla Glass 5 on the previous model, making it a sturdy and durable device.
Display
The device sports a 6.4-inch FHD+ 2X Dynamic AMOLED display. It boasts thin bezels on the sides and a slim chin, contributing to a good screen-to-body ratio. The screen features an adaptive refresh rate and reaches a peak brightness of 1900 nits, ensuring it is quite bright even in challenging conditions.
Ports, Buttons, and Audio
On the bottom of the S24 FE, you will find a microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grill. The power and volume rocker are located on the side. The top of the phone houses two additional microphones and the SIM card tray, bringing the total to four microphones. This increase in microphones is to support the advanced Galaxy AI features.
Specifications and Performance
The S24 FE is powered by the Exynos 2400E processor, which is only slightly underclocked by 0.1GHz compared to the flagship S24. With the GPU and NPU remaining the same, the performance is nearly identical to the S24, achieving a 1.6M Antutu score.
Gaming performance is strong, with the ability to play demanding games like Genshin Impact at a continuous 54-55 FPS for 30-45 minutes. Despite its glass back, the phone’s temperature remains stable, not exceeding 45-46 degrees, thanks in part to a vapor cooling chamber that is 11% larger. The CPU throttled to 65% in testing, and the phone also supports Ray Tracing for enhanced gaming visuals.
Software and Galaxy AI
Out of the box, the S24 FE runs on One UI 6.1, based on Android 14. Samsung promises an impressive seven years of major updates, with support extending until October 2031. The phone comes fully equipped with the Galaxy AI features found in the flagship S24 series, such as Note Assist, Chat Assist, Interpreter Mode, and Circle to Search, all running on-device.
The device is available in two variants: 8GB RAM with 128GB storage and 8GB RAM with 256GB storage. It uses LPDDR5X RAM and, for the first time in an FE model, UFS 4.0 storage, ensuring fast read and write speeds.
Camera System: Flagship Photography
The camera setup remains the same as its predecessor but is enhanced by new software capabilities. It features a 50MP primary sensor, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and an 8MP telephoto sensor with 3X optical zoom. For selfies, there is a 10MP front sensor.
The S24 FE integrates the Pro Visual Engine from the S24 series, which uses advanced algorithms for post-processing photos and videos, resulting in a flagship-level output. The photos, from ultrawide to 3X telephoto portraits, are impressive with good edge cutouts and accurate, punchy colors that are social media-ready. A notable benefit for content creators is the phone’s deep integration with Instagram, allowing for the capture of HDR photos and videos directly within the app.
For videography, the phone can shoot 4K at 60FPS from both front and back cameras, and even supports 8K at 30FPS. It also introduces 4K 120FPS slow-motion and 4K 30FPS portrait video capabilities.
AI-Powered Camera Features
The camera experience is further enhanced by AI. Features like object eraser allow you to remove unwanted elements from photos. Sketch to Image can generate new elements in a photo based on a sketch, while Photo Remaster improves image quality. Instant Slow Motion lets you convert parts of a normal video into slow motion.
Battery and Other Features
The phone is equipped with a larger 4700mAh battery. It supports 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging, though a charger is not included in the box. For durability against the elements, it has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating.
The multimedia experience is excellent, with high-quality stereo speakers and the brilliant video viewing experience expected from a Samsung S-series display.
Connectivity
The S24 FE is well-equipped with connectivity options. It has an optical in-display fingerprint sensor, face unlock, and supports 17 5G bands. Other features include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC for tap-and-play, and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port for excellent transfer rates. The SIM tray holds a dual nano-SIM card slot and also offers eSIM support.
Pricing and Final Verdict
The S24 FE becomes a very value-for-money proposition over time, making it a true “Festival Edition.” The 256GB variant is priced at Rs 66K, but with bank offers of Rs 6K, the effective price comes down to Rs 59,999. Additional offers include device protection for Rs 999 and a 12-month no-cost EMI option.
The S24 FE is a popular choice because it packages many of the premium features of the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra—phones that cost significantly more—at roughly 60% of the price, all while looking similar to its flagship siblings.
Note: This article is based on a video made in collaboration with Samsung.
