The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE has launched in India starting at Rs. 59,999 and Rs. 65,999 for the 128GB and 256GB variants, respectively. The phone is up for pre-order and will go on sale on October 3. Many will gawk at the high price considering the Galaxy S24 is down to roughly Rs. 63,000 on online stores like Amazon, which would typically be a better buy. While I don’t recommend buying it at full price, I’d give it till early next year before Samsung gives it a permanent price cut, once the S25 series is out.

Keep in mind that the Galaxy S23 FE also launched at similar prices last October, and prices came down to reasonable levels only in May of 2024. If your existing phone is still functional, I’d recommend waiting till early next year or upcoming Diwali sales to grab a good deal on the Galaxy S24 FE.

If you’re someone who was waiting to see what the Galaxy S24 FE brought to the table before deciding between it and the S23 FE, which one do you pick?

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs. Galaxy S23 FE: Which one to buy?

This is a tough choice given the massive price difference between the two models today. Certain colours of the Galaxy S23 FE can be bought outright for as low as Rs. 33,000, and this is before factoring any exchange or credit card discounts. This price is also for the 256GB variant, which is half of what you’ll be paying for equivalent version of the S24 FE if you buy it now (as of October 2024). Here are some of the main differences between the two phones.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is better than the S23 FE because:

  • Flagship Exynos 2400e SoC: The S24 FE features a variant of the Exynos 2400 found in the Galaxy S24 series. According to Samsung (as reported by Android Authority), there’s not much of a difference apart from the lower max CPU clock speed. This should perform better than the Exynos 2200 (also 4nm) in the S23 FE.
  • Seven years of Android version upgrades: The Galaxy S24 FE will get seven years of OS and security updates, just like the flagship S24 series. The S23 FE is only bound by four years of OS and five years of security updates.
  • Larger battery and display: The Galaxy S24 FE gets a 6.7-inch display (vs. 6.4-inch) with higher peak brightness, and a 4,700mAh battery (vs. 4,500mAh). The larger battery is nice to have but the larger screen has the same Full-HD resolution, so you’re getting a lower pixel count or slightly less sharpness.

Apart from the slightly tweaked design and new colours, everything else is pretty much identical to the older phone. The S24 FE and S23 FE, both, have a 120Hz refresh rate display, IP68 rating, 25W fast wired charging, 15W wireless charging, and the same set of cameras on the back and front. The Galaxy S24 FE also comes with Galaxy AI features out of the box, but the S23 FE also supports it after the One UI 6.1 update. Keep in mind that all these fancy Galaxy AI features are free only till the end of 2025, after which, Samsung will have some sort of a subscription service if you wish to continue using them.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE vs. Galaxy S24: Which is the better deal?

If you must buy a Samsung phone right away, I’d urge you to look at the Galaxy S24. It has a much more compact size and flagship build, with a slightly more potent Exynos 2400 SoC, higher-res 12MP selfie camera, and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader. The 256GB variant is going for roughly Rs. 68,000, and this is before you apply any offers. Personally, I feel a 6.7-inch display on the S24 FE can be too cumbersome to use on a daily basis, and I’d choose the proper flagship over a slightly watered-down one.

Wait for price drop on the Galaxy S24 FE

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is no doubt a great phone that delivers all the essential flagship features, minus the flagship tax. Just like the FE before it, it will eventually sell like hot cakes once the price comes down to where it should have been in the first place. Anything in the lower to mid Rs. 40,000 segment would be the ideal price point for the S24 FE. If you can manage to get it at that price with all the offers and discounts right now, I’d say go for it. It’ll be a superb choice for anyone looking at a good mix of flagship specs and AI features in their next smartphone.