Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

At Rs. 219,999, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE sits between Samsung's mid-range A series and the full flagship S series. It gives you most of the flagship Galaxy experience, but not all of it.

Main advantages:

• Seven years of OS and security updates
• IP68 water resistance and Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides
• A 3x telephoto camera, which most phones at this price lack
• The full set of Galaxy AI features

Main disadvantages:

• Thick bezels and a non-LTPO display
• Slow 25W charging
• A weaker ultrawide camera, especially at night
• 8GB RAM on every version

The Google Pixel 9 (Rs. 199,999) costs less, has 12GB RAM and also promises up to 7 major Android upgrades, but it has a smaller screen and no telephoto camera. The Oppo Reno 16F (Rs. 139,495) is much cheaper and offers a 7000 mAh battery with 80W charging, but its Dimensity 7300 Energy chip is clearly slower for gaming.

FE models have historically dropped in price some months after launch, so it is worth watching for a discount.

Verdict: a sensible buy for people who want a large Samsung phone with long software support, a zoom camera and a tough build. Buyers who care most about battery life and fast charging will get more for less elsewhere.

Official specs: a 6.7 inches Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel at 1080 x 2340 resolution, with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and up to 1900 nits peak brightness. Gorilla Glass Victus+ protects the front.

Real-world use: colours look good, scrolling is smooth, and outdoor visibility is adequate for everyday use. The large screen is comfortable for videos, social media and gaming, and the stereo speakers are loud and clear.

Limitations:

• Thick, uneven bezels make the phone look less premium than the Galaxy S24
• Peak brightness is lower than the Galaxy S24, which shows mostly in HDR movies on Netflix, where bright highlights look less striking
• There is no LTPO panel, so the screen only moves between two fixed refresh rates instead of dropping very low to save power
• The optical in-display fingerprint sensor takes a moment longer to unlock than the ultrasonic sensors on pricier Galaxy phones

For normal daily use these are minor issues, but buyers who watch a lot of HDR content or care about looks will notice them.

The Galaxy S24 FE uses the Exynos 2400e (4 nm), a slightly lower-clocked version of the Exynos 2400 used in the Galaxy S24, with 8GB RAM. Benchmark scores are only a few percent below the regular Exynos 2400.

Everyday use: the phone feels smooth. Apps open quickly and switching between several apps at once works without slowdowns.

Gaming: with graphics lowered a little, the S24 FE games almost as well as the Galaxy S24. Genshin Impact runs at playable, steady frame rates at medium graphics, and lighter titles such as PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends run at high frame rates.

Heating: Samsung says it uses an 11% larger vapour chamber for cooling, and during gaming the phone stays around 40 to 41 degrees. However, it warms up faster than expected during video recording or long sessions on mobile data. It is not a heating problem, but it is noticeable.

Limitations: many buyers would have preferred a Snapdragon chip, which tends to run cooler. Heavy gamers who want maximum graphics should look at a phone with a stronger chip.

Official specs: a 50 MP main camera with OIS, an 8 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and a 12 MP ultrawide. The selfie camera is 10 MP.

Daylight: most of the time, all three rear cameras take good-looking photos with plenty of detail and Samsung's pleasing colours. The Galaxy S24 handles white balance and dynamic range better in tricky lighting, but the gap is small in normal conditions.

Ultrawide and low light: the ultrawide is the weakest camera. It has the same resolution as the Galaxy S24's ultrawide but a smaller sensor, so it captures less detail, and this is clearer at night. Turning on Night mode improves low-light shots a lot.

Zoom and portraits: the dedicated telephoto allows 3x portraits. Its 75mm focal length frames subjects tighter than the Galaxy S24. Selfies and portraits look good, with skin tones handled slightly differently from the S24.

Video: the main camera records up to 8K, and video quality is better than most phones in this price range. However, 4K at 60fps is available only on the main and selfie cameras, not the ultrawide or telephoto. White balance and microphone quality are slightly behind the Galaxy S24.

Official specs: 4700 mAh capacity, 25W wired charging rated at 50% in 30 min, plus 15W wireless and reverse wireless charging.

Real-world use: with moderate mixed use, the Galaxy S24 FE delivers a screen-on time of around 6 to 7 hours. That is decent and enough for a full day for most people, even though the display lacks LTPO power saving.

Charging: 25W is slow by today's standards. A full charge takes about an hour and 40 minutes, so overnight or longer top-ups suit this phone better than quick charges between tasks. Wireless charging is a useful extra that many phones at this price do not offer.

Compromise: rivals such as the Oppo Reno 16F carry much bigger batteries with far faster charging. The S24 FE's battery is good, not class-leading.

The Galaxy S24 FE launched with Android 14 and has since moved to One UI 8.0. Samsung promises seven years of OS and security updates, covering up to 7 major Android upgrades. That is one of the longest commitments available, and it makes the S24 FE a strong choice if you keep phones for many years.

Everyday experience: One UI is polished, easy to use and full of customisation options.

Galaxy AI: the S24 FE gets the same AI features as Samsung's flagship phones, including:

• Circle to Search for looking up anything on the screen
• Live call translation during phone calls
• Sketch to Image for turning simple drawings into pictures

There is no headphone jack and no memory card slot, so choose a storage size that will last you for the whole time you plan to keep the phone.