Holding out for a Samsung Galaxy S24 FE? You could be in for a long wait

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review
(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Samsung is reportedly working on a Galaxy S24 FE, suggesting that it'll continue to release fan editions of its S-series phones, despite past doubts about its commitment to the more affordable line.

GalaxyClub reports that, based on the current state of development of the Galaxy S24 FE, the phone could launch in October at the earliest or possibly in early 2025. 

This would follow the example set by previous FE editions, which have usually launched towards the end of the same year or the following year after their mainline counterparts. 

For example, the Samsung Galaxy S23 arrived in February, followed by its FE edition in December, while the Galaxy S21 FE launched a year after the mainline S21-series release. With the recent launch of the Galaxy S24 series in January, we'd not likely see a Samsung Galaxy S24 FE until later in the year.

Based on the pricing for the past three Galaxy FE models, the Galaxy S24 FE could cost roughly $699 / £699 / AU$999, which is more expensive than last year's model but closer to the price of the Galaxy S20 FE which was released in 2021.

GalaxyClub says the Galaxy S24 FE is codenamed R12, which would make sense given that the Galaxy S23 FE was codenamed R11, and the Galaxy S21 FE was codenamed R9. There was no R10, as Samsung didn’t release a Galaxy S22 FE.

That decision led many to question the future of the FE series. However, Samsung released the Galaxy S23 FE in December 2023.

While not as powerful as their mainline counterparts, Samsung’s FE series are less expensive devices, and have a lower spec to keep their price down.

The Galaxy FE series could also face competition from the Samsung Galaxy A55, an upper midrange phone listed among our best cheap phones list. The Galaxy A55 targets a similar niche between flagship and mid-range phones, offering some premium features at a lower price. While the Galaxy A55 is likely to have a less powerful chip than the rumored Galaxy S24 FE, its upgraded aluminum frame brings it closer in comparison, potentially rendering the FE series redundant.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE potential specs 

Rumors suggest the Galaxy S24 FE could include a top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Samsung’s own Exynos 2400 chipset. Both chips were used in the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus, with the Snapdragon being used in US, Canadian, and Chinese phones, while all other territories use the Exynos silicon.

The use of either of these chips would almost certainly mean that the phone would come with Samsung's Galaxy AI features, given that Samsung has rolled those features out to the S23 FE.

GalaxyClub says the phone could have a 6.1-inch AMOLED, 120Hz display, making it smaller than the 6.4-inch screens of some of its predecessors, although it will be similar to the 6.2-inch screen used on the standard Samsung Galaxy S24.

The battery is believed to be a 4,500mAh battery, which is the same capacity as the past three Galaxy FE phones but lower than the 5,000mAh used in the Galaxy A55.

It’s also claimed that the S24 FE will feature the same 128GB and 256GB storage options as the previous models, paired with either 8GB of RAM as is the case with those phones. Or possibly 12GB, although that seems a little overkill for a mid-range model.

As the rumored phone completes its development, we anticipate more leaks and reliable rumors in the coming months, which will give us a better idea of what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.

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Staff Writer, Mobile Computing

James Ide was a writer for TechRadar specializing in phones and tablets, having previously worked at The Daily Mirror since 2016, covering news and reviews.  

James loves messing with the latest tech, especially phones due to their incredibly rapid pace of development.

When not surrounded by various devices and/or tinkering with gadgets while putting them through their paces, James has a love of handheld consoles.

He is almost the textbook definition of a geek, who loves sci-fi, comics, games and of course, all things tech. If you think you have a story for him or just want to challenge him at Smash Bros, get in touch.