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Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S24 FE to make the Galaxy S24 Ultra look super awkward?

By Martin Filipov

Updated: Jun 20, 2024, 5:23 PM

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This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S24 FE to make the Galaxy S24 Ultra look super awkward?

As predicted (by yours truly), the Galaxy S23 FE is one of the best smartphone deals many months after it officially launched. It’s also why I think Samsung’s affordable flagship is a better deal than the new Pixel 8a.

See, when it comes to smartphones (more precisely, Androids), patience pays off big time. And this is especially true for Samsung phones.

Launched last October at a starting price of $600, the Galaxy S23 FE made little sense. The more premium Galaxy S22 could be found at a similar (or lower) price point, and the obvious thing to do was to recommend it over the FE.

However, today, a refurbished, “pristine” Galaxy S23 FE goes for as low as $350 on places like Swappa, which makes it arguably the best Android smartphone deal around.

Make no mistake, that’s a prestigious title to hold, considering there are a billion Android phones out there. In fact, even at $500 (on sale), the Galaxy S23 FE is a pretty great deal.

That being said, it’s June now, which means the next Galaxy FE model shouldn’t be too far off. In fact, we recently started hearing more rumors about the upcoming Galaxy S24 FE.

The best part about all of it? With Samsung’s premium flagships becoming more expensive, the more affordable Galaxy S24 FE could finally make a real case for itself.

Galaxy S24 Ultra might be the best phone in the world right now, but I’d much rather buy a Galaxy S23 FE (or the upcoming Galaxy S24 FE)

A refurbished, mint-condition Galaxy S23 FE goes for as low as $350 on Swappa, which makes it arguably the best Android deal around.

A Galaxy S23 FE goes for as low as $350 on Swappa. For comparison, the Galaxy S24 Ultra can be found for around $1,000. When comparing launch prices, the $600 Galaxy S23 FE costs $700 less than the $1,300 Galaxy S24 Ultra, making the premium flagship look super pricey.

I’ve had the Galaxy S24 Ultra since launch, and I won’t lie if I told you it’s been sitting on my desk for most of the time. The only real reason that’s the case is because the phone is humongous. Unlike my Pixel 8 Pro (which I use almost daily), I find the “edgy” S24 Ultra too uncomfortable to use.

However, apart from the design of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, there’s something else that makes Samsung’s top flagship unappealing, and that’s the launch price of $1,300 in the US, or €1,500 in Europe.

There’s no other way to put it - that’s A LOT of money, and I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t pay this much for any new phone - which is why, for the past two years, I’ve been using a $400 iPhone 13 mini I got on eBay. Wink, wink.

This tendency to spend less on new phones (which become more and more expensive) isn’t something only I can relate to. In fact, most of my friends and family seem to be on the same page on this one.

The upcoming Galaxy S24 FE will make the Galaxy S24 Ultra look super overpriced - just like the Pixel 8a did with the Pixel 8 Pro

The Galaxy S24 FE looks shockingly similar to the Galaxy S24+ in these new renders - but in a good way.

But what if I told you that the upcoming Galaxy S24 FE could soon grant you 80-90% of the same Samsung experience for over half the price compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra? While being far more comfortable to hold.

To be fair, we don’t know much about the Galaxy 24 FE just yet, but being Samsung’s FE model, it’s also not too hard to predict what it might bring to the table.

I don’t know about you but here’s why I’m really looking forward to the Galaxy S24 FE:

Being part of the S24 family, the upcoming Galaxy S24 FE is expected to get the same 7 years of software updates as the premium Galaxy S24 Ultra, which would make the phone very appealing not only when it comes out, but in the long run

Since the Galaxy S23 and even Galaxy S22 series have now received Samsung’s best new AI features (which debuted on the Galaxy S24), it’s 100% certain the new Galaxy S24 FE will also get awesome AI tricks like Circle to Search, webpage Summarize, instant chat translations, and more

Add to that the typical flagship features like IP rating, wireless charging, a flagship camera system, and a flagship SoC, and the Galaxy S24 FE might end up leaving Samsung’s premium flagships in an awkward position - similar to that of the Pixel 8 Pro after the launch of the Pixel 8a.

Why would you pay $1,000-1,300 for a Galaxy S24 Ultra if the Galaxy S24 FE could give you 80-90% of the experience at over half the price?

If it stays at $600, the Galaxy S24 FE might turn out to be the hottest phone of the year!

All in all, with the Galaxy S24 FE on the horizon, I really struggle to see why the vast majority of the people out there would spring for a more expensive Samsung flagship, let alone the expensive Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Unlike Apple and Google’s flagship alternatives (iPhone SE, Pixel 8a), which come with obvious compromises, the Galaxy S24 FE will go head-to-head with the flagship Galaxy S24 series.

Now, sure, the S24 FE will also be more expensive than the likes of the iPhone SE and Pixel 8a but if you’ve read my other “Galaxy FE” stories, you already know what I think about that… Just buy it when the price drops! Which (I promise you) will be very soon after the phone is out.

If the Galaxy S24 FE starts at the same $600 as the Galaxy S23 FE, this would make it a decent deal. But at $400-500 down the line, we’re talking about an absolute steal for those who need a new Samsung flagship, which doesn’t cost $1,300.

And listen… I won’t discourage those who want the best new Samsung phone out there. I’m well aware premium flagships actually sell pretty well in the grand scheme of things. But the fact that people buy $1,000 phones doesn’t mean… they need them. And it certainly doesn’t mean me and you should buy them.

Hey, I might be cheap but offers like the Galaxy S23 FE and (hopefully) the Galaxy S24 FE make it pretty easy.

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.