Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Blue 256GB

The Galaxy S24 FE is a solid mid-range flagship with a great display, capable camera, and 256GB of storage. Battery life is the biggest wildcard, with some owners reporting poor endurance. At USD 600 from Best Buy, it's a good deal; at USD 700, look elsewhere.

The Exynos 2400e at 3.10GHz with 8GB of RAM lands in the 82nd percentile in our database, which is solid but not chart-topping. Day-to-day stuff flies, apps open fast, and the 120Hz display keeps everything feeling smooth. The 4700mAh battery ranks in the 85th percentile on paper, but real-world feedback is mixed. Some owners report all-day battery, while others say it drains faster than expected. The 25W wired charging is fine, not exciting, and the 15W wireless is there if you want it. Camera performance sits at the 79th percentile, which is good but not best-in-class. The 50MP main sensor does great work in daylight, and the 8MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom is a nice touch at this price. Low-light shots get a boost from Night Portrait, but a few users still call picture quality average compared to pricier flagships.

Against the Pixel 10 Pro, the S24 FE has a bigger display and more storage, but Google's camera processing is still the one to beat for point-and-shoot consistency. The iPhone 17 is in a completely different price bracket, so it's not a fair fight, but Apple's battery life and video quality are simply better. The OnePlus 15 brings faster charging and a more powerful chip for similar money, which makes it a serious alternative if you don't care about Samsung's AI tricks. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is a flagship monster that makes the S24 FE look modest, but it costs way more. The S24 FE's real advantage is that it's the most balanced option here if you want Samsung's ecosystem without paying flagship prices.

At USD 600 to 700, the S24 FE sits in a weird spot. It's cheaper than the regular S24 but not by a huge margin, and you can find last year's flagships for similar money. The 256GB storage is a real plus, and you're getting a lot of phone for the price. Best Buy has the best deal at USD 600, which makes it a much easier recommendation than the USD 700 listing. If you catch it at the low end, it's a solid buy. At the high end, you're better off hunting for a deal on a proper flagship.

The Galaxy S24 FE is Samsung's way of saying you don't need to drop flagship money to get flagship-adjacent features. You get a big 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, a triple camera setup with a proper 3x telephoto, and the whole Galaxy AI toolkit baked in. It's basically the S24's greatest hits at a friendlier price.

But it's not a straight clone. The Exynos 2400e chip is a slightly tuned-down version of what's in the regular S24, and that shows up in a few places. Still, for most people coming from anything older than an S22, this feels like a real jump forward.

Skip this if battery life is your top priority. The 4700mAh cell sounds fine on paper, but real-world reports are all over the place, and 25W charging won't bail you out quickly. If you're a heavy user who's away from a charger all day, look at the OnePlus 13 or a Pixel with better endurance. Also skip it if you want the absolute best camera, the Pixel GGX8B still beats it for point-and-shoot reliability.

The Galaxy S24 FE is a good phone for the right person. If you're coming from an older Samsung, especially something like a Note 9 or S10, this is a massive upgrade. The camera is capable, the screen is gorgeous, and the AI features are more than gimmicks. But if you're expecting flagship-level battery life or the absolute best camera, you'll be disappointed. This is a phone for people who want the Samsung experience without the Samsung price tag, and it mostly delivers.