Smartphones & Tablets | February 29, 2024
| Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (Fan Edition) | Samsung Galaxy S24 | |
| Screen | 6.4 inches of 2X LTPO Dynamic AMOLED technology, 19.5:9 format, FullHD+ resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels, 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate (60-120 Hz), 240 Hz touch sampling rate, maximum brightness 1,450 nits, HDR10+ and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection | 6.2 inches of 2X LTPO Dynamic AMOLED technology, 19.5:9 format, FullHD+ resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels, 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate (1-120 Hz), 240 Hz touch sampling rate, maximum brightness 2,600 nits, HDR10+ and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection |
| Main camera | – 50 megapixel main sensor with f/1.8 focal aperture with video recording capacity in 8K resolution at 24 frames per second – Secondary sensor with 8 megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.4 focal aperture and 3X optical zoom – Tertiary sensor with 12 megapixel wide-angle lens with f/2.2 focal aperture | – 50 megapixel main sensor with f/1.8 focal aperture with video recording capacity in 8K resolution at 30 frames per second – Secondary sensor with 10 megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.4 focal aperture and 3X optical zoom – Tertiary sensor with 12 megapixel wide-angle lens with f/2.2 focal aperture |
| Selfie camera | 10 megapixel main sensor with f/2.4 focal aperture with video recording capacity in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second | 12 megapixel main sensor with f/2.2 focal aperture with video recording capacity in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second |
| Internal memory | 128 or 256 GB UFS 3.1 | – 128 GB UFS 3.1 – 256 GB UFS 4.0 |
| Extension | Not available | Not available |
| Processor and RAM memory | – 4-nanometer, eight-core Exynos 2200 at 2.8 GHz max. (Europe and other regions) – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 4-nanometer eight-core 3.0 GHz max. (United States) – 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM | – 4-nanometer, eight-core Exynos 2400 at 3.2 GHz max. (Europe and other regions) – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 4-nanometer eight-core 3.39 GHz max. (United States, Canada and China) – 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM |
| Battery | 4,500 mAh with 25W fast wired charging (charger not included in the box) and 15W wireless charging | 4,000 mAh with 25W wired fast charging (charger not included in the box), 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse charging |
| OS | Android 13 under One UI 5.1 (upgradable up to Android 17) | Android 14 under One UI 6 (upgradable up to Android 21) |
| Connections | 5G, 4G LTE, dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, NFC for contactless payments and USB type C input | 5G, 4G LTE, dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, NFC for contactless payments and USB type C input |
| SIM | Dual nano SIM | Dual nano SIM |
| Design | Colors: black, mint, cream and purple | Colors: purple, yellow, black, gray, green, blue and orange |
| Dimensions and weight | 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 millimeters and 209 grams | 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 millimeters and 167 grams |
| Featured Features | Under-display optical fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, and IP68 waterproof rating (submergence-proof) | Under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, AKG stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, Artificial Intelligence and IP68 waterproof rating (submergence proof) |
| Release date | Available | Available |
| Price | From 630 euros | From 900 euros |
A few months ago, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S23 FE, a trimmed-down version of the S23 that hit the market in the early part of the previous year. This phone was presented as a high-end value-for-money option, without compromising on some of the best features and technical specifications in the market. Being so recent, it’s easy to think that it could compete with the new Samsung Galaxy S24. To find out, let’s analyze all their differences and prices in this comparison of Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs S24. Which one is better? Let’s find out.
The prices mentioned in the article may vary over time, so, we limit ourselves to analyzing the differences as of the publication date.
We know how much Samsung likes to implement its three-sensor floating camera design on every phone. This is the same one found on the Galaxy S23 FE and S24, making it difficult to distinguish one from the other at first glance, also because both have a screen with a punch-hole for the front camera. However, there are some differences that help us differentiate them.
The first has to do with size; the Galaxy S23 FE is larger and thicker than the Galaxy S24, although not by much. The screen frames of the S23 FE are also more pronounced than those of the S24, with the latter making better use of the front space. If we leave aside the aesthetic aspect, we can also see that the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is much heavier than the Galaxy S24, by a difference of more than 40 grams. Otherwise, they are very similar, if not identical.
In terms of construction, both have aluminum frames and a glass back, so they are equally premium in this regard, giving a similar in-hand feel, regardless of the differences in size and weight.
If we take a look at the screens of both, we won’t find many differences between the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs S24. There are only three, and they have to do with the size, the maximum brightness they can achieve, and the protective glass. Specifically, while the Galaxy S23 FE’s screen measures 6.4 inches, the Galaxy S24’s has a diagonal of 6.2 inches. In addition, the screen of the former boasts a maximum brightness of 1,450 nits, unlike the Galaxy S24, which reaches 2,600 nits, almost double. The other noteworthy point is that the S23 FE’s screen is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, while the S24’s is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, a more advanced and durable glass.
Regarding the rest of the features, both screens use LTPO Dynamic AMOLED 2X technology and have a FullHD+ resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels. They also have a touch sampling rate of 240 Hz and support HDR10+. They both have an adaptive refresh rate of 120 Hz, but the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE’s can decrease to 60 Hz, while the Samsung Galaxy S24’s can drop to 1 Hz, depending on usage and the running application or game.
Samsung’s flagship for 2024 is the Galaxy S24, and that’s why this phone comes with the latest and most advanced processors. However, depending on the market and model, it may come with one chipset or another. In Europe, it is sold with the Exynos 2400, a 4-nanometer processor with eight cores that work at a maximum clock frequency of 3.2 GHz. In the United States, China, and Canada, it is available with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, a chip that also has a 4-nanometer size and eight cores, with the difference that these operate at a maximum of 3.39 GHz.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE also comes with two processors, depending on the model and the market it is intended for. For Europe, it uses the Exynos 2200 with a 4-nanometer chipset, an octa-core processor that goes up to 2.8 GHz max. For the United States, China, and Canada, it has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the most powerful processor for the high-end in 2022 and a 4-nanometer chip with eight cores running at a maximum of 3.0 GHz.
Comparing the performance of the Galaxy S24 vs S23 FE, we can say that the S24 is obviously more powerful, something that benchmark tests like AnTuTu and Geekbench can demonstrate, as it achieves higher scores, proving it is a step ahead in terms of performance. Of course, the version with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 of this phone is faster than the one with the Exynos 2400. The same can be said for the Galaxy S23 FE, which achieves better day-to-day performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 than with the Exynos 2200.
Regarding memory options, there is only one difference between the Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S23 FE, and it has to do with the 256 GB internal storage variant, which is UFS 4.0 on the S24 and UFS 3.1 on the S23 FE. Both are also available with 128 GB of internal storage, but this is UFS 3.1 in both cases. However, neither supports expansion via a microSD card.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE and S24 share similar cameras. The main camera on both is 50 megapixels with an aperture of f/1.8, but there is a detail in video recording. While the Galaxy S23 FE can shoot videos up to 8K at 24 frames per second, the S24 can record in 8K at a rate of 30 frames per second, making the videos taken with the latter smoother.
The secondary sensor on both is a telephoto lens, but the Galaxy S23 FE’s is 8 megapixels, and the Galaxy S24’s is 10 megapixels. Both have an aperture of f/2.4 and offer 3X optical zoom. Regarding the third sensor in the trio, both phones have a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/2.2.
Now, the front camera of the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE is 10 megapixels, while the Galaxy S24’s is 12 megapixels. However, both lenses share an aperture of f/2.4 and can record in 4K at 60 frames per second.
Battery is also something we will take a look at in this comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S23 FE. The most significant difference is in size. The Galaxy S23 FE has a 4,500 mAh battery, which means it is larger than the new Galaxy S24, which has a 4,000 mAh battery. However, both support 25W fast charging via cable, the typical one that Samsung usually implements in most of its phones. Both also share 15W wireless charging, but only the Galaxy S24 has 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Of course, neither comes with a charger in the box, which is now the norm.
Both phones present the same connectivity options, including support for 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS with A-GPS and Glonass, and NFC for contactless payments. However, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE comes with Wi-Fi 6, the Galaxy S24 boasts Wi-Fi 7, a more advanced and recent protocol. Both also have a USB Type-C 3.2 port.
Other features found in these phones include an in-screen fingerprint reader, although the one on the Galaxy S23 FE is optical, and the one on the Galaxy S24 is ultrasonic. This means that the S23 FE’s needs to emit light to detect fingerprint patterns, while the S24’s emits sound waves for this purpose, making it more secure. Both also have facial recognition. In addition, while both phones have stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, those on the Samsung Galaxy S24 are better because they are tuned by AKG, ensuring better sound quality. They also have IP68 water resistance, making them splash and immersion-proof. However, something only highlighted by the Samsung Galaxy S24 is Artificial Intelligence, as it is equipped with multiple AI functions.
Regarding software, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE has Android 13 with One UI 5.1, but in some markets, it is already updating to Android 14 with One UI 6, which is the version that comes with the Galaxy S24 out of the box. In addition, while the S23 FE has four years of guaranteed Android updates, the S24 has 7 years. In other words, the S23 FE will be updated to Android 17, and the S24 will be updated to Android 21.
After analyzing all the features and differences between the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE vs Galaxy S24, we can now say which one is better and why, but not without taking a look at their prices first.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE was launched with an official starting price of around 710 euros, but currently, it has a starting price of around 630 euros. The Samsung S24, on the other hand, was announced with a starting price of around 900 euros, so, at the time of writing, it is almost 300 euros more expensive than the S23 FE. That said, we can say that the winner of this comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S24 vs S23 FE is none other than the S24, but only if we leave aside the price, because, in terms of value for money, the S23 FE is a more interesting option, at least until the Galaxy S24 drops in price in the coming months.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 is better than the Samsung S23 FE for several reasons. Its screen, although slightly smaller, is also much brighter, has an adaptive refresh rate between 120 Hz and 1 Hz, and is protected by a more durable protective glass. It also has thinner bezels. In terms of performance and power, it runs much faster and smoother, both in heavy apps and games with top-notch graphics. But that’s not all. Its cameras offer better results in photos and videos in any situation, with or without much light, both with the main sensor and the telephoto lens, wide-angle, and front camera.
Of course, it loses an advantage when it comes to its battery, which is smaller, but it at least has reverse charging. Regarding connectivity, it is one step ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Fan Edition, as it has Wi-Fi 7. It also has better stereo speakers, a more advanced in-screen fingerprint reader, various AI-based functions, and 3 more years of operating system updates (4, if we consider that the S23 FE is already receiving the first one it is entitled to). It is also worth noting that it is much lighter, by more than 40 grams.
