When the original Galaxy S20 FE went official in 2020, it put a different spin on the idea of a value-for-money phone. It was a more budget-oriented device powered by the same chip as the Galaxy S20 flagship series, which went on sale the same year, only six months before the FE phone.
Because of this powerful hardware wrapped in a more affordable package, we kicked off our Galaxy S20 FE review a few years ago by saying it puts the ‘fan' in fantastic. We justifiably felt that way because of its great value.
Subsequent Fan Edition phones were also good, but we felt like they were missing the true essence of the original FE. When the Galaxy S21 FE finally landed in January 2022, we said it was a super phone that came to the market super late. It was technically a 2022 phone powered by high-end chips older than one year.
Let's ignore the inexplicable S20 FE (2022) re-release and jump straight to the Galaxy S23 FE, which went on sale in October 2023. Its good value was undeniable, but unfortunately, the latest model once again couldn't match the performance levels of the 2023 flagship phones released a few months prior. The S23 FE featured high-end chips from 2022 instead of matching the rest of the Galaxy S23 series.
The Galaxy S24 FE could mark a return to form!
By now, you're likely starting to see a pattern. The Galaxy S20 FE is the only FE model powered by a contemporary high-end SoC. Every Fan Edition phone released after it featured a chipset from the previous year, and neither the S21 FE nor the S23 FE matched the original S20 FE in terms of performance per dollar.
That's where the Galaxy S24 FE might change things around and mark a return to form. According to early benchmarks, the next Fan Edition phone, which could hit the market before the end of 2024, rocks the same Exynos 2400 chip as the Galaxy S24 and S24+ do in most markets. And before you say anything, despite the Exynos name, this chip proved to be solid.
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If these early benchmarks are correct, the Galaxy S24 FE will be the first Fan Edition phone in four years to feature the latest possible high-end chip. And given that the S24 FE should also boast modern build quality improvements compared to the old Galaxy S20 FE, it has the potential of becoming the best Fan Edition phone to date.
Time will tell, as other factors also matter. Galaxy AI is getting huge. And if Samsung intentionally holds the Galaxy S24 FE back from getting every AI feature the rest of the S24 series has, it could cost it dearly. So far, though, things are looking good for Fan Edition enthusiasts, and 2024 might be a fantastic year for this crowd. We're really looking forward to this next-gen Fan Edition release.
