I’ve had my S9 for about five years now, and it’s starting to show its age. It’s slow, and the battery life is terrible. It’s definitely time for an upgrade, both with my phone and my carrier. I’ve been having issues with daily use, so I’m ready for something new.
My carrier (Metro) doesn’t seem to offer the higher-end Samsung models. They’ve got plenty of iPhones, but only a few Samsung options. The S24 FE caught my eye. I know I could probably buy a phone elsewhere and switch, but I’m hoping to take advantage of any discounts they offer. Maybe the in-person stores will have better choices than the website?
From what I’ve seen in the specs, it looks like an upgrade in every way except for screen resolution, but I don’t mind that since I’ve been running a lower resolution on my S9 to save battery. I’m just a bit unsure about the fact that it’s the FE model and not the standard S24. What would I be missing if I went with the S24 FE instead of the regular S24?
The S24 FE is a step below the main models in build quality. For example, the bezels are bigger. But it has most of the same features. Keep in mind, the headphone jack and expandable storage have been gone for years, so if you’re worried about storage, go for the 256GB version to avoid regrets later.
The S24 FE is solid. If you can, check out the S23 series too, especially the S23+. If you find one at a good price, it’s more than capable of handling anything you need.
The S9 is more comfortable to hold and has better ergonomics, including the fingerprint scanner. But the S24 FE is a huge improvement in overall usability. Its display is much larger, brighter, and less prone to screen burn-in. Battery life will probably last you all day, which will feel like a massive upgrade.
Comfort and fingerprint scanner: S9.
Performance, battery, and long-term usability: S24 FE.
The S24 FE only has a 1080p screen, while your S9 has a QHD display. The S9 also came with a charger in the box, a capacitive fingerprint sensor, and an iris scanner. You’ll lose those, plus MST.
On the other hand, you’ll gain a higher refresh rate, a newer chipset, 5G, and much better battery life. It’s a trade-off.
Compared to your S9, the biggest downsides of the S24 FE are the lower screen resolution, no headphone jack, no SD card slot, and no charger included. Compared to the regular S24, the FE has a weaker chipset (Exynos instead of Qualcomm).
But even the regular S24 only has a 1080p screen, and you’re used to 1440p. So you’ll lose some resolution either way.