Is the new Galaxy S24 FE better than the Galaxy A55? Here’s how they compare

The mid-range smartphone market is heating up again.

On the same day that Xiaomi unveiled its 14T series, Samsung has returned with the Galaxy S24 FE.

However, Samsung already has a few successful mid-range phones, including the Galaxy A55, so what makes this new one worth buying?

While we haven’t had the chance to review the S24 FE, the specs and features revealed by Samsung paint and clear picture of what to expect. For a more in-depth look at the cheaper phone, read our full Galaxy A55 review.

Design & build quality

The Galaxy S24 FE’s minimalistic design, closely resembling the regular Galaxy S24, gives it a sleek appearance. Its diverse range of colour options – Blue, Graphite, Grey, Mint, and Yellow – allow you to tailor the look of your phone to match your taste.

Its size and weight — 162.0 x 77.3 x 8.0mm and 213g — seems to give it a sturdy, premium feel, although it may be slightly cumbersome for one-handed use.

The IP68 rating should also provide robust protection against dust and water, making it a reliable choice for those who need a phone that can withstand various conditions, whether you’re caught in the rain or at the beach.

The Galaxy A55 also focuses on a refined, premium aesthetic, borrowing elements from the Galaxy S24 series. What sets the A55 apart is the distinctive ‘Key Island’ on the right bezel, where the Power and Volume Up/Down buttons are located. It’s a simple raised edge that encompasses both the power and volume keys.

The phone comes in only two colours, Awesome Iceblue and Awesome Lilac, while its glass back and aluminum frame make it feel luxurious and durable. However, the build — 161.1 x 77.4 x 8.2mm and 213g in weight — may also not be as comfortable for prolonged, one-handed use, especially for those with smaller hands.

The phone features a slightly worse IP67 rating, but can still survive most encounters with water or dust.

While both phones have a solid build and share similar weight and size, the Galaxy S24 FE offers a higher water resistance rating and more colour options, making it a more versatile choice in terms of design and durability.

Display & adaptive refresh

The Galaxy S24 FE boasts a 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display that offers a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

It adjusts dynamically between 60Hz and 120Hz based on the content, which not only may enhance the smoothness of scrolling and animations but also should help conserve battery life when high refresh rates are not necessary.

The larger size of the screen might also be perfect if you consume a lot of media.

On the other hand, the Galaxy A55 features a 6.6-inch FHD+ OLED display, which is slightly smaller than the S24 FE’s but still offers a vivid and vibrant viewing experience.

It also offers a 120Hz refresh rate, however, it’s not adaptive. Don’t expect it to change dynamically while you scroll through social media or play games. You only have the choice of a predetermined 60Hz or 120Hz.

Despite the minor size difference, the Galaxy A55’s display is still very good and suitable for most users.

While the screen brightness and colour accuracy should be on par with the S24 FE, the lack of adaptive refresh rate technology means it may not be as efficient in managing power consumption during prolonged use.

Camera capabilities

Photography enthusiasts should appreciate the Galaxy S24 FE’s versatile camera setup as it includes a 50Mp main wide camera, a 12Mp ultrawide lens, and an 8Mp telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Additionally, there’s also a 10Mp front camera for selfies and video calls.

This array seems perfect to cover a wide range of shooting scenarios, making it a great choice if you want flexibility in your photography.

The inclusion of features like Night Mode and Super Steady video recording further enhances its appeal for users who want to capture high-quality photos and videos in various lighting conditions.

The Galaxy A55 features a capable camera setup, but it lacks the telephoto lens found in the S24 FE.

Its 50Mp main camera performs well in most lighting conditions and the 12Mp ultrawide lens is useful for capturing wider scenes, but the 5Mp macro camera, while fun to use, doesn’t add as much value as a telephoto lens would, making it a less versatile option for serious photographers.

Selfies, however, are handled by a 32Mp front camera, which excels in delivering clear and natural-looking images.

Ultimately, the inclusion of a telephoto lens on the S24 FE appears to offer greater flexibility if you’re serious about phone photography. While the Galaxy A55 offers solid performance in typical shooting scenarios, it lacks the optical zoom of a telephoto lens.

Other differences

That’s not all, however. While the above features pretty much highlight the difference between the Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy A55, there are a few other notable differences between the two phones that are also worth considering.

Performance

The Galaxy S24 FE uses the Exynos 2400e (4nm) chipset in Europe. It’s a variant of the regular Exynos 2400 that powers the regular Galaxy S24 and S24+ in the region, though likely slightly less capable.

The Galaxy A55’s Exynos 1480, on the other hand, while efficient and powerful for day-to-day tasks, may not match the S24 FE’s performance in more demanding use cases such as gaming or intensive multitasking.

Battery & Charging

The Galaxy S24 FE offers a slightly less spacious 4,700mAh battery compared to the Galaxy A55’s 5000mAh cell, which might result in the latter offering better battery life. We were certainly impressed with it in our full review.

When it comes to charging, both offer speeds up to 25W, but don’t include chargers in the box. Using a compatible one, Samsung says you can get up to 50% in 30 minutes on either.

The S24 FE, however, supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, which are not available on the A55.

Software

Both phones run on Android 14 with One UI 6.1, but the Galaxy A55 misses out on Galaxy AI.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s full range of AI features are coming to the S24 FE, including Circle to Search.

What’s more, Samsung promises seven years of OS and security updates for the S24 FE. That’s a significant improvement compared to four years of OS upgrades and five years of security patches that Galaxy A55 will get.

This makes the Galaxy S24 FE a potentially better long-term investment with more software features.

Price & Availability

The Galaxy S24 FE is priced at £649/$649.99 for the 128GB model and £699/$709.99 for the 256GB variant, reflecting its more premium feature set. It will be available from 4 October 2024.

As with the Galaxy S23 FE, this year’s model will be available in both the UK and US via the Samsung website and other third-party retailers.

The Galaxy A55, meanwhile, offers a more budget-friendly option, costing £439 for the 128GB version and £489 for the 256GB model. It’s already widely available directly from Samsung and through various retailers in the UK.

Unfortunately, it’s not available in the US, where your closest choice is the Galaxy A35 5G for $399. It’s not too dissimilar but is still a less capable product with a cheaper build, inferior performance and a lesser camera setup. 

Should you buy the Galaxy S24 FE or Galaxy A55?

Both phones are strong mid-range options with their own set of strengths.

The Galaxy S24 FE stands out with its superior camera setup, adaptive display, and robust software support, making it ideal for those looking for a feature-rich device with long-term value.

However, the Galaxy A55 still offers solid performance, build quality, and a lower price point, making it a compelling option for those on a tighter budget.

Ultimately, the Galaxy A55 is a well-rounded mid-ranger, but if you want a more feature-packed device with extended software support and advanced camera capabilities, the Galaxy S24 FE is worth the extra investment.

And if you live in the US, the S24 FE is your only choice.