The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE was released on September 26 as a budget version of the S24, while the Pixel 9 came out earlier on August 14 as the base model in the Pixel 9 series. If you put both phones in a boxing ring, it would take a while for one to win.
It’s amazing that a budget phone like the S24 FE can compete with a flagship like the Pixel 9. Samsung has really done a great job with this phone, but how well of a job? Let’s find out how both phones perform against each other.Â
Specs overview: Galaxy S24 Vs Galaxy S24 FE
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| Component | Google Pixel 9 | Samsung Galaxy S24 FE |
| Processor | Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) | Exynos 2400e (4 nm) |
| RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB / 256 GB, no card slot | 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB, no card slot |
| Display | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2424 pixels, OLED, 120Hz | 6.7 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz |
| Main Cameras | 50 MP (wide), 48 MP (ultrawide) | 50 MP (wide), 8 MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom), 12 MP (ultrawide) |
| Selfie Camera | 10.5 MP (ultrawide) | 10 MP (wide) |
| Battery | 4700 mAh, 27W wired, 15W wireless, reverse wireless | 4700 mAh, 25W wired, 15W wireless, reverse wireless |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C 3.2 | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.3, USB Type-C, OTG |
| Price | $799.99 | $649.99 |
Design
The Galaxy S24 FE is larger at 213g and wider than the Pixel 9. Even when you hold both phones, the Galaxy S24 feels more heavy in hand, while the Pixel 9 is easier to manage. The Pixel 9 weighs 198g. Though the difference might not seem like a big deal, over the course of a day, the Pixel 9 could feel more comfortable during long phone calls or when browsing.
Both phones do have premium builds that makes it hard to choose. I love the Galaxy S24’s combination of Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both the front and back, complemented by an aluminum frame. The Pixel 9 also uses a nice blend of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with an aluminum frame.Â
Neither Corning nor Samsung have shared much information on the Victus+. But in comparison with what we know about its predecessor, the Victus, the Gorilla Glass Victus+ is a stronger and more scratch-resistant version. It was specifically designed for Samsung devices. The Victus 2 leaves a gap between both glasses, making it the stronger option.
Personally, I prefer the Pixel 9’s design because of its rounded edges and the central camera bar. But I’d have loved it more if it had the flatness of the upcoming Pixel 9a model. The S24 FE also has rounded edges, but its cameras are placed on the left side and arranged vertically. Both phones have IP68 dust and water resistance rating, making them okay for submersion in water up to 1.5m for 30 minutes.Â
Display
The S24 FE’s display is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz and HDR10+ support. It has a peak brightness of 1900 nits that provides excellent visibility in bright places. The display size is 6.7 inches, with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a pixel density of about 385 ppi.Â
On the other hand, the S24 FE has an OLED display, also with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. Its peak brightness can reach 2700 nits. The display size is slightly smaller at 6.3 inches, but it has a higher resolution of 1080 x 2424 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 422 ppi. This means the S24 FE could display sharper images.
In short, the S24 FE has a larger display and brightness that’s good enough, but the S24 FE wins in brightness, resolution, and pixel density. Both phones share annoyingly thick bezels.
PerformanceÂ
The S24 FE uses the Exynos 2400e chipset that’s built on a 4 nanometer process, while the Pixel 9 is powered by the Google Tensor G4, which is also based on a 4 nm process. It’s commendable that both phones have processors made by their own companies. It makes it much easier for the hardware and software to work well together.
The Exynos 2400e is a slightly toned down version of the Exynos 2400 that aims to balance speed and battery life, while the Tensor G4 is an AI powerhouse that brings improvement in many areas, such as photography, voice recognition, and heat management.
The Exynos 2400e has a 10-core CPU where one core runs at 3.1 GHz for heavy tasks, two cores run at 2.9 GHz, three cores at 2.6 GHz, and four cores move at 1.95 GHz for less demanding tasks. It also comes with the Xclipse 940 GPU.
Meanwhile, the Google Tensor G4 has an octa-core CPU. It features one core at 3.1 GHz (Cortex-X4) for performance, three cores at 2.6 GHz (Cortex-A720), and four cores at 1.92 GHz (Cortex-A520) for efficiency. Its GPU is the Mali-G715.Â
The Exynos 2400e is generally better because it has a 10-core design and higher clock speeds that make it faster for most tasks. Its Xclipse 940 GPU also offers better graphics performance than the Google Tensor G4’s Mali-G715 GPU.
Memory & battery
Even with a good processor, if your device has limited memory, it can still struggle with performance. If there isn’t enough RAM to hold the data for the tasks, your device will lag or freeze when you try to run multiple applications at once. In the case of the Pixel 9 and S24 FE, the better phone depends on what you want. The Pixel 9 has more RAM options, while the S24 FE has bigger storage options that’ll support your heavy files and apps.Â
The Pixel 9 offers options for 128GB or 256GB of storage with 12GB of RAM only, while the S24 FE has options for 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage but only comes with 8GB of RAM.Â
Both phones have a 4700 mAh battery, so they are equal in capacity. But the S24 FE charges slightly slower at 25W compared to the Pixel 9’s 27W. I’d go with the Pixel 9 because it’s more efficient, using more advanced technologies like PD3.0 and PPS.
Power Delivery technology makes the phone charge faster by letting the charger and phone communicate about how much power to use. Then there’s the presence of the Programmable Power Supply that adjusts the power during charging to reduce heat.
The S24 FE has just the basic version of PD and Quick Charge 2.0. In comparison, PD 3.0 is better because it’s faster in charging speed, wider in compatibility, and is more flexible in adjusting voltage and current.
Besides wired charging, the S24 FE supports 15W wireless, and reverse wireless where your phone turns into a power bank for other compatible devices. The Pixel 9 can charge wirelessly too at a maximum speed of 15W when using the official Pixel Stand. If you use a third-party Qi-compatible charger, it will charge at a maximum speed of 12W. Also, the phone supports reverse wireless charging.
Cameras
For the main camera, both phones feature a 50MP lens, but the Pixel 9 has a larger sensor (1/1.31″) and a slightly wider f/1.7 aperture, which allows it to capture more light. This advantage typically means your camera will fare better when it gets dark and produce greater detail compared to the S24 FE’s f/1.8 lens.
The S24 FE also offers an 8 MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, which the Pixel 9 lacks entirely. So Samsung’s phone has an edge for zoom capabilities, especially when capturing distant subjects. Both phones come with ultrawide cameras, but the Pixel 9 has a much higher resolution with a 48MP sensor compared to the S24 FE’s 12MP sensor. Its selfie camera is a 10.5 MP ultrawide lens, while the FE phone uses a 10MP wide lens.
For video, both are capable of high frame rates at 4K, but the S24 FE supports 8K recording, which the Pixel 9 doesn’t. If 8K video is important, the S24 FE would be better. But frankly, 8K video isn’t necessary for most people right now. Most TVs, monitors, and phones don’t even fully support 8K playback yet. The files are also much larger, which can quickly fill up storage and make editing more demanding.Â
For everyday videos, 4K or even 1080p is still more than enough, especially since 8K’s difference is hard to notice unless you’re viewing on a huge screen. If you’re a content creator, then it makes sense to demand 8K on your new phone.
Software and features
Both Samsung and Google are known for using AI in their smartphones, though Google has long been playing with Gemini before Galaxy AI arrived. They do share similarities in Circle to Search and more.
But each phone has its own special feature for different users, and some may expand to more devices in the future. The Pixel 9 has a smart Weather app and Call Notes for writing down conversations. The Galaxy S24 FE offers Live Translation and photo backgrounds that change. Being the ringleader of the Android operating system, Google has promised seven years of updates on the Android 14 software both phones share.
Overall, your choice here depends on what other devices you have. If you have Samsung smart home devices, the Galaxy S24 FE integrates well with SmartThings, allowing you to control your lights, thermostat, and other devices directly from your phone.Â
Meanwhile, if you have Google smart speakers or other Google Home devices, the Pixel 9 can control them easily through Google Assistant. Also, you can rely on Google Workspace apps like Google Docs, Sheets, or Calendar as the phone’s integration with these services is much smoother.Â
Again, the Pixel 9 only works with the Google Play Store, while the Galaxy S24 FE can access both the Play Store and the Galaxy Store, which has more apps made for Samsung devices. Samsung phones are also better for connecting to Windows PCs because of its screen sharing feature and easy file transfers with the Phone Link app to its Galaxy Books.
It’s also worth stating that Pixel phones have cleaner software. With Samsung, you have the custom One UI overlayed on Google’s software. So it brings extra customizations that you don’t see on the Pixel phones — and unfortunately, bloatware that you can’t easily uninstall.
Related: Your Samsung Galaxy Phone Could Be Your Next Webcam.
Samsung’s budget phone or Google’s flagship?
Between the Galaxy S24 FE and the Pixel 9, there’s no clear-cut winner. Both phones are undeniably good, and worth the money if you don’t mind buying two phones. I root for the Galaxy S24 FE because of its build quality, more versatile camera setup, and because it has the better processor. Let’s not forget that it costs $100 less, making it more value-packed than the Pixel 9.
I also root for the Pixel 9 in terms of display sharpness, higher peak brightness, superior RAM, and cleaner software. It’s hard to go wrong with either choice as they have a fair balance of strengths and flaws. It’s left for you to weigh in your hands the features that resonate with you the loudest.
