I've been considering upgrading my nearly two-year-old Google Pixel 7, and while I have not made a final choice yet, two new phones that are on my radar are the Galaxy S24 FE and the Xiaomi 14T Pro. If I have to choose between these two, I would likely opt for the Xiaomi for several reasons.
Value for Money
When comparing the two, the Xiaomi 14T Pro provides a better value, especially when looking at European pricing. The base model of the Galaxy S24 FE starts at €749, equipped with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. In contrast, the Xiaomi 14T Pro starts at €799, which includes 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
While the Xiaomi 14T Pro is €50 more expensive, it offers additional RAM and double the storage capacity. Samsung does have a 256GB version of the Galaxy S24 FE, but it still only has 8GB of RAM and is priced higher at €809.
Superior Specifications
The Xiaomi 14T Pro isn't just a better value due to RAM and storage; it also boasts superior specifications overall. It features a 6.67-inch 144Hz AMOLED display with a resolution of 2712 x 1220, which is significantly clearer than the Galaxy S24 FE’s 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display at 2340 x 1080. Furthermore, the Xiaomi model achieves a peak brightness of 4,000 nits, compared to the 1,900 nits of the Galaxy S24 FE.
Additionally, the Xiaomi 14T Pro is powered by the Dimensity 9300+ chipset, which outperforms the Exynos 2400e found in the Galaxy S24 FE. Since the Exynos 2400 is less powerful, the Exynos 2400e should not be a concern.
Charging capabilities also favor the Xiaomi 14T Pro, which supports 120W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. In comparison, the Galaxy S24 FE charges at 25W wired and 15W wireless.
Design and Offers
Design is a matter of taste, but the Xiaomi 14T Pro stands out more than the Galaxy S24 FE. Its matte glass finish, metal-like look, flat aluminum frame, prominent camera island, and textured power button create a more attractive device than the somewhat bland design of the Galaxy S24 FE. While the Galaxy S24 FE isn't unattractive, its design feels overused and too similar to lower-priced models like the Galaxy A15 (currently priced at $179 on Amazon).
Xiaomi’s pre-order offer is also more appealing. If you pre-order the Xiaomi 14T Pro, you receive a free Redmi Pad Pro (6GB+128GB) valued at €299. Conversely, pre-ordering the Galaxy S24 FE comes with a free Galaxy Watch FE worth €199. Since I already own a Galaxy Watch 4 LTE (44 mm), the Galaxy Watch FE offers little value to me, whereas the Redmi Pad Pro would be a nice upgrade from my current Redmi Pad.
Final Thoughts
There are certain aspects where the Galaxy S24 FE excels. It features Gorilla Glass Victus+ for display protection and includes Samsung DeX. Additionally, it will receive 7 operating system upgrades and 7 years of security updates. However, DeX alone does not sway my decision, and Xiaomi’s promise of 4 OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates seems sufficient. Moreover, the infrared sensor in the Xiaomi 14T Pro is a practical feature that I would likely use more than DeX.
