Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE: What we know so far

Foldables are expensive. While costs have dropped considerably since the original Samsung Galaxy Z Flip launched at $1,380 in 2020, the company’s latest model — the Galaxy Z Flip 6 — still starts at $1,099.

Plenty of people have been waiting for a cheaper model to try, and Samsung may be about to grant that wish. After denying plans of a cheaper foldable back in 2023, it seems like the company may finally have something very soon indeed, with Samsung seemingly pushing code out to an unreleased model with the code number of SM-F761.

This could well be the Samsung Galaxy Z FE — or, as one rumor claims, the Z Flip XE (pronounced zee).

How will the ‘Fan Edition’ of Samsung’s flip phone differ from the regular model? Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy Z Flip FE so far.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE price and release date

If the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE is coming this year, as the code update seems to suggest, you might assume it’s coming with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and regular Galaxy Z Flip 7 this summer.

However, according to Korean media, the phone will arrive “several months later” than the regular foldables, which suggests a possible release in September, October or November.

The most recent pricing rumors suggest that the Z Flip FE will cost 1 million Korean won. That works out at around $737 and over $350 cheaper than the cost of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 — the most recent flippable on sale.

Of course, regional pricing isn't always identical. So the Korean price tag isn't a true indicator of how much the Z Flip FE will cost in the U.S. and other countries. However this does bode well for a price discount, considering the Z Flip 6 starts at 1.49 million Won.

The company’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 rival — the Moto Razr Plus 2024 — starts at $999, while the cheaper Moto Razr 2024 is $699. Samsung may choose to position the Galaxy Z Flip FE as a competitor of the latter in the $650 to $850 range.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE design and display

CAD renders produced by OnLeaks and SammyGuru show a phone that looks remarkably like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, right down to the dual-camera array and oddly shaped cover display. That means a 3.4-inch external screen which flips back to reveal a 6.7-inch internal panel.

The phone is, however, slightly less wide and a bit thicker, with dimensions of 165.1 x 71.7 x 7.4mm, over the Z Flip 6’s 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm. That may mean a slightly larger battery than the 4,000mAh cell on the regular model.

Another leak from PandaFlashPro claims that we'll see the phone come with an Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus and a 120Hz display. That display will apparently have a test brightness of 1,900 nits, and potentially a 2,600 nit peak.

Other specs mentioned include Wi-Fi 6E and 25W charging speeds.

It’s worth noting that even if the FHD+ 120Hz internal screen is maintained for the FE, the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 7 will likely have it beat, with talk of the external cover screen reaching 4 inches and considerably less bezel.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE performance and cameras

To reach a cheaper price, cuts have to be found somewhere, and the most likely area is in terms of performance. To that end, the SammyGuru report cited above says that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE will use last year’s Exynos 2400e chipset rather than something from Qualcomm.

The Exynos 2400e is a cut-back version of the Exynos 2400. But as we saw from its appearance in the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, it’s not a bad performer, only a little worse than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 that powers the regular Samsung Galaxy S24. Crucially, it’s also capable of running Galaxy AI features, meaning buyers aren’t likely to miss out on much artificial intelligence-powered functionality, contrary to earlier reports.

But leaker Jukanlosreve claims that the phone will not be using an Exynos chip, after all. The alternatives are some kind of older Qualcomm chip, or a comparable MediaTek chip — a brand known for relatively cheap performance hardware.

A more recent report suggests that the Z Flip FE will come with 8GB of RAM, rather than 12GB, alongside 128GB and 256GB storage options. So it's not going to offer anything like flagship performance, but that may be the trade-off we need for a cheaper foldable.

That should still leave the phone capable of running Galaxy AI apps, though. It'as also worth mentioning that this are the same kind of specs we've seen on the Galaxy S24, so it's not like we're looking at a serious downgrade.

Renders seem to have confirmed a dual rear camera array will make a comeback, with leaks suggesting that the main camera will be able to take 50MP photos

While the renders reveal a dual rear camera array, specs have not been confirmed. It seems likely that this will at least match the 50MP main sensor and 12MP ultrawide lens found on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but this would be an opportunity for Samsung to save some money.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE outlook

It’s early days for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE, and we’re still on the lookout for the main cost-saving areas. A year-old chipset isn’t ideal, but it’s not a deal-breaker either, especially if it prompts significant savings.

If Samsung can get the price right, not only might we be looking at a new value pick for our list of the best foldable phones, but a possible boost for the still niche foldable market. We should find out later this year.