Design and Build

The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE, announced in June 2024, comes in a 40mm size with an aluminum chassis, weighing 25.9g at 11.2mm depth. Colors include Black, Pink Gold, and Silver. It fits 130–200mm wrists, with a digital touch bezel, two side buttons, and 20mm bands. The Sapphire Crystal front offers IP68 water and dust resistance (up to 1.5m for 30min) and MIL-STD-810H compliance. Based on the Galaxy Watch 4, it’s praised for affordability but criticized for larger bezels.

• Aluminum chassis, 11.2mm depth
• Digital touch bezel, two side buttons
• Sapphire Crystal front
• IP68, 5ATM, MIL-STD-810H
• Interchangeable 20mm bands

Galaxy Watch FE Display

The Galaxy Watch FE features a Super AMOLED display with 396 x 396 pixels (40mm, 1.2 inches, ~330 PPI). It offers up to 1000 nits brightness with always-on functionality. The display matches the Galaxy Watch 4 but uses Sapphire Crystal instead of Gorilla Glass DX+. Users find it vibrant but note smaller size and larger bezels compared to the Galaxy Watch 7.

• Super AMOLED, always-on
• 40mm: 1.2 inches, 396 x 396, ~330 PPI
• Up to 1000 nits
• Sapphire Crystal protection
• Similar to Galaxy Watch 4

Performance and Software

Powered by the Exynos W920 (dual-core, 1.18GHz, 5nm) with 1.5GB RAM and 16GB storage, the Galaxy Watch FE runs Wear OS 4 with One UI Watch 5, upgradable to Wear OS 5. It supports Samsung Health, Bixby, and Google Play apps but lacks Galaxy AI features like Energy Score. Performance is slower than the Galaxy Watch 7 but matches the Galaxy Watch 4. Users find it adequate for fitness but sluggish for apps.

• Exynos W920, dual-core, 5nm
• 1.5GB RAM, 16GB storage
• Wear OS 4, One UI Watch 5
• Samsung Health, Bixby, Google Play
• No Galaxy AI

The Exynos W920 handles fitness tracking well, but the lack of Galaxy AI and slower performance limits its appeal compared to the Galaxy Watch 7.

Sensors and Health

The Galaxy Watch FE includes a BioActive Sensor (heart rate, ECG, blood oxygen), BIA (body composition), accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, ambient light, and compass. It supports ECG, blood oxygen, sleep tracking, stress monitoring, and body composition but lacks sleep apnea detection and temperature sensors. Health features require a Samsung phone for full functionality. Users praise its health tracking for the price but note less accuracy than the Galaxy Watch 7.

• Heart rate, ECG, blood oxygen, body composition
• Sleep tracking, stress monitoring
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer
• Ambient light, compass
• No sleep apnea or temperature sensor

Battery and Charging

The Galaxy Watch FE offers ~24–30 hours of battery life with a 247mAh battery. It supports wireless charging (0–100% in ~1.8 hours) via a magnetic charger. Real-world use yields ~20–24 hours with always-on display, similar to the Galaxy Watch 4 but worse than the Galaxy Watch 7’s 44mm model. Users report daily charging needs.

• 247mAh battery
• ~24–30h (normal), ~20–24h (always-on)
• Charging: 0–100% in ~1.8h
• Magnetic charger
• No fast charging

Connectivity

The Galaxy Watch FE supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n, 2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, and LTE (cellular models, $249.99). It includes a microphone and speaker for calls and Bixby. Connectivity matches the Galaxy Watch 4 but lacks the dual-band GPS of the Galaxy Watch 7. Users report stable connections but note battery drain with LTE.

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n, 2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0
• GPS, NFC, LTE (cellular models)
• Samsung Pay
• Microphone, speaker playback
• No dual-band GPS

Pricing and Availability

Launched at $199.99 (40mm, Bluetooth, aluminum), the Galaxy Watch FE began sales in June 2024 via Samsung, carriers, and retailers. LTE models cost $249.99. Available in Black, Pink Gold, Silver, it’s praised for affordability but criticized for battery life. Users find it a budget-friendly alternative to the Galaxy Watch 7.