It has been a good two years since Samsung decided to merge the Galaxy Note line into the Galaxy S series as the Ultra variant, and it seems that the Korean tech giant is streamlining its lineup yet again. With reports that there might be no Galaxy S23 FE for this year, it seems that the newly-launched Galaxy A34 and A54 will be the ones replacing the FE series.

The idea of an FE series started back in 2017 when Samsung wanted to sell its remaining stock of Galaxy Note 7 phones–but equipped them with smaller batteries following the fiasco that caused these phones to catch fire.

Since then, the FE series was positioned as a Galaxy S variant that offers flagship-like features but at a lower price tag. In short, it was Samsung’s own approach to the “flagship killer” phone. That resulted in having models such as the Galaxy S20 FE and Galaxy S21 FE. However, both phones were met with mixed reception, as they were expensive for a flagship killer and their release timing is awkward. Add to the fact that the higher-end Galaxy A series (specifically the Galaxy A5x series) have been improving through the years feature-wise, it seems that Samsung has realized that there’s no need for a Galaxy FE series.

In fact, the Galaxy A54 does feel more premium than the previous two FE models with its glass back–the last time a Galaxy A-series had a glass back was the quirky Galaxy A80 from 2019. Aside from that, the Galaxy A54 (and even the A34) do look like the more expensive Galaxy S23 series with their individual camera bumps on the back and gentle curves on their aluminum frames.

Beyond looks, the Galaxy A54 does feel like a true S23 Lite if Samsung ever made one: The main camera uses the same sensor as the Galaxy S23, its AMOLED display is top-tier with its vibrant colors and high maximum brightness, and its performance is surprisingly decent based on our initial tests despite all the hate with Exynos processors.

Should you be sad that Samsung might no longer make a Galaxy FE device in the future? No, because the higher-end Galaxy A series has evolved significantly, and their under Php 30k price point still makes them competitive in the upper mid-range segment.

And how about the Galaxy A7x series? We don’t know what are Samsung’s plans for it, but we still hope to see a Galaxy A74 in the future.