The Galaxy S25 FE has all the looks of the Galaxy S25 Plus, but none of the snap

Date:
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:40:20 +0000

Description:
The Galaxy S25 FE is a solid phone that struggles to stand out as the Galaxy S25 Plus and other rivals offer a better experience.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: One-minute review (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Fan Edition range, now dubbed FE, offers a premium flagship experience at a more affordable price, but this is naturally achieved through compromises
on the specs sheet. This years Galaxy S25 FE tries to be a lower-cost Galaxy S25 Plus , and toward this goal, Samsung has completely delivered.

The Galaxy S25 FE features a solid specs sheet and an experience thats mostly akin to its more expensive siblings, but some of the tradeoffs result in an experience thats hard to recommend. The Galaxy S25 FE delivers the same battery life and charging speeds, the same great display, and two of the
three cameras are also identical. Yet, the reduction in RAM to 8GB and the switch to last years Exynos 2400 processor resulted in performance I found considerably wanting.

A key challenge is the competition - rivals are proving that Samsung may need to tweak its approach to the Fan Edition to deliver on its value. If youre in the US, the Galaxy S25 FE is much easier to recommend at its starting price
of $650, but even then, the OnePlus 13R is a worthy alternative.

In the UK, the Galaxy S25 FE is much harder to recommend. It's starting price is still 649, but there are competitors in this price range that you won't find in the states, like the Honor 400 Pro and Poco F7 Ultra , which both offer more powerful chipsets, better cameras, faster charging, and longer battery life.

That ultimately sums up the biggest challenge for the Galaxy S25 FE. It
offers a solid, yet unremarkable experience that doesnt excel in any particular area and struggles to stand out against its rivals, whether from Samsung or others. Its a good phone thatll keep you mostly happy, but there are better choices out there. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Price and availability Starts at $649 / 649 / AU$1,099 for 128GB/8GB configuration
Thats $350 / 350 / AU$600 less than S25 Plus, although this has double the storage. (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

The US and UK launch prices for the Galaxy S25 FE are competitive, especially as theyll likely reduce further with sales, and Samsung is offering
incentives such as a free Watch 7 and Buds in the UK. Its worth noting that this pricing applies to the 128GB storage option; the 256GB model costs an extra $50, 50, or 50. If you want the top 512GB model, itll cost you a
further $100, 100, or 100; at $799 in the US, other devices offer a true flagship experience and also come with similar amounts of storage.

At $649, the Galaxy S25 FE offers considerable value for US audiences and fills an emerging market need. Still, Samsung could do more to deliver a
truly competitive experience at this price point.

Storage

US price

UK price

AU price

128GB

$649

649

AU$1,099

256GB

$699

699

AU$1,199

512GB

$799

799

AU$1,399 Value score: 4 / 5 Samsung Galaxy S25 FE review: Specs

The Galaxy S25 FE is effectively a pared-back version of the Galaxy S25 Plus at a lower price. It weighs the same, has the same-sized screen, the same battery life and charging speeds, and two of the three cameras are also identical.

To achieve this, Samsung chose to cut down on the RAM (from 12GB to 8GB), reduce the peak brightness of the screen to 1,900 nits, and drop the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for its own Exynos 2400 processor. The periscope camera is lower resolution and has a longer focal length, but it still offers the same 3x optical zoom.

The 4,900 mAh battery is identical to the Galaxy S25 Plus, as is the 45W charging, which is faster than the 25W included in the more expensive Galaxy S25. Theres also 15W wireless charging and Qi2-Ready cases that add magnetic wireless charging support. As it launches with Android 16 and One UI 8 out of the box, the Galaxy S25 FE will receive one more software update than its namesake siblings.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

Dimensions

161.3 x 76.6 x 7.4 mm

Weight

190g

OS

OneUI 8, Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades promised

Display

6.7-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 1,900 nits peak brightness

Chipset

Exynos 2400 (4nm)

RAM

8GB

Storage

128GB / 256GB / 512GB

Battery

4,900mAh

Rear cameras

50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 8MP telephoto

Front camera

12MP

Charging

45W wired, 15W wireless

Colors

Icyblue, Jetblack, Navy, White Samsung Galaxy S25 FE review: Design The same familiar design as the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup The rear finish is less prone to scratching than the S25 Plus (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

Put the Galaxy S25 FE and Galaxy S25 Plus next to each other, and by design, theyre virtually indistinguishable. The Galaxy S25 FE offers most of the Galaxy S25 Plus experience at a lower price by retaining the same design language as the rest of the Galaxy S25 series.

The exception to this is in the rear glass finish. Almost a year after the Galaxy S25 Plus, the Galaxy S25 FE solves one of my key problems with the Plus's navy finish: it scratches extremely easily. Although theres no notable change to this finish, during my time with the Galaxy S25 FE, Ive found that the rear finish is more durable than the Galaxy S25 Plus, which is a welcome improvement that wasnt even applied to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 a few months ago.

Beyond this, the build is virtually identical to the Galaxy S25 Plus, right down to the same 190 grams weight. By virtue of larger bezels more on that below the Galaxy S25 FE is almost 3 mm taller and 1 millimeter wider than
the Galaxy S25 Plus, but this doesnt have a large impact on daily usage. Instead, it feels just like the Galaxy S25 Plus does.

If youve seen a recent Samsung phone, the design of the Galaxy S25 FE will feel instantly familiar. However, I hope that, in future versions, Samsung aims to differentiate it somewhat so it feels unique, in much the same way that the Galaxy S25 Edge feels familiar yet unique within the rest of the Galaxy S25 family. Design score: 4 / 5 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review:
Display Large, vibrant display that's on par with the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Plus Just as capable as the best Samsung phones. (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

The key selling point for the Galaxy S25 FE is that it offers a display of
the same size and quality as the flagship Galaxy S25 Plus, but at a more affordable price. In this vein, the 6.7-inch screen on the FE absolutely delivers, and its one of my favorite features on this phone.

A peak brightness of 1,900 nits is lower than the Galaxy S25 Plus (which reaches 2,600 nits) and lower than key rivals such as the Pixel 10 (up to 3,000 nits) and OnePlus 13R (up to 4,500 nits). Yet, under the bright
sunshine in Bali over the past few days, Ive had zero issues with this lower brightness and its proven to be just as capable as its siblings in direct sunlight. Theres also the same 1-120Hz dynamic refresh rate and HDR10+ support, although it lacks the Dolby Vision support that some non-Samsung rivals continue to offer.

Although the screen size is the same, the bezels around the Galaxy S25 FE display are slightly larger than on the Galaxy S25 Plus, but this doesnt affect daily usage. Similarly, the drop from Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to
Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both the front and rear hasnt led to any reduction
in protection, at least in the time Ive been using it, especially since both feature the same Mohs hardness rating for durability.

Samsung consistently makes my favorite smartphone screens, and the Galaxy S25 FE screen is up there with the best Samsung phones . If you want a large, vibrant, and colorful display, this one hits the mark! Display score: 5 / 5 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Software Seven years of Android and security updates Slower AI performance thanks to more reliance on the cloud (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

The Galaxy S25 FE runs One UI 8 on top of Android 16 out of the box, and
comes with the same seven-year commitment towards software and security updates as the rest of the family. By launching with the latest Android version out of the box, the seven-year commitment means it will support up to Android 23, whereas the rest of the Galaxy S25 is only guaranteed to support up to Android 22.

Samsung has proven to be quite adept at rolling out updates quite quickly a stark contrast to its past history of being amongst the slowest so its
likely that the Galaxy S25 FE will receive updates in a timely way like the rest of the lineup.

One UI 8 remains one of the most polished Android experiences you can find, and the Galaxy S25 FE does nothing out of the ordinary that you wont find on the rest of the lineup. However, the lower RAM and change in processor more on that below also mean AI performance is far weaker, with more tasks requiring cloud assistance rather than being performed on-device.

Samsungs Galaxy AI suite has all the features youd expect from an AI suite on a flagship smartphone, but the lack of performant capabilities means you are less likely to use these. Thats a shame as Writing Tools, editing in the Gallery app, and Circle-to-Search are all features I use quite often. On the Galaxy S25 FE, Ive found I use them less often simply because theres a
notable delay in responses and completing requests.

Beyond this, youll find that the Galaxy S25 FE feels just like any other Samsung smartphone. Its designed to be instantly familiar to anyone who has used a modern Samsung smartphone, and it delivers the same experience and interface as the One UI 8 update for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy S25 Edge, and Galaxy S25 Plus. Software score: 3 / 5 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Cameras A nearly identical experience to the Galaxy S25 Plus camera A poorer telephoto camera, that's even farther behind the competition (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

Look at the Galaxy S25 Plus camera and the Galaxy S25 FE camera, and you'll notice that they're virtually the same. This is both a blessing and a curse, as it's easy for Samsung to use this camera system again it's been the same in many recent Samsung phones but it continually struggles against the competition.

However, dive deeper, and you'll notice that while the 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide cameras are the same as the Galaxy S25 Plus, the 8MP telephoto is a step lower than the 12MP telephoto in the Galaxy S25 Plus. As a result, average telephoto performance on the Plus is even worse on the Galaxy S25 FE.

The net result is that while this camera is mostly as capable as the rest of the Galaxy S25 family save for the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra it's not a
true flagship camera. Instead, the main and ultrawide cameras are slightly above average at best, while the telephoto is below average, especially compared to the competition.

Despite this, the Galaxy S25 FE does retain one of my favorite camera
features on any smartphone camera: color point in portrait mode.

Samsung's portrait mode has proven more versatile than the competition, with
a variety of options that can be adjusted before or after taking a photo.

Color Point is the most unique feature on a phone. It lets you keep a subject in color while turning the background grayscale. While performance is less capable on the Galaxy S25 FE than on other Samsung phones, it still lets you capture unique photos that no other phone can natively.

Then there's the 12MP selfie camera, and this delivers the same performance
as the rest of the lineup, which uses the same selfie camera. I've found that images are a little soft and lacking in detail, but this is true of most of its siblings.

That mostly summarizes the entire Galaxy S25 FE camera experience: it's virtually identical to the Galaxy S25 Plus, but this isn't necessarily a positive, especially as the Galaxy S25 Plus camera is slightly above average at best. However, the Galaxy S25 FE offering this at a lower price does mean it's better than most phones at this price point. Camera score: 3 / 5 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Camera samples Image 1 of 6 (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia) Image 2 of 6 (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia) Image 3 of 6 (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia) Image 4 of 6 (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia) Image 5
of 6 (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia) Image 6 of 6 (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Performance Average performance from the Exynos 2400 processor in daily tasks Below average performance under
heavy usage, or when using AI features. (Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

If there's one area where the Galaxy S25 FE has proven disappointing, it's performance.

Samsung managed to reduce the price of the Galaxy S25 FE (compared to the Galaxy S25 Plus) by switching from Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy to last year's Samsung Exynos 2400. While this is acceptable for daily use, it has a marked impact on performance under gaming, heavy loads, and AI.

Simply put, the Galaxy S25 FE begins to struggle under heavy loads,
especially since the lower RAM means it's often bumping up against the edge
of available memory. This is also readily apparent in the camera app, where image processing takes considerably longer than on the Galaxy S25 Plus.

In most daily tasks, the Galaxy S25 FE delivers flagship-level performance, but if you're a heavy user, you will likely find it wanting. Similarly, the fingerprint sensor remains one of the worst on a smartphone to date just
like the rest of the Galaxy S25 family and Samsung needs to improve it considerably in future phones, especially as the competition is significantly better. Performance score: 3 / 5 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Battery
Solid battery life that delivers a day of use with a little to spare. 45W charging is also a welcome improvement (Image credit: Max Delaney / Future)

The Galaxy S25 FE features the same 4,900 mAh battery as the Galaxy S25 Plus, and as such, it delivers mostly the same battery life.

During my time with it, it has mostly lasted a full day of use with around
5-6 hours of screen time, but it doesn't achieve much more than that. With heavy usage, this slips to just under five hours, and the battery needs recharging by the end of the day, but this is mostly when using the camera extensively or gaming heavily.

When you need to recharge the battery, charging speeds have improved from 25W to 45W, reducing overall charging time to around an hour.

However, like the rest of Samsung's lineup, achieving the top speeds requires using Samsung's own 45W charger, or another higher-rated PPS charger. When plugged into my trusty Nomad wall charger which can deliver up to 100W for most phones or my Anker power bank, I've experienced charging speeds closer to 30W, and overall charging time dropped to around an hour and 20 minutes.

Then there are two different occasions where the Galaxy S25 FE decided to trickle charge and took over 3 hours to charge to full. When I next charged
it with the same charger, it had suddenly returned to the fast charging speeds, and even restarting the phone didn't help when it had entered this trickle charging mode. There's no specific reason this should have happened, and I've yet to replicate it beyond those two occasions, but it's puzzling
and a little concerning.

Overall battery life is more than good enough for most people, but the charging situation remains somewhat puzzling. It can deliver a fast charge in an hour, but it can also take much longer, and there seems to be little rhyme or reason for it. Battery score: 3 / 5 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge score card

Value

If you want a Galaxy S25 Plus at a more affordable price, the Galaxy S25 FE delivers. However, rivals stand out for key reasons in ways that the Galaxy S25 FE just can't.

4/5

Design

An improved rear finish over the Galaxy S25 Plus, but otherwise this is virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the Samsung's lineup. I wish Samsung had found a way to make it stand out.

4/5

Display

The same great display I saw on the Galaxy S25 Plus (with the same below-average fingerprint scanner). Its vibrant and sharp, even in direct light despite the lower peak brightness, but it remains one of the best screens on a phone.

4/5

Software

Samsungs One UI looks as good as ever, though the lack of performance means the AI features are less useful than ever. Thankfully, this phone still gets seven years of updates so is a solid buy for long-term support.

3/5

Cameras

The cameras are virtually identical to the Galaxy S25 Plus, meaning you get the same above-average camera experience. Yet, this is the same camera system found on Samsung phones for years, and doesn't stand out in any way, especially when rivals offer better zoom performance.

3/5

Performance

The Exynos 2400 is a key difference to the rest of the Galaxy S25 family, and also a source of disappointment for overall performance, but especially on-device AI features. An older Snapdragon chipset would likely have
performed better here.

3/5

Battery

Solid but unremarkable battery life, that's just shy of the battery found on the Galaxy S25 Plus.. The 45W charging is a welcome improvement, but doesn't markedly change overall charging times and neither stands out against the competition.

3/5 Buy it if...

You want a cheaper Galaxy S25 Plus
The Galaxy S25 FE is effectively a more affordable Galaxy S25 Plus, so if
your budget doesn't stretch that far, or deals aren't as widely available,
you should consider the Galaxy S25 FE.

The camera isn't as important to you. If you don't take many photos or don't care about the best camera, the Galaxy S25 FE is worth considering. Don't buy it if...

You want the best phone.
If you want the best phone, look elsewhere. The Galaxy S25 FE is fine, but there are better phones you can buy at a similar price.

You want a camera that doesnt disappoint.
The Galaxy S25 FE's camera can be disappointing if you want the best or if
you take a lot of photos. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
The Galaxy S25 Plus is a better version of the Galaxy S25 FE, and is often available at a similar price, especially outside the US. If it's between
these two, the Galaxy S25 Plus is a much better purchase.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
If you want the best Samsung phone you can buy, this is it, as it comes with an S Pen, anti-glare screen, two zoom lenses, incredible battery life, and up to 1TB of storage. The only problem? It's twice the price.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review How I tested the Samsung
Galaxy S25 Edge I used the phone as my primary phone for a week, and as a secondary phone for another two weeks. I took over 100 photos and videos in a variety of lighting conditions I played games and watched movies I checked my email, posted on social media and worked in Slack I used AI features extensively

I've been using the Galaxy S25 FE for over two months since its launch in early September.

Before posting this review, I used it extensively in the US, UK, and Bali for a week, complete with two active SIM cards. I tested all of the AI features
on both Wi-Fi and mobile data connections, as well as

Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT, Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on video tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.

For battery testing, we perform proprietary tests that are the same for every phone, which enable us to determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.

Read more about how we test Why you can trust TechRadar 100s of gaming laptops reviewed
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