Samsung’s FE or “Fan Edition” models are often a popular choice among consumers for a variety of reasons. While they don’t cost as much as flagship phones, they’re very similar to the top-tier Galaxy S series models, and aren’t too far off in terms of features and specs. Like previous iterations, the new Samsung Galaxy S25 FE slots between the most expensive A-series phones and the entry-level flagship S-series models (Galaxy A56 5G and Galaxy S25 respectively).
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE price in India starts at Rs. The 8GB + 128GB RAM and storage configuration is priced at Rs 59,999, while the 8GB + 256GB and 8GB + 512GB variants are priced at Rs. 65,999 and Rs. 77,999 respectively. At this price point, it can compete with products from popular brands like iQOO, OnePlus, and Vivo. However, does the “Fan Edition” offer enough features to stand out among them? We’ll explain in our Samsung Galaxy S25 FE review.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE design: Like a flagship
- Dimensions – 161.3 x 76.6 x 7.4 mm
- Weight – 190g
- Colors- Ice Blue, Jet Black, Navy and White
- Protection level – IP68
If you’ve used any Galaxy S series phone in the past few years, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE will feel familiar to you. It carries over the tech conglomerate’s tried-and-true design philosophy that it employs on its flagship models, and it works really well here. The phone is very similar to the Galaxy S25 and S25+, with a flat frame design and rounded corners.
The back panel of the phone has a matte texture, making it less susceptible to fingerprints.
The back panel of the Galaxy S25 FE features a matte finish that is smooth to the touch, anti-fingerprint and has a premium feel. Like the display, the back of the phone is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the frame is made of Samsung Aluminum Armor. It also has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, keeping it safe even if it’s accidentally submerged in water for a short time.
Samsung claims its new Fan Edition model is 0.6 mm thinner and 23 grams lighter than its predecessor. Despite its larger size, it feels balanced and comfortable to hold. The Samsung Galaxy S5 FE is available in ice blue, jet black, navy blue and white. I looked at the navy color option and while looks are subjective, it was the best and felt the most premium.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE display: powerful
- Size and resolution – 6.7-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1,080 x 2,340 pixels
- Refresh rate – 120Hz
- Protection – Gorilla Glass Victus+
Samsung has equipped its Fan Edition with a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of up to 1,900 nits. While the panel isn’t as impressive as the one on the Galaxy S25 or Plus models, it still produces sharp visuals, with deep blacks and excellent contrast. The panel offers vibrant and natural color modes, and you can further customize the RGB profiles.
Colors look well-balanced, depending on the adjustments you choose, and viewing angles are very good. The Galaxy S25 FE’s display is also Widevine L1 compliant, which means you can enjoy HDR content anywhere and anytime. So if you like to binge-watch movies or shows during your commute, you’ll love the Galaxy S25 FE.
The display is colorful and bright enough for outdoor use
Samsung claims the Galaxy S25 FE has a peak brightness of 1,900 nits, ensuring clear text and crisp visuals outdoors. Although Samsung doesn’t market it as an LTPO panel, it functions similarly to one and has a refresh rate outside the claimed 60Hz-120Hz range. This makes scrolling through social media a smooth experience.
There’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication, and like other high-end Samsung phones, it’s very snappy. Speaking of sound, the hybrid stereo speakers on the Galaxy S25 FE are very good, with impressive separation, clear sound, and just the right amount of bass. Call quality on the phone is also great.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Software: The quintessential Galaxy experience
- Software-One UI 8.0
- Version- Android 16
- Commitment Updates – 7 years OS + 7 years SMR
You might think the Galaxy S25 FE’s software experience would be different from other Samsung phones thanks to the Android 16 upgrade, but in reality it’s a largely similar experience, albeit with some quality-of-life additions. While there isn’t much to reveal, some improvements to notable features prove useful, although you’ll find them on other Samsung phones as One UI 8 rolls out more widely.
First, you’ll get new customization options for your lock screen, such as a clock hidden behind a person in the wallpaper or a pet. You’ll also find the operating system visually appealing, with improved animations, new icons, smoother widget integration, and expanded layout options.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is a non-foldable phone from the company that comes with One UI 8
The two features I find most useful are the Audio Eraser, which automatically removes unwanted background noise from videos, recordings, and more in real time. The second is Generative Editing, which now highlights suggested objects that can be removed from images using Galaxy AI. These AI features work much better than when I tried using Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 15 Pro.
The overall experience in One UI 8 is smooth and has improvements across the board. I didn’t encounter any major bugs or glitches, and the phone maintained lag-free performance. What’s frustrating, however, is the presence of unnecessary first- and third-party apps. You will find apps like Global goal, SmartThings, Samsung Shop, Wearable and even LinkedIn pre-installed on the phone, which is disappointing for a phone priced close to Rs. 60,000 marks. Still, Samsung’s seven-year commitment to operating system upgrades and security updates remains a benchmark in the smartphone industry, and the Galaxy S25 FE also delivers.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE performance: Close to flagship level, but hot
- Processor – Exynos 2400
- Memory – 8GB
- Storage – up to 512GB, UFS 4.0
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is powered by the Exynos 2400 chipset, which was also used in last year’s Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ models. It is a flagship chipset suitable for most occasions. It keeps everything running smoothly during day-to-day use, including calling, texting, binge-watching content, and browsing social media.
However, one of my long-standing gripes with Exynos chipsets has always been thermal efficiency, and it affects the Galaxy S25 FE as well.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE has an impressive speaker setup
Despite its impressive performance, the phone is pretty average when it comes to cooling. I played games like Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact, and despite being in an air-conditioned room, the phone started getting warm after about 20 minutes. I then tried a few older games like CSR Racing 2 and GTA: San Andreas, and while it wasn’t as severe, the phone was still warm to the touch. Using the Galaxy S25 FE in the sun for long periods of time can be problematic, especially given the soaring temperatures across the country during the summer.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE comes with 8GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. Interestingly, the 128GB variant of the Galaxy S25 FE comes with UFS 3.1, while the 256GB and 512GB variants come with UFS 4.0. While it’s not expected to impact day-to-day use, we recommend opting for a higher storage version if you want high data read speeds.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE camera: Impressive
- Rear – 50-megapixel main camera (f/1.8) + 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle (f/2.2) + 8-megapixel telephoto (f/2.4)
- Front – 12 megapixels (f/2.2)
On paper, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE retains the camera system of its predecessor, with just an upgraded selfie camera. In terms of camera performance, the 50-megapixel main sensor on the back of the Galaxy S25 FE is definitely the best of the three.
Daylight and low light main camera samples (click to expand)
It takes photos with natural colors, decent dynamic range, and good exposure in daylight conditions. Photos of both people and objects contain a great deal of detail.
The 8-megapixel telephoto camera is also a good choice, capturing subject detail well in daylight and maintaining good contrast and vibrant colors. For the most part, photos appear to be well exposed, although the camera can have trouble isolating elements like hair from background bokeh.
Daylight and low-light 3x telephoto camera examples (click to expand)
Due to the relatively small sensor size, photos become softer as you move indoors. The Galaxy S25 FE’s 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens is adequate, but not as impressive as the phone’s other two sensors. It’s good enough for shooting, but only in good lighting conditions. Its dynamic range is quite limited. Although the field of view is very wide, the level of detail captured by the UW lens is acceptable.
Portrait camera example (click to expand)
Low-light performance is also impressive, but only on the main sensor. It controls most of the flare or bright light in the lens, providing clear images. While noise does appear, it only appears when shooting in extremely dim conditions. However, the camera underexposes blacks in the shadows, resulting in washed-out photos and loss of detail.
New on the Galaxy S25 FE is a 12-megapixel selfie camera borrowed from the flagship Galaxy S25 model, but it lacks autofocus. It produces footage with wide dynamic range and natural colors.
Daylight and low-light selfie camera examples (click to expand)
Skin tones appear accurate, even in challenging conditions, and faces are generally well exposed.
Next, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE can record video at up to 8K 30fps on the main sensor. There’s also comprehensive electronic image stabilization (EIS). Video captured in all conditions was generally clean, with good detail and balanced colors. It also stabilizes very well.
All in all, the Galaxy S25 FE has a solid camera system that can take impressive photos in most conditions, but it’s not the best in its price range. The Vivo X200 FE (Review) takes up this role.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE battery: standard configuration
- Battery capacity – 7,000mAh
- Wired charging – 45W
- Wireless charging – 15W
- Charger – not included in the box
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is equipped with a 4,900mAh battery. Just enough to last a day. On a normal day, the phone’s battery level is only in the single digits by night. I averaged four and a half to five hours of screen-on time on 5G and Wi-Fi, which is plenty. However, heavy users will struggle to last a full day on a single charge.
Galaxy S25 FE charging speed improved
The benefit here is that charging is now faster. Samsung increased the charging speed from 25W on the Galaxy S24 FE to 45W on the S25 FE. Charging takes about 30 minutes to charge nearly 60% of the battery, and charging to 100% takes just over an hour.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE aims to deliver a flagship experience at half the cost, and it almost does that. It impresses with its design, vibrant display, and solid main and telephoto cameras. You also get a flagship chipset, along with Samsung’s unparalleled software support.
However, it’s not without its problems. Heating issues remain, and battery life is only average. While it’s an improvement, charging speeds still lag behind many competitors in this price segment. If you’re looking for a flagship design, great software support, and an AI experience, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is a great choice. If you prioritize a good camera experience or all-around performance, then the Vivo X200 FE (review), OnePlus 13s (review), and iQOO 13 (review) are better purchase options.
