Hands-On With the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: High-End for a Mid-Range Price
Samsung is launching a new smartphone on the market just in time for IFA 2025 - and it has a lot to offer. With top features and a comparatively low price, the Galaxy S25 FE is likely to be the ideal choice for many users. The FE model is another addition to the Galaxy S25 series: The FE marks the most affordable entry into Samsung's high-end segment. In terms of price, it lies between the affordable Galaxy A models and the premium devices of the S25 series.
Workmanship and Design
I was able to try out the device one day before the official launch. The workmanship is high quality: aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass on the front and back - all on a par with the more expensive models. There are four color variants to choose from: classic black or white, as well as "Navi" (strong dark blue) and "Iceblue" (subtle light blue).
At 6.7 inches, the display meets the current standard and is larger than the fairly compact, regular Galaxy S25. An AMOLED panel with a 120 Hertz refresh rate and high brightness is used - everything remains easy to read even in sunlight. The display edges are pleasantly narrow; only the lower chin is slightly wider.
Technology: Solid, But Not Quite Top of the Range
While the other S25 models rely on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Samsung uses its own Exynos 2400 in the S25 FE, which is slightly weaker but still delivers strong performance. The same chip is already used in last year's Galaxy S24 FE. It is a shame that Samsung has not already installed the new Exynos 2500 here, which is found in the Galaxy Flip7, for example. In our first impression on site, the device impressed with its smooth performance - even demanding AI applications such as generative image processing ran smoothly.
Software and Battery
On the software side, Android 16 with Samsung's One UI 8 interface is installed. All AI features of the S25 series are on board, including sketch-to-image and generative image generation. As with the top smartphones, Samsung promises seven years of update support - both for new Android versions and for security patches.
The battery has a capacity of 4,900 mAh - solid, but not outstanding. Chinese manufacturers offer more capacity here thanks to silicon-carbon batteries. After two hours of use, it is not yet possible to make a reliable statement about the battery life. Charging takes up to 45 watts - around 65 percent in 30 minutes.
Camera: Almost like the Top Model
The camera features are very similar to the regular S25: 50 MP main camera, 12 MP ultra-wide angle, and 12 MP front camera. The only difference: the telephoto camera only offers 8 MP. Nevertheless, there is real optical zoom instead of just digital magnification.
Prices and Variants
The Galaxy S25 FE starts at 749 euros with 128 GB of memory. For 60 euros more, there is a 256 GB version and, exclusively in the Samsung online store, a 512 GB version for 929 euros.
The entry-level price may seem high, but experience shows that Samsung devices fall in price quickly. Even the predecessor was available at a significantly lower price after just a few weeks. If you want a little more than budget, but don't need a four-digit high-end device, the S25 FE should be the best choice.
