Many may have forgotten that the Fan Edition (FE) series was launched after the Galaxy Note7 explosion incident due to battery issues. Many expected the Galaxy Note FE to be the only device in the series as it was Samsung’s excuse to use unused Galaxy Note7 components.
But now the FE series is being used by Samsung on flagship devices that are offered at a more affordable price, with slightly lower specs but still offering attractive value. With the launch of the Galaxy S25 FE today, is it still a worthy device for those who don’t want to spend a lot?
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE
6.7″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz screen,
FHD+, HDR10+
Exynos 2400 processor (4nm)
1x 3.2GHz Cortex-X4 chip
2x 2.9GHz Cortex-A720
3x 2.6GHz Cortex-A720
4x 1.95GHz Cortex-A520
Xclipse 940 Graphics Chip
RAM 8GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 256/512 GB UFS 4.0
Main Camera 50MP f/1.8 OIS, (Wide Angle)
12MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide)
8MP, f/2.4, OIS 3x Optical Zoom (Telephoto)
12MP f/2.2 Selfie Camera
4900 mAh battery
45W wired charging
Wireless charging 15W Qi2
Reverse charging 4.5W
SIM/Telephony 1 Nano, 1 eSIM
5G
NFC Yes
Audio Jack No
Waterproof IP68
Scanning System Side fingerprint scanner
Selling Price RM 3,099 (8/256 GB)
RM 3,699 (8/512 GB)
SCREEN and DESIGN
With a 6.7″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz screen, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the “face” of the Galaxy S25 FE is the same as the Galaxy S25+. It’s the same size but without LTPO technology with a refresh rate of 60Hz or 120Hz only. The bezels are even on all four corners with the fingerprint scanner located under the screen and protected by durable Gorilla Glass Victus+. The screen is flat so there are no issues with viewing angles or video content spilling over the sides
The boxy aesthetic of the Galaxy S25 devices from earlier this year is brought back with a slightly textured finish to provide a comfortable surface to hold. The frame is made of Enhanced Armor Aluminum with the entire body passing IP68 water and dust resistance standards.
There is a power button and audio rocker on the right side while below is one of the stereo speakers, a USB-C charging port and a SIM tray. The SIM tray only supports one nano-sized SIM with a second cellular connection requiring an eSIM. There is no microSD card support. The back panel is made of a polycarbonate-like material allowing for Qi2 15W wireless charging support,.
The Galaxy S25 FE's body finish is neat and practical. There is no issue with it collecting dirt quickly as it doesn't have a glossy finish. The three camera lens bumps on the back have a ring finish making it look stylish. Its presence also means that the device cannot be placed flat on a table.
All three cameras this year are the same as last year, namely 50MP wide angle, 12MO ultra wide and 3X 8MP optical telephoto. The only thing that has changed is the front camera, which is now 12MP. It has been Samsung's theme this year that the camera hardware has not been changed.
This year's battery is 4900 mAh, which is larger than 4700 mAh on the Galaxy S24 FE. Besides being larger, it also supports faster 45W charging compared to only 25W last year. As I mentioned above, the device supports Qi2 and PowerShare reverse charging.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
The One UI 8 operating system based on Android 16 is used. This makes the Galaxy S25 FE the fourth device from Samsung launched with the latest operating system after the Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 series recently. I understand that the One UI update for the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra will only arrive in Malaysia at the end of this month. So it's a bit funny that the least powerful device in the S25 family is the first to receive Android 16.
The device runs smoothly despite being equipped with the Exynos 2400 which is last year's chip. I was actually a bit disappointed because I expected the Exynos 2500 to be used. It's just a minor update compared to the Exynos 2400e on the Galaxy S24 FE. Memory up to 8GB of LPDDR5x RAM and storage up to 512GB of UFS 4.0.
Speaking of RAM, the RAM Plus feature can add up to 8GB of memory virtually. It can be turned off if the owner doesn't want some of the storage taken up to add RAM. There are also options to only add 2, 4, and 6 GB of virtual RAM
All Galaxy AI features such as Translate, Writing Assist, Sketch Assist, Now Bar, Now Brief, and Circle to Search are also included. New is Google Gemini and Gemini Voice can be invoked using the power button.
Samsung's strength still lies in software as the Galaxy S25 FE will receive support for 7 Android operating system version updates as well as 7 years of security patches, which is much longer than other Android device manufacturers except for the Google Pixel.
CONCLUSION
In my opinion, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE can also be given the backup name Galaxy S25+ Lite. It is a device that is almost the same in terms of design, features, battery and capabilities. The only difference is that the S25 FE is equipped with a less powerful chip, smaller RAM size and a smaller telephoto camera sensor. The advantage of the Galaxy S25 FE is that it already uses Android 16.
In a relatively short use, the performance of launching applications, the smoothness of the interface and the Galaxy AI features offered are comparable to other Galaxy S25s and also the Z Fold7. With a starting price of RM7799 (12/256GB), the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is the most affordable Galaxy S25 model in the local market.
Pros
Neat and premium design.
Using One UI 8 based on Android 16.
IP68 waterproof
Support for 7 Android versions and 7 years of security patches.
Larger battery and faster charging.
Cons
No upgrade to the main camera sensor.
Only 8GB RAM
Only Exynos 2400 chip
