Samsung Galaxy S25 FE review: Samsung's best "middle child"?

Samsung's vast product portfolio often makes it easy for consumers with different budgets to experience their devices. While the flagship segment is the gold standard in smartphones, there are editions that make it worthwhile for people to get a taste of that premium experience.

One such is the "Fan Edition" series, which has always had an interesting space in Samsung's portfolio. Keeping up with the tradition, Samsung expanded its Galaxy S25-series with S25 FE touted as a device that takes the best parts of the Galaxy S flagship family, trims some fat, and delivers a product that feels premium without costing as much as the top-tier models. Samsung Galaxy S25 FE follows that formula closely, and after spending more than a week with it, I can say it succeeds in many areas, but it's not devoid of its flaws. Let's dive deep into that thought.

Design and build

At first glance, the Galaxy S25 FE could easily be mistaken for its pricier sibling, the Galaxy S25 Plus. The design language is almost identical — flat glass front and back, polished aluminum frame, and clean camera layout with three distinct lenses. At 7.4mm thick, it feels slim in the hand, and the weight distribution is near perfect.

In terms of build, this is a phone that feels more "flagship" than "budget flagship," which is exactly what Samsung wants to achieve with the FE. It's durable, feels premium in hand and justifies carrying that borrowed moniker of the S25 from the flagship-series.

Display: Vibrant and bright

Samsung's displays are usually best-in-class, and the S25 FE doesn't disappoint. The 6.7-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X panel runs at Full HD+ resolution and supports adaptive refresh up to 120Hz. Colors pop with trademark Samsung vibrancy, HDR10+ is supported, and brightness peaks at an impressive 1900 nits, making outdoor visibility a non-issue, even on a bright sunny afternoon.

But if you pit it against the premium Galaxy S25 or S25+, the difference in sharpness is noticeable. The resolution dip means text and icons don't look quite as crisp. For most users, though, it's still a stunning display, especially if you're coming from an older phone. It's great for multimedia consumption, gaming and doom-scrolling on social media. The smooth refresh rate is another premium aspect, which will give you that smooth scroll and touch.

Performance: On par with flagships

Under the hood, the S25 FE runs on Samsung's Exynos 2400 processor. This is the same chip powering the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus, not the newer Snapdragon Elite found in the S25 line. In day-to-day use — browsing, streaming, social media, light editing and gaming — the device handles everything smoothly. Apps open quickly, multitasking is snappy, and animations in OneUI 8.0 feel fluid.

The phone comes with 8GB of RAM as standard, with storage options of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. For casual users, this is fine. But heavy multitaskers or gamers may feel the RAM ceiling and chipset limitations when pushing the phone. Graphic-intensive games run well at medium-to-high settings, but maxing them out makes the phone warm and occasionally stutter.

Samsung's latest Galaxy AI features, including real-time translation, photo editing assist, and transcription tools, are all there, though performance isn't as snappy as on the Snapdragon-equipped flagships. You get the experience, but not the horsepower. But it's a good gateway to experience that without having to shell out a premium.

Cameras: Made of the good stuff

Where the S25 FE shines is its camera system. The triple-lens setup features a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide, and an 8MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. On paper, it doesn't scream flagship, but in practice, it performs quite well.

Daylight photos are sharp, colors lean toward natural rather than oversaturated, and dynamic range is excellent. The 3x zoom gives it a big advantage over many mid-rangers, offering clear, detailed shots of distant subjects. The ultra-wide holds up well, though edge distortion creeps in under tricky lighting. Upto 3X zoom delivers crisp shots, but the distant background loses on details. Going to 10X is not usually advisable, as serves little photographic purpose.

Low-light performance is solid, with Samsung's processing pulling out detail and minimizing noise without overexposing highlights. Portrait mode works reliably, but gets tricky in less light as the edge detection isn't accurate. For the average user, who wants a reliable shooter, the S25 FE delivers a camera package that's difficult to fault at this price point. What I thoroughly enjoyed are selfies as the front cameras captures natural skin tones and bokeh effect is good on portrait mode.

Take a look at some of the camera samples shot on the S25 FE:

Battery life: Dependable

With a 4900mAh battery, the S25 FE comfortably lasts a full day and then some. My usage involved about 5–6 hours of screen time with social media, YouTube, Spotify, emails, and some photography — and I ended most days with 20–25% left.

Charging is handled via 45W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging, along with support for reverse wireless charging. The catch? Samsung doesn't include a charger in the box. Using a compatible 45W charger, the phone went from 0 to 50% in around 25 minutes, which is fast but not class-leading compared to rivals. A full charge will take you about an hour.

Software

The Galaxy S25 FE ships with Android 16 running OneUI 8.0, and Samsung promises extended OS and security updates, which is a big win for long-term users. The software experience is mature, polished, and familiar — you get customization options, excellent multitasking features, and Galaxy AI enhancements.

Features like Circle to Search and AI-driven transcription are present, but the FE doesn't showcase them as fluidly as the premium flagships.

Verdict: Flagship "lite" that feels right

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE nails the essentials — premium build, beautiful display, excellent cameras, reliable battery, and polished software. On the other, it makes compromises in performance and RAM that might feel too big at this price point.

At Rs 59,999, it enters dangerous territory. This is not a budget phone, and rivals like the OnePlus 12, iQOO 13 Pro, and even Samsung's own Galaxy S25 (with the festive discounts) offer compelling alternatives. The missing charger doesn't help either.

For buyers who want a Samsung flagship experience without stretching to the Rs 80,000+ bracket, the S25 FE is an attractive proposition — especially if cameras are your top priority. But for performance purists or value hunters, this Fan Edition may feel more like a compromise.