The Samsung S25 FE lineup has officially launched with a starting terms of $649.
It features a amended beforehand camera, battery, and chipset, arsenic good arsenic a much compact signifier factor.
With vacation merchantability play connected the horizon, you tin expect discounts connected the flagship phones soon, making the terms quality little enticing.
As phones proceed to get flashier features, much unsocial factors, almighty cameras, and much precocious processors susceptible of supporting the expanding request for on-device AI processing, prices besides continuously go steeper. Luckily, for consumers who conscionable privation the essentials, fund phones exist, and Samsung conscionable unveiled its newest lineup: the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE.
At a glance, the S25 FE is astir indistinguishable from its flagship counterparts. It sports the aforesaid signature Galaxy aesthetic with a rectangular shape, rounded edges, a three-camera array connected the back, and cleanable matte finishes. However, aft holding it, the differences that marque the $150 terms spread a happening became apparent.
After spending a greeting with the S25 FE, present is simply a roundup of the caller phone's biggest standouts and what you could expect if you marque the switch.
1. Enhanced Galaxy AI features
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
At the January Unpacked event, Samsung launched its flagship S25 instrumentality lineup, and 1 of its biggest standouts was the plethora of AI features. Now, each of those aforesaid productivity and connection features are disposable successful the FE mentation too, enabling you to acquisition the suite without shelling retired the other cash.
"Galaxy S25 FE plays an important relation arsenic a gateway into the broader Galaxy AI ecosystem, making these AI-powered experiences much attainable for a broader scope of users," said Jay Kim, EVP and Head of Customer Experience Office, Mobile eXperience Business astatine Samsung Electronics successful the release.
As expected, galore of the AI features payment the camera and photograph acquisition of the phone. In summation to Photo Assist, already disposable connected past year's S24 FE, the caller exemplary features a Generative Edit feature, which detects photobombers successful the inheritance of your photos and suggests what to remove. Audio eraser allows you to set the measurement of assorted dependable elements successful your videos, specified arsenic voices, wind, noises, and more. Meanwhile, the Auto Trim diagnostic automatically slices your video to item the champion moments.
The halfway of the caller features is geared toward much personalized experiences successful an effort to marketplace the offerings arsenic a "true AI companion." For example, users tin present entree their Now Brief, which gives them insights that summarize and expect their regular needs, specified arsenic surfacing navigation suggestions oregon docket reminders.
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
The Now Bar connected the fastener surface besides surfaces different tools and applicable information.
Purchasing the S25 FE comes with six months of escaped entree to Gemini Advanced, Google's premium AI plan, which retails for $20 per month. The plan's perks see Gemini successful Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Deep Research, Canvas, and more.
2. Better specs for powerfulness users
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
The S25 FE got improved specs wherever it matters to present the astir optimal performance. This starts with the inclusion of the Samsung in-house Exynos 2400 chipset, a measurement up from the S24 FE's Exynos 2400e. While the 2 chipsets dependable astir identical, the faster CPU timepiece velocity of the S25 FE should, successful theory, connection a show boost.
Of course, the Exynos spot won't vie with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite recovered connected the pricier S25 models -- that's a sacrifice you'll beryllium making by opting for the FE.
On a much affirmative note, the S25 FE features a larger 4,900mAh artillery this year. This, paired with the 45W wired charging, should supply amended endurance overall. We'll person to spot for ourselves during the review.
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
The selfie camera has besides been upgraded to a 12MP sensor that Samsung says should output crisper and much vivid pictures. While that is the lone camera upgrade connected this year's FE model, the three-camera array connected the backmost of the telephone inactive consists of a versatile 12MP ultra-wide, 50MP wide, and 8MP telephoto. Paired with the AI features above, you tin expect an improved photo-taking experience.
3. Lighter and thinner signifier factor
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
Recently, determination has been an influx of lighter and slimmer telephone designs, arsenic seen by the S25 Edge, and the S25 FE is the latest to articulation the trend. While it's not to the aforesaid grade of slimmness arsenic the Edge model, a Samsung spokesperson tells maine that the institution took the Edge conception and carried it to the S25 FE.
Weighing conscionable 190g, the S25 FE is not lone lighter than its predecessor, which weighed 213g, but besides 0.6mm slimmer. The dimensions are reasonably akin to the Galaxy S25 Plus, truthful if you similar the look and consciousness of that device, you volition bask this one.
Despite the compactness, the show was not compromised. It inactive sports a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, the aforesaid size arsenic that of the Galaxy S25 Plus, with up to a 120Hz refresh complaint for a creaseless browsing experience. Even successful my constricted clip with the phone, the representation was not thing to scoff at, with affluent contrasts and vibrant colors, arsenic seen successful the Star Trek app visuals below.
Pricing and availability
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE retails for $649 and tin beryllium purchased contiguous from the Samsung website. It is disposable successful Navy, Jetblack, White, and Icyblue. From my abbreviated clip with the devices, Samsung seems to person delivered a coagulated telephone with each the essentials, perfect for idiosyncratic who isn't a powerfulness idiosyncratic and doesn't request the further specs and show boost that comes with pricier flagships.
While you see making the purchase, it is worthy noting that the vacation play is connected the horizon, which means sales galore. It is precise apt that the flagship Galaxy S25 lineup becomes discounted, closing the spread betwixt those models and the S25 FE. However, this isn't guaranteed and volition necessitate immoderate patience, truthful if you conscionable privation a telephone without each the bells and whistles, the S25 FE whitethorn beryllium a much sensible pickup today.
2 hours ago
7
English (US) ·