Samsung’s new Galaxy S25 FE brings flagship feels at a lower price
Samsung's latest foray into mid-range smartphones is the Galaxy S25 Fan Edition, which is lighter, thinner and packs a bigger battery.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE (short for Fan Edition) brings together many of the best parts of the flagship S25 series but at a more agreeable price point.
But let's quickly run through costs and availability first before getting into the specs, features and first impressions.
How much does the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE cost in Australia?
The price of the Galaxy S25 FE starts at $1,099, so similar to last year's S24 FE and around $300 cheaper than the S25 base model launched at the start of the year.
Here's a look at how the prices stack up between the S25 FE, S25 and S25 Plus.
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S25 FE 128GB | $1,099 |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 FE 256GB | $1,199 |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 FE 512GB | $1,399 |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 256GB | $1,399 |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 512GB | $1,599 |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus 256GB | $1,699 |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus 512GB | $1,899 |
You can get it in Icy Blue, Jetblack or Navy, alongside 6 months of the Google AI Pro plan.
When does the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE go on sale in Australia?
You can't pre-order the S25 FE and will need to wait until 26 September 2025, when it officially goes on sale.
Similar to last year, we expect Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to offer it on a phone plan. For the S24 FE, they'd discounted the price by $250-$300, and Vodafone had also thrown in $100 in bonus trade-in credit.
You will also be able to buy it outright from retailers such as JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman.
Samsung has also launched a new 11-inch Galaxy Tab S11 and the enormous Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, along with a new stylus pen. It's now hexagon-shaped to be more ergonomic and comes with tilt-based writing and drawing features.
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Samsung Galaxy S25 FE - first impressions
The S25 FE might not be a massive upgrade over its predecessor, but it packs some noticeable differences, such as:
- It's thinner and lighter despite having a 6.7-inch screen - 190 g and 7.4 mm versus 213 g and 8 mm for the S24 FE. I got to handle it briefly, and you can definitely feel the difference. It's much nicer to hold.
- The glossy back of the S24 FE, which got smudgy very quickly, is gone in favour of a matte finish.
- The battery's been bumped from 4,700mAh to 4,900mAh, and you'll get faster charging too.
- It still features a trio of cameras, with the selfie camera upgraded from 10MP to 12MP. And although it still has an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x zoom, it's still pretty good given the iPhone 16 base model doesn't come with a dedicated telephoto lens, so this is a nice-to-have.
- Unlike any of the other S25 models, the S25 FE will run on One UI 8 for Android 16. The other phones will eventually get the upgrade, but this is a nice sticking point for the fan edition, as you won't have to wait.
- And of course, you'll get a slew of AI features to play around with, such as Gemini Live, Circles to Search and Photo Assist.
Overall, the S25 FE is very close to flagship territory and a strong contender for those looking for a mid-range smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE specs
Here's an at-a-glance overview of how the S25 FE specs stack up against the S25 base model and the S25 Plus.
| Specification | S25 FE | S25 | S25 Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display 120Hz refresh rate (60/120Hz) Vision Booster | 6.2-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (1~120Hz) Vision booster Adaptive colour tone | 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (1~120Hz) Vision booster Adaptive colour tone |
| Dimensions & Weight | 76.6 X 161.3 X 7.4mm, 190g | 70.5 x 146.9 x 7.2mm, 162g | 75.8 x 158.4 x 7.3mm, 190g |
| Camera | 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera 50 MP Wide Camera 8 MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom) | 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera 50MP Wide Camera 10MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom) | 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera 50MP Wide Camera 10MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom) |
| Memory & Storage | 8 + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB | 12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery | 4,900 mAh | 4,000 mAh | 4,900 mAh |
| OS | Android 16 One UI 8 | Android 15 One UI 7 | Android 15 One UI 7 |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Colours | Navy, Jetblack, Icyblue | Navy, Silver Shadow, Icyblue, Mint Samsung online exclusive colours: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold | Navy, Silver Shadow, Icyblue, Mint Samsung online exclusive colours: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold |
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