Galaxy S25 FE: is that the best $650 phone you can get right now?

Galaxy S25 FE is here and it costs $650. It's neither a true flagship nor a mid-range (again, it costs $650), so what exactly is it?

Samsung's new one materializes at an interesting moment in time – for the first time it's so early in September. The S24 FE was presented on September 26, while in 2023, the S23 FE came even later – on October 3.

Is Samsung perhaps… taking a jab at Apple? We're some days away from Apple's big iPhone 17 event and everybody obviously wants to know all about the next Cupertino handsets. But Samsung releases the Galaxy S25 FE mere days before the iPhone 17 and evidently wants some of those in need of a new phone to grab a Galaxy, and not a phone with a fruit logo on it.

So, is the Galaxy S25 FE the best phone to buy right now at $650?

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But first, talk to yourself

It's very important to get what you are looking for, but it's equally important to look for what you need the most.

Do you need a phone with the largest display, or the best cooling system – do you game a lot? Do you need a raw power champion, or you're after the largest, fastest-charging battery? Is a phone's camera setup vital to you?

Or, like the majority of people, want the best bang for the buck? Maybe we all need an all-rounder to tick as many boxes as possible, but I think that when you're spending $650, you might as well have something more specific in mind as a requirement.

So, where's the Galaxy S25 FE?

Sadly, I can't categorize the Galaxy S25 FE, as it doesn't belong to any particular category. It doesn't excel in any single field, on any front.

Let's go through the main components and features one by one and see where we end up – after all, maybe it is the perfect phone for you.

First things first, the Galaxy S25 FE looks sleek – it's a bit thinner than its predecessor and it's also lighter. The phone has a nice, bright 6.7-inch display that should be a pleasure to look at and it offers two refresh rate modes – 60Hz or 120Hz. The former saves battery, the latter brings that buttery-smooth scrolling and gaming experience.

It's a cool display, but nothing different from rivals (which often come with a greater resolution).

Next, chipset time: and it's the Exynos 2400. That's a hard pass for me. The FE models should try their best to offer the Galaxy S flagship level of performance – otherwise, wouldn't it be more honest to just brand them as Galaxy A phones?

The Exynos 2400 won't lag or stutter in many day-to-day operations, but, after all, it's the predecessor of the Exynos 2500. This chip – the 2500 variant, I mean – was recently put in the Galaxy Z Flip 7. While the 2500-dubbed silicone didn't cause problems, it's no match for the Snapdragon 8 Elite – and that's precisely the chipset in the Galaxy S25.

So, if the Exynos 2500 is significantly behind (in terms of raw power and in benchmark testing) the Snapdragon 8 Elite, of what use is the Exynos 2400 here? This is two steps behind the flagship, not just one.

We have 8 GB of RAM on board, not 12 GB like the "real" flagships: that's another point of consideration. Maybe it's a bit cheaper that way, but then again, the Galaxy S25 FE tries it best to present itself as an AI-centric device. Its makers launched it as the first in the S series with One UI 8, Samsung's take on Android 16.

The phone brags with AI features designed to work across voice, touch, and visual input, making interactions more seamless. Tools like Gemini Live, Now Bar, and Circle to Search with Google highlight how AI is being used to provide contextual assistance, personalized updates, and quick access to information. 8 gigs of RAM may be just enough for this to happen, but what about next year's AI features? Wouldn't 12 GB of RAM be a safer option?

Then, there's the 4,900 mAh battery which grows from its predecessor's 4,700 mAh cell, but still: we're talking about a $650 device in 2025. Many phones (of all price categories) have long crossed the 5,000 mAh threshold. Some are 7.7 mm thick and pack a 7,000 mAh battery.

A personal dealbreaker – and a suggestion

Finally, there's the camera setup. The Galaxy S25 FE comes with four cameras in total, three on the back and one on the front. The setup includes a 50 MP main sensor with optical image stabilization, a 12 MP ultra-wide lens, an 8 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom, and a 12 MP front-facing camera. Most of the system is carried over from the S24 FE, with some parts dating back to the S23 FE, though the selfie camera has been upgraded from 10 MP to 12 MP.

The main sensor stands out as the most capable, offering better light capture and overall image quality. And that's about it. The dedicated telephoto snapper is a useful addition, but its 8 MP resolution is outdated in my book.

Now, let's see what $600 can really get us.



Enter the OnePlus 13R – a phone that was recently sold for under $500, so always keep an eye on the current deals. The best way to do so is by visiting PhoneArena, where we keep you posted about the hottest offers in real time.

The OnePlus 13R is a bigger, slightly thicker and slightly heavier phone that brings a behemoth 6,000 mAh battery to the table. It packs an older, but superior Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, a super bright 6.8-inch display (with a higher resolution), 12 gigs of RAM, superfast 100W charging, and a really cool camera.

See, the OnePlus 13R also has an 8 MP sensor in there, but it's for the ultra-wide, while the dedicated telephoto utilizes a 50 MP sensor. Again, the Galaxy S25 FE packs an 8 MP zoom snapper. I don't know about you, but personally, I tend to use a phone's zoom WAY more often than the ultra-wide. Hence, the 13R just knocks the S25 FE out of the park.

To end things on a positive note, the Galaxy S25 FE does offer a higher (IP68) rate of protection against dust and water compared to the 13R (IP65).

To make things even harder for the new FE

If you're vigilant enough, you can even get the proper OnePlus 13 flagship on a deal for ~$600-$650 dollars. If you think the 13R gets the best of the S25 FE, just throw the OnePlus 13 in the mix. This one will obliterate almost everything in its way with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the triple 50 MP camera setup on its back, and much more.

So, is the Galaxy S25 FE the best $650 phone you can get right now? Maybe, if you happen to be a hardcore Samsung fan. Otherwise, there's plenty of fish in the sea. Choose wisely.

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