Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S24 FE: What’s new and should you upgrade?
Samsung has improved its Fan Edition Galaxy phone just enough to keep it relevant in 2025.
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Intro
The Galaxy S25 FE comes with a faster Exynos 2400 processor, significantly quicker 45W charging, and a lighter, slimmer design that makes it feel more refined than before.
But many buyers are asking: how does it stack up against the Galaxy S24 FE? After all, it is a phone that still delivers solid performance and great value despite the fact that it came out one year ago.
If you already own the S24 FE — or if you’re choosing between the two today — the big question is whether the new model offers enough improvements to justify the upgrade.
To find out, we put both phones through our in-house tests for battery life, charging speed, display performance, and raw processing power. Beyond the numbers, we also spent time living with these devices to see how they perform in real life. In this detailed comparison, we’ll share our results and help you decide which Fan Edition is the smarter buy in 2025.
But many buyers are asking: how does it stack up against the Galaxy S24 FE? After all, it is a phone that still delivers solid performance and great value despite the fact that it came out one year ago.
To find out, we put both phones through our in-house tests for battery life, charging speed, display performance, and raw processing power. Beyond the numbers, we also spent time living with these devices to see how they perform in real life. In this detailed comparison, we’ll share our results and help you decide which Fan Edition is the smarter buy in 2025.
Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S24 FE differences:
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S24 FE |
|---|---|
| Slimmer, lighter body: 190 g | Bulkier: 213 g |
| Exynos 2400: Faster and more efficient chip | Exynos 2400e |
| 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| 12 MP selfie camera | 10 MP selfie |
| 6.7" AMOLED, 60/120Hz | 6.7" AMOLED, 60/120Hz |
| ~1900 nits peak brightness | 1900 nits peak brightness |
| 45W wired charging | 25W wired charging |
| 25W wireless charging | 15W wireless charging |
| $649 | $649 |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
Slimmer, lighter, more polished
Image by PhoneArena
The Galaxy S25 FE looks nearly identical to the S24 FE at first glance, but it feels different once you pick it up. Samsung trimmed the thickness down to 7.4 mm (from 8 mm) and reduced the weight significantly, from 213 g to 190 g, which is instantly noticeable. The S25 FE feels more balanced and less top-heavy, but it still maintains the solid build quality Samsung is known for.
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S24 FE |
|---|---|
| Thickness 7.4 mm | Thickness 8 mm |
| Dimensions 161.3 x 76.6 | Dimensions 162 x 77.3 |
| Weight 190 grams | Weight 213 grams |
Both use an armored aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back, and both come with full IP68-rated water and dust protection. Button placement, haptics, and overall ergonomics remain consistent, but the S25 FE’s thinner profile gives it a more elegant look in hand.
Colors include Icy Blue, Jet Black, Navy, and White — with Icy Blue standing out as the most striking. As usual, the box only includes a USB-C cable and a SIM ejector tool.
Colors include Icy Blue, Jet Black, Navy, and White — with Icy Blue standing out as the most striking. As usual, the box only includes a USB-C cable and a SIM ejector tool.
Image by PhoneArena
The S25 FE keeps the same 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 60/120Hz refresh rate and no LTPO scaling. However, while the specs look identical, our lab tests revealed some subtle differences.
Measured peak brightness remains essentially the same, with both slightly below Samsung’s claim of ~1900 nits. However, the new model runs slightly warmer (closer to 6500K) and has marginally better gamma accuracy, giving it a slightly more natural tone. That said, these stats can be different from unit to unit, so take them with a grain of salt.
Display Quality scores are identical at 8/10, showing the panel remains among the best in its price range. And we can confirm both are bright, contrasty, and consistent outdoors.
Display Quality scores are identical at 8/10, showing the panel remains among the best in its price range. And we can confirm both are bright, contrasty, and consistent outdoors.
Biometrics remain unchanged, which is not bad news, since the S24 FE already had a fast in-display fingerprint scanner.
Performance and Software
Upgrade to Exynos 2400 + more RAM
Another notable change is the switch from the Exynos 2400e in the S24 FE to the full Exynos 2400 chip used in the main Galaxy S25. This brings higher sustained clock speeds and better battery life efficiency.
RAM is still 8 GB standard across all models, and storage options remain 128 / 256 / 512 GB with UFS 4.0.
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S24 FE |
|---|---|
| Chip Samsung Exynos 2400 | Chip Samsung Exynos 2400e |
| Process 4nm | Process 4nm |
| RAM, Storage 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDRX5 RAM UFS 4.0 storage | RAM, Storage 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDRX5 RAM UFS 4.0 storage |
The S25 FE launches with Android 16 and One UI 8, which brings Galaxy AI into the fold. Features include:
And of course, 7 years of software support — updates until 2032.
- Now Bar: live lock screen hub with notifications, music, routines
- Now Brief: daily summary (traffic, calendar, fitness)
- Circle to Search integration
- Gemini Live + 6 months Google AI Pro plan
And of course, 7 years of software support — updates until 2032.
CPU Performance Benchmarks:
In our CPU tests, the S25 FE delivered a modest bump in both single-core and multi-core performance. We saw around a 7% improvement, which lines up with the higher clock speeds of the full 2400 chip. Day-to-day, that translates to a smoother experience: apps feel faster, but you won’t notice dramatic leaps unless you push the chip hard.
GPU Performance:
Things are a bit the other way around when it comes to the graphical performance. The S25 FE performed slightly worse compared to its predecessor in both 3DMark test we ran (consistently). It’s still powerful enough for demanding games at 120Hz, but it seems Samsung tweaked it for efficiency rather than optimal power (more on that later).
Camera
Same triple system, but with sharper selfies
Image credit — PhoneArena
Samsung has kept the same rear camera hardware for the back of the phone, so performance should be nearly identical to the S24 FE, or at least that's what we though. Surprisingly, however, there are some slight differences in the way these two phones handle taking photos.
There is one obvious upgrade, though, and that's the a new 12 MP selfie camera, which replaces the 10 MP one from the S24 FE.
PhoneArena Camera Score:
The S25 FE’s main camera scored significantly lower, while the new selfie camera improved from 26 to 27 points. Video dipped from 147 to 139, likely due to a more conservative sharpening algorithm.
Main Camera
The S24 FE seems to have more aggressive HDR and post-processing, whereas the S25 FE image looks more natural.
The main camera on the S25 FE is definitely stronger in low light scenarios, just look how much more light it has captured in this sample.
Ultra-Wide Camera
With the ultra-wide, though, the S24 FE seems to have done the better job here. The image is brighter overall, and it has found the correct white balance, unlike the S25 FE image, which has a green tint to it.
Zoom Quality
As you will see in both examples below, the Galaxy S25 FE's telephoto camera captures much higher detail compared to that on the predecessor. It also produces more accurate colors.
Selfie
The image from the S25 FE selfie camera looks much more natural. There is much less digital sharpening going on, and it seems like the whole postprocessing part has been toned down by a considerable margin.
Battery Life and Charging
More juice, faster charging
Image credit — PhoneArena
The S25 FE adds 200 mAh more battery for a total of 4,900 mAh. That doesn’t sound like much, but combined with efficiency gains from the full Exynos 2400, it manged to push the battery life past the S24 FE’s already decent 6h 20m during our tests.
Wired charging also sees a bump, going from 25W to 45W, while wireless has increased from 15W to 25W.
Wired charging also sees a bump, going from 25W to 45W, while wireless has increased from 15W to 25W.
PhoneArena Battery and Charging Test Results:
The Galaxy S25 FE delivers an estimated battery life that’s nearly 40 minutes longer, while its 45W charging cuts full charge time by about 20 minutes.
There are a few things to note here. First, it’s impressive that the S25 FE charges this much faster despite having a larger battery. And speaking of that battery, the 200 mAh increase alone can’t explain the significantly better endurance. This suggests that Samsung has optimized the S25 FE for noticeably better power efficiency, possibly via the Exynos 2400.
There are a few things to note here. First, it’s impressive that the S25 FE charges this much faster despite having a larger battery. And speaking of that battery, the 200 mAh increase alone can’t explain the significantly better endurance. This suggests that Samsung has optimized the S25 FE for noticeably better power efficiency, possibly via the Exynos 2400.
Audio Quality and Haptics
Compared to the S24 FE, the Galaxy S25 FE sounds a touch cleaner at higher volumes. The S25 FE’s bottom speaker carries more weight in the low frequencies, while the top earpiece adds clarity for dialogue and vocals. In our testing, it got slightly louder than the S24 FE without noticeable distortion, though the overall performance was similar.
Haptics on both devices are crisp, tight, and well-calibrated. If you liked the tactile feedback on the S24 FE, you’ll feel right at home with the new model.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick overview of the Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S24 FE specs:
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S24 FE |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 161.3 × 76.6 × 7.4 mm, 190 g | Size, weight 162 x 77.3 x 8 mm, 213g |
| Screen 6.7" OLED 120Hz | Screen 6.7" OLED 120Hz |
| Processor Exynos 2400 4nm | Processor Exynos 2400e 4nm |
| Versions: 12/128 GB 12/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDR5X | Versions: 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDR5X |
| Cameras: 50 MP main 12 MP ultra-wide 8 MP 3x zoom 12 MP front | Cameras: 50 MP main 12 MP ultra-wide 8 MP 3x zoom 10 MP front |
| Battery: 4900 mAh | Battery: 4700 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 45W wired 25W wireless | Charging: USB-C 25W wired 15W wireless |
Summary
Image credit — PhoneArena
The Galaxy S25 FE improves on a phone that Samsung already does pretty well. It’s now lighter, charges faster, and delivers more consistent performance thanks to the full Exynos 2400. Our tests show a noticeable bump in battery life and efficiency, and while the cameras have slightly regressed in some areas, they’ve improved in others.
If you already own the S24 FE, there’s little reason to upgrade, especially if camera performance and display quality are what matter most to you. But if you’re coming from an older FE model or simply want faster charging and a lighter design, the Galaxy S25 FE is well worth considering.
At $649, it remains one of the best values in Samsung’s 2025 lineup, and one of the strongest contenders in the mid-range market overall.
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