Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S23 FE: Will it finally be worth upgrading your Fan Edition?
A familiar formula, upgraded where it counts… but is it worth the wait?
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Intro
Samsung’s Fan Edition phones have become the company’s best bang for your buck mid-range flagships, getting close enough to the premium S-series but for a lot less money. The Galaxy S23 FE hit that note back in 2023, delivering a premium design, strong performance, and a triple-camera system at a fair price.
Two years later, the Galaxy S25 FE takes things further. There are several important changes that have been introduced: a slimmer and lighter body, a bigger battery with faster charging, a much more powerful chip, and longer software support.
So are the new changes enough to elicit an upgrade for S23 FE owners?
Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S23 FE differences:
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|
| Slimmer, lighter design | Heavier with sharp edges |
| Brighter 6.7” AMOLED display | Smaller 6.4” AMOLED display |
| Much more powerful Exynos 2400 chip | Exynos 2200 / Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| 4,900 mAh battery | 4,500 mAh battery |
| 45W wired charging | 25W wired charging |
| 25W wireless charging | 15W wireless charging |
| 7 years of updates | 4 OS + 5 years security updates |
| Same triple camera system | 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide and 3X telephoto |
| 12 MP selfie camera | 10 MP seflie camera |
Table of Contents:
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Design and Size
Lighter, sleeker, more modern
The Galaxy S23 FE was already a good-looking phone. Samsung has not changed the design too drastically with the S25 FE, but it has made the phone noticeably thinner and lighter. The new model is only 7.4 mm thick and weighs 190 g, compared to the 8.2 mm and 209 g of the S23 FE.
There are some slight design tweaks, though. For example, the bezels are slimmer and the camera rings are larger. Samsung has also improved the durability, adding Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back, which should be significantly more scratch and drop resistant compared to the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the older model. Both are rated IP68 for dust and water resistance.
Color options have shifted from the S23 FE’s playful Purple, Mint, and Cream to more mature finishes like Icy Blue, Jet Black, Navy, and White. One thing hasn't changed, however, and that is the lack of a charger in the box.
There are some slight design tweaks, though. For example, the bezels are slimmer and the camera rings are larger. Samsung has also improved the durability, adding Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and back, which should be significantly more scratch and drop resistant compared to the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the older model. Both are rated IP68 for dust and water resistance.
Color options have shifted from the S23 FE’s playful Purple, Mint, and Cream to more mature finishes like Icy Blue, Jet Black, Navy, and White. One thing hasn't changed, however, and that is the lack of a charger in the box.
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|
| Thickness 7.4 mm | Thickness 8.2 mm |
| Dimensions 161.3 x 76.6 | Dimensions 158 x 76.5 |
| Weight 190 grams | Weight 209 grams |
Display Differences
The Galaxy S23 FE had one of the best displays in its price class in 2023 — a 6.4-inch AMOLED with HDR10+ and 120Hz refresh. It also came with 1450 nits of peak brightness, which was not bad for the time.
But Samsung upgraded the brightness with the S24 FE to 1900 nits, which the S25 FE has inherited. It also comes with a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display, although it still isn’t LTPO, so you’re limited to 60 Hz or 120 Hz.
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|
| Size 6.7" | Size 6.4" |
| Brightness 1900 nits (peak) | Brightness 1450 nits (peak) |
Biometrics remain unchanged: both phones offer a fast in-display fingerprint scanner and a basic face unlock system for convenience (but not for security-critical use).
Performance and Software
Only Exynos in 2025
This is one of the biggest changes. The Galaxy S23 FE shipped with either Exynos 2200 (international) or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (U.S.), both solid chips in 2023 but known to throttle under load.
The Galaxy S25 FE uses the full Exynos 2400 (not the downclocked “2400e” from the S24 FE), built on a 4nm process with a 10-core CPU and Xclipse 940 GPU. It’s a far more capable chip, especially for gaming and sustained performance.
Memory remains at 8 GB RAM, and so does the UFS 4.0 storage. That said, the new model tops out at 512 GB whereas the older one maxed out at 256 GB of storage.
The Galaxy S25 FE uses the full Exynos 2400 (not the downclocked “2400e” from the S24 FE), built on a 4nm process with a 10-core CPU and Xclipse 940 GPU. It’s a far more capable chip, especially for gaming and sustained performance.
Memory remains at 8 GB RAM, and so does the UFS 4.0 storage. That said, the new model tops out at 512 GB whereas the older one maxed out at 256 GB of storage.
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|
| Chip Samsung Exynos 2400 | Chip Exynos 2200/Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Process 4nm | Process 4nm |
| RAM, Storage 12/128 GB 12/256 GB 12/512 GB LPDDR5X RAM UFS 4.0 storage | RAM, Storage 8/128 GB 8/256 GB --- LPDDR5X RAM UFS 4.0 storage |
On the software side, the S25 FE ships with Android 16 + One UI 8, and benefits from Samsung’s 7 years of updates. That’s a huge leap over the S23 FE’s 4 OS upgrades + 5 years of security patches.
Camera
No hardware changes, but processing could matter
Samsung has reused the camera system on the S23 FE, so the S25 FE still comes with a 50 MP main camera, 12 MP ultra-wide, and an 8 MP 3x telephoto lens. Only the selfie camera has been upgraded from 10 MP to 12 MP, which we expect to be slightly sharper as a result.
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|
| Main 50 MP, f/1.7 24 mm 1/1.57" sensor size | Main 50 MP, f/1.8 23 mm 1/1.57" sensor size |
| Ultrawide 12 MP, f/2.4 13 mm 123 FOV 1/3.0" sensor size | Ultrawide 12 MP, f/2.2 13 mm 123 FOV 1/3.0" sensor size |
| Telephoto 8 MP, f/2.4 75 mm 3X zoom 1/4.4" sensor size | Telephoto 8 MP, f/2.4 75 mm 3X zoom 1/4.5" sensor size |
Samsung’s processing has been refined in One UI 8, so HDR and low-light photos should see modest improvements even on similar hardware.
Battery Life and Charging
Bigger battery, much faster charging
The Galaxy S23 FE offered decent endurance with its 4,500 mAh battery, but it was limited to 25W wired charging (about 50% in 30 minutes) and 15W wireless charging.
The Galaxy S25 FE bumps capacity to 4,900 mAh and adds 45W wired charging, reaching 65% in 30 minutes. Wireless charging also improves to 25W, and reverse wireless charging is supported, which can come in handy when you want to charge accessories like earbuds or your smartwatch.
The Galaxy S25 FE bumps capacity to 4,900 mAh and adds 45W wired charging, reaching 65% in 30 minutes. Wireless charging also improves to 25W, and reverse wireless charging is supported, which can come in handy when you want to charge accessories like earbuds or your smartwatch.
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|
| Battery size 4,900 mAh | Battery size 4,500 mAh |
Charging speeds 45W wired 25W wireless charging USB-C 3.2 | Charging speeds 25W wired 15W wireless charging USB-C 3.2 |
Specs Comparison
A quick overview of the Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S23 FE specs:
| Galaxy S25 FE | Galaxy S23 FE |
|---|---|
| Size, weight 161.3 x 76.6 x 7.4 mm, 190 g | Size, weight 158 x 76.5 x 8.2 mm, 209g |
| Screen 6.7" OLED 120Hz | Screen 6.4" OLED 120Hz |
| Processor Exynos 2400 4nm | Processor Exynos 2200/Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 4nm |
| Versions: 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDR5X | Versions: 8/128GB 8/256GB --- 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: 4500 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 45W wired 25W wireless | Charging: USB-C 25W wired 15W wireless |
Summary
Samsung hasn't really made any monumental changes to its Fan Edition lineup with the S25 FE, but it has introduced meaningful upgrades in almost every area. A lighter body, larger and brighter display, a stronger Exynos 2400 chip, and much faster charging give it much more value. Add Samsung’s new 7-year update policy, and the new FE is a much better budget flagship.
The Galaxy S23 FE still holds up well, though, especially if you can find it at a discount. It shares (almost) the same camera hardware and offers good performance. But with its shorter software support window and slower charging, it’s starting to show its age in the face of this year's version.
If you’re buying new, the Galaxy S25 FE is the smarter long-term choice. If you already own the S23 FE, the upgrades may not be essential, but they’re meaningful enough to make the S25 FE the Fan Edition to beat.
The Galaxy S23 FE still holds up well, though, especially if you can find it at a discount. It shares (almost) the same camera hardware and offers good performance. But with its shorter software support window and slower charging, it’s starting to show its age in the face of this year's version.
If you’re buying new, the Galaxy S25 FE is the smarter long-term choice. If you already own the S23 FE, the upgrades may not be essential, but they’re meaningful enough to make the S25 FE the Fan Edition to beat.
But things will get clearer when we get to run our tests on the new Galaxy S25 FE to see just how much Samsung has improved in two years. So make sure you come back to check those out before making a decision.
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