Samsung Galaxy S25 FE vs. Galaxy S25: The Biggest Differences You Might Notice

Samsung's $650 Galaxy S25 FE offers many of the same features as the $800 Galaxy S25, but with noticeable changes to help the phone reach that lower price. Since the S25 FE's size skews closely to the $1,000 Galaxy S25 Plus, it could be a particularly tempting choice for someone eyeing that larger screen but can live without the fastest processor or the brightest possible screen.

Watch this: Galaxy S25 FE Review: Samsung's Software Lifts Up This Entry-Level Galaxy

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However, if you're considering the FE model, it's important to know what niceties you're skipping to ensure it's the right choice for you. For some people, it will absolutely be worth the extra $150 to get an S25 model equipped with the latest Snapdragon processor and better cameras. You may even be better off waiting if you like the newest technology, as we expect Samsung to announce its Galaxy S26 line early next year.

Let's go over the most noticeable differences between the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and the Galaxy S25. You can use that information, along with our specs chart, to help decide if the cutbacks are worth it.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 (right) pictured with the Galaxy S25 Plus.

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Design

The Galaxy S25 FE and the Galaxy S25's most noticeable difference is in their design size, with the former having similar dimensions to the Galaxy S25 Plus. The S25 FE has a 6.7-inch display, whereas the Galaxy S25 has a smaller 6.2-inch display. Both phone displays show content at a 1,080p resolution and have a 120Hz refresh rate.

If you regularly use your phone in direct sunlight, the S25's 2,600-nit peak brightness will serve you better than the S25 FE's 1,900-nit peak brightness. However, the cheaper phone's screen should remain visible in those environments even at the lower maximum brightness level.

Owing to its smaller dimensions, the S25 is lighter than the S25 FE, coming in at 162 grams (5.71 oz) versus 190 g (6.7 oz). Both phones have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. They also have under-display fingerprint sensors, although the S25 has a faster-reading ultrasonic sensor versus the optical one on the S25 FE.

The cameras look identical on the Galaxy S25 (seen here) and the Galaxy S25 FE. The main difference is its telephoto camera, which as a 10-megapixel sensor on the S25 and an 8-megapixel sensor on the FE.

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Cameras and Processing Power

The S25 and S25 FE feature similar camera systems on paper, but it's worth noting that there's more than just megapixels when it comes to photo quality.

Starting with the similarities, the S25 and S25 FE have a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera on the back. Each phone also has a telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom, though the S25 has a 10-megapixel sensor while the S25 FE has an 8-megapixel sensor. Both phones have a 12-megapixel front-facing camera for selfie photos and video calls, and can shoot 8K footage at 30 frames per second (fps) along with 4K footage at 60fps.

But there is a very clear gulf between the phones when it comes to processing power and the image signal processor (ISP), especially in low-light settings. The S25 has Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, which is an edition of the processor specifically tweaked for Samsung phones. Meanwhile, the S25 FE uses Samsung's Exynos 2400 processor, which is closer to the chip in last year's Galaxy S24 in terms of power.

A sunset taken on the Galaxy S25 FE.

Mike Sorrentino/CNET

A night photo taken on the Galaxy S25.

Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET

Both phones are capable of handling everything from food photos to images taken in dark bars, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite's ISP and additional power make the S25 best equipped to tackle mixed lighting situations and high-contrast scenes. In my review of the Galaxy S25 FE, I had more mixed results with photos taken in dimmer environments, sometimes leading to some grainy image noise. Meanwhile in her Galaxy S25 review, my colleague Abrar Al-Heeti found that the phone could take advantage of various AI-related features to take gorgeous and clear nighttime photos.

The Galaxy S25 FE charges faster than the Galaxy S25.

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Battery and charging speed

The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and Galaxy S25 have noticeably different battery sizes and charging speeds. And while this might make the cheaper phone better for when you need to recharge your battery, in day-to-day use results are more comparable.

As far as the specs go, the Galaxy S25 has a 4,000mAh battery that is notably smaller than the 4,900mAh battery in the S25 FE. It's a similar story regarding charging speed, with the S25 having a 30-watt wired charging speed versus the 45-watt speed noted on the S25 FE. You'll need to buy a higher-wattage charging adapter to get maximum speeds.

As far as charging speeds go, the S25 FE was clearly faster in our 30-minute wired charging test. That phone recharged from 0% to 69% in 30 minutes, even with a larger battery than the S25. The Galaxy S25 recharged from 0% to 47% in the same 30-minute charging test, despite having a smaller battery capacity.

But the phones are close to each other when it comes to our streaming and battery endurance tests. The S25 FE depleted from 100% to 83% in our 3-hour YouTube streaming test, while the S25 depleted from 100% to 85%. In the 45-minute battery endurance test, which has a variety of tasks like video watching, gaming and social media scrolling, the S25 FE depleted from 100% to 92% while the S25 depleted from 100% to 93%.

Check out more differences using our specs chart below, comparing the Galaxy S25 FE and the Galaxy S25.