Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 FE: Thin premium phone takes on cheaper alternative

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

Samsung's Galaxy S25 lineup may have begun with the three new flagship phones introduced at the start of the year, but it's certainly not ending there. Already, the company has added a new Galaxy S25 Edge to the mix, and reports are that a fifth model — the Galaxy S25 FE — is coming this fall.
That's why a Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 FE comparison is so vital. The two phones represent very different approaches on Samsung's part, with very different appeals. To find out which phone you should consider getting, it's best to compare what we already know about the Edge with what's expected from the less expensive FE.
The Galaxy S25 Edge is Samsung's first stab at building a thinner premium phone that has more in common with its higher-end flagships. You'll find many key elements from the Galaxy S25 Ultra on the Edge — though there are some key omissions. But the Edge's biggest selling point is its thin, light profile.
If the rumored Galaxy S25 FE is anything like past FE models, we're looking at a stripped-down version of Samsung's flagship phones, where a few features are sacrificed in the name of a lower overall price. Just what features could fall by the wayside is key to this Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 FE face-off. Here's what we know so far.
Galaxy S25 Edge
Galaxy S25 FE (rumored)
Display (refresh rate)
6.7 inches (120Hz)
6.7 inches (120Hz)
Chipset
Snapdragon 8 Elite
Exynos 2400
RAM
12GB
8GB
Storage
256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB
Rear cameras
200MP main with 10x digital zoom, 12MP ultrawide
50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 8MP teleph0to with 3x optical zoom
Front cameras
12MP
12MP
Battery
3,900 mAh
4,700 mAh
The Galaxy S25 Edge is available now. You can buy the 256GB base model for $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849. Upgrading to 512GB of storage brings the cost to $1,219. Galaxy S25 Edge deals can help you pick up the phone at a discount.
We'll have to wait a bit longer for the Galaxy S25 FE, which is expected to arrive some time in the fall. For what it's worth, the Galaxy S24 FE shipped in October 2024, and most observers expect Samsung to repeat itself with the new release.
Pricing details are still up in the air, but the S24 FE costs $649, which is $150 cheaper than the next model in the Galaxy S lineup, the $799 Galaxy S25. If Samsung holds the cost on the Galaxy S25 FE, that would mean you'd be able to buy that model for $450 less than the Galaxy S25 Edge — though the Edge features twice the storage in its base model.
Regardless of what form the Galaxy S25 FE takes, it's a safe bet that it won't be as thin as the Galaxy S25 Edge. After all, a light, thin design is the calling card for this 5.8mm thin phone from Samsung.
That said, there are reports that Samsung is looking to slim down the FE from the 162 x 77.3 x 8mm frame of the Galaxy S24 FE. That phone also weighed in at 7.51 ounces, decidedly heavier than the 5.75-ounce Galaxy S25 Edge.
Part of the reason why the Edge is able to weigh so little is that Samsung uses a titanium frame for the phone, which also helps improve durability. Given the FE's mandate to keep costs down, you're unlikely to see the Galaxy S25 FE use anything other than the aluminum and glass materials featured on the current model.
There could be one element in common between the Galaxy S25 Edge and the Galaxy S25 FE — the screen size. The Galaxy S25 Edge checks in with a 6.7-inch display, which matches the size of the panel on the S24 FE. Samsung isn't expected to change the screen size on the Galaxy S25 FE, which should also retain an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. The Edge figures to have the sharper resolution, though.
One of the big selling points for past FE models has been the presence of a dedicated telephoto lens — something you don't typically see on phones that cost less than $700. The Galaxy S24 FE has one, even if the telephoto sensor isn't as sharp as the one on other flagship Samsung phones.
Get used to the Galaxy S24 FE camera specs — a 50MP main shooter that's accompanied by 12MP ultrawide and 8MP telephoto lenses. That's because Galaxy S25 FE camera rumors claim that Samsung isn't changing a thing for this year's FE.
That said, the front camera on the Galaxy S25 FE could feature a 12MP sensor. That's an upgrade over the 10MP front camera that the S24 FE offers.
Even if most of the cameras on the Galaxy S25 FE remain unchanged from its predecessor, it still holds an advantage over the Galaxy S25 Edge setup in one respect — there's no telephoto camera at all on the Edge. Instead, that phone relies on pixel-binning shots from the main camera. Even with a 200MP main sensor, the Edge would have a hard time keeping up with the 3x zoom that the S25 FE is likely to support, as we've seen when comparing zoom shots from the Edge with those from other phones.
Of course, that 200MP camera on the Edge figures to be a lot more powerful than what the S25 FE offers. In our testing, the Galaxy S25 Edge's main camera produced detailed, colorful shots, even in less than ideal lighting.
Like the other phones in the S25 lineup, the Galaxy S25 Edge uses an optimized Snapdragon 8 Elite system-on-chip. As a result, its CPU test speeds are in line with what we've seen from the rest of the S25 models, though GPU test numbers are a little bit behind what the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra produce. Still, the S25 Edge handles graphically intense games very well.
Rumors about the Galaxy S25 FE's silicon are all over the map, and none are very encouraging. Some sources claim the new model will use the same Exynos 2400e chipset found in the Galaxy S24 FE, which would mean the updated version would lag behind the Galaxy S25 Edge in terms of performance.
Subsequent rumors have suggested the Galaxy S25 FE could feature either a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 or Exynos 2400 chip. (The latter is more powerful than the 2400e.) Even with that extra boost from either silicon, Galaxy S25 FE performance would have a hard time measuring up to what you get from the S5 Edge.
One area where the Galaxy S25 Edge came up short in our review centered around its battery life. The limited space inside the Edge means that Samsung has to use a smaller battery, and that impacts just how long the phone can last on a charge.
When we put the Galaxy S25 Edge through out battery test — we have a fully charged phone surf the web over cellular until it conks out — the phone posted an average time of 12 hours and 24 minutes. That's about 2 hours better than the average phone does on our test, but it's 3 hours shy of the Galaxy S25's time. And remember, that phone is $300 cheaper than the Edge.
So battery life would seem to be an area where the Galaxy S25 FE could outperform the Galaxy S25 Edge. However, the battery test results posted by the S24 FE suggest the new phone could have a hard time, especially if there's no upgrade over the 4,700 mAh battery inside last year's model.
The Galaxy S24 FE's battery test result was an hour worse than what the Galaxy S25 Edge subsequently posted. That's probably a byproduct of a less power-efficient chip inside the FE. Unless the Galaxy S25 FE sees improvement in that area, we have a hard time imaging that the upcoming phone can outlast the Galaxy S25 Edge.
Barring a changing in charging speeds, the Galaxy S25 FE should offer the same 25W wired support found on the Galaxy S25 Edge. FE models have traditionally offered wireless charging as well.
By the time the Galaxy S25 FE arrives, it should come with One UI 8 based on Android 16 pre-installed. Samsung's already put out a One UI 8 beta for Galaxy S25 phones, including the Edge.
Since the Galaxy S24 FE offered the same support for the Galaxy AI features found on the other S24 models, we're expecting the Galaxy S25 FE to take the same approach with the AI capabilities Samsung has built into the S25 lineup. That would give the FE a boost over the Edge, as you'd be able to experience the same AI capabilities for hundreds of dollars less.
The Galaxy S25 FE should find itself on even ground with the S25 Edge in the area of software support, too. Samsung flagship phones get the same seven years of software and security updates — even if it's for an FE model.
A Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 FE comparison raises a rather intriguing question — do you opt for the unique design of the Edge or the lower price of the FE when deciding which new Samsung phone to buy?
Certainly, the FE should offer some things the Edge can't, like a dedicated telephoto lens, while also matching the AI capabilities of the more expensive phone. But then, the Galaxy S25 Edge's performance is likely to be better than what you get from the FE, and the battery life could be better on Samsung's thinner phone, too.
A lot of questions will be answered should the Galaxy S25 FE surface in the fall as expected. But if the Edge's $1,099 price is putting you off that thinner phone, remember that a cheaper Samsung flagship could be on the way.