Samsung Galaxy S25 FE latest leak hints at minimal hardware upgrades

Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy S25 FE, a more affordable sibling to the flagship Galaxy S25 series. But if recent leaks are accurate, this year’s FE model might offer minimal upgrades over the Galaxy S24 FE. The Fan Edition (FE) series began with the Galaxy S20 FE, aiming to deliver flagship-like experiences at a slightly lower price. But in 2025, with brands like iQOO, OnePlus, and Vivo upping the game in the sub-Rs 60,000 segment, it will be interesting to see if the Galaxy S25 FE will bring more than just incremental upgrades.

Even more surprisingly, the S25 FE might stick with the Exynos 2400e chipset. While the chip offered solid performance on the S24 FE, especially in gaming and thermal control, a generational update is still expected. There are whispers of a Dimensity 9400 variant, which could inject some excitement, but nothing is confirmed yet.

Samsung could introduce fresh colour options this year, including Navy, Icy Blue, Jet Black, and White, replacing the previous Blue, Graphite, Mint, and Yellow tones. On the front, a brighter 2,600 nits AMOLED display with thinner bezels is expected, up from 1,900 nits. Outdoor visibility, one of the S24 FE’s weak spots, could see a meaningful improvement.

Camera upgrades seem modest: the front camera may go from 10MP to 12MP, while the triple rear setup (50MP main, 8MP telephoto, 12MP ultrawide) appears unchanged. More notable is the potential for a jump to 45W fast charging, matching the Galaxy S25+. This would be a welcome step up from the S24 FE’s 25W limit.

Based on the leaks so far, the Galaxy S25 FE may offer incremental upgrades compared to last year’s S24 FE. With the S24 FE available for much less and rivals offering better hardware in the same bracket, Samsung’s latest FE may not appeal to value-conscious buyers.

At a rumoured launch price of Rs 59,999, the S25 FE enters direct competition with more aggressive, better-specced rivals, such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered OnePlus 13s or the Vivo X200 FE, featuring ZEISS-branded cameras. Samsung still enjoys substantial brand value, and buyers may prefer the S25 FE over options from OnePlus and Vivo, simply because of that. Additionally, where the S25 FE might lack in hardware, it could make up for it in software support and Samsung’s AI features, both of which stood out for us when we reviewed the Galaxy S24 FE.