With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and Z Flip 7 FE officially up for grabs now and the Galaxy S26 family unlikely to see daylight before January 2026, the most exciting Samsung phone left to be unveiled this year is probably the Galaxy S25 Fan Edition. Well, that and the as-yet-unnamed tri-fold device… very few of you will actually be able to buy once it’s released at some point this fall.
As you can imagine, the S25 FE is not shaping up to revolutionize the affordable Android flagship class, instead merely aiming to refine the design of its beloved predecessor while only improving a couple of key internal components. Pretty much all components (including the ones unlikely to be changed from the Galaxy S24 FE) are now out of the bag thanks to two equally reliable online sources, although one very important detail remains unclear.
Slow but steady Fan Edition evolution
6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate technology;
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus screen protection;
Samsung Exynos 2400 processor;
8GB RAM;
128 and 256GB storage options;
50MP primary rear-facing camera with OIS and f/1.8 aperture;
12MP secondary ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
8MP tertiary telephoto sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 3x optical zoom;
12MP single front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture;
Android 16 with One UI 8;
Galaxy AI;
45W wired and 15W wireless charging capabilities;
IP68 water and dust resistance;
161.3 x 76.6 x 7.4mm dimensions;
190 grams weight.
Yes, a lot of these specs are bound to feel weirdly familiar to a lot of hardcore Samsung fans. That screen, the RAM count, the two storage variants, and all four cameras sound pretty much identical to what the Galaxy S24 FE offers in the same departments, and the Exynos 2400 SoC is not a big improvement over last year’s Exynos 2400e either.
Yes, the S25 FE is likely to look a lot like the S24 FE (pictured here) | Image Credit — PhoneArena
But then you’ve got a very interesting (and long overdue) upgrade from 25 to 45W charging technology, and perhaps even more impressively, radical weight and depth reductions from 213 grams and 8mm to 190 grams and 7.4mm respectively.
In a nutshell, Samsung is preparing to squeeze essentially all the same S24 FE internals into a significantly sleeker Fan Edition package this year, which sounds like a great engineering achievement in line with what the company is expected to do with the Galaxy S26 roster early next year.
Wait, there’s something missing
Something crucial that could make or break the Galaxy S25 FE’s chances at becoming a big global box-office hit. Yes, the battery capacity. That’s an especially delicate topic for a device expected to slim down its forerunner, which might explain the current lack of clarity in the rumor mill.
This blurry image tells you a lot about the upcoming Galaxy S25 FE. | Image Credit — Evan Blass on X
The Galaxy S24 FE, remember, packs a 4,700mAh cell, so a downgrade to 4,500mAh is not entirely out of the question with the S25 Fan Edition retaining its predecessor’s screen size and reportedly losing 23 grams and more than a half a milimeter in overall thickness. At the same time, Samsung is likely to pull off the impossible with the Galaxy S26 Edge in 2026, further reducing the S25 Edge’s incredibly thin profile while beefing up the battery capacity, which could happen (at least in theory) with the S25 FE as well.
If the Galaxy S25 FE does end up pairing a hefty 4,900mAh battery with the aforementioned 45W charging tech, Samsung could well have a box-office winner on its hands, especially if the S25 FE’s price points remain unchanged, which is obviously more than likely at this point.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.
If you can’t afford Samsung’s latest (non-foldable) super-flagship even at a towering $300 discount with no special requirements or strings attached of any sort, you might want to consider picking up the company’s previous ultra-high-end 6.8-inch handset with a built-in S Pen… as soon as possible.
That’s because Amazon is currently charging a whopping 500 bucks less than usual for an unlocked Galaxy S24 Ultra in an entry-level 256GB storage configuration and a single “Titanium Gray” color option. Obviously, the early 2024-released Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powerhouse hasn’t been worth $1,299.99 in a long time, but despite scoring plenty of hefty discounts over the last year or so, this appears to be a totally unprecedented promotion, at least at this particular retailer.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
$500 off (38%)
5G, Unlocked, 256GB Storage, 12GB RAM, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Processor, 6.8-Inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display with 3120 x 1440 Pixel Resolution and 120Hz Refresh Rate Technology, Titanium Frame, 200 + 50 + 10 + 12MP Quad Rear-Facing Camera System, 12MP Front-Facing Camera, 5,000mAh Battery with 45W Charging Capabilities, Android 15, Galaxy AI, S Pen Included, Gray Color
Buy at Amazon
Samsung’s stellar long-term software support all but guarantees that time will not leave much of a mark on this bad boy from a general user experience perspective, and unless you like your (super-premium) smartphone exceptionally slim and lightweight, the S25 Ultra may not seem like a major improvement over its predecessor and the same could also be true for next year’s Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Despite its somewhat advanced age, the S24 Ultra remains hard to beat in terms of build quality and camera performance, basically checking every box to satisfy a power user seeking the ideal value proposition right now.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian’s passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for ‘adequate’ over ‘overpriced’.
