Samsung's Fan Edition (FE) phones have always walked a tightrope, trying to deliver a flagship-like experience without the flagship price tag. When the first Galaxy S20 FE came out, it was a real game-changer. But honestly? I feel like the ones that came after didn't quite live up to the hype.

Now, we've got the Galaxy S25 FE, and after spending some time with it, I can say Samsung's definitely stepping up its game. They've finally addressed some long-standing issues, which is great news. However, the question remains: does this make the phone a must-buy?

At first glance, it's easy to mistake it for the S24 FE or even the S23 FE. The design is pretty similar, with a glass back that doesn't attract fingerprints, a flat aluminum frame, and those familiar camera cutouts. While it might not be a massive visual change, it's slightly lighter and thinner, which I really appreciated as I used it more.

Samsung's also thrown in an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, which is always a plus, and used Gorilla Glass Victus Plus on the front and back for added protection. It's not the absolute top-of-the-line glass, but it should hold up well to everyday wear and tear.

The screen is a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED panel, basically the same as last year's. It gets bright enough for outdoor use. The fingerprint sensor is the optical kind, embedded in the display. I didn't have any problems with it. It was fast and accurate. I think it's time for an ultrasonic scanner (which works even with wet fingers), this one works just fine.

One of my biggest gripes with previous FE phones was the battery and charging situation. They were stuck with a 4,500mAh battery and slow 25W charging for far too long. Thankfully, Samsung has finally listened. The S25 FE now packs a 4,900mAh battery, on par with the S25 Plus. I was able to get over eight hours of screen-on time with regular use.

Also, it supports 45W wired charging, which makes a big difference. It went from empty to 100% in about an hour. Although it's not the fastest, it's definitely a big step up from the S24 FE. It's Qi2-Ready, which means you can use magnetic accessories.

Here's the thing, though: Samsung is using the same chipset as last year's model. It's the Exynos 2400, a slightly faster version of the one in the S24 FE. They've made the vapor chamber bigger, which should help with performance and keep things cooler. The phone can handle demanding games without getting too hot. But, after about ten minutes, the S25 FE performance is about the same as the S24 FE.

The base model has just 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. I wish they'd offer more, especially since more RAM could open the door for more advanced AI features in the future.

Galaxy AI

Speaking of AI, the S25 FE comes with a bunch of Galaxy AI features, like Audio Eraser, Best Face, Now Brief, and Now Bar. Audio Eraser helps minimize distracting sounds in videos, and Best Face lets you change someone's expression in a photo. Now Brief gives you summaries of your day, while Now Bar shows you relevant info on your lock screen. I really hope they would launch all Good Lock apps broadly, as some apps still aren’t available in my market.

Samsung is promising seven years of OS and security updates, which is great and matches Google's policy.

The cameras, though, are starting to show their age. The 50MP main camera, 8MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide are the same ones we've seen for years. Photos generally have nice colors, but they can be a bit soft, and I noticed some color fringing. I'm also a bit disappointed that they haven't upgraded the telephoto camera. However, I do like the new 12MP selfie camera. It captures solid images.

Overall, the Galaxy S25 FE is a mix of good and not-so-good. The bigger battery, faster charging, and slimmer design are great improvements. But the performance and cameras could use some upgrades.

If you have a recent Galaxy FE phone, it might not be worth the upgrade. But if you're looking for a solid, affordable phone with a flagship-like experience, the S25 FE is definitely worth considering.