Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-19

Summary

The S25 FE is a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz phone whose common complaints are the missing charger, an Exynos 2400 that trails the Snapdragon 8 Elite, an FHD+ panel instead of QHD+, an 8MP telephoto, no mmWave 5G, and Galaxy AI being free only until the end of 2025 [1][3][5][6]. Running costs are small: an optional 45W PPS adapter, an optional case, and optional Samsung Care+ [1][4][6].

Common problems and fixes

No charger in the box — the phone ships with a USB-C cable only; reaching the advertised 65% in 30 minutes needs Samsung’s 45W PPS adapter bought separately [4][6].
Exynos 2400 trails the Snapdragon 8 Elite — PCMag measured Geekbench 6 scores of 1,967 single-core and 6,703 multi-core against 3,050 and 9,559 for the base S25; nothing to fix, so buy the S25 if raw speed matters [6].
FHD+ display, not QHD+ — the 1080 x 2340 panel is a step below the S25+; there is no setting that adds resolution [3][6].
8MP telephoto — lower resolution than the 10MP unit on the S25 and S25+, and the real-world difference is still unclear; zoom past 3x depends on cropping [3][6].
No mmWave 5G — the phone is Sub6 only, so US buyers on mmWave-heavy carriers lose that band [5][6].
Galaxy AI is free only until the end of 2025 — after that, different terms may apply; no fix, budget for it [1].
Portrait mode and face unlock limits — portrait mode struggles with glasses and messy hair, and face unlock is not secure enough for banking, so use the fingerprint sensor for sensitive logins [6].
Glare in harsh sunlight — there is no anti-reflective coating like the S25 Ultra has; the workaround is to shade the screen [6].
Warmth during gaming — the area around the rear cameras becomes warm in a 15-minute Asphalt Legends session at 60fps; no throttling was reported [6].
No microSD and no 3.5mm jack — storage is fixed at purchase and wired headphones need an adapter [6].

Parts and consumables

Case — optional, no price is given in the research files.
Battery — 4900mAh typical (4755mAh rated), not user-replaceable; replacement goes through Samsung service [5].

Yearly running cost

Nothing is consumed on a schedule, so a typical owner spends nothing on consumables each year. The one-time outlay is the optional 45W PPS adapter, plus an optional case and optional Samsung Care+. Galaxy AI features are free only until the end of 2025, after which different terms may apply [1][4]. Charging is cheap: PCMag measured 17 hours of video streaming, and a full charge took 1 hour 15 minutes [6].

When it is a good buy

Value bands from the research checked 2026-10-07:

$389-500 — strong value for a Samsung flagship-adjacent phone with seven years of updates [2][5][6].
$501-600 — fair value; the Pixel 9a at $499 offers similar AI and better photos for less [6].
$601-650 — weak value unless Samsung features matter; the base S25 at $799.99 is much faster for $150 more [6][7].
Above $650 — poor value; move up to the S25+ or S25 Ultra [6].

Store prices seen in the research, worth rechecking at purchase: Samsung lists the 128GB model at $649.99 and the 256GB at $749.99, PCMag saw $649 at Samsung and $650 at Walmart, Consumer Reports lists $650.00, and GSMArena’s partner pricing puts 128GB at $389.00 [1][2][5][6][7].

Alternatives: the Pixel 9a at $499 is the value pick with better cameras, while the base Galaxy S25 at $799.99 is the performance pick [6][7].