Samsung’s people’s smartphones are always a story about compromises. Some go for the Galaxy S25 FE and pay extra for the “S” badge, while others opt for the Galaxy A57 and get almost the same thing for about ten thousand less. Retail prices have converged so much that the difference between the top-tier A57 and the base S25 FE is literally a couple of thousand rubles. So the question “why pay more” is open again.
Comparing two mid-budget Samsung hits. The choice isn’t that easy
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and A57 Design — Differences
Visually, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and A57 look like twin brothers: flat screen, flat back panel, rounded frame edges. If you place them side by side on a table screen-down, you’ll only notice the difference in the camera module.
Easy to tell apart: the A57 has a unified camera block
The S25 FE has three separate lens circles stacked vertically — the signature S-series style. The A57 got a unified oval module, like its predecessors, but with a raised platform and a semi-transparent glass effect. Which one looks better is a matter of taste, but visually the A57 is closer to older Galaxy A models, while the S25 FE resembles the flagship lineup.
Dimensions are more interesting. The Galaxy A57 is noticeably thinner and lighter: 6.9 mm and 179 grams versus 7.4 mm and 190 grams for the S25 FE. The difference is felt the moment you pick them up — the A57 truly feels more elegant, while the S25 FE seems more “weighty” and solid. It’s all about preference: some like to feel the device in hand, others prefer ultra-thin smartphones.
Both have a 6.7-inch display with FHD+ resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. But the S25 FE has a Dynamic AMOLED 2X with LTPO support, meaning the refresh rate can drop down to 1 Hz, genuinely saving battery. The A57 has a Super AMOLED+ that switches between 60 and 120 Hz without intermediate values. To the naked eye, both look excellent, but the S25 FE is brighter — a claimed peak of 1900 nits versus 1200 for the A57. In sunlight, that makes a difference.
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and Galaxy A57 — Which Smartphone Is More Powerful
Here the difference is significant. The S25 FE runs on the Exynos 2400 — Samsung’s former flagship chip that was in the Galaxy S24 a year earlier. The A57 got the Exynos 1680, a new mid-range chipset built on a 4nm process.
The processors are close in performance. But the S25 FE’s is more powerful
In benchmarks, the S25 FE scores around 1.6–1.7 million AnTuTu points, while the A57 gets about 1.1 million. That means the Fan Edition is about 50% more powerful. On paper it looks impressive, but in practice for most scenarios — messaging, social feeds, YouTube, navigation — both smartphones run smoothly and identically. However, the Exynos 2400 heats up noticeably less thanks to a 13% larger vapor chamber. That’s definitely worth keeping in mind.
The S25 FE comes in just one RAM configuration — 8 GB. The A57 is sold in Russia with 8 GB, but globally there’s also a 12 GB variant. Both offer three storage tiers: 128, 256, and 512 GB. But there’s an interesting nuance: the Galaxy S25 FE in 256 and 512 GB versions uses UFS 4.0 memory, while the A57 has UFS 3.1 across all configurations.
Both support One UI 8 on Android 16 with Galaxy AI. Update commitments are also solid: the S25 FE will receive 7 Android updates, and the A57 — 6 updates. This means both smartphones will remain relevant at least until 2031–2032.
Galaxy S25 FE and A57 Cameras — Which Is Better
On paper, the Samsung Galaxy A57 and S25 FE cameras look similar, but the devil is in the details. If photography matters to you, study this carefully. The S25 FE has three modules: a 50 MP main sensor with optical stabilization, a 12 MP ultrawide, and an 8 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, also with OIS.
The A57’s camera is slightly worse. And that could be the reason to choose the S25 FE
The Galaxy A57 camera also has three modules, but the setup is different: a 50 MP main sensor with OIS, a 12 MP ultrawide, and a 5 MP macro lens — instead of a telephoto. Obviously, the lack of a telephoto is a significant disadvantage. If you often photograph people from a distance or nature with zoom — the choice is clear.
The S25 FE wins with video recording in 8K at 30 fps and 4K at 60 and 120 fps, while the Galaxy A57 maxes out at 4K at 30 fps on both the main and front cameras. The mid-range Galaxy S25 FE also wins thanks to the advanced ProVisual Engine algorithm with improved color accuracy and lower noise levels in the dark. Think about it.
Galaxy S25 FE and A57 Battery — Which Lasts Longer
In terms of capacity — it’s nearly a tie. A57 — 5000 mAh, S25 FE — 4900 mAh. The 100 mAh difference is imperceptible in real life. But there are nuances in battery behavior. The Exynos 1680 in the A57 is built on a more energy-efficient process, and on top of that, the Super AMOLED+ switches between 60 and 120 Hz without LTPO. The S25 FE has an LTPO display that can drop the refresh rate down to 1 Hz when not in use.
Again, the difference is minimal. Even when it comes to charging
It also supports the Qi2 standard at 15W and reverse charging at 4.5W — you can charge earbuds right from the phone. The A57 has no wireless charging at all, only wired.
For wired charging, it’s a tie — 45W for both, reaching 65% in 30 minutes. Neither comes with a charger in the box, so you’ll need to buy one separately. If you’re deep in the Galaxy ecosystem or use accessories, the S25 FE’s reverse charging will genuinely come in handy.
