One of the better phones for 2025 is about to get a less expensive sibling, as the FE returns for the S25 range, while this year’s Galaxy Tab breaks ground, both bringing AI to more models.
It may well be near the end of the year, but that doesn’t mean gadget releases are stopping. Far from it, because the year is on its way to the end, and there’s plenty of time for device makers to get in with something new, and possibly more economically priced.
Take this year’s Galaxy S25 range. While there have been four models this year already, including the flagship S25 Ultra with its S-Pen and the super-thin S25 Edge, there’s still yet one more model on the way aimed at a slightly different part of the market: people who don’t like spending as much.
Last year, the model for that in 2024’s aptly named S24 range was the S24 FE, and this year, the “Fan Edition”, “Flagship Experience”, or maybe even “Fairly Economical” model brings the S25 design and experience to a slightly lower price point.
Fairly Economical: the S25 FE
The new phone certainly looks familiar, and even carries three cameras like its S25 siblings, bringing a 50 megapixel wide, 12 megapixel ultra-wide, and 8 megapixel 3X telephoto. There’s a sizeable 6.7 inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 8GB RAM, at least 128GB storage, and Android 16 with Samsung’s One UI over the top.
It looks like an Samsung S25 complete with a 7.4mm thickness, and even comes with IP68 water resistance, as well as the AI features from the range. But it comes with a Samsung-made chip, the Exynos 2400, and a totally different price: under $1100.
“The S25 FE is a gateway model,” said Nathan Rigger, Head of Product for the Mobile Experience at Samsung Australia. “It’s a gateway to get our full suite of experiences.”
Officially, the S25 FE will launch in Australia later this month for $1099, though some stores will sell the phone for lower than a grand, available in some places for $849.
It’s not the only new release, either.
Joining the S25 FE is a big new tablet for Samsung, and one focused on the premium market.
Turning it up to S11
We’ve already seen a new FE tablet offering from Samsung earlier this year, and a “Lite” S10 tablet was added only recently, as well. Now, it’s the premium tablet’s time, as the S10 series becomes the S11.
Like a scene out of Spinal Tap, this tablet goes up to eleven.
The new models will arrive only in two forms: an 11 inch S11 standard and a 14.6 inch S11 Ultra. No extra models in between this time, it seems, just a standard S11 and a larger S11 Ultra.
Both models will be powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400+ chip and support between 12 and 16GB RAM, with storage ranging from 128GB to 1TB depending on how much you spend, plus bringing large Dynamic AMOLED screens with 120Hz refresh rates, support for the S-Pen (also found in the box), and even IP68 water resistance, something we’ve been hoping for on the iPad since forever.
They’ll both also be quite slim, the Galaxy Tab S11 standard model featuring a 5.5 mm thickness and 469 gram weight, while the S11 Ultra will be 5.1mm (just like the M4 iPad Pro) and a 692 gram weight.
Specs are only one part of the package, as they’ll both get AI features including Google’s Gemini Live, allowing you to chat to Google’s AI if you need to and writing assistance tools should you want some help.
Samsung’s desktop experience that is “DeX” gains support for dual screens, allowing you to use your tablet with a keyboard and mouse and second screen, and basically turning the Android device into a portable computer of sorts. It’ll work with a TV or even a monitor, and as usual, there’s a specific Book Cover Keyboard that Samsung will make for the thing.
That keyboard is different to last year’s, something Samsung confirmed with Pickr, but so is the S-Pen, but for a different reason. In 2025, the S-Pen has seen a design change, now sporting a hexagonal shape more like a regular pencil, though still feature magnets to adhere to the tablet for safe keeping.
Pricing for the S11 Ultra will start from $1399 for the 11 inch model, while the S11 Ultra starts from $2099, both of which are available in one colour: grey.
All of these models are slated for late September, with the S25 FE phone and S11 Tab models on their way for September 26, alongside the Tab S10 Lite and Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds 3 FE.
