Amazon announced four new Echo smart speakers and displays overnight, with refreshed designs, more powerful audio, and improved smart features.
The global retail juggernaut began with the $199 Echo Dot Max, Amazon’s most powerful version of the petite smart speaker. Featuring a reworked sound system, the Echo Dot Max reportedly produces nearly three times more bass than the most recent Echo Dot model.
Instead of the device consisting of a separate speaker module, it’s all integrated into one module. Amazon says this leaves more room internally, therefore enhancing the speaker’s bass performance.
On the inside of the Echo Dot Max is Amazon’s custom AZ3 processor, which is said to improve Alexa interactions. According to Amazon, the chip results in better conversation detection by blocking out more background noise. So, even if there’s cross-talk or the TV’s blaring, Alexa should be better at detecting when you’re talking to the AI assistant.
Alongside the new Dot is the latest Echo Studio, which looks completely different to its older rectangular design. Reportedly 40 per cent smaller than the previous Echo Studio, the 2025 model now looks like a larger Dot speaker.
The upgraded Echo Studio also supports spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, putting its woofer and three drivers to work. It’ll cost $429 in Australia.
On the display side of things, Amazon announced new versions of the Echo Show 8 ($349) and Echo Show 11 ($429). Improvements to the display technology and screen coating give them a wider viewing angle, along with enhanced clarity. Bezel reduction was also on Amazon’s list of improvements, resulting in the 8- and 11-inch screens showing a wider viewing area.
Image: Amazon.
Amazon’s AZ3 Pro chip powers the Echo Studio and Show devices, including on-device support for language models. Pre-orders for the new Echo range are live now; the speakers arrive in Australia on 29 October, while the smart displays launch on 12 November.
Premium home security cameras weren’t the only ones to get a refresh at Amazon’s device reveal event overnight, with its budget-friendly Blink range growing to include a 2K camera and an affordable video doorbell.
Instead of selling separate panoramic or floodlight cameras, Blink’s answer comes in the form of add-on mount accessories. One of these mounts is the $35 Blink Arc, which fits two Blink Mini 2K+ cameras while powering both simultaneously via a wired connection.
Amazon confirmed that the Arc also stitches both cameras’ footage together to form a single 180-degree view. However, such functionality is limited to Blink Plus subscribers, which costs $15 per month. Most of Blink’s smart features, like cloud storage and person detection, require a paid subscription.
Another accessory is the Blink Outdoor Floodlight Mount, made for the brand’s Outdoor 4 camera. As the name suggests, this $69 mount adds LED lights to Blink’s battery-powered outdoor security camera. The lights turn on via motion or manually by using the Blink app.
Blink’s video doorbell also comes to Australia after its earlier overseas launch. Priced at $89 here, the Blink Video Doorbell runs on AA batteries, lasting up to two years, and records HD footage. Like a lot of smart doorbells, it detects motion and supports two-way communication for when you can’t get to the door.
Image: Amazon.
Like a lot of smart home security devices, subscription services are where companies make their money. A cheaper up-front cost is offset over time by ongoing service fees. However, Blink’s $59 add-on sync module provides a local storage option if you prefer not to use cloud storage.
Amazon hasn’t specified an exact release date yet. The online product listing currently says “coming soon”, so stay tuned.
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There’s a lot of tech in the Deebot X11 OmniCyclone I haven’t seen before. It’s the new top-of-the-range robot vacuum from Ecovacs, and based on my time spent with it, it has a few tricks up its robotic sleeve.
I could wax lyrical about the bagless technology, but the Deebot X11’s clever power management was what really surprised me. Bigger homes might need to wait for a robot to recharge midway through cleaning. That’s not the case here, thanks to a technology Ecovacs calls “PowerBoost”.
Instead of emptying its dustbin and washing its mops at the docking station without charging the battery, the Deebot X11 does it all simultaneously. The stats from Ecovacs claim that the battery gets a six per cent top-up from a quick three-minute visit to the docking station.
There’s a lot of technology behind PowerBoost, which essentially uses an algorithm to optimise the robot’s runtime. As a result, the robot ultimately spends more time cleaning your home, and less time waiting to charge.
Even though my place isn’t huge, I noticed that the Deebot X11 had more battery to spare after cleaning than I normally see from other cleaning appliances. Seeing the robot dock, wash its mops, and then get back to cleaning was like watching an efficient F1 pit stop.
And when the Deebot X11 cleans, it cleans well. An upgraded roller mop applies far more pressure than the spinning mop pads of old, making it better at cleaning tiles.
Image: Valens Quinn.
19,500Pa of suction power is also pretty good, but it’s the strong airflow that makes a difference. It uses ‘BLAST’ (a fun acronym that stands for Boosted Large-Airflow Suction Technology) to vacuum more efficiently via a larger internal fan and a wide air inlet. From what I’ve seen, it vacuumed my floors rather well.
Going bagless
Improved power efficiency wasn’t the only thing I enjoyed while using the Deebot X11. As I mentioned before, this appliance doesn’t rely on disposable bags to store dust. Instead, it uses Ecovacs’ “OmniCyclone Station”, which is as functional as it is stylish.
There’s a fun novelty in watching the sci-fi OmniCyclone Station in action, sucking up the dirty contents picked up from your floor in front of your eyes. Its 1.6L capacity should last most households about a month-and-a-half’s worth of dust before it needs emptying.
Image: Valens Quinn.
Like a good stick vacuum, it’s easy to remove the station’s dustbin and empty it without dirtying your hands. Plus, it felt good that, without a bag, I wasn’t adding unnecessary waste into my bin.
According to Ecovacs, the Omni Cyclone technology will save you from buying roughly 25 bags over 25 years. Obviously, I haven’t been able to test that claim for myself, but the benefits are clear. I won’t have to pay more money for bag replacements over time, and less stuff goes to landfill. That’s a win-win as far as I’m concerned.
Four-wheel driving with a robot vacuum
I’m not about to take the Deebot X11 off-road anytime soon, but you’d be surprised by how well it moves around small bumps and household obstacles.
In addition to the two main wheels driving the robot, it also has a couple of pop-out wheels that act as small levers. They help climb over bumps a couple of centimetres high, like sliding door rails, which have previously been a challenge for two-wheeled bots.
If you have thick cables out or barstools and furniture with low-profile feet, the Deebot X11 shouldn’t have any trouble motoring over them. That’s a nice bit of extra peace of mind to have, that you won’t need to manually intervene at the sight of a slightly elevated surface.
Image: Valens Quinn.
It also combines nicely with the robot’s improved navigation system. I noticed that the Deebot X11 managed to border obstacles very closely without bumping into them. As much as possible, it got close to objects in its way and still did a good job cleaning around the edges — even when the object was oddly shaped.
From my time with the X11, I liked what I saw. Going bagless makes sense for the wallet and the environment, while continuing Ecovacs’ high cleaning standards. I’m keen to spend more time using the robot to see how it goes over the long term.
When scrolling TikTok the other night, I was surprised to see Merriam-Webster pop up in my feed. Even more surprised to see that the American dictionary company was spruiking its upcoming “Large Language Model”. Except that Merriam-Webster wasn’t getting into AI: it was taking the absolute piss out of it.
In the dictionary maker’s video that has so far racked up more than a million views, it opens by proclaiming the “dawn of the AI era”. Stop me if you’ve heard that line before from nearly every consumer tech company on the planet.
Boasting more than 217,000 “parameters” and claims of no hallucinations, what smelled like a cheap AI cash-in instead turned out to be a clever promo from Merriam-Webster for the 12th edition of its Collegiate Dictionary. Well played, you word-loving fiends.
Dishwashers are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Washing up by hand sucks, everyone hates it, and then here is this marvellous machine that just wants to take this one chore off your hands. They’re the best.
The hard part, though, is looking at the sea of dishwashers in the shop and working out which one is the one for you. Luckily, I think I’ve found the best one before you jump to the models that are handmade in Europe by skilled artisans.
The LG 15 Place QuadWash Dishwasher (also known by its XD2A25MB model name) may have a stupid name, but it’s a dishwasher that can wash 15 place settings without you hearing anything other than water going down the drain. It’s the very definition of a machine that does exactly what it promises and then gets out of the way the rest of the time.
I’ve now spent several months marvelling at the wonder of the LG 15 Place QuadWash Dishwasher XD2A25MB, and here are my thoughts.
The LG XD2A25MB is a sleek appliance. It does have an LED timer on the front, but that’s invisible when the dishwasher isn’t running. All the buttons for starting various cycles are on the top of the door, so they’re only visible when the dishwasher is open. It’s obviously designed to be unobtrusive, and I appreciate that.
Image: Alice Clarke.
The setup was easy, mainly because I had an appliance installer guy do it. From the looks of it, it seems about as straightforward as any dishwasher installation.
Hooking it up to the LG ThinQ app was also straightforward. The app doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but it does allow the user to download some extra cycles and get notifications when a cycle is finished and when the dishwasher wants more rinse aid.
LG 15 Place QuadWash Dishwasher (XD2A25MB) specifications and price
Model name
LG XD2A25MB
Price
$1,899
Warranty
10 years on the inverter, 2 years on the product (in addition to your Australian consumer law rights
First of all, the most important thing: this dishwasher cleans plates, pots, pans and cutlery really well. It’s rare that I take something out of the dishwasher that still has food encrusted on it, and when I do, it’s usually due to user error.
While there are a lot of settings with various degrees of hardcoreness, I found the eco setting to strike a good balance. Combined with the Aldi Logix Platinum Dishwasher Capsules, and some Finish Rinse Aid, there was almost no cleaning task that it wasn’t equal to.
Admittedly, I do usually soak my pots overnight after making something intense like a risotto, but even then, I use stainless steel pots and pans. There is no non-stick in my household, which means that everything sticks and burns on. We do things on hard mode.
I performed tests with burnt on risotto (not soaked), dried tomato sauce, dried chia pudding (essentially super glue), dried porridge, and coffee in white mugs.
Image: Alice Clarke.
The burnt-on risotto came off surprisingly well. There were still some burn marks left on the pot, but all the food chunks were gone, and I could barely get the burn marks off with elbow grease. Dried tomato sauce came off easily; the plate looked almost brand new.
The chia pudding did have some remnants left behind, but far less than on the 2018 model Bosch my dad has at his house. The small amount of remnants came off with a cloth afterwards, so it did 97% of the job. Anyone who has had to wash off dried chia pudding in yogurt from a toddler knows how hard it is to clean, so hats off to the dishwasher. Porridge dried on a spoon also mostly came off, with just a particularly dried fleck needing to be scraped off with a nail.
Coffee was no problem at all for the LG XD2A25MB. The mugs look new.
All up, in the months that I’ve had this dishwasher, I have never once had to curse it for failing at its task. That should be the bare minimum, but it is actually kinda impressive given the hell I put my dishwasher through.
Maintenance
Sadly, while a dishwasher can wash dishes, it cannot wash itself. This is disappointing on many levels.
The good news is that maintaining the LG XD2A25MB is easy. The filters are simple to remove, and they’ve clearly been designed to be as quick and efficient to clean as possible. An easy task once a month.
After around six months, we haven’t yet had anything get stuck in the spray arm, partially due to the clever design. Our much older Smeg blade arms seemed designed to consume as much detritus as possible. The LG XD2A25MB arms just want to put out water and not consume, and I appreciate that.
I also like that it’s easier to put in rinse aid than the 2020 model LG dishwasher we had previously. We don’t spill as much liquid, and the process is less frustrating.
Extra features
This model has a few extra features that just make for an easier and nicer experience.
My favourite is a small thing that’s becoming more common in dishwashers, but I still really appreciate: it has a light inside. It’s such a small thing, but it makes a real difference when emptying the dishwasher. Not worth upgrading for, obviously, but a quality of life improvement.
Next favourite is the removable wine glass rack. Growing up, I remember my parents always having problems with the stems of their wine glasses getting broken in the dishwasher, or not quite fitting on the fold-down roof of the top drawer.
This removable wine glass rack is able to accommodate four wine glasses of varying stem heights to keep them fully protected from the chaos of the rest of the dishwasher. It even fits our weird (but pretty), very large wine glasses that we use for mocktails. It’s a thoughtful touch, but also easy to take out if it’s not something you need for that cycle.
Image: Alice Clarke.
The biggest difference I noticed with this dishwasher is just how quiet it is. I had to check multiple times that it was actually running the first week I had it. The sound of the water going down the drain is the only part of the cycle I can actually hear until it sings to herald the end of the cycle (and you can turn the jingle off if you want it to be completely silent).
This is huge for parents with small children who sleep lightly, those in small apartments, and people who just don’t want to have to hear the motor in their dishwasher. 40dBA is super quiet.
The LG ThinQ app adds smart features to the dishwasher, but not particularly intense ones, and they’re entirely optional if you don’t want another app. Being able to download an extra cycle or two if you have a specific need is nice, and I enjoy getting notifications that let me know when a cycle is done, or the machine would like more rinse aid.
But it’s not like there’s an in-machine camera to monitor your dishes, or ‘smart insights’ that judge the way you use the appliance. LG’s approach to smart technology is largely hands-off, which is going to be ideal for a lot of people.
Image: Alice Clarke.
My one issue is that LG tried to get fancy by using touch controls instead of buttons. The problem with this is that touch controls sometimes don’t work if your hands are wet, which is annoying on a device used by people who would have wet hands from getting dishes out of the sink. It’s trying to be fancier than it needs to be. A good old-fashioned physical button would have been far more appropriate here.
Who is the LG 15 Place QuadWash Dishwasher for?
This is the dishwasher for people who have a mid-high budget and higher standards for their dishes. It’s a sleek and beautiful machine that is extremely capable. The only people I wouldn’t recommend it for are those who either want a fully built-in machine (this is freestanding) or need a different-shaped dishwasher.
The LG 15 Place QuadWash Dishwasher XD2A25MB is expensive, yes, that will disqualify it for a lot of people. But if it’s in the budget, it’s the size and shape that you want, then this is a great dishwasher that I would recommend.
LG 15 Place QuadWash Dishwasher (XD2A25MB)
The LG 15 Place QuadWash Dishwasher (XD2A25MB) is a sleek dishwasher that does a great job of cleaning dishes very, very quietly.
BLUETTI, a global leader in clean energy solutions, has officially released the RVSolar 48V Power System, a fully integrated solution boasting a 30-minute core connection for RVs, boats, and off-grid setups. The system was recently recognised with the IFA Innovation Award “Best in Tech for Good” and is now available on BLUETTI’s official website.
The RVSolar 48V System delivers up to 6kW (AC + DC) or 5kVA of power, covering 99% of RV essentials from air conditioners to 12 V pumps and lights. Expandable up to 122 kWh, the system’s IP65-rated, self-heating LFP batteries deliver reliable power for extended caravan life or sailboat living in summer heat or winter frost.
What truly sets it apart is its streamlined design of just five key components, allowing the core system to be set up and powered on in as fast as 30 minutes. With an open communication protocol and broad third-party compatibility, the RVSolar allows flexible expansion and DIY upgrades—simplifying setup from travel trailers and 5th wheels to Class A motorhomes, cabin cruisers, and motor yachts.
The system fully recharges in just 90 minutes, minimising travel downtime in remote locations. Flexible recharge options—from campsite hookups and solar panels to generators and vehicle alternators—ensure efficient top-ups between stops.
The pre-wired, all-in-one design allows users to complete the crucial system wiring and initialisation in approximately 30 minutes—a time savings of up to 90% compared to complex, traditional bespoke installations. At the heart of this system is the 5-in-1 integrated RV5 Power Hub, which combines an inverter charger for appliances like coffee makers and microwaves, an MPPT solar charger to optimise solar input, an alternator charger for fast on-the-go charging, a DC converter for 12V/24V devices such as lights, pumps, and USB ports, and built-in circuit protection.
No professional knowledge is required, and all necessary wiring is included in the package—users simply tighten screws to connect components. The system automatically detects each device and completes configuration, while continuously monitoring voltage and current to prevent miswiring and protect devices.
Open third-party integration for RV mods & DIY
As an open system, the RVSolar supports third-party batteries, electrical panels, solar panels, and components through the CAN protocol, RV-C, and NMEA 2000 standards, enabling seamless integration with modern RVs and boats. Its key components—RV5 Power Hub, Epanel Smart Distribution Panel, and B4810 48V LiFePO₄ Battery, PV100FX 100W Flexible Solar Panel—can directly replace or upgrade an existing system. RV modders can upgrade used RVs, DIY RV trailers, or swap individual components, saving time and cost—while enjoying the creative and social satisfaction of their DIY projects.
17-Year battery lifespan for safe & efficient power
Featuring a built-in 48V high-voltage system, the RVSolar achieves 30% higher power efficiency than traditional 12V setups, with lower current, reduced heat, and longer runtime. Safety is reinforced by second-generation automotive-grade B4810 LFP batteries, IP65-rated against water, dust, and humidity—well-suited for demanding outdoor uses like boondocking, hunting, and overlanding.
Designed for longevity with over 6000 cycles to 80% capacity, the battery offers a service life of up to 17 years. Its self-heating function ensures reliable performance down to -4 °F (-20 °C), making it a trusted companion for ice fishing trips, winter camping, and even riding out winter storms. Certified by Intertek for UL 458, UL 1741, and UL 1973, the RVSolar safeguards power and safety on extended journeys—whether on the road or on the water.
Next-level smart control for caravans and boats
With the optional Epanel Smart Distribution Panel and 10.1″ Epad Central Control Screen, users can control and monitor up to 4 AC and 20 DC appliances in real time—no manual adjustments needed. Essential devices like air conditioners, water heaters, and fans can be assigned to dedicated circuits with remote control, timers, and usage monitoring via the BLUETTI app.
Built-in AI self-diagnostics and fault alerts ensure peace of mind, while remote monitoring covers water levels, temperature, and power usage. Quiet, low-maintenance, and zero-emission, the RVSolar complements onboard generators—ideal for overnight camping or RV adventures.
Availability and pricing
The RVSolar 48V Power System officially launched on September 30 on BLUETTI’s official website in Australia. The base package debuts at $4,799, while the full smart package with Epanel and Epad is available at a launch price of $5,999. Customers can also enjoy an additional 10% discount by using the code RSS10 at checkout.
If you’ve got the need for speed, and a lot of storage space, the new 8TB Samsung SSD 9100 Pro has just arrived in Australia. Housed within the portable M.2 form factor, the NVMe drive works across PCs and gaming hardware.
Such a high-capacity SSD doesn’t come cheap, however. You’re looking at $1,549 for the SSD 9100 Pro by itself, and $1,599 for the heatsink-equipped model suited to plugging into a PS5. That being said, those considering an 8TB storage drive are likely power users.
Designed to take advantage of motherboards with PCIe 5.0, the SSD 9100 Pro supports sequential read and write speeds of up to 14,800 MB/s and 13,400 MB/s. Samsung says that’s double the speed of the previous-gen 990 Pro model.
Samsung’s 8TB variant joins the 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB SSDs from earlier in the year. For reference, a PS5 includes 1TB of internal SSD storage, while the $1,199 PS5 Pro includes 2TB. You’d hope that by spending more than the value of your console on additional storage, you’d never have to uninstall a game again. Otherwise, you might have a game hoarding problem.
If your old esky doesn’t cut it, perhaps Anker’s new portable cooler might. Dubbed the “Solix Everfrost 2”, Anker’s new device is a battery-powered cooler that doesn’t rely on ice.
Available in 40L and 58L sizes, the Solix Everfrost 2 can cool, and even freeze, food and drinks to temperatures as low as -20°C. The idea is that with less space taken up by ice, you can fit more in and keep things cooler for longer.
Anker claims the battery life of its coolers lasts roughly two days with the included 288Wh lithium iron phosphate battery. Both cooler sizes include an additional battery slot, which you can fill with a second battery priced at $499, providing up to four days of cooler use. These batteries also double as a power bank, able to charge mobile devices via a USB-A and USB-C port.
When it’s time to charge, the Solix Everfrost 2 has a few different options. A separately sold solar panel can do the job, as can a wall outlet or a car. Depending on how cool you want your nibbles and drinks, you might need to charge more often. Particularly if you use the quick-cooling feature, which can drop the temperature from 25°C to 0°C in roughly 15 minutes.
Two separate components come with the 58L model, which can have two different sets of temperatures. That’s likely the way to go if you want cold drinks in one and frozen meat in the other.
Anker is going hard on the launch promotion in Australia, taking $700 off the RRP of its coolers until 13 October. During the launch period, the 40L cooler costs $1,099, while the 58L model costs $1,399. Afterwards, they’ll cost $1,799 and $2,099, respectively. At the same time, a second battery currently costs $399, taking $100 off its RRP.
For those keen to jump on the electric scooter trend, Segway-Ninebot has a decent launch discount on its new Segway Max G3 model.
Between 29 September and 15 October, it’s $200 off with a helmet and lock included. That brings the price down to $1,799, with the extra accessories adding a bit of value on top.
Advertised as lasting up to 80km on a single charge, the Segway Max G3 adds more range to the 70km of the previous-gen Max G2 model. Its increased 2,000W max power also boosts its ability to smoothly ride up slopes, rated to tackle 30% slopes (up from the Max G2’s 20%).
For peace of mind, the Segway Max G3 includes Apple’s Find My tracking built in, letting you locate the scooter if it gets stolen or you can’t remember where you parked. There are a lot of built-in smarts, with the integrated touchscreen providing navigation, stats on your ride, and phone notifications. Just make sure you don’t use your phone while riding: that’s widely considered illegal.
Stretch by name, stretch by nature: Tineco’s new wet-dry vacuums are all about reaching into hard-to-get spots. Four models have arrived in Australia, led by the Tineco Floow One S7 Stretch, all of which are designed to lay completely flat while in use.
At the top of the new range, the $999 Tineco Floor One S7 Stretch reaches up to 21,000Pa of suction power, capable of cleaning dry and wet messes. It includes a built-in scraper to reduce tangles of hair and pet fur, so you should hopefully spend less time cleaning the roller brush.
Tineco also advertises a ‘Deluxe’ version exclusive to Harvey Norman. Other than a dark blue colour, it also includes an extra brush roller.
Wet-dry vacs mean no longer scrambling for the paper towel when a mess happens. Image: Tineco.
That self-cleaning also extends to a technology Tineco calls “FlashDry”. By pressing a button, this tech uses hot water to clean the appliance’s internals, including the roller, before drying it at 85℃. Tineco rates the S7 Stretch as lasting up to 50 minutes before needing to charge.
Exclusive to Costco, the Floor One S6 Stretch Pro is similar to the S7 model, albeit separated by a cheaper $599 price tag. It seems like the value pick if you have a Costco membership, with only a slightly lower 40-minute runtime and a smaller tank for dust and clean water.
For the same $599 price, Tineco also has the iFloor U5 Stretch. It has a slightly less powerful 20,000Pa suction power, but still has plenty of the self-cleaning tech of the other models.
Here’s how much the new Tineco range costs in Australia:
As part of a major refresh of its home security cameras, Arlo has launched its first 360-degree range in Australia, the Essential Pan Tilt cameras.
Included in the brand’s more affordable ‘Essential’ lineup, Arlo’s Pan Tilt cameras include a $79 indoor version and a $119 weatherproof outdoor model. Both require a wired connection, unlike some of its battery-powered cameras.
Capable of detecting motion, the cameras provide 360-degree horizontal panning coverage, plus 180-degree vertical tilt movement. Like the rest of Arlo’s Essential range, the Pan Tilt cameras record 2K footage.
A couple of upgrades worth pointing out include dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity and USB-C connectivity. Many existing smart home devices solely rely on the 2.4GHz network band, which can cause compatibility issues with modern home networks. Plus, the move to USB-C means less reliance on proprietary cables, which is always a good thing.
Image: Arlo.
It’s also good news for Arlo owners who want to use a solar panel to provide ongoing power to their cameras. Instead of the convoluted existing setup of different panels for different cameras, Arlo is bringing out a new universal solar panel designed to work with nearly the entire brand’s security range. It’ll include different cable types to connect to older cameras, too.
Dual-band Wi-Fi also comes to updated Arlo Pro and Ultra cameras, as well. The new sixth-generation 2K Arlo Pro starts at $199 for one camera, while the third-generation 4K Arlo Ultra starts at $279 in Australia.
From there, much of the smart functionality comes from Arlo Secure, the brand’s subscription-based platform. Without MicroSD card support, Arlo’s stance is that cloud storage keeps footage available if a camera gets stolen or vandalised. Arlo Secure starts at $6.67 per month for basic features, and $15 per month for advanced AI functionality, like event captions and audio detection.
Arlo’s upgraded range, including the Essential Pan Tilt additions, launches in Australia on 13 October.
Last year, I called the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Australia’s best value phone. 12 months on, its successor, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, is a similarly decent phone, albeit with very few changes.
Labelled ‘FE’ for its status as Samsung’s bridge between its Galaxy A and Galaxy S phones, the idea is that this phone borrows the core features of the brand’s top phones, repackaged in a cheaper device. In the case of the S25 FE, it’s $300 cheaper than the standard S25. Or, if you buy it at launch, $550 cheaper.
For nearly the first month of its Australian launch, the 128GB model of the S25 FE costs $849. At that price, it’s a great phone, competing with the best phones in Australia. Once it reverts to the standard $1,099 price tag, Samsung’s flagship gateway device gets caught in the congestion of handsets entering ‘premium’ territory.
There’s enough of a gap to get caught between saving a few hundred dollars by choosing the S25 FE and paying a bit more to have the better-spec S25. And perhaps that’s exactly Samsung’s intention. The company sees the FE as a way to migrate customers to its premium devices, and the narrow price gap could be enough to push people to aim higher.
As for the phone, you could read last year’s review, and most of the same points apply to the new model. However, the lack of major year-on-year upgrades is underwhelming. Which, to be realistic, may not be that big of an issue, considering most people don’t upgrade phones every year.
If you glance at the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and then look back at last year’s model, it’s extremely tough to notice much of a difference.
Compared to the S24 FE, the S25 FE is 23g lighter and 0.6mm thinner, which is nice for fitting in your pocket. Otherwise, it has a slightly larger battery (4,900mAh versus 4,700mAh) while using the marginally better Exynos 2400 chipset. Last year’s phone used Samsung’s Exynos 2400e processor, which, as you’ll see a bit later, only results in a fractional difference in performance.
Samsung also claims that the Galaxy S25 FE is more durable. I wasn’t able to put this claim to the test, but it seemed to hold up fine to normal wear and tear.
Image: Chris Button.
Beyond that, the phone’s display is near-identical, the cameras are the same, and the aesthetic is very similar. Actually, there are some different colours to choose from, so the S25 FE technically has a changed aesthetic.
Samsung really took the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach here. That’s not terrible, but when the competition between phones keeps getting tighter, you want to see something more than just an imperceptibly lighter design. At least Samsung’s seven-year software update commitment remains in place.
Like last year’s phone, I like the S25 FE’s two-toned aesthetic. Samsung loaned me the navy version, which pairs nicely with the silvery aluminium frame, creating a nice light-and-shade contrast.
What you’ll mostly look at, however, is the 6.7-inch AMOLED screen. It’s a fair bit taller than the 6.2-inch display of the standard S25, yet the FE variant doesn’t feel unwieldy to hold.
Said screen is nice to look at, producing vibrant colours and strong overall contrast levels. Brightness is where it doesn’t shine. The S25 FE maxes out at 1,900 nits, although its peak brightness is only attainable when leaving auto brightness on.
Image: Chris Button.
That’s always one of the first settings I disable on any phone, preferring to manually adjust the brightness to my liking. As a result, this phone isn’t overly bright, making it tricky to use when out in the sun.
With all three rear cameras aligned on one side, the Galaxy S25 FE wobbles a lot when placed down on a flat surface. Mind you, this is a gripe you could level at nearly any premium phone maker. On this phone, though, it feels particularly pronounced.
Performance
In terms of general use, the Galaxy S25 FE is a smooth operator. Apps, web browsing, and standard phone use run without issue. It’s not a world-beater, by any means, but performs capably alongside its similarly priced peers.
What you’ll notice, however, is how little has changed between the S24 FE and the S25 FE. Multi-core CPU performance is less than 10 per cent better, while the same applies to graphical performance according to 3DMark’s Wild Life Extreme benchmark test.
Device
Wild Life Extremebenchmark
iPhone 17 Pro Max
5,533
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
4,531
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE
4,399
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
4,014
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
2,572
Again, people don’t upgrade their phones every year as a general rule. Still, 10 per cent is a minimal improvement, even by annual release cycle standards.
These numbers are still pretty decent, so it’s not a complete wash. However, the S25 FE struggles under sustained heavy workloads.
When subject to the 20-minute Wild Life Extreme stress test, there was a 39.5 per cent performance difference between the best and worst results. It got hot, too. Really hot. Just holding the phone was enough to make my hands sweaty. More than usual, at least.
Battery
I’m a fairly light phone user, so I’m usually left with plenty of juice by the end of the day. So, I like to run a few repeatable tests to try and quantify some data that gives a reasonable indication of battery life.
After playing an hour of YouTube videos at 50 per cent brightness and audio volume, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE drained from 100 down to 96 per cent of its battery capacity. That’s on par with the S24 FE and the slimline S25 Edge. Not outstanding, but fair.
When running the 20-minute Wild Life Extreme stress test, the phone’s battery dropped 11 percentage points. That’s not too bad, particularly given the aforementioned heat levels. It also indicates better long-term battery performance than the S25 Edge, which dropped 16 points during the same test.
All of which is to say that moderate users should last a day before needing to charge.
Camera
Using an almost identical camera array to last year’s phone, there’s not much for me to add regarding the S25 FE. It has a slightly better 12MP selfie camera, but nothing eye-popping.
Image: Chris Button.
What’s there is still a decent set of cameras, including a 3x optical zoom telephoto lens. Well-lit photos look lush and clear, capturing a decent amount of depth. I like the contrast between the overcast sky and the nicely manicured footy oval in these photos.
Images: Chris Button.
Unfortunately, only the main camera benefits from a 50MP mode, so you can’t zoom in much when using the telephoto lens. As such, trying to crop in and look closer makes people look like blocky little Lego figurines.
Don’t zoom in unless you want to meet your sleep paralysis demon. Image: Chris Button.
I got better performance from the macro sensor, thankfully. Getting up close to my Lego flowers resulted in a sharp photo with a nicely satisfying shallow depth of field. Importantly, the colours remained fairly true — cheaper phones often capture wildly different colours when using a macro sensor.
Images: Chris Button.
And, of course, my cat, Billie, looks as resplendent as ever. Then again, doesn’t she always?
Images: Chris Button.
Who is the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE for?
There is one type of person for whom the S25 FE is not: anyone who has the S24 FE. Without getting out a magnifying glass, it’s tough to discern many notable differences between this year’s phone and the last.
But it is a decent phone as a slight step up from the packed mid-range Android ecosystem. Especially if you grab the S25 FE at its introductory $849 price, or on sale at a later date. With how increasingly saturated the $1,000 phone market has become, Samsung’s flagship gateway device is no longer an assured slam dunk.
This phone has a nice, albeit dim, screen, a reasonable set of cameras. It’s a statement that also applies to 2024’s S24 FE model. Which pretty much sums up how I feel about the S25 FE.
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Samsung Galaxy S25 FE
While still a good phone for its price, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is a minimal upgrade over its predecessor.
