Samsung Galaxy S25 review

Samsung’s compact flagship telephone is again for an additional yr, and it’s trying very, very acquainted. For those who thought the S25 Extremely was an underwhelming replace, effectively, buckle in.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 has a brand new chip, extra RAM and a few minor aesthetic tweaks. In any other case, it’s just about an identical to the Galaxy S24. As with the remainder of the lineup, the largest developments are software-based, and Samsung is betting massive on AI but once more.

So, it won’t be a game-changing improve, however is that this petite performer nonetheless price contemplating? I popped my SIM inside for per week to try to discover out.

Design & Construct

• Redesigned digicam bezels
• Armor Aluminium body
• IP68 rated

The Samsung Galaxy S25 appears to be like nearly an identical to the S24. The one main change to the styling is the addition of some thick black bezels across the cameras.

These look identical to the bezels on the Z Fold 6, they usually match the remainder of the S25 lineup, too. They’re purely ornamental, and for me, they primarily function a strategy to shortly differentiate this yr’s telephones from its predecessor.

Luke Baker

The S25 is obtainable in several colors this yr, too. I’ve the Silver Shadow mannequin in for testing, which is a reasonably reserved and professional-looking possibility, however if you wish to stand out slightly extra, the Navy and Mint variations make a barely larger assertion.

There’s additionally an possibility known as Icyblue, which appears to be like similar to the Silver mannequin, simply lighter, with a really slight blueish tint to the rear panel.

For those who order from Samsung.com, you’ll have entry to 3 extra unique colors, together with the liveliest of the bunch – Coralred. There’s additionally Blueblack and Pinkgold, which have a extra muted palette. If you wish to stand out, the colourful Coralred is unquestionably the best way to go.

I wouldn’t usually spend this lengthy speaking about color choices, however to be trustworthy, there’s not rather a lot else to say right here. The telephone is barely slimmer, however we’re solely speaking 0.4mm, which is about the identical thickness as 4 sheets of paper. It’s additionally 6g lighter, however in case you can really feel that distinction, you will have extra delicate palms than I.

Luke Baker

In any other case, it’s all the identical because the earlier mannequin. It’s the one partially introduced Galaxy S25 Edge (rumoured to be known as the S25 Slim) which introduces a brand new design possibility.

The button structure is similar, the form is similar, the end feels the identical and it’s nonetheless IP68 rated. Across the entrance, you get the identical Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 coating as effectively.

I had my fingers crossed that the smaller telephones would profit from the identical anti-reflective coating because the Extremely, however that’s not the case. Oh effectively, possibly subsequent yr.

Whereas I wouldn’t name the S25 a small telephone (they appear to be useless), it’s rather a lot smaller than most flagships and I discovered it refreshing after spending time with the comparatively cumbersome S25 Extremely.

You possibly can barely really feel it in your pocket, and when you’ve got small palms, you’ll discover it far more manageable than most flagship slabs.

Display & Audio system

• 6.2-inch LTPO AMOLED show
• Full HD+ decision
• 2600 nits peak brightness
• Stereo audio system

On the subject of the show, it’s a well-known story. The specs are an identical to final yr’s mannequin, so there’s not a lot to get enthusiastic about, nevertheless it was nice final yr and it’s nonetheless simply as spectacular.

Luke Baker

The bezel was already extremely slim, and the 2600 nit output is greater than sufficient to compete with direct daylight.

It’s an LTPO panel, so it’ll dynamically shift from 1Hz to 120Hz as wanted. Saving you some battery life whereas guaranteeing movement appears to be like clean and fluid.

The one actual replace is the addition of a software program characteristic known as ProScaler. This was developed in collaboration with Qualcomm and it makes use of AI to upscale on-screen content material for a crisp excessive decision look.

Luke Baker

As I famous in my S25 Extremely overview, Samsung hasn’t been too clear about when or how this characteristic will get activated, and I’d be mendacity if I stated I observed a distinction.

That stated, the FHD+ panel appears to be like crisp and clear in nearly each situation, so whether or not it may be attributed to the ProScaler or not, you’re in for a visible deal with.

Luke Baker

The audio system are additionally unchanged, and once more, that’s high quality by me.

They’re nonetheless among the many finest, with nice readability and extra bass than most. I really favor these audio system to the S25 Extremely audio system, because the positioning of the drivers makes them much less vulnerable to being muffled.

Specs & Efficiency

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (in all areas)
• 12GB RAM
• 128GB / 256GB / 512GB storage

Lastly, we attain an space with some significant upgrades.

The Galaxy S25 is powered by Qualcomm’s newest flagship chip, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. And it’s not simply any chip, it’s a particular ‘for Galaxy’ overclocked model made solely for Samsung.

Luke Baker

The RAM has additionally been upgraded to a beneficiant 12GB, matching its S25-series siblings. Plus, there’s an extra storage possibility for this yr, so now you can go for 512GB on probably the most compact mannequin.

I’m actually happy to see this, I at all times thought it was foolish that you simply needed to accept decrease specs on the smallest S-series handset. In any case, simply since you favor a smaller telephone, that doesn’t imply you don’t need high efficiency or plenty of storage.

Many will probably be glad to see the again of the Exynos chipset, too, as the entire lineup makes use of the identical Qualcomm chip, it doesn’t matter what area you’re in.

In benchmarks, the S25 performs simply in addition to you’d anticipate. It is a supremely highly effective telephone, and it has no hassle working probably the most demanding video games and apps out there on the Play Retailer.

Luke Baker

I discovered that the body will get slightly hotter than I’d like throughout longer gaming classes, however I wouldn’t say it’s a lot worse than the S25 Extremely. On condition that this telephone has a considerably smaller vapour chamber, that’s fairly an accomplishment.

How a lot of a distinction this efficiency increase will make, in sensible phrases, relies on how you employ your telephone. Final yr’s S24 was already glorious for gaming, and except you have been working into limitations someplace, the each day expertise is prone to be fairly related.

That stated, this telephone feels extraordinarily fast always, noticeably faster than quite a lot of its Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered rivals. I feel that is primarily because of the zippy animation type of One UI 7, however possibly that overclock is performing some work of its personal, too.

Cameras

• 50Mp major sensor
• 12Mp ultrawide
• 10Mp 3x telephoto
• 12Mp selfie digicam

The cameras nonetheless haven’t seen any {hardware} adjustments, and also you get the very same set of sensors and lenses that we’ve seen for the previous few generations.

You’d suppose which means the photographs and movies look an identical on this mannequin, however that’s not the case. Simply as I noticed with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely, there are delicate enhancements throughout the board.

Luke Baker

I’m unsure if we’ve the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s ISP to thank for these enhancements, or if it’s simply software program tweaks, or seemingly each however the photographs and movies look barely higher on the S25 than they did on the S24. 

The principle change is with color copy, all the pieces appears to be like extra pure and practical, and I discovered that the largest enchancment was with pores and skin tones. Finer particulars like textures appear to resolve higher, too, with out that oversharpened look that was prevalent on older Samsung flagships.

It’s not an enormous change, nevertheless it’s sufficient to be noticeable.

In any other case, you may anticipate a really acquainted expertise, with the identical advantages and disadvantages because the Galaxy S23 and S24. This telephone won’t get the brand new ultrawide that was added to the S25 Extremely, however by way of high quality, I don’t suppose there’s an enormous distinction.

The principle factor to notice is that this ultrawide unit doesn’t have autofocus, so it’s not appropriate for close-ups, whereas the Extremely is superb in that regard.

General, I’m very happy with the outcomes from the S25. I notably just like the selfie digicam, which I feel outclasses quite a lot of its rivals such because the Google Pixel 9 in the case of sharpness, element and color accuracy – regardless of the low megapixel depend.

The rear trio offer you loads zoom vary, and the primary and 3x lenses can focus very shut up for macro pictures.

The principle disadvantage to this digicam system is the quantity of noise in low gentle situations (that’s true for the S25 Extremely as effectively). The principle sensor isn’t affected too badly, however the ultrawide and 3x telephoto get very noisy when the sunshine is low.

There’s solely a lot you are able to do with these comparatively small sensors, in spite of everything.

On the subject of video capturing, the massive change is the brand new Log recording format.

When activated, your movies have a particularly flat and low-contrast look, and it’s designed to present editors most flexibility when adjusting the colors in software program like Premiere Professional or DaVinci Resolve. It’s the identical characteristic that you simply’ll discover on skilled mirrorless cameras, and it has been current on the previous few generations of iPhone, too.

For probably the most half, this characteristic works in the identical method because it does on the S25 Extremely, and each can seize Log footage at as much as 8K decision – besting Apple. Nevertheless, there’s one key distinction.

The S25 can’t document Log footage at 4K 120fps, whereas the S25 Extremely can. It’s nonetheless able to 4K 120fps seize, however solely inside the slow-motion mode, so it’s barely much less versatile.

Battery Life & Charging

• 4000mAh battery
• 25W wired charging
• 15W wi-fi charging
• No energy adapter within the field

Care to take a guess what’s modified with the battery and charging this yr? Yep. Completely nothing.

You continue to get a 4000mAh cell, and it fees at 25W with a wire and 15W with out. As typical, there’s no charger within the field, only a USB-C cable.

Luke Baker

In equity, the S25 does appear to final barely longer than its predecessor, seemingly as a result of effectivity of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and One UI 7. So whereas 4000mAh may sound ridiculously small, it really lasts longer than you may anticipate.

On most days, I went to mattress with about 20% capability remaining, and the telephone by no means didn’t see me to the top of the day. It’s not astonishing battery life, nevertheless it’s ample.

It’s an identical story with the charging. It’s not painful to stay with, nevertheless it’s markedly slower than quite a lot of the competitors. Nonetheless, for lots of people, from flat to nearly 60% charged in half an hour is livable.

I simply don’t see why we will’t have a minimum of 45W to match the S25’s bigger siblings.

Luke Baker / Foundry

Samsung has upgraded the S25 will Qi2 wi-fi charging nevertheless it’s not carried out how we hoped. The agency can have an official clear case with Qi2-compatible magnets out there quickly, however there are not any magnets constructed into the telephone itself which is a disgrace.

I’m nonetheless glad to see it, because it seemingly means we’ll see some cool first-party magnetic equipment. Nevertheless, third-party circumstances have supplied related skills for years, so it’s not precisely game-changing.

Software program & Apps

• Samsung One UI 7
• Primarily based on Android 15
• New Galaxy AI options
• Seven years of help

As you’re effectively conscious by now, Samsung hasn’t actually modified a lot with the Galaxy S25 {hardware}, and that’s as a result of it has been specializing in software program options as a substitute.

The model already had probably the most superior AI options within the enterprise, and this yr, it has doubled down to keep up that lead.

Luke Baker

One UI 7 has a recent new look, and it’s feeling snappier than ever. I don’t suppose another Android machine comes near matching the speedy animation type that Samsung offers, and it’s a delight to work together with.

You’ll now discover AI-powered options built-in into nearly each space of the OS. This consists of the worldwide search bar, which helps natural-language enter.

So, for instance, if you wish to get to your Bluetooth settings you may search “I need to join my headphones” and the telephone will perceive what you’re searching for. It’s not the sort of change that can have a lot affect on energy customers, however for the much less technically inclined, it’s certain to be very helpful.

The voice assistant is now powered by Google Gemini, and its capabilities have been expanded to permit it to work together with different functions. So, relatively than simply answering questions, Gemini can add issues to your calendar and ship messages – in case you grant it the required permissions.

I discovered that the supported features are nonetheless fairly restricted, nevertheless it’s a glimpse of issues to come back, and I’ve a sense it’ll be very spectacular within the coming months.

Luke Baker

Circle to Search which debuted with the S24-series, is again and higher than ever. It now helps video search, and it could possibly additionally act like Shazam, looking for music that’s taking part in and even looking for a tune that you simply’re buzzing.

I really like this characteristic, however as we noticed final yr, it gained’t keep unique to Samsung, and we’ll see this seem on different Android telephones within the close to future, if it hasn’t already.

What’s unique to Samsung is the brand new AI-powered choose device. I used to be a bit puzzled by this at first, because it features very equally to Circle to Search. Each can search the online for content material in your display screen, choose textual content from photos and even translate content material. The place AI Choose differs, although, is its means to create issues.

There are generative AI-powered options out there straight from the Choose device, so you may reimagine your screenshot in quite a few inventive types, take away objects with the AI eraser and even sketch an AI-enhanced creation on high.

To be trustworthy, I can’t see myself utilizing any of those options repeatedly, however they’re out there if you would like them.

One other massive addition is a characteristic known as Now Temporary. This characteristic makes use of AI to present you a fast abstract of your day forward, together with issues like climate info, calendar occasions, journey notices and extra.

It’s delivered to your notifications mechanically all through the day, and can be discovered by way of a house display screen widget and lock display screen icon.

Luke Baker

I assumed this characteristic seemed fairly cool, however as I famous in my S25 Extremely overview, my precise expertise was fairly underwhelming. I believe it is because I’m not absolutely invested within the Samsung ecosystem.

I bought the climate and my calendar occasions for the day, whereas I’ve seen different reviewers get well being insights, information tales, sports activities scores and extra. There’s potential right here, however I feel it wants higher integration with third-party apps for it to be helpful.

You continue to get all the identical AI-powered picture modifying instruments that we noticed final yr, however there’s a brand new characteristic to reinforce your movies known as Audio Eraser. It’s similar to the Audio Magic Eraser on Google Pixel telephones, in addition to the equal characteristic on the iPhone 16 collection.

Primarily, in case you’ve taken a video with an excessive amount of wind noise or loud visitors within the background, this characteristic makes use of AI to filter it out.

Luke Baker

It really works pretty effectively, and I used to be impressed with how effectively the software program may separate several types of sounds. You’re given high quality management over the quantity of every sound, so you may tune it to your liking. Nevertheless, the audio nonetheless sounds slightly processed and unnatural after making use of this filter, so I’d solely use it in excessive circumstances.

As beforehand, Samsung guarantees seven years of OS and safety updates which is market-leading together with Google.

Worth & Availability

The Samsung Galaxy S25 is obtainable to order now in most areas world wide. The bottom mannequin, with 128GB of storage, will value you £799 within the UK and $799.99 Stateside. The 256GB mannequin retails for £859/$859.99.

Bizarrely, the most important capability 512GB mannequin doesn’t appear to be out there within the US, nevertheless it’ll value you £959 within the UK.

For those who’re not seeking to purchase outright, there are many contract particulars that may unfold the price. Take a look at our information to the most effective Samsung Galaxy S25 offers to see what’s out there.

Take a look at our rankings for the most effective telephones to see our high suggestions.

Do you have to purchase the Samsung Galaxy S25?

The Samsung Galaxy S25 is the smallest generational improve in current reminiscence. When it comes to {hardware}, there’s the brand new Qualcomm chip, some extra RAM and an extra 512GB storage possibility. There are additionally new colors to select from, however in any other case, the telephone is just about an identical to its predecessor.

This implies the largest adjustments are discovered within the software program, which isn’t essentially an issue, however with Samsung’s dedication to long-term software program help, a lot of the new stuff will seemingly seem on the S24 and earlier fashions, too.

The Galaxy S25 continues to be the most effective compact flagship that Samsung has ever made, however in case you already personal an S24, or an S23 for that matter, there’s not likely a lot purpose to improve. It’s turn out to be a really related state of affairs to the iPhone improve conundrum.

I’d solely advocate doing so in case you’re working right into a limitation together with your present telephone, like if it’s slowing down throughout multitasking or in case you want extra storage. Or maybe, it’s damaged from a fall.

For those who’re coming from one other machine, then the Samsung Galaxy S25 is unlikely to disappoint. It could not have probably the most spectacular spec sheet in the marketplace, however the general expertise utilizing the telephone is second to none. It’s lightning-quick, takes nice photographs and movies, and it feels high quality by and thru.

For those who’re into AI options, that is undoubtedly the small-ish flagship of alternative.

Specs

• One UI 7, based mostly on Android 15
• 6.2in, 2340×1080, AMOLED, 120Hz
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
• 12GB RAM
• 128GB / 256GB / 512GB storage
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp, f/1.8 major digicam
  • 12Mp f/2.2 ultra-wide digicam
  • 10Mp f/2.4 3x telephoto
  • As much as 8K @ 30fps rear video
  • 12Mp front-facing digicam
• Stereo audio system
• Twin-SIM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e
• Bluetooth 5.3
• 4000mAh battery
• 25W charging (no charger in field)
• 15W wi-fi charging
• 147.0 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm
• IP68 licensed
• 162g
• Colors: Navy, Icyblue, Silver Shadow, Mint
• Samsung.com unique colors: Blueblack, Coralred, Pinkgold