Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ Review: Solid Foundation, Supercharged with AI

The Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ are Samsung’s all-new premium S-series smartphones in India. In the event you adopted the Unpacked 2025 launch, you already know the most important improve is underneath the hood. However does that imply the S25 and S25+ aren’t price upgrading for S24 and S23 customers? Effectively, that query does not have an easy reply!

The Galaxy S25 and S25+ are good examples of why it is best to by no means decide a ebook by its cowl. That is since you ought to contemplate these due to how good the general bundle is. And this isn’t the conclusion, and this isn’t the tip of the evaluation. You’ll have to keep tuned to this evaluation to know why I simply gave all of it away.

Earlier than leaping into our evaluation, this is a breakdown of the costs. The Samsung Galaxy S25 begins at Rs. 80,999 for the 12+256GB mannequin, whereas the S25+ begins at Rs. 99,999 for the precise RAM and storage possibility. Each the fashions additionally get 512GB storage trim priced at Rs. 92,999 (S25) and Rs. 1,11,999 (S25+). Now that we’re accomplished with the costs let’s dive into design first.

Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ sport a glossy design

 

 

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ Design: Aware of some refinements

• Dimensions – 146.9×70.5×7.2mm (Galaxy S25), 158.4×75.8×7.3mm (Galaxy S25+)
• Weight – 162 grams (Galaxy S25), 190 grams (Galaxy S25+)
• Colors – Icyblue, Navy, Silver Shadow, Mint, Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold (S25), Navy, Silver Shadow, Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold (S25+)

The Samsung Galaxy S25 brings again the acquainted compact design. It sports activities a flat body design with rounded corners that work completely for aesthetics. Then again, the Galaxy S25+ sits between probably the most compact and the most important mannequin (S25 Extremely). Just like the little sibling, the S25+ additionally has flat panels. Whereas Galaxy S25 is far more comfy to make use of with only one hand and is light-weight at underneath 170 grams. The Galaxy S25+ sports activities an even bigger display however is usually outstanding for one-hand utilization, weighing underneath 200 grams. Each the telephones sport second-generation Armor Aluminum body.

The Galaxy S25 weighs 162 grams whereas S25+ weighs 190 grams

 

Samsung has stored the anti-reflective Gorilla Armor Glass unique for the Extremely mannequin, which is okay contemplating the Samsung Extremely continues to be the top-of-the-line mannequin. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ are thinner and weigh lower than their predecessors – one thing you won’t even discover instantly. Each fashions additionally get an IP68 ranking for mud and water resistance. Fascinating to see Samsung not choosing the IP69 ranking, which currently has turn out to be a part of the spec lists of most up-to-date Android flagships.

The Galaxy S25 sports activities Gorilla Glass Victus 2 at the back and front

 

This yr, Samsung has gone with moderately muted color selections like Icyblue, Navy, Silver Shadow, Mint, Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold for the S25. For S25+, Navy, Silver Shadow, Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold colors can be found. It is price noting that Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold colors can be found solely on Samsung.com. I bought the S25 in Icyblue and the S25+ in Navy color for the evaluation.

The Galaxy S25+ sports activities an Armor aluminium 2 body

 

General, the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ really feel nearly similar to the S24 and S24+ within the design division. Each telephones function a matte design, which makes them fingerprint-resistant to quite a lot of extent. Samsung’s transfer to not use an enormous digital camera island to deal with rear cameras on the again helps make the Galaxy S25 sequence much less flashy, and it really works for me. The flat design and minimalist strategy work nicely. And there is nothing unsuitable with that, contemplating the S-series telephones have a definite look and stand out within the sea of similar-looking telephones.

Galaxy S25 and S25+ run Android 15-based One UI 7 out of the field

 

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ Show: Finest on the market

• Show dimension: 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED (S25) and 6.7-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (S25+)
• Highlights: (S25) 120Hz refresh charge, 1080×2340 pixels display decision, HDR10+, 2600nits peak brightness, and 416PPI pixel density (S25+) 120Hz refresh charge, 1440×3120 pixels display decision, HDR10+, 2600nits peak brightness, and 513PPI pixel density

The show specs are similar to the predecessors – S24 and S24+. This contains the utmost peak brightness of 2600nits, as nicely. Samsung has well adopted the favored technique – if one thing is superb, why change it? And I am not complaining. The show on each fashions is incredible. They’re vibrant and crisp. The texts seem sharp and daylight legibility is incredible.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 contains a Dynamic LTPO AMOLED show

 

The adaptive refresh charge works completely and drops to 1Hz when studying e-books or simply searching the Web. Each the S25 and S25+ miss out on Dolby Imaginative and prescient video assist. The panels are Widevine L1 compliant, which suggests you possibly can get pleasure from HDR content material on the go. In the event you love binge-watching reveals or motion pictures on the go, then you’ll love the S25 and S25+. Even for avid gamers, the S25 and S25+ can run suitable video games at 120Hz; extra on that in a bit.

The Galaxy S25+ options 91.8 p.c screen-to-body ratio and sports activities 513PPI pixel density

 

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ Efficiency: You get the very best

• Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy (customized)
• RAM and storage: 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB
• OS: One UI 7 based mostly on Android 15

The Galaxy S25 and S25+ are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, a customized chip designed for the all-new S25 sequence. It’s mentioned to ship a efficiency increase of 40 p.c in NPU, 37 p.c in CPU, and 30 p.c in GPU in comparison with its predecessor. Aside from on a regular basis duties, the most important function of utilizing this chip is to deal with on-device AI capabilities easily. Samsung claims the brand new Galaxy duo packs a 40 p.c bigger vapour chamber for higher thermal efficiency.

This yr, all Galaxy S25 fashions are powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy

 

Speaking purely about on a regular basis efficiency, the Galaxy S25 and S25+ can simply deal with multitasking. Even gaming is handled as calmly as a millpond. AI options work easily, be it the eraser function within the Gallery or the Be aware Help function for summarising notes or transcribing recordings. Lengthy factor quick, the S25 and S25+ are quick and fluid relating to efficiency credentials.

The Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ rating some incredible ends in our artificial benchmark outcomes, and you’ll take a look at beneath:

 

Benchmark	Samsung Galaxy S25	Samsung Galaxy S24+	Pixel 9 Professional XL	Oppo Discover X8 Professional
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)	Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)	Tensor G4 (4nm)	Dimensity 9400 (3nm)
AnTuTu v10	21,13,343	21,83,570	10,67,971	23,38,411
PCMark Work 3.0	20,833	19,978	12,922	12,868
Geekbench Single	3,034	3,141	1,944	2,787
Geekbench Multi	9,211	10,021	4,667	8,391
GFXB T-rex	120	120	120	60
GFXB Manhattan 3.1	120	120	105	60
GFXB Automotive Chase	113	108	54	60
3DM Slingshot Excessive OpenGL	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	FTR	Maxed Out
3DM Slingshot	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	FTR	Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	8,902	Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life Limitless	24,983	24,893	9,294	23,225

Loads of fluid response needs to be credited to One UI 7 based mostly on Android 15. The all-new One UI is visually extra interesting and feels cleaner than earlier variations. It packs tons of improved animations, new icons, higher widget integration, lock display structure, and new fast settings, which is kind of impressed by iOS as it’s now break up into two methods – one for notifications and the opposite for fast toggles.

The One UI 7 brings a well-known UI look with tons of refinements, together with a restricted variety of pre-installed apps

 

Samsung packs some apps like My Information, Well being, Calculator and others, whereas the suite of Google and Microsoft apps can be preinstalled on the Galaxy S25 and S25+. I am not stunned that Google Gemini is baked deep into the principle scheme of issues. I can comfortably say that One UI 7 is my favorite Android UI now.

Each the Galaxy S25 and S25+ are available 256GB and 512GB storage choices

 

The Galaxy S25 packs a good speaker setup, which is loud for a small room. The S25+ packs a barely higher speaker setup that’s loud and might fill a medium-sized room simply. Each the telephones pack a superb haptic motor, and the typing suggestions is satisfying. Name high quality on each the Galaxy S25 and S25+ is superb and might latch on to the 5G community even in darkish zones the place different telephones battle.

Speaking about biometrics, the Galaxy S25 and S25+ provide face and fingerprint unlocks. The fingerprint sensor was my go-to possibility for display lock because it was faster all through the day. That does not imply the face unlock does not work as supposed, however the fingerprint sensor is the extra dependable of the 2.

Samsung’s seven years of promise for software program and safety updates is presently a benchmark for different producers globally.

Each the Galaxy S25 and S25+ include seven years of software program and safety replace promise

 

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ AI Options

With a voice command, you possibly can ask Gemini to dam your calendar and advocate locations to eat. Even higher is when you finalise a spot to hang around, Gemini can hold it saved in your calendar. Nevertheless, it is price noting that this performance is proscribed to Samsung and Google apps, with assist for extra third-party apps anticipated to be added quickly. The general bundle contains options like Circle to Search that at the moment are improved additional and might do rather more than analyse content material on display. Samsung has two new options – Now Transient and Now Bar. The Now Transient stays on your own home display and recommends occasions saved in your calendar, together with climate alerts. The Now Bar, alternatively, stays in your lock display and gives information from Google Maps, your favorite sports activities staff through Google, Samsung Well being, Clock, and Samsung Notes.

The unique picture (on the left) and picture reimagined (on the best) utilizing the Eraser function within the Gallery app

 

Probably the most useful use of AI you possibly can strive is within the Gallery app, the place you possibly can reimagine the photographs. Be it to maneuver, take away, and resize individuals or objects, you may as well use AI to fill empty areas within the background, rework pictures of individuals into creative types, draw on a picture after which use AI to make the drawing seem like a part of the image. Samsung will get brownie factors so as to add a small watermark in each picture edited or created with the assistance of AI that claims ‘AI-generated content material’.

The Galaxy AI has the standard lengthy listing of options, together with Name Help, Writing Help, Interpreter, Be aware Help, Transcript Help, Shopping Help, Photograph Help, Drawing Help, Audio Eraser, Photograph Ambient Wallpaper, Well being Help, and Now Transient.

Galaxy S25+ sports activities a triple-camera setup

 

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ Digital camera: Usual formulation

• Digital camera setup: (S25 and S25+) 50-megapixel main sensor, 10-megapixel telephoto sensor, and 12-megapixel ultrawide
• Selfie: (S25 and S25+) 12-megapixel sensor
• Video recording: 4320p@30fps and 2160p@60fps

Earlier than leaping to real-world efficiency, let me level out that Samsung hasn’t modified the digital camera setup on the S25, which signifies that it nonetheless packs the S24-like setup, the identical because the S23. I hope you get the purpose.

Out of the Galaxy S25 and S25+, I want that Samsung shipped the 50-megapixel ultrawide sensor on the S25+ this yr, which is now a part of the Extremely. However, this may very well be an try and hold the costs in verify.

The Galaxy S25 sports activities a triple digital camera setup that includes a 50-megapixel main sensor

 

Speaking about digital camera efficiency, the S25 and 25+ pack a succesful digital camera setup, which suggests you possibly can anticipate correct publicity and distinction in most of your pictures. After extensively testing the cameras on the Galaxy S25 and S25+, I came upon that the images are vibrant with correct particulars, and hues often pop – one thing Samsung is thought for. The noise is managed in low-light conditions, which is a power. Pictures come out sharp and

Samsung Galaxy S25 digital camera samples (faucet picture to broaden)

Samsung Galaxy S25+ digital camera samples (faucet picture to broaden)

Bokeh photographs come out nicely with glorious topic isolation and blur impact. In numerous mild circumstances, the S25 and S25+ confirmed good depth processing on the objects within the background.

Bokeh shot: Samsung Galaxy S25 (on the left) and Samsung Galaxy S25+ (on the best)

In my testing, I seen that 2x and 3x zoom photographs come out nicely, although not so good as from the first sensor. The ultrawide cameras on each are glorious and have good dynamic vary. Nevertheless, the dearth of autofocus on the ultrawide digital camera is a missed alternative, contemplating the S25 and S25+ are premium-priced gadgets. The low-light photographs come out nicely, and the automated processing on each the S25s is nice and never excessive.

Samsung Galaxy S25 low-light digital camera samples (faucet picture to broaden)

Samsung Galaxy S25+ evening digital camera samples (faucet picture to broaden)

Each telephones assist as much as 8K@60fps video recording, and the standard is top-notch. The selfie cameras on S25 and S25+ do an amazing job, and I had no complaints all through the evaluation interval. The pores and skin tones captured are pure, and the colors are correct, with quantity of element.

General, the Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ cameras do not pack generational upgrades over the predecessor and as an alternative follow a tried and examined formulation. In your on a regular basis digital camera utilization, the Galaxy S25 and S25+ are greater than ample and will not allow you to down in probably the most difficult conditions.

It is price mentioning that on-device AI edits have turn out to be rather more fluid and fast on the S25 and S25+. In fact, the function debuted final yr, however due to the refinements, operations are virtually quicker than ever this yr.

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ Battery: Meets expectations

• Battery dimension: 4000mAh (S25) and 4900mAh (S25+)
• Quick-charging assist: 25W wired and 45W (wired)
• S25 can cost as much as 50% in half-hour, and S25+ can cost as much as 65% in half-hour

Very like the battery figures, not a lot has modified within the efficiency credentials in comparison with the S24 sequence. The S25 can provide a full day’s battery life with a screen-on time of about 5 hours and half-hour. The battery output could drop should you combine extra gaming or on-line streaming. The S25+, alternatively, can simply final over a day with a screen-on time of about 6 hours and 20 minutes based mostly on our inner assessments. In fact, this could range relying on totally different utilization eventualities.

The Galaxy S25 packs a 4000mAh battery

One vital optimistic change I seen this time was that the battery drain was in verify due to optimisations of One UI 7.0 and Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy SoC. In a single day battery drain was rather more improved on Galaxy S25 and S25+ than their predecessors.

With 25W quick charging, the Galaxy S25 nonetheless takes over 100 minutes to completely cost, which is gradual, in my view. However it’s barely higher than what I noticed on the S24 final yr. Equally, the Galaxy S25+ charged totally in underneath an hour with a Samsung 45W charger, which is approach higher than what the iPhone 16 Plus gives (which takes about two hours to cost totally).

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ Verdict

The Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+ are one of the best S-series flagships from Samsung. They’re much better than their predecessors, and every little thing appears to be an improve, particularly for individuals nonetheless holding on to their Galaxy S21, S22 and S23 fashions. The Galaxy S25 sequence is a major improve and needs to be thought-about. For Galaxy S24 customers, the upgrades aren’t that nice, they usually can skip this yr.

The AI integrations on the Galaxy S25 are superior and higher than ever. I can comfortably say that the Galaxy AI is years forward of the competitors, which continues to be busy pushing updates for its gallery app and claiming AI can do it for you. Fortunately, Samsung has gone previous that period and with Gemini deep integrations, you will get rather more accomplished along with your voice than ever.

Samsung’s new Galaxy S25 fashions are a strong bundle supercharged with AI

Nevertheless, that brings me to the purpose that AI continues to be not the function that may flip the tables for firms. Sure, the AI options hold me up to date and assist me keep forward of the curve. However I nonetheless do not assume that buyers will prefer to spend upwards of Rs. 50,000 on gadgets so as to add some AI tips.

Speaking about fundamentals, the Galaxy S25 and S25+ have some strong basis and nail largely each facet of what makes a telephone earn that ‘flagship’ title. On the identical time, the Samsung Galaxy S25 is my favorite compact telephone and is a greater total bundle than the Google Pixel 9 (Evaluate). The Galaxy S25+, alternatively, is akin to the likes of Google Pixel 9 Professional (Evaluate) and iPhone 16 Plus (Evaluate). For alternate options, there are telephones just like the Vivo X200 Professional (Evaluate) and Discover X8 Professional (Evaluate).