Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Two-minute evaluate
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is polished, highly effective, and predictable. All the things in regards to the Galaxy S household has gotten a bit higher over time – the smooth design that’s completely not an iPhone lookalike; the One UI 7 interface that appears a lot nicer even because it grows extra advanced; the brilliant and colourful show that pulls you into each net web page and picture. It’s all nice, nevertheless it’s not very thrilling.
The Galaxy S25’s efficiency is top-notch: that is the quickest cellphone you should buy on the time of its launch, aside from the dearer Galaxy S25 Ultra. Not like Apple, which hobbles its base mannequin iPhone 16 with a slower processor, Samsung has ensured that the Galaxy S25 begins on the identical platform as its bigger brethren, with an similar Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset inside. There’s nothing this cellphone can’t deal with.
That is perhaps an empty praise, as a result of the Galaxy S25 simply doesn’t do very rather more than you’d anticipate a flagship cellphone in 2025 to do… not but. At launch, Samsung bragged on and on about Galaxy AI, and all of the methods this cellphone would get to know you. Possibly it should, sometime, however none of that’s right here simply but.
The truth is, all through the cellphone, the AI takes steps backwards. The Now Temporary function that Samsung desires us to make use of a number of occasions a day? It presents the climate, and information tales I actually don’t need to learn – at the least Google Uncover is aware of the tales I like. Even the well being recommendation wasn’t useful – get extra sleep? Thanks, I’ll get proper on that.
I used to have the ability to use AI to activate the flashlight or activate my private hotspot. Now I’ve to wrestle between competing AIs. Samsung mentioned customers gained’t must know whether or not they’re utilizing Bixby or Google’s Gemini, so seamless will the mixed AI expertise be. In my time with the cellphone, nevertheless, that was under no circumstances true. Lots of the options I used to get pleasure from with Bixby are actually hidden, as a result of Gemini takes over the facet button once you arrange the cellphone, and Gemini can not do half of what Bixby can do.
Bixby continues to enhance, and it comes nearer to fulfilling its promise of a voice interface. I can now ask Bixby to “assist me cost my Galaxy Buds utilizing my cellphone” and it’ll open the proper Settings menu for wi-fi energy sharing. Sadly, Bixby itself is tough to search out, relegated to the Search bar within the Settings app.
I can at all times put Bixby again on the facet button, however then I’d lose Google Gemini options, resembling they’re. It’s simpler now to speak to Gemini, and Google’s Search is extra prepared than ever to establish no matter you see or hear, whether or not that’s reside in particular person or on the cellphone display. Past that, it could actually, um… I’m undecided, precisely.
Samsung informed me that Galaxy AI would do issues like flip off the TV once I go to sleep, or establish the most effective thermostat setting to assist me go to sleep. Sure, Samsung seems to be obsessive about sleep throughout its Galaxy vary.
So the place, precisely, is the AI? I’m utilizing a Galaxy S25, and a Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. I’m watching my Samsung Smart TV, and controlling the whole lot, together with my lights and thermostat, by Sensible Issues. So, the place is it? The place are the recommendations? The place is the intelligence?
If Samsung is being cautious and never overextending Galaxy AI for now, then I recognize the sensitivity and I will likely be affected person. I don’t want AI-generated pretend information headlines, or inaccurate summaries of my messages. When Samsung’s Galaxy AI summarized my cellphone calls or my Notes, it was very correct, with no evident errors. There’s no AI assist for Notifications but, sadly.
I’ll proceed to feed my Galaxy S25 my private knowledge to maintain within the Samsung Knox-secured Private Information Engine, and hopefully its Galaxy AI will chew that up and spit out options which can be tailor-made to my character and habits. I will be affected person, as a result of, AI options apart, the Galaxy S25 is a satisfying cellphone.
The cameras on the Galaxy S25 are nice, even when they didn’t get an thrilling improve with extra megapixels or longer zoom. Samsung’s One UI 7 software program is essentially the most closely customizable model of Android you’ll discover – you’ll be able to change the whole lot right down to the variety of rounded corners in your squircle-shaped widgets, or you’ll be able to go away the whole lot unchanged, and benefit from the colourful, clean really feel of One UI 7.
Right here’s the factor. The Galaxy S25 is a good cellphone, however there are opponents which can be lastly catching as much as Samsung. You will get a OnePlus 13 for a similar worth (with OnePlus’s trade-in provide), and that cellphone has higher battery life and nicer cameras. The Google Pixel 9 Pro simply received a superb new look; it’s dearer, however I’ve seen that worth drop to the Galaxy S25’s stage for Black Friday, and its worth will certainly drop once more.
Should you want a cellphone, the Galaxy S25 is a wonderful selection that can preserve you happy for years. Should you’re trying to improve from a Galaxy S24, it’s possible you’ll need to wait a bit longer, as a result of the Galaxy S25 presents solely refined enhancements, and I’m hoping that Samsung freshens up the Galaxy S lineup with one thing extra thrilling subsequent 12 months.
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Value and availability
- Accessible for $799 / £799 / AU $1,399 with 128GB of storage (256GB in Australia)
- All the colours are kinda blue, together with Icyblue, Navy, and Mint (and Silver)
The Samsung Galaxy S25 begins at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, which isn’t solely the identical worth because the Apple iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9 (the Pixel 9 may be very barely cheaper in Australia), but in addition the identical worth as final 12 months’s Galaxy S24 at launch. It’s a giant deal that Samsung didn’t increase the worth, as a result of I’ve heard robust rumors that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset inside is dearer than earlier Snapdragon platforms. It’s definitely worth the premium.
The Galaxy S25 begins with a paltry 128GB of storage within the US and UK, however Australia skips that low-end mannequin and begins at 256GB. Additionally, for some purpose US prospects can’t purchase a Galaxy S25 with 512GB of storage, though it’s not likely a problem, as 256GB might be the candy spot. Each Galaxy S25 comes with 12GB of RAM inside.
You will discover the Galaxy S25 in a number of shades of blue and in addition silver, and Samsung is protecting a number of colours unique to its personal on-line net retailer, like a snazzy pinkish Coralred colour. My evaluate pattern is Silver Shadow, and it’s a nicer-than-average shade of sunshine gray, with actual depth to the end on the again glass.
An necessary observe right here is that Samsung followers typically say no person pays full worth for a Samsung cellphone. You possibly can search for gross sales all year long, particularly within the type of a trade-in low cost if you happen to give Samsung your previous cellphone. The Galaxy S25 is definitely worth the checklist worth, however preserve an eye fixed out for offers, and we’ll do the identical.
| Storage | US worth | UK worth | AU worth |
| 128GB | $799 | £799 | N/A |
| 256GB | $859 | £859 | AU$1,399 |
| 512GB | N/A | £959 | AU$1,599 |
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Specs
The standout spec within the Samsung Galaxy S25 is the brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset. Plainly Qualcomm has overclocked the 2 main Oryon cores by 0.15GHz – and if that doesn’t sound like a lot, know that these cores run at a mind-melting 4.47GHz at peak, and it is laborious to think about squeezing any extra pace out of those chips.
That provides Samsung the benchmark crown for a lot of of our Future Labs benchmark exams, whether or not you’re evaluating the Galaxy S25 to the iPhone 16 Pro or every other Android cellphone. The Galaxy S25 isn’t the spec champ in most different methods, nevertheless it has sufficient energy for bragging rights.
You will discover telephones with screens that refresh quicker than 120Hz, just like the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro. You will get a cellphone just like the OnePlus 13 with 16GB of RAM, to not point out a lot quicker charging speeds; Samsung remains to be caught within the sluggish lane on the subject of charging.
Lastly, the digicam specs haven’t improved, and that’s disappointing. It doesn’t appear to be any of the three important digicam sensors have gotten bigger, which is essentially the most clear signal that picture high quality will enhance. Samsung’s digicam software program, with its AI assist and Snapdragon picture processing pipeline, is healthier than ever, however I’d nonetheless wish to see Samsung focus its digicam sights on a cellphone that isn’t its Extremely.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Samsung Galaxy S25 |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2mm |
| Weight | 162g |
| OS | One UI 7, primarily based on Android 15 |
| Show | 6.2-inch AMOLED, 120Hz |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB |
| Battery | 4,000mAh |
| Rear cameras | 50MP important, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto |
| Entrance digicam | 12MP |
| Charging | 25W wired, 15W wi-fi |
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Design
- Smaller than an iPhone 16, with a bigger show
- Nonetheless appears to be like like final 12 months’s Galaxy S (and the 12 months earlier than’s, and…)
The Galaxy S25 has a 6.2-inch show, however the cellphone is smaller in each means, and even lighter, than the Apple iPhone 16 with its 6.1-inch show. The best trick Samsung ever pulled was becoming a bigger show right into a smaller cellphone – however we noticed that trick in 2023 with the Galaxy S23, and it’s nonetheless the identical trick.
Sadly, Samsung hasn’t modified the Galaxy S design considerably for the reason that Galaxy S23, when it launched the porthole-style cameras. The brand new telephones look a lot just like the older fashions, even the scale are unchanged. The Galaxy S25 matches the Galaxy S23 in top, width, and depth to inside a millimeter.
Why does that matter? As a result of I anticipate a cellphone design ought to enhance or the cellphone ought to drop in worth, and the Galaxy S hasn’t improved. Why are we paying the identical quantity for a cellphone that hasn’t modified since 2023? Apart from the principle processor and RAM, these telephones are similar.
It’s a great design, it will get the job achieved, which is getting out of the best way of Samsung’s improbable cellphone show. The bezel is even smaller this 12 months, although we’re speaking fractions of millimeters, not a noticeable enchancment. There may be nonetheless a bezel; it’s simply very small.
Frankly, if you happen to’d by no means seen a smartphone earlier than, you’d have a tough time telling a Samsung Galaxy S from an iPhone. The 2 have come full circle to resemble one another once more. The digicam lenses are organized otherwise, however in any other case, these telephones are glass slabs with rounded corners. The one actual distinction is the place Samsung and Apple stick the buttons.
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Show
- Glorious, vibrant AMOLED display with full-color always-on show
- Fingerprint scanner remains to be glitchy
The Galaxy S25 has a improbable show. It’s vibrant, colourful, and additional clean once you’re scrolling by your apps or net pages. There’s little or no distance between the glass and the display, so it appears like parts are floating simply beneath the floor.
Samsung shows additionally excel in vibrant gentle, and the Galaxy S25 was straightforward to make use of for taking images on a vibrant, sunny day with heaps of dazzling, white snow on the bottom. The additional brightness actually kicks in when the solar is out, and it makes a giant distinction.
The S25 doesn’t get the ProScaler expertise that’s designed to make movies look higher, with the next decision, however I didn’t see a lot distinction between movies on this cellphone and the Galaxy S25 Plus, which, together with the S25 Extremely, has the Samsung TV tech. By way of colour, smoothness and brightness, the 2 are similar.
I believe the fingerprint scanner beneath the show wants enchancment. After utilizing the OnePlus 13 for a number of months I’ve been spoiled by the reliability of that cellphone’s scanner. The Galaxy S25 typically made me re-present my fingerprint two or thrice, after which resort to utilizing my password as a result of it couldn’t acknowledge my finger.
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Software program
- One UI 7 is the best-looking One UI in a very long time
- Nonetheless far too difficult, although Bixby helps
I anticipated to write down a number of hundred phrases about Galaxy AI on the Galaxy S25, however, um, the place is it? The same old stuff is right here, together with the photo-editing instruments, and the writing help, and the transcription for cellphone calls and voice memos. The cellphone does a pleasant job of creating recommendations for apps, settings, and even widgets, once you open the widgets menu. It takes a light-weight contact, providing recommendations however not being too pushy.
I used to be anticipating extra pushy. I hoped for extra pushy. Samsung despatched me a Galaxy Watch Extremely to associate with the Galaxy S25, and I’ve been feeding my cellphone, through its Private Information Engine, all of my well being knowledge for days. Probably the most I’ve gotten is a critique on my sleep habits. I used to be anticipating rather more.
At Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung mentioned the Galaxy S25 would use the Galaxy Watch to study once I go to sleep, after which test Sensible Issues to grasp how the temperature and lighting in my dwelling affected my sleep patterns. I’ve all of these issues arrange, together with my lights, thermostat, and Samsung TV on Sensible Issues. And… nothing occurs.
I’ve requested Samsung, and so they’ll get again to me with extra directions on tips on how to set this all up, however that’s my massive drawback with Galaxy AI up to now. It doesn’t occur, and I’d must do extra to set it up.
Take Google Gemini, which now lives on the Aspect Button of my Galaxy S25. So lengthy, Bixby, proper? Nope, Bixby remains to be there, however it’s a must to discover it. Should you use the Search function within the Settings menu, you’re utilizing Bixby. You may have saved Bixby on the facet button, however the setup course of pushes you to make use of Gemini as a substitute.
That’s too dangerous, as a result of Bixby is healthier for the Galaxy S25. Bixby can do issues, and I don’t simply imply setting timers and checking the climate. Bixby understands the Settings menu higher than the Samsung Assist Hotline. You possibly can ask Bixby a query utilizing pure language and it’ll discover the settings you want. Say “Bixby, I need to use my cellphone to cost my Galaxy Buds” and Bixby opens up the Battery menu to Wi-fi Energy Sharing.
You possibly can say “activate the flashlight” and Bixby can do this, however Gemini can’t. I want that Bixby have been in command of the cellphone, together with Gemini. Gemini can have a dialog, however Bixby can get issues achieved. Let Bixby speak to Gemini for me.
Samsung mentioned this wouldn’t be complicated, and that customers wouldn’t must know whether or not they have been utilizing Bixby or Gemini or some future AI function. That’s not precisely true. Should you ask the flawed AI to do one thing, it should act confused and ignore you. That doesn’t make me need to preserve utilizing the AI.
Elsewhere, I hate to say that Samsung is falling again into its previous methods of software program bloat with the Galaxy S25. The quantity of additional, pointless software program is mind-boggling. From Samsung, you get the Samsung Members app (which ought to simply be an internet site), Store Samsung to purchase Samsung gear, and the Galaxy Retailer for apps, nearly all of which can be found on Google’s Play Store as nicely.
You additionally get the Samsung Sensible Issues app, even if you happen to don’t have any Sensible Issues gear, and the Galaxy Wearable app, even if you happen to don’t have any Galaxy wearables. However wait, there’s extra. There’s Samsung Information, Samsung International Targets (?!), and an app only for Recommendations on your cellphone.
Then there are two picture gallery apps, one from Google and one from Samsung. Additionally two Calendar apps, two net browser apps, oh, and Microsoft will get to stay 4 apps in your cellphone as nicely, only for good measure. Hope you get pleasure from LinkedIn.
All informed, there are 46 apps already put in in your cellphone earlier than you flip it on for the primary time; the ultimate certainly one of these, YouTube, dangles alone an ugly second web page for apps. It’s an excessive amount of. It’s time for the junk to vanish; it’s time for the duplicate apps to finish.
I’ll freely admit that Samsung Web Browser is quicker than Google Chrome, nevertheless it doesn’t profit customers to have two net browsers on a brand-new cellphone, it simply confuses me.
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Cameras
- Dependable cameras with nice digicam modes
- Not the highest quality, however nonetheless spectacular
The Galaxy S25 has a formidable array of cameras that take glorious images, particularly if you happen to like to share your images for some dramatic impact. The cameras are inclined to saturate colours deeply and provides photographs a hotter tone, which makes topics like meals, sunrises, and faces look extra dramatic and welcoming. It’s not precisely correct, however who cares!
These aren’t the most effective cameras round, not even on this worth vary. The OnePlus 13 actually impressed me with its picture high quality, and side-by-side photographs taken in opposition to the Galaxy S25 present the Galaxy can’t match OnePlus for dynamic vary, low-light publicity, and correct colour.
I nonetheless just like the Galaxy Digital camera app for its versatility. You get the traditional taking pictures modes for sluggish movement or portrait photographs, along with a devoted Evening mode. There’s additionally a terrific Meals mode that’s my go-to for displaying off something I cook dinner.
In traditional Samsung vogue, there’s a Professional mode, or you’ll be able to obtain an additional app for Skilled Uncooked mode, which provides you much more superior options like simulated aperture and astrophotography.
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I’m not the most important fan of AI picture enhancing, however often even I want to take away a random passerby from my vacationer images. The Galaxy S25 is so good at this that it could actually even take away an individual’s shadow with accuracy. If somebody is standing on a wooden flooring, the generative AI will completely match the wooden planks when it makes the shadow disappear.
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Digital camera samples
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Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Efficiency
- Snapdragon delivers on its efficiency promise
- Too dangerous there aren’t extra cool options to benefit from it
What do you do with the quickest smartphone on the earth? That’s the query Samsung must reply, as a result of whereas the Galaxy S25 wins on many efficiency and benchmark exams, it’s not clear what the cellphone can do with all of that energy.
To be truthful, Samsung permits you to select to restrict Galaxy AI so that every one computations are dealt with on the system, and never within the cloud. It’s unclear if that saves loads of power, nevertheless it definitely exhibits Samsung’s confidence within the energy of the Galaxy S25. OnePlus remains to be offloading nearly all of its AI duties to cloud computer systems, although its OnePlus 13 has the identical Snapdragon 8 Elite processor because the Galaxy S25.
Nicely, not precisely the identical processor, as Qualcomm overclocks the chipset only a smidgen in order that Samsung can add a ‘for Galaxy’ label. That makes it the de facto efficiency winner, although once more I want Samsung have been placing all of that energy to higher use.
Don’t get me flawed, the whole lot may be very clean. The interface is buttery slick, and all of my video games and apps ran at high efficiency on the S25. I’ve no complaints – I used to be simply hoping for a bit extra. Whereas One UI 7 appears to be like nicer than ever, I hoped for perhaps one thing a bit flashier to benefit from that highly effective Snapdragon 8 Elite.
The place’s my rippling display once I tickle Bixby, the best way my iPhone ripples when Siri wakes up? How about cool animations, or perhaps a fancy screensaver? There’s a generative AI wallpaper that can change the climate in any picture to match your native climate, nevertheless it simply provides snowflakes on high; it doesn’t let snow accumulate, which might have been cool.
It’s too dangerous that every one of that Snapdragon energy goes to AI options, as a result of I’d have preferred to have seen some actual advances within the interface this technology to match the leap in efficiency. Samsung has a winner – the Galaxy S25 is unequivocally quicker than the iPhone 16. Now, let’s see what it could actually do with all that energy, moreover standing atop the winner’s podium.
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Battery
- Finest battery lifetime of any cellphone this measurement
- The Galaxy S25 Plus and Extremely have quicker charging
The Samsung Galaxy S25 has glorious battery life, higher than competing telephones of this measurement. In my testing, the Galaxy S25 lasted a full day each single day I used it, even when I took loads of images or performed graphically intense video games with a Bluetooth joystick linked.
Our Future Labs exams say the identical. The Galaxy S25 lasted longer than the similarly-sized iPhone 16 and Google Pixel 9. The iPhone 16 lasted lower than 12 and a half hours in our battery rundown take a look at, whereas the Galaxy S25 made it to almost 16 hours.
You will discover higher battery life on a cellphone, however you’d have to purchase a a lot greater cellphone. For telephones this measurement, the Galaxy S25 has the most effective battery life I’ve seen, seemingly because of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which has gone hand in hand with spectacular battery longevity in each cellphone I’ve tried, just like the OnePlus 13 and the Asus ROG Telephone 9 Professional.
For charging, the Galaxy S25 is succesful, however its pace is common. It costs at 25W, the identical because the iPhone. It charged to 50% in half-hour, and was totally charged inside an hour, however I’ve seen a lot quicker charging on telephones just like the OnePlus 13.
The Galaxy S25 has wi-fi charging in addition to reverse wi-fi charging, so you’ll be able to energy up your Galaxy Buds 3 Professional case by laying it atop your cellphone battery – and Bixby may help you discover the function if you happen to get caught.
| Worth | The quickest cellphone on this worth vary by a small margin, however the design and specs are getting a bit stale. | 4/5 |
| Design | The Galaxy S is beginning to really feel like the identical nice music caught on repeat. The cellphone appears to be like refined with nice colour choices this 12 months, nevertheless it additionally appears to be like similar to final 12 months’s mannequin, and the mannequin earlier than that. | 4/5 |
| Show | An amazing-looking show that’s lots vibrant, even on a sunny day. It’s clean and responsive (aside from the fingerprint reader), with a really slim bezel. | 4/5 |
| Software program | Samsung’s One UI 7 appears to be like nice, however lots of the AI options have did not materialize, for higher and for worse. It does quite a bit, although it’s bloated with software program, however Samsung retains enhancing, and this cellphone will get seven years of software program updates. | 3/5 |
| Cameras | Very good cameras that at all times ship a terrific picture, regardless of the lighting or topic. I want there was extra zoom and extra megapixels accessible, for the reason that Galaxy S hasn’t seen a digicam enhance in years, however the AI enhancing helps clean tough edges. | 4/5 |
| Efficiency | Superlative smartphone efficiency, actually the most effective you’ll discover at any worth, although I’m undecided the place all of that energy goes. In all probability the AI? In that case, it’s going to get even higher over the subsequent few years because the AI develops, however for now it’s simply nice for taking part in video games with the settings cranked to most. | 5/5 |
| Battery | Glorious battery life, the most effective you’ll discover on a cellphone this measurement. It lasted a full day in my evaluate testing, and hours longer than the iPhone 16 in our lab exams. I want it charged quicker, nevertheless it’s fairly succesful, with nice wi-fi charging options. | 4/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Samsung Galaxy S25 evaluate: Additionally contemplate
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Galaxy S25 Extremely | iPhone 16 | Pixel 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value: | $799 / £799 / AU $1,399 | $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 | $999 / £999 / AU $1,699 (was $799 throughout Black Friday) |
| Show: | 6.1-inch, 120Hz AMOLED | 6.1-inch, 60Hz XDR OLED | 6.3-inch, 120Hz LTPO OLED |
| Weight: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Apple A18 | Google Tensor G4 |
How I examined the Samsung Galaxy S25
- I examined the cellphone for multiple week
- I took dozens of images
- I performed video games and watched motion pictures
- I checked e mail and labored in Slack
- I used AI options extensively
- Benchmark testing is for comparability, not scoring functions
I examined the Samsung Galaxy S25 extensively, alongside the Galaxy S25 Plus, for nearly two weeks, utilizing the identical work and private apps and accounts on every.
I used the Galaxy S25 for taking images, speaking with work colleagues utilizing messages and Slack, and conducting video convention calls. I performed video games, and edited images from my Google Photos library.
I linked the Galaxy S25 to a Galaxy Watch Extremely and Galaxy Buds 3 Professional, provided by Samsung. I wore the Galaxy Watch to mattress, and let the Galaxy S25 monitor me as I slept. I linked an Xbox wi-fi controller to play video games. I linked the Galaxy S25 to my automotive for Android Auto and multimedia. I linked the cellphone to my Steelseries USB-C keyboard, my MX Grasp mouse, and my Dell monitor for DeX capabilities.
I used Sensible Issues on the Galaxy S25 to manage my dwelling thermostat, lights, safety, and tv. I used Gemini as my main facet button AI, but in addition used Bixby extensively.
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