The base models always get overshadowed by the Ultra, and with good reason. Samsung tries to strike a balance every year so that there's enough value to be had for customers who prefer not balling out on the Ultra model. This year, Samsung has done it exceptionally well.
Our brief Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on experience left us feeling very impressed with the new devices. Even though they feel quite similar to their predecessors on paper, but you'd be wise to fold up that piece of paper and put it in the bin. Our in-depth hands-on video explains why you should do that, so check it out below.
There are many similarities between the Galaxy S25 and S25+ compared to their predecessors. From the flat same 6.2 and 6.7-inch displays to the symmetrical, albeit thinner, bezels, you're in familiar territory here. The Armor Aluminum frame lends rigidity to the devices while the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 ensures improved drop performance.
The camera setup is largely similar as well, with a 50-megapixel main sensor alongside a 12-megapixel ultra wide, 10-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom and 12-megapixel front camera. Battery capacity is the same at 4,000mAh for the Galaxy S25 and 4,900mAh for the Galaxy S25+ with the same 25W and 45W fast charging speeds.
However, the similarities with the previous generation ends where it matters the most: the chipset. Samsung went with an Exynos/Snapdragon split last year and that meant some of the finer camera features that were available on Snapdragon variants weren't available on the Exynos variants that were more widely distributed.
All Galaxy S25 series phones come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy globally. There's no Eyxnos variant this time around. The 15% larger vapor chamber Samsung has built for these two devices ensures that the chipset's thermal efficiency is maintained.
If you're upgrading from last year's models, particularly the Exynos ones, the 37% CPU, 30% GPU, and 40% NPU performance improvements are certainly noticeable. Everything feels snappier, on-device AI processing has a spring in its step, and you have access to all of the new camera features that Samsung offers in the Galaxy S25 Ultra because the chipset can keep up.
Both the Galaxy S25 and S25+ are thinner and lighter than their predecessors. This makes a world of difference for the in-hand aesthetic. Evidently, Samsung's focus was on not making any major design changes rather refining how the device feels in the hand. It's done an excellent job at that and you're absolutely going to notice how much nicer it feels to hold these phones compared to the outgoing models.
Samsung's fully leaning into the AI phone era with these devices. There are advanced new Galaxy AI features as well as deeper intergration with Google's Gemini, which can now be activated by pressing and holding the side button. Excellent software support is guaranteed with seven years of security and Android OS upgrades for the Galaxy S25 and S25+.
If you've been considering an upgrade to either of the two models, disregard the similarities that exist on paper between them and the previous models. Samsung has been extremely mindful of the changes it has made this year and they've been made precisely for providing an exceptional user experience.
All that's left for you to do now is to pre-order the Galaxy S25 and S25+ starting today. Prices begin at $799 and the devices hit shelves February 7.
