Extra of the identical, however with a depraved AI twist – Firstpost

Execs
– Phenomenal show, nearly nearly as good because the S25 Extremely
– Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is a correct efficiency beast
– Stable, bankable digicam array
– Samsung’s new Agentic AI
– Tons of recent AI options in Galaxy AI
– Seven years of OS updates
– Each supply nearly the identical software program expertise because the S25 Extremely
– Galaxy S25 is the most effective compact telephone available on the market
– Galaxy S25 now begins with 12GB of RAM as an alternative of 8

Cons
– Nonetheless 25W wired charging for Galaxy S25
– Each the gadgets might have been given Gorilla Armour glass from the S24 Extremely
– No main generational upgrades aside from the SoC

Value:
S25+: Begins at Rs 99,999 for the 12GB+256GB unit
S25: Begins at Rs 80,999 for the 12GB+256GB unit

Ranking:
S25+: 4.5/5
S25: 4.5/5

Samsung’s strategy with the Galaxy S25 and S25+ appears to be like nearly equivalent to final yr’s S24 and S24+, with no main modifications to the design, show, cameras, or battery. If you happen to had been hoping for one thing contemporary and thrilling, you is perhaps a bit dissatisfied. However right here’s the factor — what they lack in massive upgrades, Samsung tries to make up for with Galaxy AI.

At first, all of the AI discuss felt like a advertising push, however after spending time with the S25 and S25+, I’ve to confess that a few of these options are literally helpful. Agentic AI makes navigating your telephone simpler with pure language instructions, and Cross-App Actions enable apps to speak to one another in ways in which make multitasking really feel easy.  

One of the best half? These AI options aren’t restricted to the Extremely mannequin. The S25 and S25+ get the very same AI-powered instruments, making them a greater worth than previous non-Extremely Galaxy flagships. However there’s a catch. Since these options depend on Google Gemini, they’re nearly assured to roll out to older Galaxy telephones and different Android gadgets within the close to future. This raises an enormous query: What occurs when the brand new agentic options cease being unique to the S25 sequence?

One other concern is what occurs after 2025 when Samsung stops providing Galaxy AI at no cost. Will it change into a paid service? Will customers get a restricted variety of AI requests or tokens monthly? Samsung hasn’t given a transparent reply but, which makes it exhausting to inform whether or not these AI options will nonetheless be value it in the long term.

So should you take away all of the AI-powered magic, do the S25 and S25+ nonetheless maintain up? Properly, that relies upon. The cameras are the identical as final yr, the battery hasn’t modified. What has actually modified is the efficiency. The increase from the brand new chipset is improbable, however actually exhausting to note in day-to-day utilization. Then, there may be additionally no questioning the truth that in each, the Galaxy S25 and S25+ you get fairly quick, dependable, and well-built flagship gadgets each of which carry the most effective smartphone shows on the market.

The S25 and S25+ don’t break new floor, however they’re stable, reliable flagships that carry consistency over daring innovation. Whether or not that’s sufficient to maintain them aggressive in a market filled with formidable rivals — properly, that’s we needed to discover out.

Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Overview: The design

Versus the S25 Extremely this yr which noticed a reasonably spectacular design change, the Galaxy S25 and the Galaxy S25+ look just about the identical as final yr’s Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S4+ — no less than till you decide the gadgets up and actually begin going by it with a fine-toothed comb.  

The Galaxy S25 is only a hair smaller and lighter than final yr’s small S24. The identical is the case with the S25+. The Galaxy S25, at 162gms, is about 5 grams lighter than the S24, whereas the S25+, at 190gms, is about 6 grams lighter than the S24+.  

What stands out although is simply how skinny the gadgets have change into this yr. The Galaxy S25 is now 7.2mm thick (versus the 7.6mm of the S24) and the S25+ is about 7.3mm(versus Galaxy S24+’s 7.7mm). Possibly that’s the reason, for some purpose, the S25+ has among the best hand really feel in any of the non-Extremely S sequence gadgets that I’ve examined in over three years.  

Each the gadgets lack the titanium body and the Gorilla Armour glass that the Extremely gadgets include, and as an alternative make do with Samsung’s Aluminum Armor 2, and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panels on the entrance and the again.  

Each the gadgets are IP68-rated for mud and water resistance. Nonetheless, we’re taking a look at opponents like OnePlus and even some price range choices from the likes of Oppo and Realme who’re pulling forward on this space with their IP69 certification. Even the formidable S25 Extremely doesn’t get the IP69 certification, so there’s that. The nice factor although, is that Samsung has considerably elevated the quantity of recycled supplies used throughout its line.

Specializing in the rear, we see that typical Samsung-esque design for the cameras, on each gadgets. All three cameras on the S25 and the S25+ are surrounded by metallic rings with no shared massive black blots or comparable monstrosities. The three standalone rings are unintrusive and make for a seamless and simplistic design, timeless if you’ll.  

The rear panels, just like the body, have this matte end, which helps lots in hiding fingerprints.

For colors, the S25 is accessible in Navy, Icyblue, Silver Shadow and Mint generally. The S25+ however, solely is available in Navy and Silver Shadow as normal. Each the gadgets are additionally accessible in just a few particular an unique colourways — like Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold — unique to Samsung’s web site.  

Coming to the entrance, we see good, skinny and even bezels on the shows of each telephones. There may be an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor on each gadgets, which works very properly, is quick and dependable and doesn’t want illumination as optical ones. The earpiece is so skinny, nearly invisible, however it’s there and it seems properly loud. It additionally doubles as a stereo speaker, as normal.

The location of the button, ports and SIM tray is kind of the identical as final yr. The bodily buttons in each the gadgets really feel simply as tactile and sharp as final yr.  

Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Overview: The show

Samsung is aware of the best way to make a killer show, and with the Galaxy S25 and S25+, that hasn’t modified. The screens on each telephones are just about equivalent to what we acquired final yr with the S24 and S24+, each when it comes to design and specs. That may sound disappointing, however truthfully, when the shows had been already this good, it’s exhausting to complain.

The Galaxy S25 comes with a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel at 1080 x 2340 decision, whereas the S25+ steps it as much as 6.7 inches with a 1440 x 3120 decision. Each telephones supply a 120Hz adaptive refresh price, HDR10+ help, and that acquainted punch-hole entrance digicam. Peak brightness nonetheless tops out at 2600 nits, that means you received’t have any points utilizing your telephone in vibrant daylight.

One factor Samsung nonetheless refuses so as to add is Dolby Imaginative and prescient help. It’s not a dealbreaker, however should you’re massive on streaming, you may really feel such as you’re lacking out — particularly when opponents supply it. That mentioned, each telephones do help Android Extremely HDR, HDR10 and HDR10+ so HDR content material nonetheless appears to be like improbable, with deep distinction and punchy highlights.

The S25 and S25+ allow you to decide between Normal and Adaptive refresh charges. Normal mode locks issues between 30Hz and 60Hz, however Adaptive mode can go as much as 120Hz, relying on what’s on the display. Scrolling and animations really feel silky easy, whereas static content material like textual content or photographs retains the refresh price low to avoid wasting battery. Each the gadgets will revert to 1Hz when exhibiting one thing static.

Not like the S25 Extremely, which will get the flamboyant new Gorilla Armor 2 with improved scratch resistance and lowered glare, the S25 and S25+ keep on with Gorilla Glass Victus 2. That’s not a nasty factor — the S24 and S24+, which had the Gorilla Glass Victus 2, had been already nice when it got here scratch-resistance, plus they dealt with glare properly, so sturdiness ought to nonetheless be stable within the S25 gadgets. Its simply that  it could’ve been good to see the Gorilla Armor from the S254 Extremely trickle right down to gadgets this yr.

Samsung makes among the greatest shows on this planet, and it reveals. Watching movies, enjoying video games, or simply scrolling by your telephone appears to be like gorgeous on these screens. The S25 and S25+ may not have the “Extremely” branding, however with regards to show high quality, they’re proper up there with the most effective. We genuinely had a tough time in differentiating between the viewing expertise supplied by all three of the gadgets.

The colors are tremendous vivid (possibly a bit an excessive amount of out of the field, however you possibly can tweak that in settings), the viewing angles are nice, and since LTPO tech is in play, your always-on show can present wallpapers whereas sipping minimal battery.

Whereas there are not any massive modifications this yr, that’s not a nasty factor. The S25 and S25+ nonetheless have among the greatest shows within the enterprise — vibrant, easy, and extremely sharp. The dearth of Dolby Imaginative and prescient and Gorilla Armor 2 may annoy some, however for most individuals, these screens can be an absolute pleasure to make use of. If you happen to’re going for the S25 or S25+, relaxation assured — you’re getting a flagship-level show expertise, even with out the Extremely tag.

Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Overview: The cameras

If you happen to had been hoping for main digicam upgrades within the Galaxy S25 and S25+, you is perhaps a bit dissatisfied. Samsung has stored the very same digicam setup because the earlier two generations, going all the way in which again to the S22 sequence. Whereas that’s not essentially a nasty factor, it does really feel like a missed alternative, particularly given the developments seen within the S25 Extremely and even final yr’s S24 Extremely.

Each the S25 and S25+ function a 50MP fundamental digicam (Samsung ISOCELL GN3) with f/1.8 aperture, dual-pixel autofocus, and OIS. The 10MP telephoto digicam (Samsung ISOCELL 3K1) gives 3x optical zoom with an f/2.4 aperture and OIS, whereas the 12MP ultrawide digicam (Sony IMX564) has a fixed-focus f/2.2 lens.

For selfies, you get a 12MP front-facing digicam, which, like the principle shooter, can document at 4K60FPS. The primary digicam can also be able to 8K30FPS video recording, however the telephoto and ultrawide max out at 4K60FPS.

Regardless of the dearth of {hardware} modifications, we had been actually impressed with the picture high quality from each gadgets. Daylight photographs look improbable, with sharp particulars and vibrant colors. Curiously, Samsung appears to have toned down its signature oversaturation, which has been a staple of Galaxy cameras for years. As an alternative, photographs look extra pure and nuanced, nonetheless wealthy in distinction however not artificially boosted.

Autofocus had just a few hiccups throughout our early exams, particularly with fast-moving topics, however after a few software program updates, that situation was virtually gone.

For close-ups, the 3x optical zoom delivers superbly pure bokeh, so long as you preserve a good way between the topic and the background. You possibly can push digital zoom as much as 30x, however at that degree, picture high quality drops considerably — it’s advantageous for binocular-style viewing, however not for capturing usable images.

In low gentle, the S25 and S25+ carry out rather well. There’s minimal grain, and colors stay correct, with good distinction and balanced publicity. Whereas Samsung’s Evening Mode nonetheless steps in to brighten issues up, it doesn’t go overboard, holding a extra pure look to nighttime photographs.

Listed here are some picture digicam samples from the Galaxy S25+:

Listed here are some picture digicam samples from the Galaxy S25:

Coming to movies, the Professional Video mode provides 24FPS choices for 4K and 8K, providing a extra cinematic look. Nonetheless, in contrast to the S25 Extremely, there’s no 4K120 possibility, which might have been nice for high-frame-rate slow-motion recording.

One notable improve is HDR video recording, which has been bumped as much as 10-bit HDR (beforehand 8-bit), making for richer colors and higher dynamic vary. Samsung has additionally launched Galaxy Log video mode, permitting customers to shoot in a flatter color profile for superior color grading later — excellent for video editors.

By default, the S25 and S25+ document in h.265 (HEVC), balancing file measurement and high quality, although you possibly can change to h.264 should you desire.

Each digicam mode consists of video stabilization, however you possibly can flip it off in settings should you desire a wider area of view.

One cool new function in One UI is AI Audio Eraser, which helps you to alter or take away background noise in movies after recording. You possibly can management the amount of speech, music, wind, nature, crowd sounds, and normal noise, making post-production enhancing a lot simpler.

The Galaxy S25 and S25+ could not have acquired any {hardware} upgrades, however the picture processing, pure color stability, and new video options make them stable performers. The primary digicam delivers wonderful outcomes, low-light photographs are spectacular, and the brand new video instruments add additional flexibility.

Nonetheless, the dearth of innovation — particularly when in comparison with the S25 Extremely — is a little bit of a letdown. The truth that the S25+ nonetheless makes use of the identical digicam system because the S23+ makes it really feel like Samsung is enjoying it protected. That being mentioned, should you’re coming from an older Galaxy S mannequin, the S25 and S25+ nonetheless supply among the best all-around digicam experiences of their class.

Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Overview: Efficiency, software program expertise, UI and AI

The Galaxy S25 and S25+ pack the identical Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy because the S25 Extremely, which is an enormous win. In earlier years, Samsung gave the Extremely a barely higher chipset, however this time, all three fashions get the identical top-tier efficiency. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is a custom-tweaked model of Qualcomm’s newest chip, with increased clock speeds on each the CPU and GPU. This implies the S25 and S25+ are simply as quick because the Extremely with regards to gaming, multitasking, and dealing with Samsung’s AI-powered options.

The bottom RAM and storage choices have additionally been upgraded. Not like final yr, the place the S24 began at 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, each the S25 and S25+ now begin at 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM with 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. That additional RAM is a fine addition, particularly as AI options change into a much bigger a part of the smartphone expertise.

Efficiency is every thing you’d anticipate from a telephone operating essentially the most highly effective Android chipset accessible. The S25 and S25+ deal with every thing with out breaking a sweat — from informal looking to intensive gaming, 8K video recording, and AI-powered photograph and video enhancing. The telephones keep cool below strain, due to improved thermal administration. Even after hours of use, whether or not gaming, enhancing, or taking pictures high-res movies, there’s no noticeable slowdown.

Samsung can also be making a daring dedication to long-term software program help. The S25 and S25+ will get seven years of Android updates and safety patches, that means these gadgets will nonetheless be getting updates properly into 2032. With efficiency this sturdy, it’s straightforward to imagine these telephones might truly final that lengthy.

Samsung’s One UI 7, operating on Android 15, is filled with AI-driven options designed to make on a regular basis interactions really feel extra intuitive and pure. The most important addition is Agentic AI, which permits customers to regulate system settings and carry out duties just by chatting with their telephone. As an alternative of digging by menus, or switching between apps, you possibly can simply say what you want — whether or not it’s setting calendar occasions and sharing it with your folks, adjusting the font measurement, decreasing the brightness to cut back eye pressure, and even discovering a particular setting with out manually looking for it. This transforms the way in which customers work together with their gadgets, making instructions really feel extra like a dialog reasonably than a sequence of faucets and swipes.

The AI Choose device builds upon Samsung’s Sensible Choose, permitting for quicker and smarter content material extraction. Whether or not you have to copy textual content from a picture, or create GIFs from movies, AI Choose makes it doable with minimal effort. One other extremely helpful addition is Circle to Search, which lets customers merely spotlight, faucet, or circle something on their display to get prompt info. This even extends to recognizing audio enjoying within the background, making it simpler to establish songs or seek for associated content material in actual time.

Samsung has additionally made multitasking extra seamless with Cross-App Actions, an AI-driven function that connects a number of apps to streamline on a regular basis duties. As an alternative of opening completely different apps manually, you possibly can ask your telephone to discover a restaurant, pull up instructions on Google Maps, and ship the placement to a pal — multi function step. This degree of integration eliminates pointless friction, making duties really feel fluid and interconnected.

Protecting customers knowledgeable with out interruptions, Now Transient and Now Bar introduce a better strategy to obtain updates. Now Transient capabilities as a every day assistant, providing summaries on climate, calendar occasions, and information updates tailor-made to your pursuits. In the meantime, Now Bar ensures that real-time contextual info is at all times inside attain on the lock display, whether or not it’s dwell sports activities scores, Google Maps instructions, or estimated journey instances. These options add a degree of comfort that retains customers related with out requiring fixed app-checking.

Samsung’s deep AI integration in One UI 7 makes the Galaxy S25 and S25+ really feel extra than simply quick — they really feel smarter and extra proactive. Whether or not it’s simplifying interactions, enhancing multitasking, or delivering real-time help, these AI-powered instruments make the telephone work with you reasonably than simply for you.

Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Overview: The battery life

Samsung has stored the battery sizes the identical as final yr, with no main modifications in capability or charging speeds. The Galaxy S25 comes with a 4,000mAh battery, supporting 25W wired charging and 15W wi-fi charging.  

In the meantime, the S25+ sticks with a 4,900mAh battery, which helps 45W quick wired charging, or as Samsung manufacturers it, Quick Charging 2.0. Just like the S25, it additionally helps 15W wi-fi charging and reverse wi-fi charging, however this time, Samsung has up to date the wi-fi charging normal to Qi 2.1.

As a result of charging speeds stay unchanged, means the S25+ can go from 0 to 100% in about an hour, whereas the S25 takes longer to cost, regardless of having a smaller battery — merely due to its slower 25W charging velocity. Contemplating that many opponents now supply 100W+ wired charging and considerably quicker wi-fi charging options, Samsung feels prefer it’s enjoying it protected reasonably than pushing boundaries on this division.

I had anticipated that Samsung, like different premium flagships would use silicon-carbide batteries like OnePlus and different Chinese language smartphones. Nonetheless, that wasn’t the case which is fairly disappointing. No matter enchancment we see in battery life is principally pushed by the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s higher effectivity, reasonably than any modifications to battery chemistry.

In real-world use, the battery life is considerably higher than final yr’s fashions. With the S25, I constantly get round 5 to five.5 hours of energetic screen-on time, whereas the S25+ lasts between 6 to 7 hours. The effectivity of the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy performs an enormous function right here, permitting the telephones to last more even with the same-sized battery cells.

Whereas Samsung hasn’t launched something groundbreaking in battery or charging, the higher energy administration of the brand new chipset ensures that the S25 and S25+ nonetheless supply respectable battery efficiency.

Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Overview: The decision

Just like the Galaxy S25 Extremely, the S25 and S25+ don’t carry a ton of recent {hardware} modifications. As an alternative, Samsung is betting massive on AI, significantly Agentic AI, to make the S25 sequence really feel contemporary and thrilling. Whereas this technique could not have been sufficient to justify the Extremely mannequin’s price ticket, it truly makes much more sense for the S25 and S25+. For the primary time in years, all three fashions within the S sequence supply the very same software program expertise, with the S Pen being the one actual differentiator. That alone makes the S25 and S25+ among the most compelling non-Extremely Galaxy flagships in years.

However let’s be sincere — outdoors of the AI options, not a lot has modified. The show is similar as final yr’s S24, the digicam system stays untouched, and the battery measurement and charging speeds are equivalent. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is technically an improve over final yr’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, however in day-to-day use, the distinction is barely noticeable. The shift to a 3nm chipset additionally hasn’t resulted in a dramatic enchancment in battery life, although energy effectivity has improved barely.

That being mentioned, the S25 and S25+ are nonetheless actually stable telephones. If you happen to’re new to Samsung’s flagship lineup or are significantly intrigued by the AI options powered by Google Gemini, these are nice choices — arguably even higher worth than the S25 Extremely. Between the 2, the S25+ edges forward, due to its quicker charging velocity and barely higher battery life.

The problem, nonetheless, is its competitors. Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Google are pushing out gadgets with comparable or higher {hardware} at decrease costs, making it tougher for Samsung to face out. The S25 and S25+ don’t really feel like main upgrades, however they’re nonetheless “ok” — providing top-tier efficiency, wonderful cameras, and among the best smartphone shows you may get. If you happen to go for both mannequin, you received’t be dissatisfied, however should you had been hoping for one thing radically new, you may not discover it right here.