Taking part in it secure…a bit of too secure – Firstpost

Execs
– Has the most effective show in a smartphone
– Anti-reflective coating on the show makes a large distinction
– Straightforward to carry
– Stable, top-notch efficiency
– Agentic AI and pure language enter
– Stable and bankable digicam setup
– Design refresh that clicks
– Titanium body with flat & grippier sides, rounded corners
– Lengthy software program replace dedication
– Tons of AI options to discover

Cons
– Continues with the 45W wired charging at this value level
– Doesn’t include 6000 mAh battery like different 2025 flagships
– Has the identical Galaxy AI options because the S25 and S25+
– Loses some essential options of the S-Pen

Worth: Begins at Rs 1,29,999 for the 12GB+256GB variant
Ranking: 4.5/5

2025 was hyped to be the 12 months when premium smartphones would leap forward with jaw-dropping upgrades. Suppose beefy 6000 mAh silicon carbide batteries, cutting-edge chips just like the Snapdragon 8 Elite or MediaTek Dimensity 9400, insane digicam developments, dazzling shows, and, after all, a full-on AI takeover.  

Samsung, for one, has determined to play it secure. Their Galaxy S24 Extremely just about dominated the Android scene in 2024, being the near-perfect all-rounder that it was. Expectations had been sky-high for the Galaxy S25 Extremely, to carry one thing unhinged, one thing massively revolutionary. Nevertheless, Samsung appears to have taken a cautious route—a minimum of on the {hardware} entrance. Software program-wise, although, they’re shifting gears in direction of one thing actually futuristic.

As tech fanatics, we perceive that developing with main {hardware} upgrades 12 months after 12 months isn’t any simple process, particularly when you’ve one thing just like the Galaxy S24 Extremely already setting the bar so excessive. So, smartphone makers, together with Samsung, have began exploring a brand new frontier. Final 12 months, Samsung wowed everybody by being the primary smartphone maker to pack their premium flagship with a bunch of AI options. This 12 months, they’ve taken issues up a notch by making AI interactions really feel smoother, extra conversational, and—dare we are saying—human-like, all due to the Agentic AI method of the up to date Galaxy AI

For Samsung, the Galaxy S25 Extremely is an “AI-first smartphone”, the “first AI-first cellphone” if you’ll. It’s a daring enterprise, but additionally one which comes with its share of points. Nonetheless, it’s not just like the {hardware} has been left behind fully. You’re getting stable elements, although a few of the choices Samsung made might increase just a few eyebrows.

With the Galaxy S25 Extremely, Samsung appears intent on reshaping how we use our smartphones. The actual query is: can it pull it off?  

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely 5G evaluation: The design

With the Galaxy S25 Extremely, we lastly see Samsung marking some main design adjustments versus the S sequence Ultras of the previous couple of generations. We lastly say goodbye to the sharp corners and boxy really feel of the S23 Extremely and S24 Extremely. This time, Samsung has gone for a flat chassis with rounded corners. The brand new design ditches the enduring Notice-inspired look of its predecessors. This makes the S25 Extremely look much more just like the remainder of the S25 sequence, versus the S23 or S24 sequence the place the Extremely units had a distinctly distinctive design.  

Having stated that although, whereas the S24 Extremely may need been criticised for being “too large,” a minimum of it had a quintessentially “Extremely” look.

Regardless of the fully flat facet frames and rounded corners, the cellphone feels sharper within the hand. Nevertheless, Samsung has labored on the ergonomics in different methods. The S25 Extremely is slimmer, narrower, and at 218 grams is, about 15 grams lighter than the S24 Extremely. This makes it so much simpler to deal with, particularly and not using a case. The rounded corners additionally forestall the cellphone from digging into your palm, which makes it simpler to make use of for lengthy time period.  

Samsung has additionally labored on the sturdiness of the S25 Extremely. We get the all-new Gorilla Armor 2 for the entrance and rear panels, which Samsung claims is the “trade’s first anti-reflective glass ceramic.” This new materials is designed to resist drops of as much as 2.2 metres onto concrete, though it’s finest to not put that to the check. What’s extra noticeable is the improved anti-reflective therapy, due to a second-gen DX coating, which makes outside visibility significantly better than earlier than. Samsung has additionally decreased the bezels on the show, which supplies it a extra immersive and fashionable look.

Talking of sturdiness, the body is made from grade 5 titanium versus the grade 2 used within the S24 Extremely. This not solely offers higher energy but additionally makes the gadget lighter — all of this whereas preserving the identical elegant shimmer that we anticipate in a Titanium body.  

The flatter body provides each to the aesthetics and hand really feel, which makes the cellphone really feel way more stable in hand. Samsung continues to supply IP68 mud and water resistance. Nevertheless, we’re taking a look at opponents like OnePlus and even some finances choices from the likes of Oppo and Realme who’re pulling forward on this space with their IP69 certification.

The position of the ability buttons and quantity rockers hasn’t modified from final 12 months’s S24 Extremely, however there’s a noticeable enchancment in how they really feel. The buttons now really feel extra stable and responsive, giving a way of higher construct high quality.  

The rear panel of the S25 Extremely options that acquainted, Extremely-like digicam setup. Samsung has caught with the floating digicam lenses, with no separate digicam island—a design we’ve seen for just a few generations now. This time round, the digicam rings are additionally a lot bigger and extra pronounced than earlier than, which some customers may discover extreme. The cellphone doesn’t sit flat on a floor and tends to wobble when tapped, which will be annoying.

We discover the S Pen stays in its ordinary spot—tucked into the underside left nook. Sadly, Samsung has eliminated just a few key options. The brand new S Pen now not helps Bluetooth connectivity, which suggests customers can’t use it to regulate the digicam or use it for Samsung’s Air Gestures. This in my guide is a significant disappointment, as I at all times loved the options of the S Pen that wanted Bluetooth connectivity.  

Samsung argues that these options weren’t fashionable, however I consider that that is their strategy to push shoppers extra on their wearable units, just like the Galaxy Ring, and the Galaxy Watches. As for its design, the S Pen nonetheless retains its skinny, light-weight design, with a single button and clicker on the high.

Alongside the S Pen holder, the underside of the cellphone homes the SIM tray and a USB Sort-C 3.2 port which additionally helps DisplayPort 1.2.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely 5G evaluation: The show

That is the place Samsung continues to dominate—the Galaxy S25 Extremely’s 6.9-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X show is definitely one of many standout options of its flagship expertise. Protected by scratch-resistant Gorilla Armor 2 glass, the display has each, sturdiness in addition to eye-popping visuals.

That stated, in the event you’re anticipating an enormous improve over the S24 Extremely, you may not discover it right here. The show is essentially the identical and comes with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh charge and a peak brightness of 2600 nits—nonetheless greater than sufficient for outside viewing. The decision continues to be the identical at 1440 x 3120 pixels, and we nonetheless get HDR10+ help which ensures a vivid, high-contrast viewing expertise. Customers nonetheless get to decide on at what decision and what kind of color stability they need for his or her shows.  

For individuals who get pleasure from watching content material on their units, the S25 Extremely doesn’t disappoint. Streaming HDR or Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material on this display is a pleasure, with vibrant visuals and deep blacks that carry each scene to life.  

Samsung’s Imaginative and prescient Booster know-how helps cowl 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, guaranteeing correct and wealthy colors.  

Even below direct daylight, visibility is great—due to an improved anti-reflective coating offered by the second-gen DX therapy on Gorilla Armor 2. This improve additionally makes the display much more proof against on a regular basis scratches and scuffs, enhancing on the already spectacular sturdiness of the S24 Extremely’s show.

However right here’s the factor—spec sheets solely inform a part of the story. In real-world use, the S25 Extremely’s show actually shines. Colors leap off the display with wealthy saturation and unbelievable depth, whereas Samsung’s AMOLED tech delivers these signature inky blacks. Whether or not you’re watching a film, gaming, or simply scrolling by means of your social feed, the pictures and textual content are razor-sharp and crystal clear.

When you’re somebody who spends hours consuming content material in your cellphone, the Galaxy S25 Extremely has among the finest screens you may get. Samsung is aware of methods to construct a killer show, and so they’ve as soon as once more confirmed it right here.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely 5G evaluation: The cameras

The Galaxy S25 Extremely doesn’t carry numerous dramatic adjustments to the digicam {hardware}, however then, it’s already constructing on an already spectacular system. The one main {hardware} improve that you simply see is a brand new 50MP Ultrawide sensor, which replaces final 12 months’s 12MP sensor.

You get 4 cameras on the again: a 200MP major sensor (Samsung ISOCELL HP2) with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide (ISOCELL JN3), a 12MP 3x telephoto (Sony IMX754), and a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto (Sony IMX854). The entrance digicam is a 12MP Samsung ISOCELL 3LU, able to recording at 4K60FPS. All of the rear cameras can shoot as much as 8K30FPS video, providing flexibility for each high-quality stills and video seize.

The S25 Extremely’s major digicam performs exceptionally effectively in brilliant circumstances. Images are full of wonderful element, that includes a delicate gritty texture—not noise, however extra of a signature look. Dynamic vary is great, permitting for well-balanced exposures even in difficult lighting. Colors are vibrant and true-to-life however you do get to see that quintessential Samsung-esque oversaturation. White stability is constantly dependable. Portrait pictures ship nice topic separation, though for my style, the default blur felt a bit heavy-handed.  

The 50MP mode of the 200MP major sensor produces extremely detailed pictures with wonderful dynamic vary and vibrant colors. Sometimes, we discovered that some textures — grass, for instance — might seem barely comfortable, however total, the outcomes are wonderful.  

The 3x and 5x telephoto cameras are as spectacular as we bear in mind them to be from the S24 sequence, delivering sharp zoom pictures with nice color and distinction. Nevertheless, you may discover some grain at increased zoom ranges, although it doesn’t detract an excessive amount of from the general high quality.

We additionally discovered the brand new 50MP ultrawide digicam very spectacular because it captures sharp, well-exposed photographs with a large dynamic vary. Color accuracy is stable, the colors wealthy wealthy however natural-looking outcomes. It additionally doubles as a succesful macro digicam.  

As for the S25 Extremely’s Zooming capabilities, Samsung claims that the gadget’s algorithms have been improved, however in real-world use, the variations are exhausting to identify. The cellphone nonetheless presents 5x optical zoom and 100x Area Zoom for excessive close-ups. Digital zoom high quality has improved barely, however preserving the cellphone secure is essential if you’d like clear pictures at increased zoom ranges. Samsung markets 10x optical high quality, however don’t anticipate dramatic enhancements over final 12 months’s S24 Extremely.

In low-light eventualities, the S25 Extremely holds up effectively. There’s some noise, significantly in shadows, and a slight greenish tint can seem in darker areas. Nevertheless, exposures stay properly balanced, stopping scenes from trying too darkish or washed out. You’ll get brighter, extra visually interesting low-light pictures than on most telephones, even when the noise isn’t fully eradicated.

Samsung has additionally redesigned the digicam app with OneUI 7 to make it extra user-friendly. The mode carousel now sits beneath the shutter button, which feels extra intuitive than earlier than. Extra modes now not impede the viewfinder, providing you with a cleaner capturing expertise. Professional mode has additionally been reworked to maintain controls out of the best way, making it simpler to deal with capturing the right shot.

Listed below are some digicam samples from the Galaxy S25 Extremely:

The place Samsung has actually stepped up within the digicam division is video. The cellphone can shoot 4K60FPS on all cameras, whereas 8K30FPS is out there on the primary, ultrawide, and 5x telephoto cameras. We even have a professional video mode for choices like 24fps for a extra cinematic look, 4K120 for ultra-smooth slow-motion, and Log format recording — capturing in Log particularly, presents nice flexibility to filmmakers by retaining extra element in highlights and shadows. This permits for a much more granular management for color grading in post-production.

One other function that professionals would love is that though the default video codec is H.265 (HEVC), they’ll swap to H.264, if their workflow calls for it. Samsung has additionally revamped the zoom expertise with a brand new zoom slider for video recording, making lengthy, {smooth} zooms simpler than earlier than.

One other software that’s geared for professionals is Audio Eraser. Mainly, it helps cut back background noise like wind or atmosphere noise throughout video recording. Throughout our assessments, we discovered that It doesn’t fully remove noise, however it does a reasonably stable job of creating your topic’s voice clearer.  

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely 5G evaluation: The efficiency, software program expertise and UI

The Galaxy S25 Extremely brings some {hardware} updates, however in the event you’re coming from the S24 Extremely or one other gadget operating the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, you may not discover a dramatic efficiency enhance.  

Beneath the hood, the S25 Extremely runs a personalized Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip. Whereas different flagship Android units use the usual Snapdragon 8 Elite, Samsung’s model comes with just a few tweaks—sure CPU cores and the GPU have been clocked barely increased, the NPU has been labored and the SoC in its enitrety has been barely optimised particularly for this cellphone. It’s a delicate distinction, however one designed to present the Extremely a slight edge in demanding duties.

Our check unit featured 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, although there’s a 16GB RAM choice accessible with the higher-end variant.

We pushed the S25 Extremely to its limits by operating a sequence of intensive duties—taking a tonne of 200MP photographs, recording 8K movies, streaming HDR content material at most brightness, and gaming with demanding titles like BGMI & CoD at max settings. The cellphone maintained rock-solid efficiency all through.

Even below such stress, it stayed surprisingly cool, due to Samsung’s redesigned, bigger vapour chamber cooling system. Whereas the cellphone did heat up ever so barely throughout heavy use, it by no means reached uncomfortable or alarming ranges. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is a beast of a chip, recognized to require severe cooling, however Samsung has managed warmth dissipation impressively effectively.

In terms of benchmarks, most assessments place the S25 Extremely on the high of most efficiency charts, if not on the very high. It simply ranks among the many quickest smartphones available on the market.

Coming to the software program, the Galaxy S25 Extremely runs on Android 15 with Samsung’s One UI 7. Samsung guarantees seven years of software program help, masking each main Android updates and safety patches that means you get to carry on to your S25 Extremely for longer.  

I personally love Samsung’s OneUI 7. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any approach, however actually refines the expertise. The interface nonetheless options Samsung’s signature icons, widgets, and wallpapers. Navigation stays acquainted, with dwelling screens, an app drawer, and a customisable drop-down notification panel that appears and feels way more organised by default.  

The S24 Extremely was one of many quickest telephones we examined final 12 months, and the S25 Extremely retains that legacy alive. It’s simply as quick, if not barely higher in some areas, making it a pleasure to make use of. Whether or not you’re launching apps, switching between duties, or performing resource-heavy actions, the cellphone stays lightning-quick. Benchmarks apart, what actually issues is how responsive and {smooth} the cellphone feels in on a regular basis use—and right here, the S25 Extremely excels.

For energy customers like me who demand the best possible from their units and who desire a smartphone that may deal with every thing from gaming to productiveness with out breaking a sweat, the S25 Extremely is fingers down an all-around champion.

Samsung is betting large on AI with the S25 Extremely and the remainder of the S25 sequence. The cellphone is loaded with new AI-driven options, although testing and totally exploring all of them might take a while. AI integration ranges from efficiency optimisation to digicam enhancements and even the S Pen’s new methods. Samsung is relying on these AI enhancements to be a significant promoting level for the S25 sequence, and we’ll take a deeper dive into these options in a separate part.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely 5G evaluation: AI options

The AI options on the Galaxy S25 Extremely is powered by Google Gemini, and it actually is incredible. It may possibly do every thing from producing inventive concepts to offering personalised help. This time round, the AI-tool suite has been overhauled to make utilizing the S25 Extremely extra private and intuitive.  

We begin with a relatively standout function which is the system-wide pure language enter, which powers a set of AI-driven capabilities like AI Brokers and Cross-app Actions. This mainly means that you can converse to your cellphone as you’d along with your very personal assistant, utilizing conversational instructions.

You possibly can primarily management system settings by merely talking to your cellphone. For instance, if the textual content in your display is simply too small, you possibly can simply inform the cellphone to extend the font measurement. You possibly can even modify show settings by mentioning that your eyes harm otherwise you’re having bother studying.

Then there may be Samsung’s tackle Agentic AI, or Cross-app Actions. You possibly can merely request Gemini to discover a restaurant close by, pull up its location on Google Maps, and share it with a buddy—all in a single command. It may possibly additionally handle notes, calls, calendar occasions, and alarms, permitting you to streamline advanced duties throughout a number of apps with ease. In the meanwhile, it’s restricted to Google and Samsung’s native apps, however we’re fairly positive that with OTA updates, we’re sure to see one thing magical.

Then, there may be the AI Choose function which is an enhanced model of Sensible Choose. Now, it analyses the display content material in additional depth and presents related actions. As an example, you should utilize it to create GIFs from Instagram reels or flip any photograph right into a wallpaper. Circle to Search additionally will get a helpful replace as it may well now hearken to audio taking part in in your cellphone and supply details about the music monitor.

Samsung additionally added just a few instruments that make the brand new suite of Galaxy AI options extra private — we’ve a software referred to as Now Temporary, which offers each day summaries, primarily based on the time of the day. For instance, within the morning, it may well replace you on the way you slept, spotlight your appointments, and notify you of recent content material out of your favorite podcasters or artists. It checks in once more round midday and night to maintain you on monitor.

Then there may be the standard AI object eraser from photographs and different generative AI stuff that you’d come to anticipate from an AI-first smartphone. You possibly can learn all concerning the AI options right here.    

Whereas all these AI-driven capabilities enhance productiveness and comfort, in addition they increase questions on knowledge privateness. With a lot private knowledge being processed, Samsung ensures that your info is protected by Samsung Knox Matrix and Vault. A lot of the knowledge crunching occurs on the gadget itself, and private info is encrypted to fulfill superior quantum computing safety requirements.

Whereas the brand new AI options within the Galaxy S25 Extremely are genuinely spectacular and may assist enhance Samsung’s gross sales for the S25 sequence, there are just a few considerations.

Firstly, the AI capabilities—like Agentic AI and Pure Language Enter—aren’t unique to the Extremely mannequin. The S25 and S25 Plus provide the identical options, making it tougher to justify the upper price ticket until you’re particularly after the Extremely’s digicam or design upgrades. On high of that, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than these options begin trickling right down to older Samsung flagships. With Samsung’s sturdy software program help for its units, I wouldn’t be stunned if many S23 and S24 sequence customers get a style of those AI-driven instruments by means of a future replace.

Moreover, a lot of the AI infrastructure is constructed on Google Gemini, which raises one other level—how lengthy can Samsung maintain on to this as a novel promoting level? Since Google offers its AI tech to different producers, we’ll probably see comparable options pop up on units from manufacturers like Pixel, OnePlus, or Xiaomi—probably at a lot cheaper price factors. The S25 Extremely’s USP may not stay unique for lengthy.

Then there’s the query of price. For now, Galaxy AI options are free till 2025, however after that? Samsung hasn’t clarified what fee plans will seem like. Will customers be charged a set subscription payment, or will there be a month-to-month quota of tokens for AI utilization? How costly will these plans be? At present, Samsung appears to be taking a wait-and-see method, probably gauging how opponents deal with their very own AI pricing fashions earlier than making any bulletins.

These uncertainties make it tough to foretell the long-term worth of Samsung’s AI-first technique, however for now, it’s definitely an thrilling step ahead in smartphone innovation. Let’s hope Samsung retains issues affordable on the pricing entrance as soon as the trial interval ends.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely 5G evaluation: The battery life

On the battery entrance, we once more, don’t see any main updates. The S25 Extremely is powered by the identical 5,000mAh battery that se noticed final 12 months. At a time when most main premium smartphones are transferring to 6000mAh batteries silicon carbon anode, it’s a bit odd to see Samsung deciding to fall behind on such an apparent pattern.  

Whereas this will not be as a lot of a priority in North America, the place Apple is Samsung’s major competitor, it’s stunning that Samsung hasn’t jumped on this pattern, significantly in markets like India and different Asian international locations, the place even finances telephones are beginning to provide these bigger next-gen batteries.  

Battery efficiency has seen a slight enchancment, however that’s largely due to the effectivity of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip relatively than any {hardware} adjustments. The battery life is fairly stable and may meet the wants of most customers, however it received’t match the spectacular longevity provided by a few of the newer telephones from manufacturers like OnePlus and Oppo.  

In day-to-day utilization, the S25 Extremely comfortably lasts a full day. On common, we bought round 7 hours of display time, with over 25% battery remaining by the tip of the day. Whereas that’s very respectable as per 2024 requirements, it doesn’t fairly push boundaries, particularly with Samsung’s rivals now coming with vital advances in battery tech.

Samsung continues to be utilizing 45W wired charging. The cellphone additionally helps 15W wi-fi charging below the Qi 2.1 customary, together with 4.5W reverse wi-fi charging. These specs could also be enough for informal customers, however for these accustomed to lightning-fast charging, it’d really feel a bit dated.

That stated, there’s a slight enchancment in wired charging velocity. With a suitable charging brick, you possibly can go from 0 to 70% in about half-hour and hit 100% in just below an hour. As compared, the S24 Extremely took round 70 minutes to achieve a full cost, so this can be a modest however welcome improve.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely 5G evaluation: The decision

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely is undoubtedly a stable cellphone, however it’s additionally a little bit of a blended bag. The issue isn’t that it’s a nasty gadget—it’s that Samsung has set its personal bar too excessive over time. The Galaxy Extremely line has at all times pushed boundaries and provided standout options, and top-notch {hardware}. This 12 months, nevertheless, it looks like Samsung has performed it too secure.

Final 12 months, the Galaxy S24 Extremely was the go-to premium flagship—the all-rounder that left little doubt in anybody’s thoughts. The S25 Extremely, however, doesn’t fairly maintain that very same standing. It’s nonetheless a wonderful cellphone. It merely doesn’t really feel like an “Extremely”.  

The largest problem is Samsung’s heavy deal with AI—at the price of significant {hardware} upgrades. Whereas Agentic AI and Pure Language Enter are spectacular, they aren’t unique to the S25 Extremely. They’re already accessible on the S25 and S25 Plus, and shortly sufficient, they’ll probably trickle right down to older Samsung flagships. Plus, provided that these options depend on Google Gemini, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than different producers combine comparable AI capabilities into their very own smartphones—a few of which could come at a fraction of the worth.

That is the danger of prioritising software program over {hardware}—software program options are by no means unique for lengthy. And when a cellphone doesn’t carry main {hardware} enhancements to set itself aside, it loses its “Extremely” edge.

The S25 Extremely doesn’t push any new boundaries. It sticks too intently to final 12 months’s method, refining relatively than innovating. Samsung might have gone bolder. As a substitute, it’s staying effectively inside the field, banking on AI to be its defining function. The problem is just not what the S25 Extremely has, however what it lacks. It’s a terrific flagship—simply not the daring, feature-packed Extremely that Samsung followers have come to anticipate.

All of this doesn’t imply the Galaxy S25 Extremely is a nasty cellphone. Removed from it. It nonetheless has among the finest shows on any smartphone, a robust digicam system, and a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy that effortlessly handles something thrown at it. It’s quick, {smooth}, and dependable, and anybody who will get the gadget is not going to have any points to complain about. It’s simply that, it falls barely wanting being a correct “Extremely”.