Samsung Galaxy S25+

Over the past few years, Samsung has clearly focused most of its attention on the Ultra models in the Galaxy S lineup. Those phones usually get the biggest hardware upgrades and new features. The regular and Plus variants, on the other hand, have seen more gradual improvements.

That trend continues with the Galaxy S25+. It sits right in the middle of the lineup and brings only a few hardware changes compared to last year’s model. The phone gets a newer processor, slightly improved connectivity, and some refinements in camera processing. Apart from that, the overall experience remains quite similar to the previous generation.

The bigger question is whether these improvements are enough to justify the upgrade, or if buyers should simply pick last year’s model and save some money.

Design

At first glance, the Galaxy S25+ looks almost identical to the previous generation. Samsung has kept the same design language with flat Armor Aluminum sides, flat glass panels on the front and back, and rounded corners.

The phone is slightly lighter and thinner than before, but the difference is so small that most users will not notice it during daily use. The only visible change is the slightly raised ring design around the rear cameras, which Samsung says gives the phone a floating camera look.

Despite having a large screen and a big battery, the phone feels surprisingly comfortable to hold. It is lightweight and well balanced, which makes it easy to use for long periods.

Like previous flagship Galaxy phones, the device also comes with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The display and back panel are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which should handle scratches well. However, it is still a good idea to use a case if you want better protection against accidental drops.

Display and Audio

The display remains one of the biggest highlights of the Galaxy S25+. Samsung already improved its flagship screens significantly last year, so there was little reason to make big changes again.

The phone features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with QHD+ resolution and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It also supports HDR10+ and can reach up to 2600 nits of peak brightness.

In everyday use, the screen looks fantastic. It is bright, smooth, and sharp. Colors appear natural, although you can increase vibrancy from the settings if you prefer more saturated colors. Samsung also includes features like Adaptive Color Tone and Eye Comfort Shield to automatically adjust the display depending on lighting conditions.

The only visible improvement this year is slightly thinner bezels around the screen. It is a small change, but it makes the phone look more modern.

The stereo speakers are also very good. They get loud, remain clear at higher volumes, and offer decent depth in audio. There is even a small improvement in bass compared to earlier models. With Dolby Atmos support and multiple audio presets, you can easily adjust the sound depending on what you are watching or listening to.

Camera

The camera hardware on the Galaxy S25+ remains unchanged from the previous generation. The phone includes a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. On the front, you get a 12MP selfie camera.

In daylight, the primary camera captures detailed images with good dynamic range. Colors look natural, although Samsung still adds a slight punch to them. Photos usually have good depth and contrast, making them look lively without appearing overly processed.

The ultrawide camera performs well outdoors and captures wide scenes with decent details. However, in indoor environments or low light, image quality drops slightly and noise becomes more noticeable.

The telephoto camera does a good job with 3x zoom in good lighting conditions. Images remain sharp and detailed, and you can even push the zoom further while still getting usable results. At night or in low lighting, the camera struggles a bit more and noise becomes visible.

Selfies are surprisingly good. The front camera captures detailed images with accurate skin tones and wide dynamic range. It also benefits from autofocus, which helps keep images sharp.

Video recording is another strong area. The main camera can record up to 8K video, while all cameras support 4K recording. Video stabilization is excellent, and switching between cameras during recording is smooth. Even in low light, videos remain usable with reasonable detail.

Performance

The Galaxy S25+ is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. It offers a noticeable improvement in both CPU and GPU performance compared to the previous generation.

In daily use, the phone feels extremely smooth and responsive. Apps open quickly, multitasking is effortless, and even heavy games run without issues. Samsung has also increased the size of the vapor chamber cooling system, which helps the phone maintain stable performance during long gaming sessions.

However, a big part of the smooth experience comes from Samsung’s new software. The phone runs One UI 7, which feels more fluid than previous versions. Animations are smoother, transitions are faster, and the overall interface feels more polished.

Software and AI Features

The Galaxy S25+ ships with Android 15 with Samsung’s One UI 7 interface on top. This version of One UI introduces several visual and functional improvements.

The interface has been redesigned with a vertical app drawer, updated widgets, and a refreshed notification panel. Animations feel smoother, and the overall design looks cleaner.

Samsung has also added new AI-powered features under the Galaxy AI branding. These tools aim to improve productivity, editing, and everyday tasks. While some of them are useful, the biggest improvement is still the overall smoothness of the software.

Battery and Charging

The Galaxy S25+ packs a 4,900mAh battery. Even though the battery capacity remains similar to the previous model, the phone seems to last longer thanks to the more efficient processor and software optimization.

During typical usage, the phone easily lasts a full day on a single charge. Even with heavy camera use or gaming, it manages to get through the day comfortably.

Charging speeds remain the same at 45W. It takes roughly an hour to fully charge the battery. While this is slower than some Chinese flagship phones, it is still fast enough for most users.

Verdict

The Galaxy S25+ is a polished and reliable flagship smartphone. It offers a great display, strong performance, good cameras, and solid battery life. The design is comfortable and premium, and the software experience is smoother than ever.

However, the phone does not bring major hardware changes compared to its predecessor. If you already own the Galaxy S24+ or even the Galaxy S23+, the upgrade may not feel significant.