Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus review: incredibly iterative

Samsung’s Galaxy S-series is in its software program period. Possibly the entire smartphone trade is, too, save for just a few telephones with hinges (Samsung’s included). However total, we’ve exited the hardware-driven innovation cycle and are firmly within the midst of a software-based one. In order for you proof, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus are place to start out.

These are nice telephones, which is not any shock. They give the impression of being, really feel, and function like units worthy of their $799 and $999 value tags. They’re slated to get seven years of OS upgrades, which quantities to a rattling good return on that funding. I used each to take good photographs, play my little video games, and usually go about my day with no hitch.

This was all true of the S24 and S24 Plus and the S23 and S23 Plus. I couldn’t offer you purpose why the S25 stands out in comparison with Samsung’s final three generations of S-series telephones. I don’t suppose Samsung can, both, as a result of its complete gross sales pitch for the S25 revolves round software program and AI capabilities — a lot of which is able to virtually actually be ported to earlier S-series telephones briefly order.

Right here’s the kicker: the software program enhancements aren’t all that nice, both. AI can do just a few useful issues, like turning a chaotic web page of notes into one thing readable. However a lot of it’s nonetheless too unpredictable to depend on. One UI 7.0 consists of good interface updates, however plenty of Samsung telephones will get that improve quickly. The record of causes to improve to an S25 other than “my present telephone stopped working and I would like a brand new one” is terribly skinny.

Possibly this says extra about what passes for a “small” telephone in 2025, however the Galaxy S25 is secretly the perfect small Android telephone you should purchase within the US. That’s in all probability not intentional — extra like a victory in a struggle of attrition. Google’s telephones for the reason that Pixel 5 solely are available in massive and greater, and area of interest small telephone choices just like the Asus Zenfone have dropped out of the race. By merely persevering with to exist with a 6.2-inch display screen, the smaller S-series mannequin has develop into the default possibility if you happen to don’t need an enormous Android telephone.

The impact is sort of comical after every week utilizing the gargantuan S25 Extremely. Should you like a smaller system — and I certain do — it’s a aid to suit the S25 right into a coat pocket comfortably and to achieve my thumb throughout the display screen to faucet one thing whereas utilizing the telephone one-handed. A smaller battery is a priority with a tinier system, however the S25’s 4,000mAh acquired me by means of a full day of reasonable use.

After all, there’s a much bigger possibility. The S25 Plus has all of the display screen actual property to fulfill the large telephone followers. It comes with a 6.7-inch panel and a bump as much as 1440p decision from the 1080p on the S25, which is an efficient factor; the additional decision is critical with such an enormous show. Likewise, the 4,900mAh battery goes all day, even with extra pixels to mild up.

The design is principally the identical because the final go-around: flat edges, curved corners, and Samsung’s signature stoplight rear digicam association. I nonetheless respect Samsung’s transfer to flat edges right here, because it makes the telephone really feel safer in my hand — particularly after I choose it up off a desk.

Samsung continues to be utilizing Galaxy AI as a key promoting level. This assortment of starter equipment AI options consists of new additions, like pure language search within the settings menu, background noise cancellation in video clips, and Pixel Finest Take-like face swapping. There’s additionally a brand new voice assistant on the wheel: Gemini. Google’s AI-imbued assistant is now the default relatively than Samsung’s Bixby, and it good points the flexibility to work throughout apps.

This functionality was the one I used to be most excited to attempt on the S25, and it’s not even a Galaxy AI function — it’s obtainable wherever you should use Gemini, together with on iOS and the online. I went into way more element about utilizing Gemini in my Galaxy S25 Extremely evaluate, however the tl;dr is that it’s promising however not constant sufficient to depend on but.

However credit score the place it’s due: Samsung’s synthetic intelligence instruments — which it refers to broadly as Galaxy AI — do job of including construction to a bunch of chaotic notes. I typed out a listing of my child’s signs earlier than a visit to the pediatrician, and AI organized it with wise subheadings. It even precisely titled it “Baby’s sickness development,” despite the fact that I hadn’t expressly written that.

Samsung’s One UI 7.0 software program is a big replace that introduces a Dynamic Island-like Now Bar, a cut up notification and fast settings shade, and a few delicate design updates all through. As with all Galaxy telephone, it nonetheless takes me a minute to de-Samsung the software program to my liking, however total, it’s a welcome refresh.

Ever seen a photograph with a sky so blue, it virtually jumps off the display screen? Then you definitely’ve seen an image taken with a Samsung telephone. Samsung is staying true to its oversaturated colours within the S25 sequence and continues one other custom: a rattling good portrait mode. It doesn’t at all times nail topic isolation, however when it’s good, it’s good.

It’s the identical digicam system because the one within the S24 sequence, minus some software program tweaks. It doesn’t have the upgraded ultrawide within the S25 Extremely, however that’s not an enormous loss. I observed cases the place the S25’s digicam insisted on focusing within the foreground relatively than within the distance the place I wished. The depth of discipline is shallow sufficient that this makes a distinction, so I wound up with two unusably mushy photographs. It wasn’t a persistent subject, nevertheless it got here up sufficient that I’d control it sooner or later.

Possibly it’s the {hardware} cycle slowing down. Possibly it’s software program season. Possibly we’ve simply reached peak telephone. A mix led us to the iterative S25 sequence. However does that matter if you happen to’re able to commerce in your S21 and also you simply need one thing acquainted that works?

Should you match that description, the S25 or S25 Plus will do the job. The Galaxy S25 is the final full-featured, sensibly sized Android telephone you should purchase within the US. And the S25 Plus has the large display screen that folks apparently need. The cameras are good, battery life is ok, and the software program updates will circulation for seven years. If that is peak telephone, it’s not a nasty place to be.

The Galaxy S25 presents a pretty picture of what helpful AI may appear to be on our telephones. Telling your AI assistant so as to add the dates from an e-mail to your calendar? Screenshotting a recipe and including the substances to a buying record? That sounds nice. The difficulty is that it doesn’t work persistently proper now, and it’s unclear when that may change. Galaxy telephones from the previous few years will get these updates, too. Should you’re completely happy together with your present S-series telephone, I don’t see any compelling purpose to improve to the S25. And that’s simply positive — it’s a software program period, in spite of everything.

Pictures by Allison Johnson / The Verge