Pros
- Slick performance
- Lovely compact design
- Some clever AI features
Cons
- Minimal improvements over Galaxy S24
- Consistent camera but tougher competition
More of a refinement than a complete overhaul of last year’s Galaxy S24, the Samsung Galaxy S25 is a fantastic choice for anyone who hasn’t upgraded their smartphone in a few years.
At 6.2-inches and starting at £799/$799, the Galaxy S25 is the smallest and cheapest of the flagship series. It’s also 5g lighter than its predecessor and sports an Enhanced Armor Aluminium Frame for extra durability.
Otherwise, the S25 is extremely similar to the Galaxy S24, sporting a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display which boasts a 1-120Hz refresh rate and 2340 x 1080 resolution.
It even has the same camera hardware, with a trio of rear lenses made up of a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide and 10MP telephoto. Although admittedly we were less impressed with this setup than the similarly priced iPhone 16 or Pixel 9, the Galaxy S25 still delivers detailed images that performs well in most lighting conditions.
Powering the Galaxy S25 is Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy which we found ensures the phone runs smoothly without any overheating, and enables the running of Galaxy AI.
This year sees a return of the familiar Galaxy AI features alongside new additions such as AI Summarise which gives you a quick overview of content from your screen and Now Brief which gives you a summary of your day.
Google Gemini also has a starring role across the Galaxy S25 series and works as a built-in AI assistant across numerous apps such as YouTube, Spotify and Google Maps.
We found that on average we ended the day with over 30% of battery remaining, so while it certainly can’t be classed as a two-day device, it should see you through one without any issue. If you’d prefer a two-day smartphone, then you’d be better off with a handset like the OnePlus 13.
Equally, with just 25W wired and 15W wireless support, charging speeds aren’t the fastest either and we found the S25 took 90 minutes to get from 1-100%.
Although there’s little reason to upgrade from the Samsung Galaxy S24, if you have an older handset or want a flagship smartphone that’s small and relatively affordable then the Samsung Galaxy S25 is an otherwise fantastic choice.
Review: Samsung Galaxy S25
Reviewer: Britta O’Boyle
