Samsung S25 specifications
S25 Specs
- Display: 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (region)
- RAM & Storage: 8GB/12GB RAM, 128GB/256GB/512GB storage (no microSD slot)
- Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto (3x zoom)
- Battery: 4,000mAh with 45W wired charging, 25W wireless charging
- OS: One UI 7 (based on Android 15)
- Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C 3.2
- Colours: Phantom Black, Ice Blue, Cream, Graphite
Samsung S25: Pros and cons
Pros
Sleek, premium design with slimmer bezels
Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate
Improved Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor (the same as the S25 Ultra)
Enhanced AI-powered camera features
Long-lasting battery with fast charging support
One UI 7 with powerful AI and customisation options
Cons
No major design improvements from the S24
Slightly higher price point than last year’s model
No periscope zoom (exclusive to Ultra model)
It’s safe to say that Samsung is one of the biggest and most influential smartphone brands in the world. In the UK, it’s the second most popular brand after Apple, and as such, it’s often played second fiddle to the iPhone. However, in recent years, Samsung has been the first to market with a number of technological advances.
It introduced and integrated AI into its smartphones nearly a year ahead of Apple and remains far superior in a number of ways. The new Galaxy S25 range improves upon that integration, bringing an array of upgrades, blending powerful performance, AI-driven features, and a refined design.
As the standard model in the S25 lineup, the Samsung Galaxy S25 balances top-tier specifications with a compact, user-friendly form factor. But how does it compare to its predecessor and its Ultra sibling?
Design and build
At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy S25 doesn’t drastically change from its predecessor’s aesthetic. However, it has been refined with thinner bezels and a slightly flatter frame, making it more comfortable to hold. The Gorilla Glass Victus 3 and Armor Aluminum 2 provide improved durability, ensuring the device remains resistant to drops and scratches.
The rear camera layout remains clean and minimalistic, with three separate lenses arranged vertically. The overall look is sleek, modern, and unmistakably Samsung. Despite minor refinements, the S25 maintains a solid, premium feel in hand, striking a perfect balance between durability and elegance.
Performance and battery life
The S25 range features the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip. Previous iterations have saved more powerful chipsets for the Ultra handset, but with the line-wide integration of AI, this top-end processor is vital throughout the range.
It promises significant AI-driven performance enhancements, ensuring ultra-fast app launches, efficient multitasking, and excellent gaming capabilities.
The 4,000mAh battery provided all-day usage, even under demanding conditions, like watching lengthy HD videos. Charging the battery is fast and convenient, with 45W wired charging, 25W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging support.
Samsung’s One UI 7, based on Android 15, introduces AI-assisted battery management, which further optimises power efficiency throughout the day.
So, while the size of the battery hasn’t changed much, the way your smartphone optimises its performance to pre-long battery life has. This will definitely be put to the test with prolonged use, as AI features are some of the most high-performance tasks and, therefore, demand more energy.
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Camera review
The Samsung Galaxy S25 hasn’t changed its 50MP primary sensor, 12MP ultra-wide lens, or 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Again, while the camera's technical specs haven’t changed since the S24, Samsung has improved AI-powered computational photography to deliver more detail, better low-light performance, and enhanced HDR capabilities.
As a photographer, I can be a bit of a camera snob when it comes to smartphones. Without any impressive specs to point out, I was interested to see how the Galaxy S25 would compare to other Pro smartphones.
Would the 10MP 3x zoom be able to compete with the 12MP 5x zoom on my iPhone 16 Pro? Well, as it turns out, it competes really well.
The first thing I noticed was how smooth the zoom was on the S25. It can often be difficult to get a steady shot when trying to capture images with high zoom, but the S25 was much more stable than the iPhone 16 Pro.
Another impressive feature was how the S25 automatically de-noised photos taken in low light. When you take a photo at night or in low light, you’ll often get what photographers call noise. It looks like a grain over your image as your camera’s sensor can’t capture as much detail in low light conditions. After you snap a pic, the S25 automatically enhances the image, smoothing out the photo to make it look crisp and clear.
So, while the S25 doesn’t have the periscope zoom upgrade of its Ultra counterpart or a significant increase in its main sensor MPs, it still delivers stellar photography for everyday users. It’s simple and intuitive and produces really good results.
AI features
Almost all of the upgrades of the S25 range centred on Galaxy AI, offering a more seamless and intelligent smartphone experience. With the S24 series, Samsung introduced a range of AI-powered productivity applications, including Circle to Search with Google, Photo Editor, and its AI Translator.
With the S25 range, you could tell while using the device there was a strong focus on ensuring that all these impressive AI features are fully integrated into your phone, working seamlessly across Google and Samsung apps. The goal is to make your life easier and the time you spend on your phone more efficient.
This is definitely the case, if you know which features to use and how to use them. The more you use AI, the more helpful and more personalised it can be.
Now Brief
The big attraction of the S25 series is the Now Brief, which offers personalised and easy-to-check daily insights on your home screen throughout the day. This includes everything from weather and traffic updates to scores from your favourite sports team.
Once you’ve set up your phone, you’ll get periodic updates throughout the day. This felt like a nice way for my phone to send me little reminders and keep me on track without being too invasive. Weather updates, especially in the middle of UK winter, were helpful in that they would remind me that even though it’s sunny, it’s single-digit cold outside.
Audio Eraser
In the same way the AI photo editor can erase images, the new Audio Eraser can clean up recorded audio and erase distracting background sounds, making dialogue sound crystal clear.
ProScaler
The size and specs of the S25 screen haven’t changed dramatically, but the inclusion of ProScaler technology drastically improves the viewing experience. AI upscaling increases the image quality to produce a crisp image despite the original resolution.
Gemini
Gemini isn’t exclusive to Samsung as it was developed by Google, but it has been fully integrated and is set as the main AI assistant. So long, Bixby.
The most impressive jump in capabilities is Gemini's conversational tone. Gemini Live lets you chat, brainstorm and ask questions instead of Googling them. I mumbled ideas, gave short responses, and spoke to my phone like I would a friend or colleague, and not once was it stumped.
I was never faced with those frustratingly robotic responses that you’re used to getting from other assistants, “Sorry, I didn’t quite get that.”
The more you use Gemini, the better it gets, so don’t be afraid to open your phone and chat.
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Samsung S25 vs S25 Ultra
As always, the main star of the latest Samsung Galaxy range is the Ultra model. This is where Samsung packs in all its top-of-the-line tech, including the 200MP camera with 5x zoom, a significantly larger battery and a wealth of additional productivity that comes with S-Pen support.
If you're after really high-level performance, using your phone for work, productivity, creative drawing and brainstorming, and want the most powerful camera on a smartphone, you’ll want to get the S25 Ultra. If you just need a top-quality phone with a great camera set up and all the latest AI features, your money will go further with the S25.
| S25 | S25 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £1,249 |
| Display | 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED | 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED |
| Main camera | 50MP | 200MP |
| Telephoto zoom | 10MP (3x) | 50MP (5x) + 10MP (3x) |
| Battery | 4,000mAh | 5,200mAh |
| S-Pen support | No | Yes |
Final verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is an excellent flagship for 2025, offering a powerful balance of performance, AI-driven features, and premium design. While I was initially disappointed that there weren’t any revolutionary changes to this range, using the phone throughout the day showed just how well-executed the AI improvements are.
It definitely feels like more of an improvement than an upgrade from the S24, delivering cutting-edge technology in a compact, stylish package that goes head-to-head with Apple.
If you’re tired of Apple’s incremental changes, which are two years behind other brands, then you should definitely consider switching to Samsung. Its sleek AI-powered handsets are sure to impress.
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