Samsung Galaxy S25 Review: Compact and Powerful

The Samsung Galaxy S25 stands out with its compact design and powerful performance. While it makes a significant leap forward with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, it’s also criticized for offering minimal updates in other areas.

The Galaxy S25 features a special version powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the most powerful processor in the Android world to date. This next-gen processor not only enhances performance but also supports new connectivity options like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

Samsung has eliminated chipset variability this year by offering the same powerful processor across all Galaxy S25 devices. This ensures consistent performance worldwide. While most other features remain similar to the Galaxy S24, the new color options and software improvements help set this device apart.

Galaxy S25 Unboxing

The Galaxy S25 comes in a sleek black box. Inside, you’ll find a 3A USB-C cable and a SIM ejector tool. If you need a charging adapter, you’ll have to purchase a USB-PD adapter separately to take full advantage of the device’s 25W fast charging support.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Design

The Galaxy S25 is almost identical to the Galaxy S24 in terms of design. The front and back panels are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, with an aluminum frame. Thanks to its IP68 certification, the device is resistant to water and dust for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters. It measures 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm and weighs just 162 grams.

There’s no camera island on the back; instead, each camera is surrounded by a minimalist metal frame, giving the phone a sleek and modern look. Its matte finish effectively prevents fingerprints.

Samsung offers four main color options for the Galaxy S25: Ice Blue, Navy Blue, Mint Green, and Silver. Exclusive colors like Pink, Coral, and Midnight Blue are also available on Samsung’s website.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Display

The Galaxy S25 features a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits. The screen is surrounded by thin, uniform bezels and offers a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, providing an impressive viewing experience.

The refresh rate operates in two modes: Adaptive and Standard. Adaptive mode adjusts the refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the content, while Standard mode is locked at 60Hz.

While Samsung hasn’t made significant changes to color accuracy or brightness compared to previous models, the display remains one of the best in its class.

Performance and Hardware

The Galaxy S25 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This chip is based on the Oryon architecture, featuring two high-performance cores and six efficiency cores. The Adreno 830 GPU delivers top-tier graphics performance, making it ideal for gaming and video processing.

The device comes with storage options of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, all paired with 12GB of RAM. Thanks to UFS 4.0 technology, data transfer speeds are significantly faster. Samsung promises 7 years of major Android updates and security patches for the Galaxy S25.

Battery Life and Charging

The Galaxy S25 is equipped with a 4,000 mAh battery and supports 25W fast charging, reaching 50% in 30 minutes. It also supports 15W wireless charging with the Qi 2.1 standard and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.

While the charging speed is slower than some competitors, Samsung focuses on offering a longer battery lifespan. The device includes Battery Protection options to help preserve battery health over time.

Camera Features

The Galaxy S25’s camera system is nearly identical to the Galaxy S24:

  • 50 MP Main Camera (with OIS)
  • 10 MP Telephoto Camera (3x optical zoom, OIS)
  • 12 MP Ultra-Wide Camera

On the front, there’s a 12 MP selfie camera. The camera app has been updated with One UI 7, offering new Pro mode options for enhanced usability.

Daytime Photo Quality

The main camera delivers detailed photos with vibrant colors and wide dynamic range. However, sharpness slightly decreases in low-light conditions. The portrait mode offers excellent depth-of-field effects.

The ultra-wide camera lacks autofocus, which can lead to loss of detail in close-up shots.

Nighttime Photo Quality

The night mode reduces noise and captures more detail, but the telephoto camera’s performance is limited in low-light conditions.

Video Recording Features

All four cameras support 4K 60fps video recording, while the main camera also offers 8K 30fps video. New features like 10-bit HDR video and Galaxy Log video mode enhance the video experience. Video stabilization is impressive, keeping footage steady even while moving.

Android 15 and One UI 7

The Galaxy S25 runs Android 15 with Samsung’s One UI 7 interface. This version introduces significant visual changes, including a redesigned notification and quick settings menu with a split layout similar to iPhone.

New features like AI Summarize analyze on-screen content and provide brief summaries, while Cross App Action allows you to continue tasks between apps seamlessly.

Samsung DeX is still available for connecting the phone to an external display, providing a desktop-like experience. However, PC support for DeX has been replaced by Microsoft’s Link to Windows.

Sound and Multimedia

The Galaxy S25 features stereo speakers. The bottom speaker delivers rich bass, while the top speaker focuses on clearer vocals. Samsung has improved the sound quality in this model, offering a more balanced audio experience.

Comparison with Competitors

The Galaxy S25 is a great choice for users seeking a compact flagship device. However, competitors like the Xiaomi 15 and iPhone 16 may offer better camera performance and battery life. If you prefer a larger display and faster charging, consider the Galaxy S25+.

Pros

  • Compact and lightweight design
  • Powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
  • New features with One UI 7
  • 7-year Android update guarantee

Cons

  • Camera system unchanged from previous models
  • 25W charging speed lags behind competitors
  • Ultra-wide camera lacks autofocus
  • Black color option available only on Samsung’s website
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