9.1/ 10 SCORE Samsung Galaxy S25 Pros
Camera constantly delivers good photographs
Impressive battery life
More AI options really feel sensible
Cons
Still some stray gimmicky AI options
Not many modifications over the S24
9.1/ 10 SCORE Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus Pros
Lightning quick charging
Nice massive display screen
7 years of OS and safety upgrades
Great efficiency
Cons
Battery life is just like the baseline S25
Similar specs because the S25, at a better value
Better cameras on different telephones on the similar value
Samsung’s mantra when debuting the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus seems to have been, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” as this 12 months’s telephones share a hanging resemblance to final 12 months’s S24 and S24 Plus. But what the brand new telephones lack in innovation, they make up for in consistency and practicality. While I discovered myself warming as much as (most of) the various AI upgrades separating the S25 and S25 Plus from their predecessors, there are different time-tested attributes that stay extra vital to me – specifically, cameras and battery life. Still, I used to be pleasantly stunned by how a lot I grew to love sure AI-powered options after utilizing the telephones for per week.
This story is a part of Samsung Event, CNET’s assortment of stories, suggestions and recommendation round Samsung’s hottest merchandise.
For occasion, there is a new instrument referred to as AI Select that appears at your cellphone’s display screen and suggests actions like summarizing or translating textual content, the Gallery app can discover a image you are on the lookout for with extra conversational search phrases and Audio Eraser can clear up distracting background noises in your movies. Watch this: Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus Review: AI Finally Makes Itself Useful (Mostly)
07:59 Google’s Gemini has been additional baked into the Galaxy’s interface and will be summoned with an extended press of the aspect energy button to reply questions and perform duties as your assistant.At a time when main cellphone releases are as high-stakes as ever, Samsung tries to set the $800 Galaxy S25 and $1,000 Galaxy S25 Plus aside by leaning into what’s new (AI), in addition to the acquainted (good cameras and battery life). And I’m undoubtedly impressed. Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus: Look and really feel The S25 and S25 Plus have matte glass backs that add a premium contact. James Martin/CNETSo what is the distinction between the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus? Not a lot. Other than the Plus being, effectively, larger than the baseline mannequin.The telephones each have AMOLED shows with 120Hz adaptive refresh charges, with the S25’s measuring 6.2 inches and the S25 Plus clocking in at 6.7 inches. At 162 and 190 grams respectively, the S25 and S25 Plus really feel mild in hand, due to their aluminum frames. The screens are coated in Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and the matte glass backs provide a chic contact and premium really feel. I hesitantly dunked the S25 Plus right into a shallow pool at Filoli Historic House & Garden close to San Francisco throughout testing and am completely satisfied to report it survived unscathed. This should not come as a shock, since each the S25 and S25 Plus have an IP68 ranking for mud and water resistance, which means they’ll survive being submerged for 30 minutes being underneath 1.5 meters of water (or about 5 ft). The digital camera bumps do not jut out an excessive amount of on the S25 and S25 Plus, which is sweet. James Martin/CNETThe telephones are available in navy, icy blue, mint and silver shadow, in addition to the online-exclusive colours blue black, coral crimson and pink gold. I completely adore the icy blue colour of the S25 I’ve been utilizing, and the Plus I’ve in navy additionally seems to be good and wealthy.The S25 and S25 Plus arrive with Android 15 and Samsung’s One UI 7. And just like the Pixel 9 collection, you may get seven years of OS and safety updates, serving to you get probably the most bang in your buck (and there is definitely quite a lot of buck concerned right here). The telephones are powered by a custom-built Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, serving to to convey these many, many AI options to life.The smartest thing about AI is that I hardly discover it Gemini and I, surprisingly, turned pals. James Martin/CNETI’m not alone in feeling extreme AI fatigue. As somebody who tends to be AI-averse (do I really want it to jot down my emails, brainstorm concepts or summarize a PDF?), I are typically cautious of AI-heavy bulletins just like the one Samsung had at its Galaxy Unpacked occasion in January.Once I obtained my fingers on the gadgets, I put my skepticism apart and was stunned. After just a few days, I discovered myself leaning on Gemini for assist with every part from tweaking e mail settings (this was quicker than Googling and studying), caring for my wooden slicing board, and discovering occasions and sending corresponding texts by way of a single voice command. Ultimately, it is the AI options that function discreetly that gained me over, like Circle to Search. This is a Google-powered function that got here out final 12 months and allows you to circle something in your display screen to shortly see product data and hyperlinks. Now, Circle to Search can acknowledge a music enjoying within the background of a video or perhaps a tune you hum or sing, and I had quite a lot of enjoyable testing this out. When I hummed area of interest Taylor Swift songs like I Hate It Here and Foolish One, it nailed each. (Step apart, Shazam.) To be honest, I’m unsure how typically I’ll use this explicit side of Circle to Search, however the instrument as an entire stays spectacular. The AI Select instrument additionally served me effectively, however primarily for translating textual content. My Spanish vocab has (sadly) gotten rusty since highschool. So after I got here throughout an e mail in Spanish, I tapped the instrument on the right-hand aspect of the display screen, circled the textual content I needed to translate and inside a pair faucets, it was shortly remodeled into English (and hopefully, precisely). Here are two Portrait Studio photographs of me totally created by AI. Galaxy AI/Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETNot all AI options are a house run, although. Portrait Studio, which makes use of AI to create stylized portraits (form of like caricatures an artist would possibly sketch of you on the seashore or on a boardwalk), is enjoyable to play with however seems like a novelty. It did an admittedly nice job replicating particulars like my hijab, eye form and smile. But I’m unsure how helpful a instrument like that is in the long term. Similarly, Drawing Assist, which turns your sketches into completely different stylized illustrations, is spectacular at reworking my crappy drawings into pleasing photographs. I haven’t got any actual use for this instrument, as I’m not going to be framing these random photographs of cats and flowers. The largest disappointment, to this point, has been the Now Brief. This is designed to be taught your habits – like in case you normally verify the climate, learn the information and seek the advice of your calendar every morning – then floor any related options to simplify these routines. In the week I used these telephones, the one time I used to be even barely impressed with this function was when it confirmed a spotlight of the photographs I’d taken that day. But in any other case, Now Brief merely lists the climate, my occasions that day and articles which can be irrelevant 90% of the time. That’s to not say it will not finally be taught extra about me and get higher, but it surely hasn’t confirmed its worth simply but.Photos and movies are even higher with AI The S25 and S25 Plus have a trio of lenses on the again: extensive, ultrawide and 3x telephoto. James Martin/CNETThe Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus share the identical digital camera specs as final 12 months’s collection: a 50-megapixel extensive digital camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide digital camera and 10-megapixel 3x telephoto digital camera. They additionally each share a 12-megapixel front-facing digital camera. So you may get the identical sorts of photographs on each the S25 and S25 Plus.I’ve at all times admired the punchy colours in Galaxy S images, and the S25 and S25 Plus had been no exception. Here are just a few of my favourite photographs.This is without doubt one of the finest examples of how every shade of colour, from pale pinks to vibrant reds, pop. There’s a lot texture on this picture beneath, from the ripples on the water to the droplets on the petals, and the background maintains simply sufficient element and colour with out robbing the highlight.
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Bright colours shine on the S25 and S25 Plus. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETPortrait mode on the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus is probably probably the most spectacular I’ve seen, because it does the most effective job of understanding what to maintain in sharp focus and what to blur. Even on this image beneath of my (dying) tulips, every leaf and petal stays clearly within the foreground and is not misplaced to background blur.
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These wilting flowers could not look very pristine, however at the least the general shot does. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETPortrait mode is not good, after all, as a number of the many branches on this shot do get the undesired blur impact. But it is such a minor element that hopefully all you may discover is how effectively the flowers on the desk pop.
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I like how commanding the topic is in Portrait photographs. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETThe enhancements over earlier Galaxy S gadgets come within the type of – sure, AI. Generative Edit debuted on the S24 collection, however is now processed on gadget, permitting you to shortly and simply take away photobombers or objects cluttering your picture. I attempted this out with each individuals and objects and was blown away every time. Generative Edit did a seamless job filling in backgrounds (generally even producing new graffiti patterns, as seen beneath after I eliminated a railing).
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There’s a rail on the proper… Abrar Al-Heeti/CNET
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And now there’s not! Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETOne draw back, although an upside for transparency, is that there is a label on photographs which have benefitted from Generative Edit disclosing that that is “AI-generated content.” I perceive the significance of this, particularly as AI will get higher at fooling individuals, however object elimination options are nothing new to images.
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Before and after. Notice the AI disclaimer on the backside of the picture to the proper. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETSamsung launched a Virtual Aperture instrument that mimics a standalone digital camera’s f-stops, utilizing the separate Expert RAW app. If you are a professional photographer, I can see this being a cool function to have. But as somebody who likes issues plain and easy, I’m going to stay with the digital camera’s built-in Portrait mode in order that elements like background blur and lighting are sorted out for me. Another AI-related increase comes within the type of nighttime movies. I used to be impressed with how wealthy the darkish sky seems to be in movies I recorded and with how easy the movement seems as I panned the digital camera. Daytime movies additionally appeared stable.Photos at night time had been splendid, with wealthy distinction and saturation.
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The S25 superbly dealt with the mixture of vibrant greens, darkish shadows and brilliant vacation lights (that are nonetheless up for some cause). Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETNight mode additionally did an amazing job of brightening up this picture to virtually make it look as if it had been taken within the daytime, and never at 7 p.m.
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This night time time shot virtually seems to be as if it had been taken within the daytime. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETSelfies preserve the smoothing impact I so love on Galaxy S telephones, whereas sustaining vibrancy and crispness within the foreground and background.
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And let’s flip that digital camera round actual fast for a selfie. Abrar Al-Heeti/CNETBattery life and efficiency Remarkably, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus have an amazing battery life, which is vital since each function power-hungry AI options. Celso Bulgatti/CNETBattery capability is without doubt one of the few elements separating the telephones, with the S25 sporting a 4,000-mAh battery and the Plus packing a 4,900-mAh battery.Both telephones lasted a few day and a half with common use. In CNET’s 45-minute endurance check, which entails a mix of streaming, scrolling by social media, becoming a member of a video name and enjoying video games, the S25’s battery dropped from full to 93% (the identical as final 12 months’s S24), whereas the battery on the S25 Plus dropped to 94%. In an extended, 3-hour streaming check over Wi-Fi, through which I watched a YouTube video in full-screen mode at full brightness, the S25 dropped from 100% to 85%, whereas the S25 Plus dropped to 86%.YouTube streaming battery check Phone After 1 hourAfter 2 hoursAfter 3 hoursGalaxy S25 96%90%85%Galaxy S25 Plus 96%91%86%Galaxy S24 FE 96%90%83%Galaxy S24 97%91%86%Galaxy S24 Plus 97%91%87% Higher percentages are higher.The S25 helps 25-watt charging, whereas the S25 Plus helps 45-watt charging. In a 30-minute check utilizing a 30-watt charger, the S25 went from 0% to 47%, and reached 100% in 80 minutes. In the identical check utilizing a 45-watt charger, the S25 Plus went from 0% to 63% in 30 minutes, and reached a full cost in 70 minutes. For comparability, in final 12 months’s check, the S24 went from 0% to 51% in 30 minutes, and the S24 Plus went from 0% to 50%.The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus additionally help 15-watt wi-fi charging, which is similar as what you may get with Qi2. You can use Samsung’s personal case with the Qi2 magnetic profile or a appropriate third-party case to faucet into these wi-fi capabilities.Benchmark assessments for the CPU in Geekbench 6 place the S25 and S25 Plus effectively above the whole Galaxy S24 lineup. In a graphics check utilizing 3D Mark’s Wild Life Extreme, the S25 and S25 Plus exceeded the efficiency of the iPhone 16 Pro, Galaxy S24 and S24 Ultra.Check out the graphs beneath for extra specifics.Geekbench v.6.0 Samsung Galaxy S25 2,999 9,604Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus 3,224 10,143Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus 2,057 6,571Samsung Galaxy S24 1,955 6,255Apple iPhone 16 Pro 3,507 8,750 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
3DMark Wild Life Extreme Samsung Galaxy S25 6,496Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus 6,875Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 4,415Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus 4,808Samsung Galaxy S24 4,752Apple iPhone 16 Pro 4,672 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
3DMark Wild Life Extreme — Average body fee Samsung Galaxy S25 38.90Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus 41.17Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 26.4 Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus 28.79Samsung Galaxy S24 28.46Apple iPhone 16 Pro 28 Note: Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Final ideas: Which cellphone to purchase, the S25 or S25 Plus? The Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus have plenty of AI however aren’t totally outlined by it. James Martin/CNETPerhaps the very best reward I may give to a cellphone in 2025 is that there was simply sufficient AI to not make me go loopy. The S25 and S25 Plus have their justifiable share of AI-powered options, however for probably the most half, there are solely a number of that I can see myself willingly utilizing. Others like Portrait Studio and Drawing Assist could also be enjoyable for keynote demos, however do not appear to serve an actual objective past that. (But it would not be a Galaxy cellphone with out a flashy function nobody makes use of, proper??)Thankfully, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus proceed to ship on what, to me, makes the Galaxy S collection notable: good cameras, stable battery life and a seamless interface. Because there are such a lot of similarities between the S25 and S25 Plus, and the upper battery capability on the Plus did not lead to any startling variations (though superfast charging is nice), I’d personally avoid wasting cash and simply go together with the baseline S25. If you desire a larger cellphone, it may be value going a full step up with the S25 Ultra, so you possibly can make the most of added perks like that 50-megapixel ultrawide lens, however that prices $500 greater than the common S25. Still, the S25 and S25 Plus share many similarities with the Ultra, together with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB RAM and AI options, so you may be getting a comparatively good worth from that baseline mannequin.If you may have a Galaxy S22 or older, switching to the S25 or S25 Plus may very well be a big improve. If you may have an S23, you may profit from improved battery life and dip your toes into Samsung’s newer AI waters. But in case you’re rocking an S24, there is not any cause to pay for comparatively modest upgrades.Ultimately, the S25 and S25 are a lot of the identical as what we have seen earlier than. But that is not such a nasty factor, when “the same” largely nonetheless does the trick.Samsung Galaxy S25 specs vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus Samsung Galaxy S25Samsung Galaxy S25 PlusSamsung Galaxy S24Samsung Galaxy S24 PlusShow dimension, tech, decision, refresh fee 6.2-inch AMOLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.7-inch AMOLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.2-inch AMOLED; 2,340×1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.7-inch AMOLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh feePixel density 416 ppi509 ppi416 ppi509 ppiDimensions (inches) 5.78 x 2.78 x 0.28 in.6.24 x 2.98 x 0.29 in.5.79 x 2.78 x 0.3 in.6.24 x 3 x 0.3 in.Dimensions (millimeters) 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm147 x 71 x 7.6 mm158 x 76 x 7.6 mmWeight (grams, ounces) 162 g (5.71 oz.)190 g (6.70 oz.)168g (5.93 oz.)197g (6.95 oz.)Mobile software program Android 15Android 15Android 14Android 14Camera 50-megapixel (extensive), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)50-megapixel (extensive), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)50-megapixel (extensive), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)50-megapixel (extensive), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)Front-facing digital camera 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixel Video seize 8K8K8K8KProcessor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for GalaxyQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for GalaxyQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3RAM + storage 12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB8GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GBExpandable storage NoneNoneNoneNoneBattery 4,000 mAh4,900 mAh4,000 mAh4,900 mAhFingerprint sensor Under showUnder showUnder showUnder displayConnector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneNoneNoneSpecial options 2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and safety updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and mud resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different gadgets; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 72,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and safety updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and mud resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different gadgets; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 7; ultrawideband2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and safety updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and mud resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different gadgets; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 6E2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and safety updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and mud resistance; wi-fi PowerShare to cost different gadgets; 45W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 6EUS value begins at $800 (128GB)$1,000 (256GB)$800 (128GB)$1,000 (256GB) How we check phonesEvery cellphone examined by CNET’s evaluations group was really utilized in the actual world. We check a cellphone’s options, play video games and take images. We look at the show to see if it is brilliant, sharp and vibrant. We analyze the design and construct to see how it’s to carry and whether or not it has an IP-rating for water resistance. We push the processor’s efficiency to the extremes utilizing standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark, together with our personal anecdotal observations navigating the interface, recording high-resolution movies and enjoying graphically intense video games at excessive refresh charges.All the cameras are examined in a wide range of circumstances from brilliant daylight to darkish indoor scenes. We check out particular options like night time mode and portrait mode and evaluate our findings in opposition to equally priced competing telephones. We additionally take a look at the battery life by utilizing it each day in addition to working a collection of battery drain assessments.We bear in mind further options like help for 5G, satellite tv for pc connectivity, fingerprint and face sensors, stylus help, quick charging speeds and foldable shows, amongst others that may be helpful. We stability all of this in opposition to the worth to provide the verdict on whether or not that cellphone, no matter value it’s, really represents good worth. While these assessments could not at all times be mirrored in CNET’s preliminary assessment, we conduct follow-up and long-term testing in most circumstances.