That’s how I’d describe my experience with Samsung’s devices this year. The South Korean giant took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions this year. I’ve changed my opinions so many times and so quickly that I virtually have whiplash.
From feeling severely underwhelmed at the new Galaxy S25 series to being suitably impressed after using the S25, to now having spent enough time with the S25+, my mind is a jumble of thoughts, and I’ll try to put them down as coherently as possible.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say I wasn’t alone in wanting more after Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S25 lineup in late January. The smartphones had pretty much the same hardware as last year — with notable upgrades, such as with the processor — and I wondered if we should even care about these devices.
Well, I can now say the answer to that is… yes.
Certainly, by 2025 standards, 12GB of RAM and less than 5,000 mAh of battery capacity (the S25+ packs a 4,900 mAh cell) may seem antiquated, but Samsung’s hit a home run with its version of Android 15 — One UI 7. The software is so clean and well-optimised that the S25+ very easily gives better-specced competitors a run for its money.
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Let’s first address the elephant in the room — the design.
The Galaxy S25+ is almost identical to its predecessor — the only visual difference being shiny rings around the camera lenses on the back.
But boy, oh boy, does the phone fly when you use it.
Right from the get go, the Galaxy S25+ has been a delight to use. Being an iPhone user, I find myself envious of how much fun Android has become. There are smartphones out there with some truly wild features and impressive hardware. But as Apple has shown time and again, it’s not the specs that matter, but how well the hardware works with the software.
The Galaxy S25+ — or even the S25 — nail this. The smartphone is delightfully light, thanks to its aluminium midframe; blazingly fast, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip; and the battery life is surprisingly good.
When I say the software is fantastic, I mean everything One UI 7 has to offer. From its clean, minimalist aesthetic to lightning-quick animations, One UI 7 is an operating system to rival iOS in buttery smoothness. It is also endlessly customisable with the Good Lock app — you can change pretty much anything on your phone to suit your personality.
I’ve already touched upon the AI features in my Galaxy S25 review, so I won’t go into too much detail here, except to say I vastly prefer the AI-powered “Now Brief” and “Now Bar” to “Live Activities” and the Dynamic Island on the iPhone.
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There are, however, two things about the Galaxy S25+ that left me the most impressed — the cameras and the battery.
The cameras were excellent in my testing — through a combination of software and algorithmic wizardry, the Samsung Galaxy S25+ consistently produced great photos in most lighting conditions. The images are sharp, detailed, and punchy enough to be social media ready. It struggles somewhat in low lighting conditions, but overall, this is a solid camera system.
Battery life is where the Galaxy S25+ shines. I’m the kind of person that charges his phone overnight. So I would unplug the Galaxy S25+ in the morning and, more often than not, it would have about 30% left in the tank with moderate-heavy usage, and more if the usage is light. That translates into a good 14-15 hours out of a single charge, which I suspect would be more than enough for most people’s needs.
Support for 45W charging means the Galaxy S25+ charges slower than most other Android smartphones, but is quick enough for you to wrangle a few hours of usage in about 20-25 minutes.
That was the good.
The Verdict
The Galaxy S25+ is the perfect compromise for those who want the very best from Samsung but don’t want to spend nearly ₹1.3 lakh on an S25 Ultra. It is nearly as big, has a battery that is just as capable, and comes with the same RAM and processor, for ₹30,000 cheaper.
If you’re not married to the idea of the S-pen and can live without an extra hour or two of battery life, then the Galaxy S25+ is the best Samsung flagship for you.
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