While most smartphone brands still do this, given how saturated the market has become, it isn’t easy to marvel at a phone’s quirky new design unless it’s a true standout. Some brands, on the other hand, tend to stick to the tried and tested formula till it becomes stale, perhaps even beyond that (I’m looking at you, Apple).
Samsung clearly doesn’t care that it is reusing hardware in its Galaxy S25 lineup, and I’ll tell you what, the software actually boosts these devices to make them feel like true 2025 flagship smartphones.
I’ll be honest: Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event towards the tail end of January left me feeling underwhelmed — the Ultra was the only phone with a refined hardware design (and that is being generous), while the S25+ and the S25 were basically the same, inside and out. I found them boring. But I hadn’t used them yet.
Also read: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review | Same, yet different
Now, I have. A few weeks with the Galaxy S25 and S25+ have left me scratching my head, in a good way.
The Galaxy S25 and S25+ bring with them a focus on enhancing the AI capabilities introduced with the Galaxy S24 lineup. Samsung believes these features are genuinely useful for users, and it is mostly correct.
The integration of advanced Galaxy AI features, alongside a powerful chipset (Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite), enhances both performance and user experience. Familiar elements of the Galaxy S experience feel fresh thanks to these new AI tools.
By offering a professional-grade experience akin to the Google Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro, but at a lower price comparable to the base models of those devices, Samsung has created a strong value proposition.
Samsung Galaxy S25 specifications
- Starting Price: ₹80,999
- Display: 6.2-inch FHD+ AMOLED
- Refresh rate: 120Hz adaptive
- Rear cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto
- Front camera: 12MP selfie
- Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage options: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Charging: 25W wired, 15W wireless
- Water/dust resistance: IP68
- Weight: 162 grams
The phone looks and feels so familiar that I would refer you to my review of its predecessor, the Galaxy S24.
Cameras
Don’t be fooled for one instant that the older camera hardware means poorer pictures. Quite the opposite. Thanks to its AI smarts, Samsung’s computational photography is quite brilliant — even in low-light conditions. The images are sharp, contain enough detail, and the colour reproduction is consistent. Does it feel like a flagship camera setup? No. Does it matter? No. Can it be better? Certainly.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is one of the two major differentiators between the last-generation Galaxy S series and the S25 lineup. The chip, made specially to integrate AI in smartphones, does an outstanding job of keeping the phone blazing fast and cool as a cucumber. The full HD+ display is not a battery hog, and the 12GB of RAM has proved to be enough.
Also read: OnePlus 13 Review: This should be your default flagship smartphone
Battery life
This, to me, was the biggest concern and surprise. On paper, the Galaxy S25’s 4,000 mAh battery feels so 2023. And with good reason — operating systems are becoming heavier on resources, applications need a lot of horse power and all of this consumes — you guessed it — battery.
Suffice it to say my confidence in the battery life of the Galaxy S25 was not exactly high.
And I was wrong.
On a single charge, the Galaxy S25 lasts an impressive 12-13 hours with light-to-moderate usage, This is definitely better than the S24 and speaks volumes of Samsung’s software optimisation, the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s efficiency, and the AI layer that is constantly working in the background to iron out any kinks.
AI features
I can discuss the various AI-powered features on the Galaxy S25 all day, particularly the unique Personal Data Engine that personalises user experience. A key aspect is the integration of Google Gemini as the default assistant, which works with Samsung’s own apps like calendar and reminders, allowing control through Gemini commands.
The Galaxy S25 excels in processing multi-part voice commands, enabling users to add calendar events, recommend recipes from photos, and find restaurants based on dietary needs.
Another notable feature is Now Brief, which appears on the lock screen or as a homescreen widget, summarising information from various apps, including weather, calendar events, and health data. The quality of these briefings depends on the detail of user inputs and connected devices.
Additional AI enhancements include improved photo searches in the Gallery app, natural language options in Settings, AI-assisted screen selection, and the Audio Eraser for video sound cleanup. Samsung has also made enhancements to existing tools like generative image editing and article summaries in the browser.
Overall, the Galaxy S25 is packed with AI tools, launching all features at once, unlike Apple’s approach with the iPhone 16. While Samsung may fall behind Google in image editing capabilities, it offers superior productivity tools, making the Galaxy S25 a strong contender for AI-focused phones.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a robust flagship smartphone that effectively leverages AI technology to enhance user experience. While it may not warrant an upgrade from the S24 for everyone, those seeking top performance and advanced AI features will find value in this model.
Also read: realme 14 Pro+ Review: Scores high on style
