Samsung Galaxy S25+ review

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Introduction

One does not simply go and buy the Galaxy S25+. You need to specifically want the in-between model, the version that didn't become an Ultra and instead turned out as an enlarged Galaxy S25. And this year the reason for getting the Plus model has a name and that's the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip.

The chipset is an overclocked "for Galaxy" version and it is indeed the single substantial upgrade since the Galaxy S24+. It allows for over 30% of performance increase across the board, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and Bluetooth 5.4 support.

The rest of the Galaxy S25+ is identical to the Galaxy S24+, starting with the glass design with aluminum chassis and IP68 rating. Then there is the 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with 1440p resolution and 120Hz dynamic refresh rate.

All four cameras are a match to the Galaxy S24+'s - a 50MP primary, a 10MP 3x telephoto and a 12MP ultrawide cameras on the back, plus a 12MP selfie imager at the front.

The battery and charging department got a subtle update. The battery capacity is still 4,900mAh, and the charging ratings are unchanged - 45W wired and 15W wireless charging, as well as 4.5W reverse wireless option. The wireless charging capabilities have been expanded to be Qi2.1 ready.

There are many software novelties, including AI ones, thanks to One UI 7 and Android 15. But those are bound to make it to the Galaxy S24 series, too.

Samsung Galaxy S25+ specs at a glance:

• Body: 158.4x75.8x7.3mm, 190g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min), Armor Aluminum 2 frame.
• Display: 6.70" Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2600 nits (peak), 1440x3120px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 513ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm): Octa-core (2x4.47 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M); Adreno 830.
• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
• OS/Software: Android 15, up to 7 major Android upgrades, One UI 7.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 67mm, 1/3.94", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, 1/2.55" 1.4µm, Super Steady video.
• Front camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24/30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 10-bit HDR, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 4900mAh; 45W wired, PD3.0, 65% in 30 min, 15W wireless (Qi2.1), 4.5W reverse wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers; Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), Ultra Wideband (UWB) support, Circle to Search.

We think the most powerful chip on the market will give the Galaxy S25+ a much bigger fighting chance than ever before. It is a more balanced flagship with a premium screen and great cameras. It is also not as large as the Ultra and it's more feature-rich than the small Galaxy S25. But we also hoped to see enhanced durability and at least better ultrawide camera this year, things that were unfortunately pushed for at least one year down the road yet again.

Unboxing the Galaxy S25+

The Galaxy S25+ ships in a thin black box, which contains a SIM ejector and a USB-C cable.

The bundled cable is model DN980 with a 3A or 25W rating.