Over a 12 months because it dipped into generative synthetic intelligence, Samsung’s Galaxy S-series telephones at the moment are the vanguard for its gen-AI options. This 12 months, we’re getting even deeper hooks into Google’s Gemini AI assistant and extra built-in software program tips than ever earlier than. On the similar time, nevertheless, the Galaxy S25 arrives with marginal {hardware} upgrades over final 12 months’s S24.
Whereas there’s a case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it,” you’ll have to stare arduous on the spec sheets to identify the variations between this 12 months’s cellphone and the 2024 mannequin. With the Galaxy S25, there’s a triple-camera system, a 6.2-inch Full HD+ display and help for the ever-improving Galaxy AI, which the corporate appears to be prioritizing this 12 months — even when it isn’t fairly sufficient to hold a wholly new machine.
{Hardware} and design
Barring a robust new chip, the S25 is an enormous serving of deja vu from a {hardware} perspective. You would revisit final 12 months’s S24 review to get the gist.
Samsung determined thinner is the brand new route this time round. Galaxy S25 Edge apart, this 12 months’s vary has been slimmed down. I feel the S25 is tangibly thinner – however that’s as a result of I used to be capable of examine it with a Galaxy S24 side-by-side. It’s much less of a promoting level when measuring a change of 0.4 millimeters.
After a number of years of carrying round and testing telephones with screens over 6.5 inches, having the S25 with me is refreshing. Even when the 6.2-inch display is a little bit small for in depth Netflix or YouTube watching, just like the 6.3-inch Pixel 9 Professional, it stays lots huge for just about every little thing else. The 2X AMOLED display tops out at 2,600 nits, which is lots shiny sufficient, with variable refresh charges that prime out at 120Hz.
I acquired the Silver Shadow S25 with a frosted sheen, which I like. It’s not essentially the most eye-catching possibility, nevertheless. I feel the wealthy Navy blue is my choose. However who’re we kidding? Most of us throw our telephones into circumstances – and I’ll do the identical as soon as my case will get right here.
Oddly sufficient, one of many upgrades with the S25 includes including a case: help for quicker Qi2 charging (and magnetic latching) is simply doable by suitable circumstances. These circumstances, nevertheless, weren’t accessible for this evaluate. My colleague Sam Rutherford explains all of it right here; however at the very least there’s some compatibility, which was missing in final 12 months’s Galaxy telephones.
Cameras
Samsung makes among the greatest smartphones for images, which is fortunate as a result of the S25’s digicam sensors seem an identical to final 12 months’s. Which themselves are the identical because the 12 months earlier than. Hmm.
As a refresher, that features a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter and a 10MP 3x telephoto digicam with a front-facing 12MP digicam. for those who’re searching for 5x zoom and high-res sensors, it’s best to take a look at the Galaxy S25 Extremely (or the Pixel 9 Professional) — however the setup on the bottom S25 nonetheless works effectively, regardless of the growing older sensors.
I used to be pleasantly stunned with the S25’s sheer consistency. Most of my images have been crisp and objects have been in focus, though I most popular the iPhone 16’s ends in darker situations. I discovered that the Galaxy S25 tends to course of photographs in a different way between the telephoto and first sensor, with some night-time pictures popping out a bit amber-hued.
Samsung’s claims that the brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite would assist low-light efficiency are additionally correct. The corporate says that with the chip’s energy, the S25 sequence can higher analyze noise, even detecting transferring and static objects and processing them in a different way. Samsung’s computational images has additionally improved on the subject of troublesome taking pictures situations. Digital zoom, at 10x, appears crisper and gives extra usable images than its predecessors.
When you’re prepared to dip right into a separate digicam app, Samsung’s Skilled RAW options one other new possibility: digital aperture. I’ve struggled to discern a tangible distinction whereas taking pictures with the S25. It seems to be a extra superior model of Portrait mode, with out requiring the cellphone to determine an individual or topic to use a gentle bokeh to the background. The impact is reasonably profitable, however calls for an excellent stage of sunshine. I discovered it struggled to use a digital aperture impact in darkish environments.
Sadly, the characteristic is hidden away within the experimental part of Samsung’s Skilled RAW digicam app, which must be downloaded individually. This digicam app is for energy customers who demand handbook controls, and it’s nice that it’s accessible. Nevertheless, a lot of (possibly most) potential S25 patrons received’t want it, and even comprehend it exists
One other under-the-hood enchancment is inside S25’s gallery, the place the search characteristic has improved categorization and makes it typically simpler to seek out what you’re searching for. As I typed, it’d recommend WhatsApp photographs, areas and extra. Samsung says it’s added 2.7 occasions extra key phrases, which is delightfully particular.
Whereas images remains to be comparable, spec-wise, on the S25, Samsung has considerably improved video for extra seasoned cinematographers. This 12 months’s telephones will even seize video in HDR by default, whereas a brand new Galaxy Log mode means you may seize log video for improved dynamic vary. It’ll additionally imply you may apply extra correct coloration grading for those who wish to edit movies and get in deep. Video can also be recorded in 10-bit coloration, providing extra latitude for editors. Nonetheless, like I mentioned, that is for folk already neck-deep in utilizing LUTs, with a suitable modifying app on the prepared.
With Audio Eraser. Samsung has caught up with Apple and Google. That is its personal post-processing characteristic for recording video in louder environments. It faucets into AI to nix particular environmental noises, like wind, water and visitors. The impact isn’t fairly as spectacular in actual life as throughout Samsung’s S25 launch keynote, nevertheless.
When confronted with the erratic road visitors noise, Audio Eraser’s automated setting compressed the audio fairly severely, leaving my voice sounding a little bit gurgly and crunchy. It’s much like audio with noise cancellation on Google Meet and WhatsApp voice notes. I used to be positively extra audible – however it wasn’t simple listening.
The upgrades are welcome, however given the iPhone 16’s Digicam Management button and the Pixel 9’s newest software program tips like Add Me, Samsung’s cameras have had a weaker displaying than the competitors.
Software program
Software program additions don’t cease on the digicam app. There’s a scattering of recent options throughout the board with the S25. Probably the most instantly noticeable replace is extra of a duo: Now Bar and Now Temporary. The Now Bar is a brand new lockscreen tile — half contextual data panel and half notification banner. With rolling Google Maps navigation directions and media enjoying features, we’ve seen many of those concepts on the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. Samsung’s model is extra restricted, at the very least for now.
Embarrassingly, solely eight apps (or options) can seem on the Now Bar, together with the clock, sports activities notifications from Google and a voice recorder. It’s underwhelming. If third-party app makers (or extra Google apps) could make their approach into the Bar, it may be extra useful, however as it’s, it’s barely greater than a lock-screen widget.
The Now Temporary, equally, may use a little bit extra meat. I hate to make one other Apple comparability, however it’s a extra accessible model of the iPhone’s summaries generated in Notifications. The Now Temporary populates with related notifications, climate summaries and even visitors steerage, all of which is presumably Most worthy within the mornings. It would additionally generate day by day summaries accessible from a widget on the S25’s residence display. I’ll be strapping on a Galaxy Watch to see how these work together with health targets and wellness, so keep tuned for extra perception right here.
(Sidenote: Google Discover, a swipe-left-from-home display additionally gives an analogous stream of stories, notifications and different smartphone data. It has been round for years.)
Modifications elsewhere appear extra like rebranded options. AI Choose (as soon as known as Sensible Choose) resides within the pull-out Edge Panel (and the screenshot toolbar) and can supply up recommended actions as soon as you choose or circle one thing onscreen. It might probably supply intelligent ideas when it contextually detects an occasion so as to add to your calendar or one thing that wants translating. I’m unsure AI Choose is noticeably higher than Sensible Choose, however it’s at the very least on by default. You needed to allow the previous in Settings for it to seem within the Edge Panel. Whereas it’s not utterly easy, AI Choose does work effectively as a shortcut, suggesting translation with overseas languages or providing to tug dates into your calendar with a faucet.
This ties into Gemini AI upgrades, which seem first on the S25 sequence however can be coming to different Android telephones that may run Gemini AI. With a protracted press of a button, your voice instructions to Gemini can pull in data after which apply them to make a reminder, plan a route or ship particulars by textual content message to a buddy, or perhaps a WhatsApp message. I’m wanting ahead to Android including additional third-party apps and companies, however I have been ready for extra easy makes use of for AI assistants. This can be a step in that route.
I’m additionally not completely writing off the Now Temporary. It may enhance over time, particularly with Samsung’s Private Information Engine, which is able to try to affix the dots between your smartphone interactions. As I completed this evaluate, the Now Temporary started providing audio highlights from The Guardian, though I hadn’t but put in the information group’s app. Nevertheless, Galaxy AI figured it out, it was the appropriate alternative: I don’t learn the Every day Mail On-line. I want Google and Apple Information would work that out with out me having to actively block information sources.
Efficiency and battery life
Has Samsung solved our smartphone battery life woes? The Galaxy S25 clocked in at over 28 hours of video playback. That’s nearly 4 hours greater than final 12 months’s S24, and given the {hardware} parity with the S25, it’s a testomony to the processor effectivity upgrades this 12 months. With extra typical use, I used to be recharging the cellphone each two days. That’s not how typically I normally should cost smartphones throughout critiques — I’m very impressed.
With the 3nm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, these positive factors aren’t simply in effectivity. The CPU multi-core efficiency hit 8,950 (up from 7,049 on the S24), whereas GPU scored 19,158, up from 15,082 final 12 months. Not that there was that a lot want for such a leap.
As soon as once more, the Galaxy S25 is quick and dealt with every little thing I threw at it effortlessly. Nevertheless, back-to-back generative AI requests and taking pictures and importing 4K video made the S25 warmth up – it lacks the expanded vapor chamber that Samsung added to the S25 Extremely.
Wrap up
With the Galaxy S25, by no means has a Galaxy S sequence appeared extra iterative. Fortuitously, Samsung’s premium smartphones are in a commanding place, so even with a display (an cameras) that at the moment are two years outdated, the Galaxy S25 isn’t a foul smartphone. Actually, it’s an excellent one.
I described the S25’s cameras as constant and I feel that applies to the whole cellphone. The display is shiny, easy and wealthy, the battery life is, frankly, unimaginable, whereas each efficiency scores and my expertise with it show it is a highly effective flagship cellphone.
I like the streamlined Gemini AI capabilities, which may take a voice command and simply flip it right into a calendar entry, reminder and even plan my route. Even Galaxy AI diversions just like the Portrait Studio supplied extra refined (and constant) 3D cartoons and sketches of my portrait images. I’m unsure Samsung’s options would warrant an AI subscription — I doubt many would pay for them as they stand.
And that brings me to a much bigger level: In addition to a robust new chip and AI tips, why isn’t the S25 cheaper? The Galaxy S25 is priced at $799 at launch, the identical because the S24 and even the S23. The comparability it’s a must to make isn’t solely with the newest iPhone, but additionally cheaper Android telephones, just like the $499 Pixel 8a. Or, sadly, the year-old Galaxy S24. Until you’re determined for a bump in processing energy and battery life, it could be smart to see how closely final 12 months’s fashions get discounted within the coming months.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cell/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s25-review-170040665.html?src=rss
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